There’s a story in this months MindFood magazine about adventurer Jamie Fitzgerald.

Jamie and Kevin Biggar were in this 5000km transatlantic rowing race in 2003 (I know, the “why” question occurred to me too…) when they got caught in a storm.

This was one of those storms with massive waves and head winds, so they had just 2 choices- drop anchor and conserve energy or keep rowing. Given that this was, after all, a rowing race, they decided to keep rowing.

For 42 hours they made painfully slow progress- just half a kilometre. Completely disheartened, once the storm had passed, they called their support team on one of those cool satellite phones- everyone else had dropped anchor and had drifted backwards. Despite covering just 500m, Fitzgerald and Biggar were about 48kms in front.

I have no idea regarding his birth details, and it doesn’t really matter- my point is around retrogrades- Jupiter retrograde in specific…

But what does a rowing race have to do with Jupiter?

Easy- during the retrogrades, we often stop. Forward motion is frustratingly snail paced- very often there is no forward motion. During a Jupiter retrograde, very often what is promised is never delivered- you get close, but don’t quite grab the prize. So we drop anchor until the waters are calmer, the storm has passed and the astro weather conditions are more conducive to success.

The thing is, when we do this, we are behind everyone else once the weather changes and the planet turns direct.

So it is with Jupiter- if you’ve used the last few months wisely, if you’ve kept rowing, you’ll be in the position of being able to move forward with more impetus once Jupiter turns direct. After all- if you’ve been rowing through the storm, you already have more impetus than those who dropped anchor, have to start from a stopped position, and then need to make up lost ground.

I’ve spent the Jupiter retrograde period writing the first draft of a new manuscript and re-writing the original. It’s been a rewarding time, but has also been frustrating- progress, especially in the re-write, has been slow and I’ve doubted myself a lot.

Jupiter is now almost at his station position and will be direct in just a few days.

When Jupiter is at station, the affairs of the house he is transiting are intensified. When Jupiter stations at, or in aspect to, a personal planet or chart point, the affairs of that point are expanded. This is also the case if that station point triggers or sets off a natal aspect. Stationing Jupiter will intensify what is already promised in the natal chart.

As an example, Jupiter at 6 Gemini, forms a square to natal Mercury (at 6 Pisces) in my chart and sets off the Mercury/Mars trine in my chart.

(When looking at this in your own chart, use a super tight orb- no more than a degree…)

The bad news is, if you have difficulties with that aspect, you will find the few days of the station more difficult. If, however, the aspect is an “easy” one, you may find the period of the station to be very fortunate.

Once Jupiter turns direct, it will take another few months for him to re-trace his steps. This is the “shadow” period and it will last until the end of April. So, while things will improve from Wednesday, it’s at this point that the full potential promised in September and October last year will be delivered…if you kept rowing…

Oh, and Fitzgerald and Biggar? They won that race.

Jupiter is currently crawling towards the point at which he’ll station direct.

It’s painfully slow. Painfully. He’s covered only about 40 minutes of orb since hitting the stationing degree- 6 Gemini.

I find all Jupiter retrogrades tough- I’ve written about that one before. But this one has seemed interminable.

It’s also been very much about me.

The retrograde station point at 16 Gemini 22’, was square my Ascendant (16 Pisces 29’).  It happened just as I was coming to terms with going to work for someone else, and my idea that I was compromising all of my creative plans in the process.

It hasn’t worked out like that.

Instead, I’ve learned a lot about things I didn’t know. I’ve widened my acquaintance to include other creative types in the world of design and marketing, I’ve pumped out the first draft of a manuscript, and I’ve earned enough money to get us over the Christmas hump and to even things out financially for us. More importantly, I’ve learned just how badly I want to do what I want to do. That’s the challenge and the potential of the square.

Jupiter is now less that a week from turning direct. The station point 6 Gemini 19’ is just 1 minute of orb from being exactly square my natal Mercury. Yep, to the minute.

My contract ended this week, and from next Wednesday I’m officially back building my business.

This station has been hard though.

I’m working on the re-write for my first chick lit manuscript- which is going to be published this year (Universe- I’m sending the message out…). I’d set myself a self imposed deadline, and it’s been going well. On the whole, I agree with all of my editors suggestions, and am incorporating them into the re-write. It’s definitely working better. He’s picked up on the details that I’ve overlooked.

I’ve kept at the forefront of my mind advice from a fellow writer that she’s seen many come unstuck because they haven’t listened to their editors and have doggedly kept in storylines that don’t work.

I’ve had an element of that too. I’ve written in scenes that at the time I was pretty chuffed with, only for him to say that it reads well, but does nothing to move the story ahead. On reflection, he was right.

One of the messages of Jupiter square Mercury is to examine ideas closely and see just how well they do hold up to an argument- this is the best time to change a stubbornly held viewpoint…if it needs to be changed.

It’s like the Universe, with this station point, is asking me whether I’m really sure that I’ve done that.

Like when Mr T went round and round a roundabout in Yorkshire. I’d given him the direction to go left, but as everyone else was going right, he was giving me the opportunity to change my mind. I stuck with left- and I was right.

The thing about retrogrades is that we aren’t going backwards, we’re just being asked to look at a situation differently. We’re being asked to put a new spin on a situation, look at details that might otherwise be overlooked, change your perspective- if it needs changing.

That occurred to me the other day as well.

My two words for the year are up  and yes.

I already say yes to a lot- way too much. I say yes to things I don’t want to do. This year though, I want others to say yes to me. The lightbulb moment? For people to say yes to you, you have to ask them first…and I rarely ask anyone for anything- I’m too afraid of hearing no.

My 12^th house natally retrograde Pisces Mercury (the 2^nd worst Mercury in history- my mates is worse cos he’s got Saturn conjunct retrograde Mercury in Pisces in the 12^th house) operates inwardly rather than outwardly. This is a perfect placement for a writer, but not so good for a writer that wants to be published. The thing is, no one is going to come and tap me on the shoulder and say they’ve heard how amazing I am- if I don’t tell them.

This retrograde has been all about the realisation that I have to get out there, I have to get out of the 12^th house, and I have to risk rejection- over and over and over again. I have to risk a no to get a yes.

My natal Jupiter is in the 5^th house (trine Neptune)- if anyone knows about odds and is happy to take a risk, it should be me. And the odds of getting a yes will be improved with every person I ask.

a different kind of retro?

OK, I know you’ve been waiting for this… haven’t you? The retrograde dates for the year.

Just another note, the dates I’ve given you here are the dates in my ephemeris and that’s based on GMT. Depending on where you live, this could differ by a few hours or so- don’t get too hung up on this.

Also, I use an Aussie date format ie dd/mm/yy.

Mercury

If you’re involved in any job involving travel, change implementation, software development, IT support or anything that involves getting something to someone, take a note of these dates- especially if you’re a water sign…

23/2/13 stations retrograde 19 Pisces 52’

16/3/13 stations direct 5 Pisces 48’

26/6/13 stations retrograde 23 Cancer 6’

19/7/13 stations direct 13 Cancer 30’

21/10/13 stations retrograde at 18 Scorpio 23’

9/11/13 stations direct at 2 Scorpio 50’

Venus

21/12/13 stations retrograde 28 Capricorn 58’

Jupiter

29/1/13 stations direct (yay!) 29/1/13 6 Gemini 20’

7/11/13 stations retrograde at 20 Cancer 31’

Saturn

18/2/13 stations retrograde 11 Scorpio 31’

7/7/13 stations direct 4 Scorpio 49’

Uranus

17/7/13 stations retrograde 12 Aries 31’

16/12/13 stations direct 8 Aries 35’

Neptune

7/6/13 stations retrograde 5 Pisces 22’ (yep the same degree that Mercury stationed direct back in March)

12/11/13 stations direct at 2 Pisces 35’

Pluto

12/4/13 stations retrograde 11 Capricorn 35’

19/9/13 stations direct 8 Capricorn 59’

Jupiter is stationary and will be retrograde by late Thursday (Sydney time) until the end of January 2013. Heavy sighs from this fishie.

Jupiter is generally so optimistic, exuberant and dream/ ideal/ future driven. Nobody can keep up this pace forever, so when he turns retrograde, he does so for a few months at a time. And when Jupiter turns retrograde, the expansion… stops. Just like that.

When I say expansion stops, that’s actually not strictly correct…it turns inward. Given that Jupiters natural direction is to push out, the retrograde is not at all comfortable.

Good if you are planning a diet but not so great if you are in the middle of a project. Things that seemed to be sure may just stop. Physical energy may just dry up- especially if, like me, Jupiter rules your first house. Optimism and faith may falter. It can be like having a great big Jupiter 12^th house transit…and for more on that one, check out Watch Me Come Undone.

This is especially true if Jupiter is strong in your chart- as it is in mine. Not only does Jupiter rule my Ascendant (ie Chart Ruler), he also rules my 10^th house (career zone) and touches pretty well every other planet in my chart.

Generally speaking, in my case, my wings tend to be clipped and if I am going to feel less than exuberant (in mood or in health), now is the time.

This particular retrograde coincides with me going back to work (part time) for someone else after nearly a year of relative corporate freedom. Whilst my personal career goals are having the brakes applied (at least for now), boundaries are being put back in place, which for me isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I’ve put on a shitload of weight over the last 9 months so some external structure is absolutely necessary. I’m also starting to have a few doubts.

Jupiter has a habit of removing those things from your life that you think you need, but actually are doing you no good at all. But with Jupiter, there is no maliciousness- anything you lose now, or anything that stops or falters now is simply not necessary to your growth and will usually be for the best.

In my case, whilst I love the freedom I’ve had over the last 9 months, it’s not doing me a whole lot of good- I haven’t used it as wisely as I perhaps should’ve.

And that’s how we should look at Jupiter retrograde. It’s a chance to slow down, a chance to renew your faith, a chance to make sure that things are right before they’re pushed out into the world. Once Jupiter turns direct you will need to take a leap into the unknown, so faith is important.

For me, this has come at the right time. My book is now ready to send out into the world, or at least to go in search of a publisher- this was the goal that I had to reach before going back to paid work.

The retrograde though, is asking me to look carefully at it- is it as polished as it can be? Do I need to develop a marketing plan for potential publishers? How can I present it as professionally as I need to?

Jupiter also represents integrity and honesty, so the retrograde period is a great time to look objectively and realistically at what you are doing. Are you really investing enough of yourself in what is important? What do you do out of fear or because it is expected of you? How do these actions impinge on your real life goals and where you are meant to be? Have you stopped believing? Are you dwelling too much on coulda woulda shoulda?

This retrograde will have Jupiter back-tracking 10 degrees back to 6 Gemini. The key points of this transit are at the station points ie 16 Gemini and 6 Gemini, so if you have planets or chart points here, check out what else may be raised as the station will magnify the impact of any natal patterns already in you chart. The affairs of the house Jupiter is transiting and, in particular stationing, is exaggerated.

Look also at the houses that Jupiter rules in your chart- those houses with either Sagittarius or Pisces on the cusp- these areas of your life will feel the Jupiter influence the most.

For me this retrograde will cross back across the 4^th house cusp and into the 3^rd. Getting the house and the words in order sounds about right for me. I have some painting and DIY patching planned. I also have some extensive editing to do.

Oh, and another warning. During the retrograde period, everything should come with a “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” proviso- what is promised during this period may never actually happen. So that sure thing may not be quite as sure as you think it is. Depending on what it is, that can be good or bad!

So, what to do? Look inward and be honest with yourself. Now is not the time to embark on any activity that requires material expansion- unless it is a new charity or spiritual retreat or something that is of a higher purpose, so to speak. Whatever you do this Jupiter retrograde- don’t stop thinking about tomorrow…it’ll soon be here and it will be better than before, so don’t you look back!

If you wake up and don’t want to smile,
If it takes just a little while,
Open your eyes and look at the day,
You’ll see things in a different way.

Don’t stop, thinking about tomorrow,
Don’t stop, it’ll soon be here,
It’ll be, better than before,
Yesterday’s gone, yesterday’s gone.

Don’t you look back,
Don’t you look back.

Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow, by Fleetwood Mac

Check out Dare to Dream for general information regarding Jupiter transits.

Every so often our personal power feels a little (ahem) constipated. Stuck. In need of a little, shall we say, cosmic fibre to get it all moving again.

Perhaps you have been feeling like that lately? Like the projects, the real transformative projects, have lost their momentum. Perhaps you’re feeling a little out of control, like your hands are no longer on the steering wheel. I hit that point yesterday- as you may have gathered from my over-sharing post.

It ended up being a bit of an over-sharing day, with some straight truth talking from my BMF, and then many tears shed during a 90 minute phone call with my BFF on the other side of the country. It was frustration speaking, coloured with a little obsession, more than a little mis-directed self loathing, and a feeling of loss of power.

It was a mini emotional detox that should free my energy for the next phase of my project.

It was Pluto stationing direct sextile my Mercury. It all came spewing out. Luckily my friend was also in the same boat. Her Pisces Moon is conjunct my Mercury, so she was also feeling the Pluto pull. Her Gemini Sun was receiving the inconjunct from Pluto and her Cancer Venus the opposition. She has a few planets between 5-7 degrees…

Both of us were complaining about feeling like we were stuck in some sort of slow moving, toxic sludge. Hey, we have Pisces Moons- our emotional imagination is dramatic indeed. Like we’d started something Big and somehow had lost direction, momentum and control.

What we were describing is Pluto stationing direct. Pluto is about power, ambition, transformation, truth and elimination, so it’s natural that after 6 months of that energy being turned inward, something needs to give.

The stationing point is always a powerful one- especially if it triggers something else in your chart. If your transformational projects have been feeling stuck, they will very soon start to move. Between the energy of Mars moving through Scorpio and Pluto moving forward, now is the time to eliminate any of the crud that is holding you back from being who you need to be.

And crud, is very often what it is. This is real truth or dare time.

I’m relatively fortunate, in my case the aspect being made is a sextile. It’s an opportunity to grasp the power of my Mercury in all its dubious glory, and move forward. When Pluto is involved, it’s usually more of an offer that you can’t refuse. Having said that, acceptance of Pluto sextile and trine opportunities make the harder aspects somehow easier to deal with when they come. Somewhat. Part of the work has been done.

In any case, have a think about what this is activating for you. Is there any part of your life that is in need of a little cosmic help to get things moving again?