About Michael Erlewine
Inner Planets Retrograde
Each major planet moves thru the zodiac and appears
to have one major zig-zag, or retrograde loop, per year,
as the earth completes its annual cycle. The inner
planets, Mercury and Venus, have a more complicated
schedule. Astrologers note where this loop or zig-zag
occurs in the zodiac each year. It is considered
particularly significant if the retrograde loop occurs at a
sensitive point in one's horoscope, such as at the
position of a natal planet; in such a case, the
retrograding planet may pass over this sensitive point
up to three separate times—forward, backward, and
forward again. What follows is an introduction to
retrogrades.
This technique requires some understanding of the
heliocentric workings of the planets. After all, the entire
retrograde phenomenon is little more than a reflection of
the Earth's motion around the Sun and in relation to the