If you’ve been feeling like you’re treading water this summer, or going one step backwards for every two steps forwards, you’re not alone.  Four traditional planets plus Chiron are retrograde now, and while this isn’t as many as the astonishing six planets retrograde that we had last summer, it’s still a significant number.  This will change next week when Jupiter and Pluto both turn direct (move forward again) on the 8th.

When the planets are moving retrograde they inspire/force us to go back over territory we have already been through, consolidating and reinforcing our evolution.  This is a frustrating but necessary part of the process so we might as well work with it!  Pluto’s job is to clear away anything in our life that no longer serves us or that weakens us, and Jupiter’s job is to create expansion and give us a sense of meaning in our lives.  Jupiter and Pluto are not in aspect to each other so they are not engaged in this project together, but the influence of each of them, separately, is powerful right now because they have both stalled as they prepare to turn. 

Elsa has a good plan to maximize the benefits of Jupiter and Pluto’s change of direction next week:

“I was talking to a pal over the weekend and I told her I was going to consciously and dramatically shift my focus so as to change my life when Pluto turned direct.

I went on to outline my ideas which abstract. In fact they were primarily emotions but I knew as I expressed them that an actual cohesive plan and the commitment to go with it would follow and sure enough these things are emerging now.

I am going to do this like the ball that drops on New Year’s Eve or the way the game Space Invaders used to work when you pressed, “hyperspace”.  You pushed that button and that was it, babe. Wherever you were, you were no longer there.

Point here is there is one hell of a lot of energy available at this point of pivot and if you are ambitious to do anything,  anything at all there is a major opportunity to get a running start between Sept 7-1oth or so.  Think about what you want to leave behind in a week.”

You can read more of Elsa’s real life astrology here.