Astrology · 2 August 2026 · Charlotte Himsworth
Retrogrades Without Fear
When a planet seems to move backwards, it is an invitation to review, not a reason to worry.
From time to time, a planet appears to move backwards against the stars. Astronomically, this is an effect of perspective: Earth and the other planets travel at different speeds around the Sun, so from our moving viewpoint another planet can seem to pause and reverse for a while.
A season of “re-”
Astrologers read these periods as seasons for revisiting: review, reconsider, reconnect, repair. A Mercury retrograde suits re-reading and re-thinking; a Venus retrograde, reconsidering what we value; a Saturn retrograde, reviewing our commitments.
Not a time to fear
Retrogrades have gained an anxious reputation. We see them simply as part of the sky’s rhythm, like the waning moon. The Principle of Rhythm reminds us that turning inward has its own value.
A practice
When our Today’s sky page shows a planet retrograde, choose one area of life it relates to and ask: “What would benefit from a second look?”