The heavenly bodies that act as gods and goddesses, channels for the mythic forces of life Like the Sun, the planets seem to move around the Earth, against the backdrop of the constellations. The word planet means “wanderer,” and ancients noted these celestial bodies, as free-moving players among the fixed stars of the Zodiac. Many cultural myths reaching far back into time, have imbued the planets with grand, god-like powers. Each has its own archetypal meaning, as with Pluto, Lord of the Underworld, or the love goddess Venus.
Each of the ten major planets takes on significance in astrology, as a force that acts to shape a life area. They are dynamic actors in their own right, which are then cloaked in the energy of a Zodiac sign. In a birth chart, the planet wields its power in a particular house, which determines the life area it's likely to play out.
The planets are symbolic of real life themes, and in a chart, provide the frame on which to hang the Zodiac signs. Planets show aspects of the basic nature, and at certain times in life, are instigators of the new, depending on what transits are passing through. The snapshot of any moment is a freeze-frame of these continually moving planets. Astrology looks at these planets as cosmic allies that impact human nature. And how your original planetary make-up is always evolving, within a universe on the move.
Planets in retrograde:
The phenomenon of retrograde motion is the illusion that a planet is moving backwards, when it merely has changed speeds. It's just the point of view from Earth, because its relative speed makes it look either stopped (stationing) or going backwards (retrograde). All planets (except the Sun and Moon) have retrograde cycles, with Mercury's the most famous one! In retrograde, the planetary energy turns in on itself, is more concentrated, and often geared toward reflection and wrapping things up.
