What Is the Effect in Our Charts and the World?

In the course of their orbits, all the planets speed up at times, and slow down at times. The speeds of our natal and progressed planets are linked to their retrograde periods, and this plays a huge part in our lives and perceptions as we also have various parts of our Being speed up or slow down. The relative speed of transits gives us clues about when to speed up or put on the brakes.

That means the speed of the planets is a huge factor in transits and progressions. In some parts of each planetary orbit a planet speeds up and is moving faster than at other times in its orbit, when it slows down relative to the perspective of the Earth’s orbit. When planets move faster through some signs we call it Perihelion, while in other signs they slow down which is termed Apehelion.

All the planets speed up, then slow down, then speed up, then slow down. They do this in each sign, though they move much more quickly in some signs than others. "Perihelion" and "Apehelion" describe where a planet is in its orbit around the Sun, which determines its speed relative to the Earth. On a related note, the Moon's fluxes around the Earth use the terms "perigee" and "apogee" to describe the same orbital distance issue. (Helios is Sun, Geo is Earth)

This is an entirely different but related field of study to the retrograde phenomenon, and can help us understand some subtle but powerful nuances in our planetary positions and how they work as progressions. A progressed planet in fast motion moves through the sign experience at a much quicker degree than a slow planet. You can see how this would affect our experience of that planet's manifestations, since they would be quicker and more condensed across time.

In but one example of how this relates to retrogrades, if we are born just before a Mercury retrograde, we'll experience a slow Mercury function in our younger years, since our progressed Mercury will be retrograde for at least 20 years. It will stay slow for the duration of the progressed retrograde, but after the progressed Inferior Conjunction Mercury will again begin to speed up in the years after that. Thus a person with this would start life with a slow Mercury, but will end life with a fast Mercury.

This would quicken not merely the coordination function of Mercury, but also affect any planets we might have in Gemini or Virgo, as well as any time we’re dealing with a transit through those signs. Remember our planets show our experience in the moment, and we all have gone through periods which seem very fast, while other periods are very slow.

A slow function isn't necessarily a bad thing; it's just slower relative to when it's faster. Whether a planetary function is slow or fast, how favorable one or the other is depends on other factors, such as individual learning styles and how healthy or unhealthy our planetary responses are.

Going back to our Mercury retrograde example, a person born with Mercury direct not long after its retrograde will start life with an accelerating Mercury. However, after a certain point in life indicated by the progressed chart Mercury will again begin to slow down as it approaches its next retrograde period.

Thus these people go from a quick Mercury function toward a slowed function later in life. Again, whether slowness is good or bad depends on the individual circumstances. Some things in life are better taken slowly, while others require we move along quickly as we learn, understand, and act on what that experience is about. Some things need quick coordination, while other things can only be effectively coordinated over a period of time.

The point of maximum retrogradation is the slowest speed a planet attains at that point in its orbit. From that point on the planet speeds up in motion until it reaches its maximum speed, then it begins to slow again until the next time it goes stationary retrograde.

The study of the speeds of the progressed planets can give us a lot of insight about how quickly or slowly a given planetary function is operating within us. The speeds of the transits can give us insights about how quickly or slowly those planetary functions are manifesting in the world.

This can help us adjust to the natural rhythm of the times, both internal and external. While a retrograde may be just what we need to slow down, re-trace some ground we’ve already covered, and take a last look back before leaping forward when the planet is in direct motion, when something’s in direct moton and speeding up, it’s time to seize the day!

© Copyright 2020 Robert Wilkinson - https://www.aquariuspapers.com
Reprinted on crystalwind.ca with persmission from Robert Wilkinson.