Looking Back Or Looking Within
Venus has been retrograde in Capricorn for a while, triggering all sorts of old, forgotten emotions and pushing us back into situations and relationships where pieces of our hearts were once left. With Mercury joining in, turning retrograde in Aquarius just to come back to Capricorn in a couple of weeks, we are about to face the past as if against our will. The sign of Aquarius is a place where the Sun is in detriment, so our will, our drive, and our confidence are about to get shaken by processes of the mind that return us to things we didn’t get right the first time around.
Retrograde Movement
It is important to understand the nature of retrograde movement, astrologically and with a realistic view of planetary movements. A planet is retrograde only from our human, earthly point of view. In reality, it continues its trajectory in cycles around the Sun and it really IS NOT moving backwards. This is the main reason we connect each retrograde phase with Neptune, the sign of Pisces and the twelfth house, for it is a matter of perspective, a shifted vision, a position we stand in that does not allow us to see the progress that is being made in the background. This is a special time when inner planets (those closer to the Sun than Earth) are both seemingly moving backwards, together, and both are about to end up in Capricorn, a sign of the past, responsibility, and debt. Keep in mind that “debt” represents not only financial debt but also all issues of guilt, emotional blackmail, and manipulation that we did not recognize in the past.
The most positive interpretation of these movements is seen through rest, a lot of sleep, and patience for issues that are now rising to the surface. Capricorn is extremely spiritual, and Saturn rules our crown chakra, opening our energies to the world of true faith, presence in this moment in time, and the purity of personal responsibility within the collective. The problem comes if we allow specific thoughts and emotions to define who we are, beliefs that keep us stuck and give us the impression that someone or something else is responsible for the way we feel and the way we are living our lives today. Mercury came close to meeting Saturn in Aquarius only to turn around, as if getting spooked by the actual pressure of reality we live in and choosing to turn to lighter themes, things that aren’t as difficult, and all sorts of addictions that come with its loss of focus. Take care of your routine and your body and decide not to take on old destructive habits instead of relaxing your body and observing the actual message of such needs. This is a good time to ask for help, start therapy, or turn to alternative healing methods that will bring new insights and deeper self-recognition.
Keeping the Focus
The biggest challenge here is to not hide from diving into deep issues that block our energy. Some things have not changed for years, but this does not mean they cannot be changed. While we will certainly be challenged to fix what is broken, deal with car trouble, computer issues, and breakdowns of all sorts of technical and material things, it is all merely a calling to throw out the old and make room for the new. Just like our twelfth house and Neptune remind us to set free from emotional ties and collective history, inner planets connected with this symbolism may feel like they force us to think about the children (Mercury) and adolescents (Venus) we once were, forcing us to talk the same talks, think the same thoughts, feel the same feelings, and return to old partners, friends, social circles, and environments.
On the other hand, we will see those who are ready to take a dive into their own shadows (typically people with Saturn in strong dignity) struggling to keep their feet on the ground, facing difficulties when dealing with their everyday routine, their jobs, marriages and finances. Nostalgia is in a way toxic. Emotions we once felt are not emotions we are feeling right now. If too much of our energy is spent on “returning” to our old selves, it could be a simple signal that we are not ready to face the pain that separated us from the same things we yearn for. Holding on to what is no longer here could make us go too far back, where we no longer are, as if to relive the history of some generational trauma, an ancestor who never got past the point of disappointment, or our own sadness over feeling disconnected from what we loved.
Letting Go
All matters of Capricorn (and the tenth house) are in relation with our parents as role models. Just as Cancer speaks about our family and the source of joy in our primal home, Capricorn speaks about the ability of our fathers and mothers to carry their own responsibility when relating to us. This is exactly why this sign is also the place where our shadows hide, for we learn through repetition and routine what life is like when things are hard, what our accomplishments can be, what we can achieve through the image we get from their successes, strength or loss of focus, and their ability to perceive us as small, unprotected, and vulnerable children. The biggest tie of debt in this sign comes through guilt, as we blame them for what they could not be for us, for things we never got support and protection for, and lack of structure they gave us while we were powerless and openhearted. This ends in blame for ourselves, our own limitations, naïve ways, and leads to strictness for our own choices and a constant lack of TIME for things we truly wish to give our energy to.
For people with their ascendant, tenth house, Venus or Mercury in Capricorn these themes will be extremely accented. For others, it will reflect mostly on the field of life represented by the house that starts in this sign. The pressure to “live up to the occasion” is burdening and unnecessary, but it will be felt as we are “not allowed” to be simply joyous and carefree in our daily lives. Personal responsibility is almost impossible to carry if we are loyal to our ancestors and responsible for their unhealthy choices, thus habitually responsible for choices of authorities and people we respect today. This could affect our sensitive relationships and communication with individuals we form intimate bonds with. The trick is to constantly remind ourselves that we are the only ones responsible for the way we feel, think, and act.
As our choices align with responsibility for your own happiness, freedom becomes more than just a distant option. Giving yourself time for You is in fact giving yourself the freedom you seek, even if authorities you love didn’t know how to give it to themselves. Make small steps in taking the time to enjoy life and lifting your energy and spirits up on a day-to-day basis instead of repeating history that did not make you happy. Observe and nurture You and retrograde movement will simply prove once again how important you are, for you.
