The holiday season is here, babes. And if you’re an astrology fanatic like me, you’d know that December is jam-packed with cosmic chaos: we’re right in the thick of Sagittarius season, fresh off of November’s total lunar eclipse, and about to enter a month with not one, not two, not even three, but four planets in retrograde. Hey, anything is better than that time we had six planets retrograding… right?
But don’t freak out and grab your protective crystals just yet: most of the planets retrograding in December have been in retrograde for a while, and one of them will be stationed direct on Dec. 3. However, it’s important to note that the all-too-familiar agent of chaos, Mercury retrograde, will be returning at the end of the month. On second thought, maybe grab those crystals, bestie.
WTF does “retrograde” even mean?
Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Astrology is full of planets, houses, placements, and other jargon that isn’t exactly used in everyday conversation. So, in order to understand the impact of a retrograde, we have to understand what a retrograde actually is.
Think of a retrograde similarly to hard periods of growth — it may feel as though you’re moving backward when you’re really moving forward. This is (essentially) what a retrograde is: a planet slows down and appears to be moving in reverse when it’s actually continuing to move forward. This kind of transit can make us feel disoriented in various areas of our lives. Yet, once it ends, we can look back and realize how much we’ve grown.
WHAT PLANETS ARE RETROGRADING IN December 2022?
If you were in tune with November’s cosmic forecast, then December shouldn’t look that different. While four planets will be retrograding in December, it won’t be all at once. The real villain of this retrograde season comes at the end of the month — so stay alert.
NEPTUNE RETROGRADE (JUN. 28 — DEC. 3):
In astrology, Neptune represents intuition, spirituality, and compassion, as well as dreams and higher consciousness. This transit may be bringing you more clarity in terms of your goals, hopes, and dreams — which is definitely a good thing! Once Neptune stations direct on Dec. 3, you’ll be able to look back on the past few months and feel more self-assured than ever.
URANUS RETROGRADE (AUG. 24 — JAN. 22, 2023):
Uranus, in theory, sounds scary: It’s the planet of chaos, disruption, and unexpected change, after all. However, this retrograde is stationed in the Earth sign Taurus, which is grounded and peaceful in nature. This Uranus retrograde may inspire us to break free of all of the things that may be holding us back, which is essential as we enter 2023.
MARS RETROGRADE (OCT. 30 — JAN. 12, 2023):
The Mars retrograde was the center of attention during November, and we’ll still be able to feel its power as we move into December and the New Year. Being that Mars is the planet of war, action, and ambition, this transit can help us in terms of how we communicate our desires, how we act on our goals, and how we exert our energy in relationships.
Mercury RETROGRADE (Dec. 29 — Jan. 19, 2023):
Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for… or dreading. That’s right, Mercury is going back into retrograde, and it’s doing so in the no-nonsense sign of Capricorn. Since Capricorn is all about career achievement and advances, this might not be the best time to start a new project, especially one that relates to your work.
However, this transit isn’t all bad. This Mercury retrograde may inspire you to look closer at your career goals, and evaluate your plans to achieve them. Now is the time to keep your nose on the grindstone and stay busy — your future self will thank you!