Astrology is enjoying a renaissance. Since the early 21st century, more people are digging into one of humanity’s oldest divination methods. Horoscopes are everywhere and so are discussions about concepts like conjunctions, transits, and retrogrades. As with anything else in astrology, there are more to retrogrades than what meets the eye. Storm and shadow are two lesser-known astrological terms, but they offer more details about how a retrograde may play out.
A Quick Review of Retrogrades
You probably remember that a retrograde occurs when a planet appears to move backward as it’s viewed from Earth. The fancy term for this is “apparent retrograde motion,” and it happens when either our planet passes or is passed by another celestial object. All of our solar system’s major planets and lesser bodies such as Pluto, Chiron, Pallas, and Juno have retrograde periods. Retrograde periods are accompanied by storm and shadow.
Astrologers believe that retrogrades impact a celestial body’s normal energies and influence. They describe these energies as weakened, challenged, or turned inward. Retrogrades exert these effects in both our daily lives and in individuals’ birth charts. Mercury retrogrades are frequently blamed for everyday troubles like arguments, malfunctioning technology, and bungled contracts. When a Mercury retrograde turns up in a natal chart, astrologers see it as representing a person’s shy nature or lack of confidence in one’s ability to communicate.
Retrogrades’ Shadow Periods
You may think that a retrograde’s effects abruptly start and end. Things go back to normal when it’s over, right? That’s not quite accurate, according to astrologists. Bustle’s Brandi Neal discusses shadows, or periods during which a retrograde’s effects are felt to a lesser degree. Also called “retroshades,” shadow periods begin up to two weeks before the retrograde and can last for two weeks after it’s over.
You’ll mostly see shadow periods mentioned with Mercury retrogrades because they occur so often. Astrostyle mentions that the resulting energies increase during the first two weeks and slowly decline during the last two weeks. With our first and swiftest planet in retrograde for about three weeks, adding the two-week shadow periods extends these effects to seven weeks.
If you’re an astrology buff, you may not be thrilled about these shadow periods. You can find out when retroshades will occur by using an ephemeris, a tool that documents the trajectory of celestial objects. Next to each planet’s position in a zodiac sign are the retrograde’s starting and ending points, which are indicated by letters “r” and “d” respectively. If a retrograde ends at 10 degrees in Leo, look backward in the chart to find the last time the planet was at that same point. That’s when the first shadow period begins. For the second shadow period, look for the planet to return to the exact same position in which it started to retrograde.
Weathering the Storms
Cafe Astrology also discusses storms, periods during which a celestial body moves more slowly. Mercury’s orbit is very eccentric–not the kind of eccentric that shows up to your family reunion with a pet alpaca–but the type that makes an orbit more elliptical. NASA explains the small rocky planet’s orbit in depth, but you can picture its orbit like an egg with the planet moving faster at the sides and slower at the narrowly curved top. During these storm periods, retrograde energies tend to intensify. That may translate to more communication mishaps if it’s Mercury moving backward or dating disasters if it’s a Venus retrograde.
Expecting the Unexpected
Life isn’t predictable. We have our daily routines along with our hopes, plans, and dreams. With each second we live in the present, we’re also writing our futures. Whether you view astrology as a useful guide, a curiosity, or a pseudoscience, the storm and shadow of retrogrades can offer useful lessons. Learning to weather difficulties and take precautions when needed are wise moves, no matter what belief systems you follow.