A retrograde planet appears to move backwards from Earth. It doesn't actually reverse — it's an optical effect, the same one that makes a slower car look like it's going backward when you overtake it.
Mercury retrogrades about three times a year for three weeks at a time. Contracts wobble, texts get lost, plans need re-doing.
Venus retrogrades about every 18 months for around 40 days. Old lovers show up, values quietly shift, and money habits ask to be re-thought.
Mars retrogrades every couple of years for about ten weeks. Motivation drops, plans stall, and old angers surface.
Jupiter retrogrades every year for about four months. External expansion slows so internal wisdom can catch up.
Saturn retrogrades every year for about four and a half months. The scaffolding of your life gets reviewed from inside.
Uranus retrogrades every year for about five months. The revolution moves inward.
Neptune retrogrades every year for about five to six months. Fog lifts a little — inner clarity is available if you look for it.
Pluto retrogrades every year for about five to six months. The transformation moves inward — slower, deeper, and more real.