Jupiter Retrograde ♃ 2019

Apr 10 – Aug 11, 2019

Planets in retrograde are not actually spinning backwards – it is entirely an optical illusion as seen from Earth. Backwards motion appears to happen when Earth passes slower moving planets in the outer solar system. In astrology, this illusion manifests as a “backwards” functioning of the planetary roles. Click here to learn more about retrograde.

Jupiter turns retrograde 4 months each year. Jupiter Retrograde is the heart of the lessons. This retrograde falls in Sagittarius. Jupiter initially entered Sagittarius on Nov 8, 2018. This is a year of real change-up, often involving travel to faraway places. If you have been meaning to go back to school (internal expansion of the mind) or explore worldly interests (outer expansion) – do it. This year is about chasing the future and moving forward. The mantra for Sagittarius is I aim, so draw back your arrows, send them forth into the starry night. We are dashing into the unknown, rocketing through time and space. Thirst for life seeps back in, as well as respect for justice. (Sagittarius rules law, morality and ethics.) More than anything, this is a year of joy. However, it is easy for bubbly Sagittarius to get carried away. Opportunities we’ve been waiting for all our lives will continue to arise, but if we hear inner voices asking us to slow down and give it another thought, we are wise to heed these whispers.

Without proper confidence, Sagittarian energy can make life feel scattered and hurried. This fire is hard to pin down, difficult to analyze. The flames of Sagittarius move quickly and without consistency. And if we feel that we are not moving forward in life, real depression is possible. Jupiter in Sagittarius instigates divine discontent and inner restlessness. Once compelled to action, we do not stop. And now the retrograde, where we become more immersed in these Sagittarian lessons than ever, lessons concerning thought vs action, all underscored by an emphasis on spirituality and belief systems. This cycle asks us to revisit lessons that have been ignored, particularly from mid-January until now. Whatever we’ve been working on (spiritually or professionally) will be amplified. When Jupiter is retrograde, our collective quest for greater awareness becomes a personal journey. Normally Jupiter operates on a large scale, guiding the arc of shared human destiny. When he is retrograde, we spend more time reaching for the highest version of ourselves. Meditate on your forward trajectory – take action when the moment is right. (The moment is right.)

Dates to watch: on June 16 and Sep 21, Jupiter squares Neptune, also “at home” in Pisces. This influence makes us restless to the point of needing to go out and dance late into the night. We will more closely examine our belief systems and sparkling visions of the future. Which Sagittarian endeavors are the most exciting? And which are simply not going to work? We will acknowledge the discrepancy between what we had hoped and how it is, or discover that how it is can be even better than what we had hoped. Any square involving fire (such as Jupiter Rx in Sagittarius) needs to be released through physical exercise of some kind. It will be difficult to sleep at night, or you might not sleep at all. Artistic expression (especially in the form of music or dance) is highly recommended, as always. Get launched with Sagittarius Yoga. If you were born with Jupiter in Sagittarius, this year is your Jupiter Return. To find your Jupiter sign and whether he was direct or retrograde at the time of your birth, click here.

Mantra:  fearless