The Retrograde Story | Part 1: Jupiter in Taurus and Retrograde Basics

Hi Everyone,

This article series on retrogradation arose out of the blue. But it ties in with Jupiter’s current retrograde cycle in Taurus, so I suspect that’s why it has surfaced. Honoring the timing, I’ve decided to prioritize it and put the sign series off until after the New Year.

In this short series, I will be sharing a general narrative for the retrograde cycle that I’ve begun using to gain insight into a specific retrograde cycle. The idea is that when we have a larger context of meaning in the form of a general narrative, we can then make more meaningful and coherent sense of the specific retrograde cycle and our experiences during it.

In this article, we’ll look at Jupiter in Taurus and what the retrograde cycle is. Then, in the next article, we’ll construct the narrative for the cycle. Finally, in the last article, we’ll use the narrative to tell the story of Jupiter’s current retrograde in Taurus.

Before diving into what retrogradation is, let’s get our bearings in time and symbolism by looking at the time- and symbolism-based significance of Jupiter’s current transit through Taurus.

The Significance of Jupiter in Taurus

Significance from a Time Perspective

Depending on your location, Jupiter turned retrograde on September 4th or 5th, 2023, and will turn direct on December 30th or 31st, 2023. Just a few weeks later, Pluto will dip its toe into the strange new land of Aquarius for one more brief foray before settling in there for good in November 2024. This will happen on January 20th or 21st, 2024.

Given the timing, we may be able to draw on what we learned during Jupiter’s retrograde transit to help us navigate Pluto’s next test of the Aquarian terrain. Alternatively, the sudden insights and experiences that may arise during Pluto’s dip into Aquarius may help us integrate what came up for us during Jupiter’s retrograde transit.

For reasons that will make sense by the end of this article, Jupiter will not finish its larger retrograde cycle until March 23, 2024. This date coincides with the first eclipse season of 2024. That season will kick off with a lunar eclipse on March 24th or 25th, depending on where you are in the world. The solar eclipse part of the season will come two weeks later on April 8th or 9th, again depending on where you are in the world. Eclipses are reset times. Thus, we can draw on the fruits of Jupiter’s retrograde in Taurus to help us reset and recalibrate.

Given Jupiter’s correspondence in time with these other significant planetary events, we can see that getting clear on Jupiter’s themes as they relate to our lives can set us up for success as we move through these other events.

Significance from a Symbolic Perspective

Jupiter governs things like the law, philosophy, higher learning, principles, and religion - in other words, the cultural underpinnings of our society that provide us with our context, our sense of meaning (or confusion), and morality. Things to think about with Jupiter include what is meaningful, what is true and what is not, the relationship of our human-made laws with natural law and thriving, the stories - religious, cultural, philosophical - we tell, our beliefs, and our understanding of and relationship with morality.

As mentioned, right now, Jupiter is transiting through Taurus, a sign that takes us back to the basics. The work in Taurus is to pare things down to what’s truly essential - what grounds us in well-being, what supports healthy and grounded happiness, what is the true source of our wealth and how we can be in right relationship with that, what is resonant with our inherent worth, and what is our relationship with ourselves and our resources.

With Jupiter in Taurus, we might be asking what really matters, what is truly sustainable, and what supports the natural cycles of life, abundance, and thriving. We might also be asking which of the stories we tell and have been told are consistent with well-being and thus are truly sustaining and worth telling. In other words, which ones honor and support our inherent worth and the natural cycles of life and well-being and which don’t.

Jupiter in Taurus reminds us that truth and true knowing come from within and that the measure of a book’s or teaching’s worth is the extent to which it resonates within and supports our inherent worth, well-being, and natural, healthy growth.

Taurus is also about our self-relationship and, ruled by Venus, it is about loving and valuing ourselves, the Earth that sustains us, and the resources and talents we’ve been given. It governs the gift of our senses, given to us so that we can navigate our world. With Jupiter in Taurus, we know our truth by how it feels within and whether or not it supports or undermines our innate sense of self-worth.

Does the truth we are considering feel good (not addictive and undermining)? Is it self-loving? Does it help us support and sustain ourselves and build a stabilizing and sustaining connection with the resources we’ve been given, both inside and out?

Finally, with Jupiter in Taurus, we can use our sensorial navigational systems, our basic survival and well-being needs, and our inherent worth to gauge what is truly moral and what is not, what is truly needed versus what is not, and so bring ourselves back into alignment with what matters. Once we are clear on our inner answers to all of these questions, Taurus can help us ground more solidly in ourselves.

In sum, Jupiter traveling through Taurus invites us to strip away complexity, return to ourselves and our basic navigational system, and reconnect with and ground in what truly matters most to us, what is most meaningful, and what truly sustains us in health, well-being, and a loving self-relationship. It’s about finding our bearings and grounding so we can bring a solid inner compass to these times.

To consider Jupiter’s current retrograde transit through Taurus, we’ll need to first look at what a retrograde cycle is. That will give us the foundation we need to better understand Jupiter’s specific retrograde.

The Retrograde Cycle

Foundations in Astronomy

Retrogradation is a phenomenon where a planet appears to move backward in the sky. This retrograde movement is astronomically recognized and astrologically significant.

As planets move through the sky, they typically move forward through the backdrop of the ring of constellations known as the (astronomical) zodiac. But, it so happens that planets sometimes appear to move backward. This backward, or retrograde, movement, is an optical illusion. In reality, it doesn’t happen.

Explaining the Optical Illusion

Because planets orbit the Sun at different speeds, there are times in a planet’s orbital cycle when it passes or is passed by another planet. The Earth, for example, sometimes speeds past another planet. And sometimes, another planet speeds past the Earth. When the Earth speeds past another planet, it creates the optical illusion we see as retrogradation.

This illusion can be compared to what happens when we are sitting on a moving train as it zooms past another, slower-moving train going in the same direction. As the train we are on passes the other, it appears, for a short time, that the other train is moving backward. It’s not. But that’s what we see.¹

Although I do not yet understand why, the same thing happens when another planet speeds past the Earth. It, too, appears to move backward to those of us on Earth. (If you know why this is so, I would love to hear in the comments.) Thus, from our perspective on Earth, all the other planets that orbit the Sun, including the dwarf planet Pluto, appear, at some points in their transits, to move retrograde.

Finer Details of the Optical Illusion

Not directly related to our current focus but worth noting for the sake of expanding our awareness, when you take images of a planet throughout its retrograde cycle, you see a more elaborate optical illusion. The planet will appear to move through a pattern in the sky, which appears differently depending on the perspective.² In each of the images below, for example, Mars’ transit is shown during its retrograde cycle.³

Considering the images, we see that, from one perspective, Mars appears to make a loop in the sky, as shown in the image on the left.⁴ Yet, from another, it appears to make an S-shaped curve, as shown in the image on the right.⁵ (If you understand the reason for these two perspectives, I would love to hear about it in the comments.)

Images of Mars' apparent retrograde motion. In the image on the left, Mars appears to make a loop in the sky during its apparent retrograde motion. In the image on the right, Mars appears to make an S-shape in the sky. (Image Credits: The image on the left is by Tomruen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64205617. The image on the right is also By Tomruen - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64205630. See footnote 3 for image, photographer, and Creative Commons license links.)

Thus, a planet in apparent retrograde motion doesn’t just appear to move backward. It also appears to move in distinct patterns in the sky. While I do not plan to incorporate these visual patterns in my symbolic considerations for this article series, they are worth noting and may offer symbolic insight into retrograde cycles.

Astrological Symbolism

Symbolically speaking, in general terms, a retrograde planet indicates a time of review. Other “re” words like re-visit, re-think, and re-consider, are also evoked in retrograde symbolism. Correspondingly, we can think of the cycle as yin in nature, a time when we look within to reflect on and process our experiences.

Practical Considerations

When working with retrogrades, it can be helpful to reflect on what is going on for us during the cycle. Noticing what is going on, we may become aware of inner states, questions, discomforts, or conflicts that need our attention. We may also become aware of outer events that need our attention. Such awareness can give us insight into the retrograde cycle of a given planet. At the same time, the astrological symbolism of the cycle can provide us with a mirror that can help us more clearly understand and make sense of our experience.

Parts of the Cycle

While we typically think of a retrograde as a single transit backward through a stretch of the zodiac, it actually consists of a larger, three-part cycle. By reflecting on this larger cycle, we can gain more insight and understanding into the meaning of a retrograde planet and our experiences during the cycle.

The three parts of the retrograde cycle include:

1. the period before the retrograde transit

2. the retrograde transit itself and

3. the period after the retrograde transit

In the period before the retrograde transit, the planet moves in direct motion over the degrees it will retrograde back over. Then, during the retrograde period, it transits backward, or retrograde, over the same stretch. Finally, in the period after the retrograde transit, the planet makes one more forward pass over the retrograde degrees.

Thus, during the retrograde cycle, the planet passes over the same stretch of zodiac three times. Astrologically, we give each part of the cycle a name and note that each carries its own symbolic meaning. As shown in the diagram below, we call the first leg of the cycle a shadow period, the second leg the retrograde period, and the third leg another shadow period.

Linear diagram of the retrograde cycle. During the two shadow periods coming before and after the retrograde period, and during the retrograde period in the middle, the planet moves over the same degrees, twice in direct motion (during the two shadow periods) and once in retrograde motion. (Diagram by Ellen Mangan.)

The Symbolism of the Parts

Let’s look at the symbolism of each part of the cycle.

The First Shadow Period

The first part of the cycle is the period leading up to the retrograde period. During this time, the planet moves in direct, or forward, motion over the degrees it will transit back over once it turns retrograde.

Symbolically, this first part of the cycle is a time when we have our first encounters with inner or outer experiences that we may not take much note of but that we may find require more attention from us during the rest of the retrograde cycle. Perhaps the name shadow is given to this part of the cycle because the inner and outer events we experience during this time foreshadow what we will be giving our attention to during the subsequent legs of the retrograde cycle.

The Retrograde Period

The second part of the cycle is the retrograde period itself. During this period, the planet moves retrograde, or backward, through the signs, initiating a time of review. As it moves through this part of its journey, we may find ourselves revisiting what we experienced during the first shadow period.

The Second Shadow Period

The final part of the cycle is the one that comes when the planet ends its retrograde motion. During this final period, the planet moves in direct motion over the degrees of the retrograde period one last time. During this stretch of time, we may find ourselves processing the inner and outer experiences we first experienced during the first shadow period, but this time we may experience a greater sense of clarity and completion around the experience.

For a while now, to help myself distinguish between the two shadow periods, I have begun calling the first shadow period a Reconnaissance period and the second shadow period an Integration period, as shown in the revised diagram below.⁶

This diagram is the same as the one above, except that I have labeled the first shadow period Reconnaissance and the second one Integration, indicating my current way of thinking about them. (Diagram by Ellen Mangan.)

I use the word reconnaissance for the first shadow period because I envision the planet surveying the territory ahead like a scout on an expedition. Just as the scout goes ahead into as-yet unexplored territory to see what’s there, so during its first shadow period, the planet goes ahead into the retrograde territory to get a sense of what’s there. Thus, the inner and outer experiences we have during the first shadow period, whether we notice them or not, arise from our foray into new territory.

I call the second shadow period an integration period because, conceptually, it makes sense to me that, during this final pass over the retrograde territory, we integrate the experiences we encountered and processed during the reconnaissance and retrograde periods.

Practical Applications

With the understanding we now have of the symbolic meaning of the retrograde cycle and the awareness we have of the three-stage process of the cycle, we can begin to reflect on our experiences during Jupiter’s current retrograde transit in Taurus to see if we notice any themes that are significant for us. While, in the next article, we’ll add in some more pieces for consideration and craft a story from them that may help to guide our perceptions and understanding, for now, we can begin to reflect on our experiences.

Considering the dates given in the next section below for Jupiter’s retrograde in Taurus, does anything in your experience stand out for you? Does Jupiter’s symbolism - of truth and lies, higher (more meaningful, synthesizing, natural-law-based) learning, meaning-making, beliefs, the stories we tell, and cultural wisdom - offer any insight? Does Taurus’ symbolism - of simplicity and basics, Earth connection and well-being, worth and value, resources, and gifts and talents - offer any insight?

I would love to hear the insights that come up for you around Jupiter’s retrograde in Taurus if there are any you feel comfortable sharing in the comments. So often I get caught up in my own perspectives of things that it can help to hear what others experience and perceive.

Note that it may be helpful to reflect on the experiences that arose for you around the dates that have already passed that correspond to the initiation of different legs of the cycle. But significant experiences that have arisen during those two legs, not just at the initiation points, may also be relevant.

If, when you consider the dates, nothing comes through for you when you reflect on your experiences, there are a couple of possible reasons. One is that the descriptions of the archetypes I have shared are not quite right for what you’ve experienced. In that case, it can be helpful to look at what others say about them. Another possible reason is that not every planet transit, retrograde or otherwise, impacts every chart. Thus, if nothing is surfacing for you, it may be that Jupiter’s current retrograde in Taurus isn’t a significant transit for you.

Dates for Jupiter’s Retrograde in Taurus

Here are the dates for Jupiter’s current retrograde cycle in Taurus. The dates are for when the initiation of each leg happens in New York.

• June 11, 2023: Jupiter entered its reconnaissance period

• September 4, 2023: Jupiter turned, or stationed, retrograde, initiating its retrograde period

• November 3, 2023: Jupiter reached the midpoint of its retrograde cycle (we will go over the midpoint in the next article, but the date may provide insight)

• December 30, 2023: Jupiter will turn, or station, direct

• March 23, 2023: Jupiter will end its final integration period, thus ending the cycle

Looking Forward

That’s it for now. In the next article, we’ll see if we can construct a meaningful, general story for the retrograde cycle. Then we’ll see if we can use that story to help us interpret individual retrograde cycles, using Jupiter in Taurus as our example.

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References

Interplanetary. (2020, Jul 14). An animation to explain the (apparent) retrograde motion of Mars, using actual 2020 planet positions [Video]. Youtube.

LiveScience. (2018, Jan 13). Backwards-Moving Mars: What Does 'Retrograde' Mean? [Video]. Youtube.

Vedic Astrology Through Animations. (2020, Apr 21). What is Planetary Retrograde. A Complete Description. (In under 3 minutes). Youtube.

Notes

1. I’m not sure where I first heard the train analogy, just that somewhere along the line, I did and it stuck with me. But, for a helpful video on retrogradation that uses a car analogy instead of trains to explain the optical illusion that occurs when one speeding object passes another moving in the same direction, see the LiveScience video, Backwards-Moving Mars: What Does 'Retrograde' Mean?

2. See the video by Interplanetary. For my summary of the video, see footnote 5.

3. The two images of Mars’ retrograde motion were taken by the Wikimedia user Tom Ruen (username Tomruen). Here is the link to the image showing the looping pattern of Mars’ retrograde motion and here is the link to the image showing the s-shaped pattern of Mars’ retrograde motion. Both images were made available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED).

4. For a model demonstrating the retrograde motion that explains the looping pattern a planet appears to make, see What is Planetary Retrograde. A Complete Description. (In under 3 minutes) on the Youtube channel, Vedic Astrology Through Animations. This model is specific to planets that orbit the Sun more slowly than the Earth does. I do not know if it works for planets that orbit the Sun more quickly.

5. The brief (less than 1 minute) video put out by Interplanetary, called An animation to explain the (apparent) retrograde motion of Mars, using actual 2020 planet positions, includes a diagram explaining the looping and S-shaped patterns. The looping pattern, the diagram explains, is the pattern the planet makes in the sky during the retrograde cycle, while the S-shaped pattern is what we see from Earth. At this time, I do not understand how it is possible to create a photo series of the looping pattern. But, it seems it is. For a model demonstrating the mechanics that explain why the apparent looping pattern of a retrograde planet occurs, see the video linked in footnote 4. Also see my note in footnote 4 for a caveat relating to the demonstration.

6. It is possible that I picked these labels up from others along the way, but, if I did, I don’t remember where they came from. What I am clear about is that they are labels that make sense to me and that influence my way of thinking about the retrograde cycle.