Jupiter, planet of Good Fortune, is now in its yearly retrogression period that will last until August 11th.
Jupiter, also known as the Greek God Zeus, head of the Pantheon, is usually the most fortunate point in one’s personal astrological chart. Jupiter is usually all about growth and expansion, a great wind at our back that pushes us forward.
But this all flies out the window the minute Jupiter moves into its retrogression – for Zeus/Jupiter is also the “moody” God, lightning bolt in hand, ready to aim his rage at those who disobey his command.
When Jupiter retrogrades we meet its “dark” side, which pushes everything to extremes and exaggeration, making it difficult to keep things under control.
Jupiter, as all of the distant planets of our solar system, seems to us on Earth as though it is going in the opposite direction in the skies for a few months each year.
This, of course, has nothing to do with the actuality of Jupiter’s route around the Sun, which continues to be anti-clockwise as all planets, but has to do with our personal and earthly perspective of its course.
For us it would seem that all planets have a continuing west-to-east course during the year. This course is shown in the constellations of the Zodiac, moving slowly from Sign to Sign. When a planet retrogrades it would appear from Earth as though it goes in the opposite direction – from east to south, and backwards on the Zodiac.
By the way, the monthly/yearly route of the planets should not be confused with the daily movement of the stars in the skies, occurring each night – which is the result of Earth’s own daily rotation around its axis.
Even though the retrogression is our own subjective earthly view of things, the clash between the clockwise and anti clock-wise movements still has its huge affect upon us.
Jupiter may now be pushing us to extremes, so this is a time for us to practice modesty, limits and balances; a time to learn how not to get carried away or to exaggerate things.
In addition, each one of the astrological tribes will be affected by a different influence, with a lesson to go through, according to the astrological realm and Jupiter’s specific position. You can read more about that in your weekly forecast.