2018 brings with it not just three periods of retrograde Mercury, but one of Venus and Mars respectively. As we all know, Venus rules all those qualities we think of as key: erotic love, what men find attractive in women, and the feminine nature of women. These spheres in our lives will be up for reevaluation, with a return to dynamics, people and events of our past - only to part ways with them for good. Mars, on the other hand, is responsible for how we stand up to the world, how we fight, our energy, creative spirit and sex. It’s here we’ll feel a kind of backtracking - a delay, a reversion, will be easily irritated, if not showing a childish stubbornness towards that which is objectively unavoidable. Mars symbolizes the male spirit: its presence in a female horoscope reflects what kind of a woman a man likes, while in the male horoscope, it shows how a man conducts himself in the presence of a woman.
Mapping the retrograde pathway of the planets in 2018:
Mercury: 23 March - 14 April - in Aries; 26 July - 18 August - in Leo; 17 November - 6 December - in Saggitarius and Scorpio;
Venus - 6 October - 16 November - in Scorpio and Libra;
Mars - 27 June - 27 August - in Capricorn and Aquarius;
During retrograde Venus, we can expect a lot of tension between couples, if not affairs and breakups, as well as as conflicts of a material nature, like finances. It’s advisable to shy away from getting engaged during this period, starting a new relationship, or engaging in a work-related partnership (the emergence of a business relating to jewelry, fine objects, interior design, cosmetics, and plastic surgery are all best left for after this period). But this is also the period exactly in which you might find old relationships and bonds rekindling, and will end with the closing of this stage.
During retrograde Mars, we can find ourselves being easily irritated, overly sexual and lusting; marriages will often be put to a test. (Large machinery and transportation tools will often break down, stop or become defective).
That’s why it’s best that during retrograde Mercury, much like with the other two, we take this time to reevaluate, and to look over the types of relationships these planets are responsible for. It’ll be necessary no matter what.
Aside for this, there will also be three periods of retrograde Mercury, one of which overlaps with a period of retrograde Mars. This will only add to the web of lies, deceit and unclarity and agitation we see in Mars. The period will be responsible for many a break-ups, conflicts, heightened tension and divorces. Emotions soar high, words will be spoken, and neither party will be able to restrain itself for the better. Tolerance and empathy will be a deficiency.
2018 brings with it also other planets in retrograde. Of the biggest importance is Saturn, which will put many of our relationships to the test, forcing us to make some changes. Each of us will have a different sector of our life influenced, but the key highlight here is that by having it change us, it changes the relationships around us. The end of it will bring us the fruits of realism, and the benefits of all the changes we’d have uptaken.
