How to Read Retrograde Planets in the Natal Chart
The Great Boxer, Mohammed Ali, had 6 Natal Retrogrades
On forums, lately, several people have posted questions about retrograde planets in the natal chart. Many people don’t realize that retrograde natal planets are interpreted differently than retrograde transiting planets. The natal chart is a blueprint of our personalities for the lifetime. Retrograde planets need to be considered more deeply than an experience of a fleeting transiting planet. So today, I want to talk about how to interpret retrograde natal planets.
The dictionary defines retrograde as going backward in time or place. It is often referred to as going back to something inferior, like it isn’t a good thing. In pop astrology, we see something similar. People point out how problematic retrograde planets can be, but you don’t see much about how positive they can be. Today, someone posted a question about their five natal retrograde planets and said they read retrograde brings “backtracking and chaos”. They wondered if there was a connection between their natal retrogrades and the turmoil they experience with transiting retrogrades. Good question. But I also have to say that because there’s so much focus on the negative effects of retrogrades, many budding astrologers blame a retrograde planet for all kinds of things they aren’t responsible for. Something goes wrong - oh it must be this retrograde here. This is not good astrology.
The slow-moving planets (Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) spend almost half the time retrograde, so nearly half of us have those retrograde. I personally have Saturn, Neptune, and Pluto retrograde. Many astrologers don't interpret retrograde slow-moving planets in the natal. However, transits are a different story. The slow-moving planets hover in one area of the sky within a few degrees whether they are going direct or retrograde for a long time - sometimes two years or more. They are not like the faster-moving planets that speed through two or more signs and houses, briefly contacting natal planets and angles along the way. The slower planet retrogrades can be quite impactful because they will sometimes spend a couple of years or more going back and forth (direct and retrograde) over a natal contact. In this case, when there is stimulation on first direct contact, we start to feel we need a change - then some events occur that help our decision-making process - and then there is an internal and/or external change - corresponding to the direct motion, retrograde motion, and again, direct motion. The faster-moving transiting planets (direct or retrograde) can then act as triggers for events, that the slow-moving planets have been gradually bringing to fruition.
An example of this is when transiting Uranus goes back and forth over the IC - cusp of the house of home and family. It often happens that a person will make a huge change on the home front - either buying or selling a home, making a big move across country or internationally, or even getting married or divorced. If their vocation also includes dealing with “home” directly or indirectly, it can also stimulate change in a career. But the point is, when Uranus or sometimes another slow-moving planet comes over the IC, the final change often happens after the last direct crossing over that point. As the planet approaches, we figure it’s time to move. As it goes retrograde, we’re looking at what needs to happen to make the move, and then the second direct crossing - we make the move. It isn’t always so clear-cut - and even if we don’t move or make that change right then, the change is in the works by the time the planet moves on.
The Moon’s Nodes are always retrograde. The Sun and Moon never move retrograde, so that leaves Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter that might need special attention in reading the natal chart. Let’s look at the general positive and negative uses of retrograde in the natal chart.
And here is a chart of possible responses to retrogrades - both in the natal and through transits. Here I include the outer planets.
Generally, retrograde turns our attention inward so that we can reflect upon things in more detail while direct planets are more actively doing something - going forward. It’s a natural balance to our pronounced doing-oriented culture. We need to step back and reflect sometimes. Some people are naturally more inward anyway - if their Sun, Moon, or ASC (and other planets) are in an inward house or sign, for instance. These are the people who don’t usually notice when Mercury goes retrograde. They are already reflecting on things.
FYI - the even numbered houses are inward - while the odd numbered houses are outward-doing houses. Some signs are more naturally reflective - Scorpio, Pisces, Virgo - some signs are more doing-oriented - Taurus, Capricorn, Libra - some more thinking-oriented - Sag, Gemini, Aquarius - etc. Just giving some examples.
A retrograde tendency to reflect upon things or to be more in touch with how you feel or to be more aware of your internal processes - in a natal chart - might bring a steady awareness of your internal experiences. You could know yourself very deeply.
For example, Mohammed Ali is one of the greatest boxers of all time (some think the greatest). He has six planets retrograde, including Venus and Jupiter along with the slow-moving planets.
Ali’s Venus is in the 7th house, but conjunct Mercury and Moon in the 6th. It’s possible this retrograde helps him to keep a solid routine - to keep his mind on training. Of course, Sun and Moon in the 6th is focus enough to be disciplined in his health and training routines. But I imagine that Venus R helps. Saturn in Taurus is square Venus in Aquarius, helping him to focus and be steady. Aquarius can otherwise, be scattered and ungrounded. It’s better for an athlete to be focused. Still, perhaps the Aquarius Venus gives him the quickness and intuitive knowing of what his opponent is doing (7th house).
Jupiter R in the 10th in Gemini could also help him know who he is and what he wants to do for a career. It most certainly emphasizes career. Jupiter in Gemini direct could also have the effect of scattering the mind, but retrograde gives it more focus inward. Of course, there can be other interpretations, but my point here is - having retrogrades does not mean you will use the planet’s energies negatively. Ali would not be one of the greatest boxers of all time if he were using these energies negatively. He’s doing something positive with them. I’ll leave it to you to explore other ways he might be using these two planets.
Here is Warren Spahn’s chart. He’s ranked as one of the best baseball players of all time. He also has Venus and Jupiter retrograde, along with Saturn. How do you think he’s using those retrogrades?
My guess is greater self-awareness (R) on his physical being (Taurus) and ability to analyze and envision what he is doing (Jupiter in Virgo, 12th) quickly. He’s got Jupiter trine Sun. The 8th house is already focused inwardly, but since it is Taurus, he’ll be focused on his physical self instead of his psychological self. Taurus wants nothing to do with those pesky emotions.
Venus is a lover of the arts - it values beauty, fairness, and everything that makes life pleasant. It draws peace and harmony to itself - it is magnetic - charismatic. It can show what you value or give you stability and endurance. Do you think Warren might use his Venus to solidify what he values or to find activities that bring him peace and security? My guess is that he pays particular attention to his FORM (form and beauty go together) - how he catches, throws, and hits. Train your body to perform with perfect form and grace, and you will throw the ball where you want it to go every time.
Here is Herman Hesse’s chart, a prolific writer. He is a most beloved novelist, and one of my favorite authors as a teen and young adult.
He has Jupiter R in the 1st house. Jupiter R rules his entire chart. A Sagittarius ASC could easily be outgoing, especially with Jupiter in the 1st house. But he’s a writer, spending days, months, and years writing books. He uses the more inward, philosophical side of Sagittarius. The retrograde insists on it. Hesse has Mercury in Gemini (the writer) right on the 7th cusp opposite Jupiter. Jupiter waxes philosophical, and Mercury does something concrete with it. Venus rules his house of career (Libra the artist), and Venus in Cancer is ruled by the Moon found in the 3rd house, the writer - and in Pisces, a very imaginative sign. Saturn is also in the 3rd house, focused on writing. If you are unfamiliar with his writing, try reading The Glass Bead Game, especially if you are a musician. It’s delightful, and deep.
How about Mars retrograde? You’d think that an athlete would have strong Aries and Mars placements, but my studies don’t show that. Of course, some do, but mostly, an athlete has to conserve and sustain energy, not spend it quickly as Aries and Mars like to do.
Here is Robert Garcia’s chart. He is not as well-known as Mohammed Ali, but he is on the list of the Greatest Boxers of all Time. He has Mars R in Gemini on the 11th house cusp.
Garcia’s Mars R is sextile Leo ASC, trine Moon in Aquarius, and opposite Saturn in Sag in the 5th. He was born with Mars entering back into the 10th house of career. So, he takes his career seriously. The retrograde possibly makes him think (Gemini) and act (Mars) in a self-aware way. His thoughts quickly turn to doing something. But what is he doing? He’s training. A boxer is not always in the ring, but he or she is always training. The great boxer Joe Louis said, the real win happens in training. Mercury is the ruler of the Mars, and it is in the 6th house where he’s attending to his routines. The Moon could be scattered in Aquarius, but an Aquarius Moon could also be helpful in dissociating from pain. Mars R trine Moon could help the Moon zone out. If not that, maybe that Mars R gives him fast hands. Gemini rules the hands. Aquarius is also very very quick - so lightning speed hands. Perhaps that retrograde Mars in Gemini (focus on details) helps balance Saturn in Sag - giving him a steady focus on the details of his training as well as having a big picture (Sag) of the goals. These would be possible positive ways he’s using his Mars R.
I’ll leave you to think about Mercury retrograde on your own. For those of you who have it in their natal charts - how does it help you, or how might it help you should you focus on it? Do you know someone with a natal Mercury R? How could it be helping them, or how could it if they worked on the positives?
When beginners start looking at astrology, they come across many general and often superficial meanings that can be possible meanings, but are not fact or fate. You have to consider many things to see how a planet is functioning in a chart, and then, how the person is actually using that energy, to get a true picture. What I most want you to walk away with, is that people can and do use their natal retrogrades positively and a good astrologer will always counsel a person on the positive uses of all their placements.
Here’s a short Youtube Video that shows the pattern of Venus going direct and retrograde makes with the Earth as they orbit the Sun.
P.S. I’ve been working on two sports research studies, which is why I’ve used sports examples. Boxing and baseball have been on my mind. I am working hard on a research book I hope to publish at the end of this year. I have 40 research studies that I’ll be talking about, comparing and contrasting them and answering some research questions.