Reviewing Retrogrades ~ 24 Sep 2026

Really, I can’t think of a better time than during a retrograde to have that long put-off consultation (or take on a course of astrological study). Here’s a link: One Stop Shopping. Get started on the post and don’t stop reading before the special offer in the last paragraph of this post.

As 2026 wraps up (yeah, we’re almost in the last quarter of the year), there is dim optimism that maybe upcoming elections, peace negotiations, financial leaders meeting and more that things might actually get better, and maybe AI can be prevented from wiping out human civilization.

Currently, we’re a little more than a week away from Venus turning retrograde and while she does that reverse thing, Mercury, in under a month decides to mimic and matches her by also shifting gears into reverse.

Retrogrades are nothing to be feared and they certainly do not imply “do not get out of bed.” Any planet while retrograde reviews all matters related to that planet and prompts a person to get on with addressing neglected life matters that the planet rules and supports. Period. In any retrograde, the planet retrograde makes a direct line-up with the Sun. During this line up, amazing things can happen related to the nature of the planet. In fact, given that either a solar conjunction or opposition occurs, light (conscious attention) illuminates all matters of that planet and encourages immediate activity to support the planet and those real world matters that feel unsupported. With an inferior planet (closer to the Sun than Earth), the halfway point is marked by a conjunction. A superior planet (farther from the Sun than Earth), the middle of the retrograde is seen as an opposition. For Mercury through, Saturn these dates will be noted in the narrative below and in the chronological order of the retrograde planet to the Sun.

Since Saturn and the Sun first align in the upcoming retrograde. In his current retrograde, on 4 October, Saturn opposes the Sun. Here’s another important Saturn factor: he now comes off a conjunction to Salacia and remains in orb with her through the time when the opposition to the Sun occurs. What does this mean and what should be done?

Salacia is all about preserving personal pristineness and feeling that the space one occupies in life is consistent with all soul urges. Cool. These two planets (Salacia is a dwarf planet) in Aries demand that you think of yourself first. Should one feel that a declaration about how one feels in their job or career, this communication could effectively be made around the upcoming solar opposition. What does this imply? Well, asserting for respect and appreciation in what one does offers a good starting point. Do you require assistance in your job? Say so. Do you need a raise? Ask for it, even if according to your supervisor/boss this is the worst possible time. Should your proprietary rights agreement require revision, it’s a good time for that. During the Sun-Saturn interval DO NOT USE AI. Why? It’s time for you to be authentic. How does a machine understand the tumult you’ve experienced in life and translate that to insightful rhetoric? Go old school, especially if you fancy yourself as OG. Write in cursive, do math (or calculate a chart by hand) without a calculator. Tell time on a clock that has hands. Get real. Get solid. Pitch your stuff without consideration of the response you may get.

Yeah, Saturn’s not retrograde forever - it’s an illusion that it feels that way. On 10 December he turns prograde. Two days later, 12 December, Neptune resumes direct motion in Aries. The very next day, 13 December, Jupiter reverts to retrograde motion in Leo. Again, all three of these pivots occur in signs all about you, insisting you put yourself and your needs first.

Venus, the least likely planet to retrograde, this time in Scorpio, pivots about one day before the Sun-Saturn opposition, 3 October, so yes, well within the orb of influence. Venus in Scorpio is all about what you really, really want. Should the word lust be applied? Absolutely, as things then can become lustrous! This is ultimately about locating ones passion and following it as if there is no tomorrow! Do it now (or very soon) because at the moment of leaving your body to end this incarnation escapade, you’ll be glad you did.

Venus and the Sun conjoin on 23 - 24 October right as Mercury turns retrograde. She resumes prograde motion on 14 November. Venus percolation requires assessing all things financial... totally assessing. Do one of those boring budget things. Figure out if you need more money to get the things you lust to have. Determine how you can achieve that level of manifestation. Get creative and use the lust to motivate your butt into action.

Mercury does its next dreaded thing beginning 24 October. The fleet-footed one turns direct one day before Venus, 13 November. The Sun-Mercury conjunction forms 4 November as election results pour in for the United States. Yeah, yeah, it’s Mercury retrograde. It might be worth pondering why doesn’t Microsoft or some other computer company or phone company shut down during one of these. Because they can’t. Neither can you. Mercury retrograde offers no excuse for dealing with life. Figure it out. State it clearly. Ensure you get heard and understood.

The Mercury retrograde occurs in Scorpio and Libra. Best thing I can think of for this transit, watch the recent movie OBSESSION. As you watch it, consider how you petition the Universe with aspirations, propitiations, or even idle wish power. Think about getting what you really want and more, what you believe you deserve. That’ll get you cooking with gas.

Ceres retrogrades on 22 November in Cancer, where she remains until she turns direct on 23 February. During the last week or so of December as she opposes a controversy causing black hole, examine what causes and social actions you feel irresistibly inclined to rally and support. The urge to advocate increases to maximum as Ceres opposes the Sun on 7 Jan. What better way to start the new year than knowing what you need to defend in life - personally and collectively - and adding those considerations to your objectives for the year. Ceres asks one final time, is this the cause you intend to support or is it just a weird conspiracy?

Jupiter reverses course in Leo on 13 December. Four months later to the day he returns to “normal” motion (13 April). Jupiter forms the retrograde opposition to the Sun on 10 February. Jupiter, like Saturn, currently transits one of the most self-referential signs there is. The focus of this era, like it or not, whether it fits your priorities or not, is the matter of attending to the needs of you before others. Sure, maintain your parental priorities as part of what’s good for you to do and be cool in relationships. But keep your focus on what’s good for you to do for you. Combine all life experience into wisdom and make it part of the priority package of good things you intend to do for you and your needs. Create a belief system that sanctions getting your way, and when good comes to you, graciously receive it. Maybe during the Sun to Jupiter opposition, the time is ripe for you to declare to others what your current goals for life are and more, state your motive that underscores those objectives.

While in Virgo, Mars flips to retrograde on 10 January. Mars is the second most rare planet to be retrograde, emphasizing the unique specialization of the interval. He does the retrograde thing until 1 April, no fooling. That’s where he figured it would be good to resume progradeness (made up that word). He opposes the Sun on 19 February from Virgo. Shortly thereafter he dips back into Leo. It goes like this: With the Sun-Mars thing going on, figure what needs correction and/or augmentation. Document this clearly. Then as Mars retreats to Leo, summon the fortitude to present what you may require from others co-participating in your life, and declare what you intend to do on your end to hold up your side of the bargain. Do so with an air of absolute formidability. With the Leo energy, do the “act as if you believe in yourself to accomplish all life tasks impeccably. Then, take the steps forward and do all things exceptionally well. No excuses. No blame. No guilt. No shame.

There you have it. A review, perfect for retrograde anticipation of the terrestrial and largest two gaseous giants, free of charge. Ah, you know how that free advice thing goes...

So, here’s the pre retrograde not free advice deal: For the first three people who e-mail me with the subject line “RX consult,” I will send you an invoice from PayPal for $195. For the next two people whom e-mail RX consult, I will send an invoice for $205. Currently, first time consultations are $239.99 and repeat clients are $219.99. To keep your place in line, please transact the payment promptly. This will be for the first five people to surface and remit. All you gotta do is e-mail info@philipsedgwick.com with the subject line.

Should you need to ponder longer ordering up a consultation or consider whether or not you should take on a cosmic course of astrological study, you can use this link: One Stop Shopping  My view is: Sooner is better than later.