Let’s Talk Retrogrades: What They Are and How to Flow With Them

Picture Credit: 'Wanderers' and the problem with retrograde motion | cabinet

Retrogrades are often talked about in astrology—and often feared too. Through this article, my hope is to ease some of that fear and help you explore:

• What Are They?

• How Often Do They Retrograde?

• General Ways to Work with Retrogrades

• The Three Parts of Every Retrograde

• Retrogrades in Your Natal Chart

• How to Work with Retrogrades in Real Time

What Are They?

First, if you carry any fear around retrogrades, I invite you to release it. Instead, try to think of them as invitations—opportunities to explore all the “re” words: reflect, revise, reread, recreate, realign, reclaim, reassess, and so on. At their core, retrogrades invite us to slow down.

They’ve been happening throughout history. You’ve experienced many already. In fact, Mercury retrogrades multiple times a year!

When a planet retrogrades, it appears to move backward in the sky. It’s not actually going in reverse—this is just how it looks from Earth due to our perspective as we all move around the Sun. Every planet, except for the Sun and Moon, goes retrograde at some point. The further a planet is from the Sun, the longer its retrograde period tends to be.

(And don’t worry—the Sun and Moon have their own version of this slowdown too, through eclipses. We experience four eclipses a year: two solar and two lunar. So everyone gets that cosmic nudge to pause.)

How Often Do They Retrograde?

• Mercury: 3–4 times a year for about 3 weeks each

• Venus: Roughly every 18 months for 6 weeks

• Mars: Every 2 years for about 2.5 months

• Outer Planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto): Once a year, often for several months

In 2025, we have all the retrogrades! Mars kicked things off in late 2024 going into 2025, Then came Venus and Mercury. Mercury will go again two more times in 2025 as he does. Also Pluto, Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter, and Uranus retrograde at some point as they do so annually. It’s not unusual for every retrograde-capable planet to do so within the same year.

What I love about this year is that it’s also offering us a preview of what’s to come. Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are each dipping into a new sign and then heading back into their old one—like a sneak peek before the main feature.

General Ways to Work with Retrogrades

Think of retrogrades as second chances or review periods. Here's how you can work with each one:

Mercury Retrograde

A time to reexamine communication and thoughts. In 2025, all Mercury retrogrades happen in Fire signs, adding a layer of motivation and passion. Pay attention to themes from March and April when Mercury and Venus were retrograde together—you might be revisiting those now with new perspective.

Venus Retrograde

Brings focus to relationships, finances, self-worth, and the things we attract into our lives. Sometimes people from the past pop back in (hello, exes). With Mercury nearby in 2025, themes around how you communicate those desires may be louder than usual.

Mars Retrograde

A look at your drive, energy, anger, and action. You may feel slowed down or frustrated, like walking through a crashing wave. But through it, you gain powerful tools for managing those energies more effectively.

Outer Planet Retrogrades

These tend to show up more in the collective unless they’re activating something personal in your chart.

• Jupiter – Reassess growth, beliefs, and expansion. Not the time to leap into something new, but perfect for refining what’s already begun.

• Saturn – Review your structures, commitments, boundaries, and long-term goals.

• Uranus – Reflect on freedom, individuality, and change. What’s your unique way forward?

• Neptune – Reconnect with your dreams, creativity, and intuition. This is a spiritual checkpoint.

• Pluto – A deep invitation into personal transformation, power, and shadow work. Support from someone you trust can be helpful here.

As a general rule, retrogrades aren’t ideal for starting something brand new. Instead, they’re times to go inward, reflect, and realign.

Also, pay attention to the sign and house the retrograde is moving through in your chart. That’s where the themes show up—and which “re” word may be most relevant.

The Three Parts of Every Retrograde

There are three key phases to every retrograde, especially noticeable with Mercury, Venus, and Mars:

1. Pre-Shadow: The lead-up. The planet is moving forward, but through degrees it will revisit. You may notice little things—write them down!

2. Retrograde: The heart of the retrograde. Those themes return for a deeper look.

3. Post-Shadow: The wrap-up. The planet moves forward again through the same degrees. Time to test what you’ve learned before solidifying it.

Tracking these phases can help you make sense of what’s showing up for you.

Retrogrades in Your Natal Chart

In your natal chart, if you see a small “r” next to a planet, it was retrograde when you were born.

It’s very common to see this with the outer planets. Having retrograde planets in your chart often means that the energy of that planet works more internally for you. Here's a quick look:

• Mercury – Unique thought processes, internal reflection before sharing. May lean toward circular thinking.

• Venus – Unconventional approach to love or self-worth. Relationships may feel karmic or like they’re from another lifetime.

• Mars – Internalized drive. You may move forward slowly but with great purpose and stamina.

• Jupiter – Inward focus on beliefs and personal philosophies. Luck may feel earned or deeply personal.

• Saturn – Internal lessons around discipline, boundaries, and growth. Hard-earned wisdom over time.

• Uranus – A reflective relationship with freedom and change. Shifts may happen more slowly.

• Neptune – Heightened spiritual awareness and sensitivity. May bring confusion, but also deep intuitive gifts.

• Pluto – Deep internal transformation. May wrestle with power, fear, and identity shifts over time.

I often ask clients with Mercury retrograde: “Do you feel like you can move forward more easily when Mercury is retrograde in the sky?” And more often than not, they say yes!

Fun fact: the Nodes (North and South) are retrograde 100% of the time by their nature. Chiron, though an asteroid, is also frequently retrograde.

One important reminder: planets don’t do things to people—people work with planetary energy. It’s always our choice how we engage with it. And if life ever feels too overwhelming, seeking support from a friend or therapist is never a bad idea. I’ve done it many times myself.

How to Work with Retrogrades in Real Time

Now that you know what retrogrades are and how to spot them—how do you actually work with them?

It starts with awareness:

• Where is the retrograde happening in your chart?

• What themes are showing up for you?

• What reflections keep circling back?

Personally, I use it as a time to reflect and ground into the energy of the planet that is retrograding. Before I start meditating to connect with the retrograding planet, I light my Clarity in Retrograde candle. Then I begin my clearing, grounding, and shielding practice with the intention of connecting to that planet—to see what, if anything, I should be aware of. As the connection closes, I write down what I discovered so I can remember, along with any ah-has that come through during the day. If you’d like to grab a candle for yourself, you can find them in my Shop!

To help make it easy for you, I’ve created a free 3-Step Retrograde Activation Mini Workbook—a simple, printable guide you can use anytime a retrograde begins. When you download it, you’ll also be added to my email list, where I send out weekly cosmic weather updates to help you stay in sync with the skies.

You’ll get a heads up before each retrograde begins, along with supportive insights on how to work with the energy—not against it.

✨ We’re in this together, and you never have to navigate it alone.

Grab the Mini -Workbook