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Episode 150: Planetary Retrogrades pt. 1
205 Plays9 hours ago
Welcome back, Witches! This week, we're diving into part one of our two-part series on planetary retrogrades, starting with Mars and Mercury. We'll explore the fiery, action-driven energy of Mars Retrograde and the notorious communication shake-ups of Mercury Retrograde—what they mean, how they impact us, and ways to navigate their influence. Whether you're looking to work with these cosmic shifts or simply survive them, we've got insights, tips, and a little planetary magic to share. So brew a cup of tea, get cozy, and join us for a stellar discussion! ☄️✨
We would be forever thankful if you left our podcast a 5-Star review. If you really loved the show and want more Get in Loser content, check out our Supercast & Buy Me a Coffee links below. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @GetinWitches, on TikTok @weredoingwitchcraft, or email us at weredoingwitchcraft@gmail.com. You can support our show through our links below.
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Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio- The Witch
References:
- Bragga, Hanish. Planetary Retrogrades: What They Mean and How to Navigate Them. https://acharyaganesh.com/planets/planetary-retrogrades
- Bell, Alice. Understanding Retrograde Planets in Your Birth Chart. (2025). Astrology with Alice. https://alicebell.substack.com/p/understanding-retrograde-planets
- Boeckmann, Catherine. Mercury Retrograde Dates for 2025. (2025). The Farmer’s Almanac. https://www.almanac.com/content/mercury-retrograde-dates
- Theresa Reed (2025). Mars Retrograde 2025: When is Mars in Retrograde? Almanac.com. https://www.almanac.com/mars-retrograde-when-mars-retrograde#:~:text=The%20current%20Mars%20retrograde%20is,term%20actions%2C%E2%80%9D%20he%20adds.&text=Fun%20factoid:%20Although%20Mars%20moves,Cancer%2C%20Leo%2C%20and%20Virgo.
- Pandora Astrology (n.d.). This Year’s Mars Retrograde. Pandora Astrology.Com. https://pandoraastrology.com/transits-this-year/planetary-retrogrades-stations/mars-station-retrograde/
- Briana Saussy (n.d.). How to Work with Mars Retrograde. Briana Saussy.com. https://brianasaussy.com/how-to-work-with-mars-retrograde/
- The Dirty Alchemy (2021). Planetary Magick: Mars and Your Business. https://www.thedirtyalchemy.com/blog/mars-planetary-magick
- Theresa Reed (2025). What happens in Venus Retrograde? https://www.almanac.com/venus-retrograde
- Dawn Black (2024). Planet Venus: Astrology, Associations & Magick. Magicikal Spot. https://magickalspot.com/venus/
- A Simple Altar (2023). Planetary Magic: How to Invoke the Magnetic Power of Venus. A Simple Altar. https://www.asimplealtarblog.com/blog/planetary-magic-how-to-invoke-the-magnetic-power-of-venus
- YouTube: HearthWitch- What is Mercury Retrograde? https://youtu.be/5bQp_FPX1SA?si=1hI35_MjwYwi4ZXO
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Transcript
Introduction to Witchcraft Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
Do you feel drawn to learn more about witchcraft and the occult but feel lost on where to start? Then welcome to Get In Loser Where Doing Witchcraft, a podcast all about what it means to be a witch and where to get started on your journey.
00:00:11
Speaker
Join us as we navigate through various witchy topics and share what we've learned about the craft. So get in witches, for the first part of our retrograde series.
Experiencing a Head Spa
00:00:52
Speaker
So I need to know all about this head spa. Oh, well, it was the most relaxing, beautiful thing on the planet. Also, my hair is so like shiny and soft and like fresh. I'm obsessed.
00:01:10
Speaker
you first of all she also gave us a facial oh nice office yes yes which wasn't like you get like a little like she cleans your face normally but she gave us like as part of ashley's birthday package she gave us like these little facials with cucumber masks and everything so she started with that and i was already like oh my god this is amazing and You get in there, they shampoo your hair for you with like these products that are meant to like help exfoliate your scalp and do all of this stuff. And it smelled amazing.
00:01:43
Speaker
So first she washes my hair and you know, they do like massage, like head massages while they're doing all this. This was literally the best thing of my life. Then she conditioned it, and then she puts this mask on it, and this little halo, like, machine thing comes up, and they, like, cover your eyes because it's, like, red light therapy for your scalp.
00:02:02
Speaker
But it's also, like, doing water massage therapy on your scalp. Like, it gave me goosebumps. Oh, my God. It came up, and I was, like, immediately goosebumps. I was, like, my God. Oh my gosh.
00:02:15
Speaker
So they do all that. And then um once that finishes, she rinses your hair. She put another like a different mask in. i think one was just for the scalp. And then the second mask was for your hair.
00:02:28
Speaker
And then she put this like dome thing that like it stays open a little bit, but it like mostly like closes you in. And they steam your scalp and hair. Oh my God. And that part, I could have fell asleep there. i was like, oh my God, this steam smells amazing. It feels amazing.
00:02:46
Speaker
Like just everything was the most relaxing moment of my life in this place. And then like afterwards, she rents us and does like a scalp massage while she's rinsing. And then like, they just like wrap your hair up until you're ready to go. and like at the end, they blow dry your hair for you.
00:03:03
Speaker
That's what was just about to ask. Do they blow dry your hair? Yeah. Oh my God. I don't know about everywhere. Tara said that because Tara was in Japan. She got the head spa done out there because she said her hair in Japan was just so like dry, like straw from the sun and the ocean and all of that. And so she got a head spa done out there. And she said what they did is they put after they did all the treatment, they put her like a bag.
00:03:30
Speaker
Like it was like a plastic, like enclosure essentially. just around her hair and like steamed her hair for a while. Oh. Yeah. And she said that it was like, it was really nice. Her hair was great.
00:03:42
Speaker
Like afterwards, she said it was like completely different hair. So. Oh my God. I want to do one so bad. I see all of the videos come up on TikTok and I'm just I want to do this. 10 out of 10 recommend. island I'm gonna do it.
00:03:55
Speaker
um It was and not only like the most relaxing thing ever, like, just, you know, like getting your hair played with or like your scalp massage is always so relaxing.
00:04:06
Speaker
But even just like afterwards, like my hair is literally like, it has like volume to it. It's so soft. It's shiny. I'm just like, thank you.
00:04:17
Speaker
Yeah. Can I do this weekly? i know. I asked her, I was like, can I take you home with me and start my day like this? And she laughed. was like, wouldn't it be nice? Yeah. Oh my God. You're telling me. yeah That is one my favorite things is having people play with my hair. Also, I know I would love it. I also want to do, um I've
Global Hair Care Differences
00:04:38
Speaker
seen the head spas in Korea. They do like a scalp analysis where they use like a little camera and they look at your scalp and then like,
00:04:45
Speaker
So there's different tiers. And this one was like part of a ah package, like spa day type thing. But you can get um scalp analysis. You can get um like treatment plans and stuff like that as well.
00:04:59
Speaker
We just did like the basic wash because we were just doing a spa day kind of thing. Yeah. I want to do all of that because here in Japan too, I don't know if it's because we had a hard water back in England and I feel like my hair didn't have – the problems that it has here. think the water definitely, I don't know if it's just harder here. I feel like it's not. It could be different. buildup, but could be different minerals. Yeah. There's minerals in the water that I think are affects my hair adversely.
00:05:32
Speaker
Yeah. and so usually everyone's just like, Oh, we'll just use like Japanese shampoos. And so like in England, I used English shampoos, like what was available on the market. Japanese shampoos are too hard on my hair because we have completely different hair textures. And so I'm just like, well, I have to be really careful with the shampoo that I use and like any hair treatments, because if not, I just will look like I'm a ball of grease.
00:05:55
Speaker
So it's too heavy. ah No, I when you come, we definitely need to book. At least, at the very least, the head spa and the hammam bath because I feel like everyone needs to experience that bath at least once
Exploring Traditional Baths
00:06:11
Speaker
in their life. That was amazing. My skin is so soft.
00:06:16
Speaker
like the amount of dead skin that they pull off of you. i was like, God, is it just me? And then everybody was like, oh my God, there was so much dead skin. And I'm like, oh, thank God. I love that. Even if you feel it, because they were like, this is what we're doing. And they'll like, take your hand and show you like a patch of like the dead skin on your body. And I was like, that is absolutely disgusting. Right. Yeah. No, thank you. Yeah. And so she explained that like,
00:06:41
Speaker
in Arab cultures, it's like a tradition. When a bride gets married, the mother of the bride and the bride go and do a hammam bath to clean, like cleanse your skin and start fresh. Oh, I love that. Isn't that cute? I was like, oh i wish I like got to do that.
00:07:00
Speaker
Like I would just wish that we did more stuff like this. We don't have like cultural things in America like this. Like things where it's like, oh here's this like traditional, well, traditional things that we have are dumb.
00:07:13
Speaker
Yeah. I don't feel like we have these like, like that was like um really meaningful thing. And then also it's just like absolutely beautiful to go and do that. I think everyone should experience that bath.
00:07:25
Speaker
It was beautiful. agree. i I think so too. And i I feel like just Western societies in general, we don't have some of these like the bathing practices and like hygiene is totally different. And it's like, i all I can think of is back whenever white cultures colonized the world,
00:07:46
Speaker
When they rolled up in their ships, I bet they stunk to high fucking heavens. Yeah. Well, isn't it like there's something about Viking culture where Vikings were too clean or something like when they were. can't even care. Because like they were like super clean people. Like they bathed, they used oils, they brushed their hair, know, like they had all these like cleaning things that they did. like they were looked at as like weirdos.
00:08:13
Speaker
or something I remember reading something and I was like, what a weird thing to be like, oh why do you cleanse yourself? A wild concept. Like I can just can't even imagine like rolling up in my shit being like, actually, I'm taking over your city or country or whatever.
00:08:28
Speaker
And then everyone's just looking at me like, bro, you smell like shit. That's embarrassing. what the fuck? Or like you coming in as the colonizer and you're like, I'm taking over.
00:08:40
Speaker
Why do you smell like lavender? right Yeah. Gross. Gross. Terrible. you can't rule your own country. Yeah. You take back. That's for women. I haven't showered at all.
00:08:57
Speaker
I am a man. The only shower I get is from the rain. Yeah. yeah And you say you're one with nature. Oh, God. That's how i will forever imagine this going down now.
00:09:12
Speaker
That's probably exactly how it went down. That's basically, that's history. you guys are welcome for your history lesson. um See you next week. Right. That's all we have time for today.
00:09:24
Speaker
Just kidding.
Understanding Planetary Retrogrades
00:09:27
Speaker
What are we actually talking about today? ah We have got two back-to-back, very long fucking episodes on Planetary Retrograys. So I'm just going to let you guys know right now, you better be fucking grateful. No, I'm just joking.
00:09:42
Speaker
Also, this is going to be a long episode. Most likely. I don't know. don't know. We knew that this would be a bigger episode when we started.
00:09:55
Speaker
So we were like, two episodes should be good. And we probably should have split it into three or maybe four. i don't know. well We're sorry. But also, you're welcome.
00:10:06
Speaker
Yeah, because a few episodes ago, i i think it was Protective Talismans. I think that one was only like 30 minutes long. So this is making up for some yeah shorter episodes that we've done. So yeah, yeah, you had a couple short episodes. So now we're gonna give you some extra time.
00:10:20
Speaker
You're welcome. Exactly.
00:10:23
Speaker
um I don't know if you who knew this when you planned doing these episodes in this year, this season, but apparently this was the perfect time to dive into planetary retrogrades because 2025 is being called the year, the whole year of retrogrades, along with some major outer planet transitions. So yay.
00:10:46
Speaker
Which is apparently why everything feels chaotic right now. So there's that. There's your explanation, guys. so this episode is releasing towards the end of March, but we're recording it mid-February.
00:10:58
Speaker
And what that means is that we're currently coming to the end of a Mars retrograde that has been in place since December. And that we're going to be transitioning into both a Venus and a Mercury retrograde in March and April.
00:11:12
Speaker
One source that I came across said that this means we aren't going to really feel motivated for much of anything or like our year is even beginning until mid-April. And honestly, i can say that I felt that when I was reading that explanation. Like I felt it in my soul.
00:11:27
Speaker
i was like... I haven't felt like is like, I haven't felt like this is like new year, time for change, time to like motivated. I've just been like. Not at all. No.
00:11:38
Speaker
It's, yeah. I mean, it makes sense, but also wah, wah, wah. Yeah. I thought it was just me. Apparently not. I guess I'll be rotting until mid-April. Yeah. So just to kick it off with some basics, um the easiest way to explain a planetary retrograde is essentially as an optical illusion where a planet will appear to be moving backwards in its orbit from our perspective from Earth.
00:12:03
Speaker
The planets aren't actually reversing their course. It's all about the perception of a particular planet in association with other planets. One source compared it to a car that's moving slower than a group of surrounding cars.
00:12:18
Speaker
So it makes the slower car appear to be going in reverse while all the other cars are like sitting at the same speed together. So if you're kind of like me and you're like, okay, the planet's reversing, think of it that way. Or like when you know, know when you like pull into a parking lot and as you're coming to a stop, another car starts reversing and you're like, am I moving forward? It's essentially the same thing. yeah Yeah.
00:12:39
Speaker
This perspective comes down to relative motion and the way that the planets move around the sun. So when a faster moving planet like Earth overtakes a slower planet like Mars in orbit, it creates the illusion of the slower planet moving backwards.
00:12:54
Speaker
The most commonly discussed planets in terms of planetary retrogrades are Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. And we'll be covering each one of these between today's episode and spoiler alert next week's episode in part two.
00:13:10
Speaker
While these are the most commonly discussed, all planets will appear in retrograde from the Earth's perspective. The only exceptions are the Sun and the Moon, which do not have retrograde motion.
00:13:23
Speaker
And if you're thinking, why should I care about this? And how does a planet being retrograde even affect me? According to astrology, retrogrades can have various effects on our personal lives.
00:13:34
Speaker
Periods of retrograde are often seen as a time of reflection, reassessment, and even challenges in the areas of your life that the planet itself governs. Retrograde is basically highlighting an area that could need your attention, and a few examples of this could be during a Mercury retrograde, you could find yourself dealing with miscommunications and even issues with technology.
00:13:57
Speaker
During a Venus retrograde, you might start reconsidering relationships or even financial decisions. Retrogrades were described by one astrologer as the universe asking us to slow down and take another look at things, often the things that are governed by the planet that's in retrograde.
00:14:16
Speaker
Something to note too is that retrogrades can sometimes correlate with global events and even shifts within collective consciousness. Some astrologers believe that a Mercury retrograde can affect the stock market or even political communications.
00:14:31
Speaker
But as with everything, it's important to remember that correlation doesn't always equal causation. So in terms of this idea, these are astrological interpretations rather than a scientific fact.
00:14:42
Speaker
My science heart always says, show me the data, but then sometimes a pattern is a pattern. So all of that to say, just use your intuition and do your own research before falling down rabbit holes and losing sleep.
Reflection During Retrogrades
00:14:55
Speaker
Some myths surrounding retrograde are that retrogrades can cause bad luck, which isn't true Retrogrades basically just highlight an area that needs your attention, that you should pause and put your life on hold to avoid a retrograde, which absolutely not, that retrograde is still going to be there.
00:15:11
Speaker
And what it's highlighting still needs your attention. And also like in terms of like a Mercury retrograde, you can't just put your life on hold for three weeks at a time, multiple times a year. But I can't?
00:15:23
Speaker
No. You still have to look at those areas. um Some believe that everyone is affected in the same way, which is just a big nope.
00:15:34
Speaker
As I've already said, planetary retrogrades are highlighting an area that needs like your attention. And since everyone is different, Therefore, everyone is going to be affected differently by planetary retrogrades.
00:15:46
Speaker
And while Mercury retrograde is tied to technology, that doesn't mean that every little issue is the effects of Mercury retrograde, which I've seen that um on – you see it on, like, TikTok and Reels and shit where people are like, oh, my computer did this and it's Mercury retrograde. And it's like sometimes technology is just technology. Yeah, maybe you just need a new fucking computer. I don't know. Yeah.
00:16:08
Speaker
Or update it. I don't know. Something. Yeah. In astrology, retrogrades are seen as opportunities for growth and for introspection. So basically, it gives us the chance to revisit, to revise, and to realign.
00:16:22
Speaker
You may experience some challenges during a planetary retrograde, but oftentimes it will also offer valuable lessons and opportunities for personal development. For anyone interested in learning, if you have retrogrades in your birth chart, they should be noted with a small capital R next to them, which I didn't know that.
00:16:42
Speaker
And I forgot because I was going to go look and see if I had any. But I forgot to do that. So so if the planet symbol has a like tiny capital R next to it, it means that it was retrograde at the time of your birth.
00:16:57
Speaker
And as a note, again, the sun and the moon never retrograde and nodes are always retrograde. Having retrogrades in your birth chart means that the meaning of that planet takes on more importance for you.
00:17:11
Speaker
However, the qualities associated with that planet may feel more difficult to understand or incorporate into your life.
Mars Retrograde Tips
00:17:18
Speaker
If Venus, Mars, or Mercury are in retrograde in your chart,
00:17:23
Speaker
It's believed that they are more personal to you and their retrogrades will tend to have a bigger impact on you as they are like inner planets. Venus and Mars retrograde placements are considered rare since Venus is only retrograde for approximately six weeks every 18 months and Mars is only retrograde for about two and a half months every two years.
00:17:43
Speaker
The most common retrograde placements are Mercury, Neptune, Uranus, and Pluto due to having more frequent or much longer periods of retrograde. If this is something that you're interested in, Alice Bell of Astrology with Alice did a breakdown of each of the planetary retrograde themes in terms of having them in your birth chart and she even um gave a couple of famous examples by explaining Will Ferrell, Audrey Hepburn, and Malcolm Gladwell that were extremely fascinating as a way to share how the planets in retrograde may have affected their careers.
00:18:20
Speaker
So it wasn't like relevant to like include all of that information on them in here, but it was really interesting. So if it's something that you're interested in reading, it is in our show notes. Oh, that is cool. I'll have to check that out as well because that is really cool.
00:18:33
Speaker
And I also want to look at my birth chart as well and see if I have any planets that were retrograde in my natal chart. Yeah. That be really interesting. I meant to look that up as well and then I – You know, 20 pages of notes later, that was not a priority. so And life's been lifen, so. yeah Yeah. Yep.
00:18:53
Speaker
So to kick it off, we're going to go through each planet, but i'm going to kick it off with Mars first. um And these planets, ah ah you know what? i Don't come after us, science-y people, and be like, oh the planets are out of order. Like,
00:19:08
Speaker
just We don't care. It is what it is. what we did. did what we did because Tiffany needs a break from speaking or she'll be speaking, you know, for 10 pages worth of her notes. You know what I mean? I'm going to need a break. for We're going back and forth. Okay. So just chill.
00:19:23
Speaker
a g You'll get all the planets. Yes. You'll get them all. If they're out of order, they're out of So kicking it off with Mars retrograde. Mars is known as the warrior planet. It's associated with passion, willpower, action, and drive.
00:19:38
Speaker
Mars retrogrades every two years for about two months at a time, as Tiffany mentioned, and it can... feel like the fire is out during this time. This time is characterized by reduced energy, waning enthusiasm and motivation, and it's our sign from the universe to rethink our actions and just take a break.
00:19:54
Speaker
It's the wet blanket, quote unquote, of transits, and it often leads to disinterest and it leads to slowdowns and setbacks. So fun fact about Mars, its stations direct and retrograde most often in the signs of Cancer, Leo, and Virgo, which I did not know.
00:20:11
Speaker
um so that was news to me. Mars retrogrades usually cause tension in work-related matters, and if you have a deadline, this could manifest in experiencing obstacles or distractions, and may even feel like you can't get anything done.
00:20:24
Speaker
As I mentioned, Mars being the warrior planet, this can influence your aggression, anger, and how you deal with conflict. and Since retrogrades turn energy inward, this may mean that you could face some trouble in expressing your feelings up until the point that they boil over.
00:20:39
Speaker
So this could look like explosive arguments, issues with road rage, or temper tantrums during this time. Mars is also associated with impatience and impulse. As the act first, think later planet, this can be amplified during retrogrades where you may take action that you later regret.
00:20:56
Speaker
So looking at the Mars retrograde dates that are upcoming, just noting, we had one December 6th, 2024 through February 23rd, 2025. So we're just coming out of that Mars retrograde.
00:21:09
Speaker
The next one will be January 10th, 2027 through April 1st, 2027. And the that would February 14th, 2029 through March 5th, 2029. and the one after that would be february fourteenth twenty twenty nine through march fifth twenty twenty nine So who does Mars retrograde affect?
00:21:23
Speaker
It affects all of us, but if you have your sun in Aries or you have an Aries rising, you're more likely to feel that energy more as Mars is our planetary ruler. The same can also be said if you have a Scorpio sun or rising as Mars is the traditional ruler of Scorpio.
00:21:39
Speaker
So some important days in the Mars retrograde cycle. The retrograde period of Mars is one of a two-year cycle, and this cycle is marked by certain milestone dates. The first date is called the heroic epiphany day.
00:21:52
Speaker
This is the beginning and end of the Mars cycle, the day that Mars conjuncts the sun, and this is when you see the peak wave of energy drive action and clarity. The second important milestone date is the day Mars actually goes retrograde.
00:22:07
Speaker
This is the time to stop and think. This day is characterized by a slowdown of clarity. Everything may seem more complicated than usual. You may experience obstacles in your path. Any of those might be um starting during this time.
00:22:21
Speaker
The third date is the maximum frustration day, aka the most difficult part of the cycle. Usually this occurs in the middle of the retrograde period when Mars opposes the sun,
00:22:32
Speaker
This is when you see maximum frustration, irritation, and rage. And if you can, try and remember what you were doing on January 15th of this year, as this was when the last maximum frustration day was.
00:22:43
Speaker
The fourth important date is the day that Mars goes direct. This day is known for bringing relief, or at least you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, and you can sense that you are on the right course of action.
00:22:55
Speaker
During this Mars retrograde, this will have just occurred on February twenty third The fifth most important date is the day that Mars leaves its span, and this is known as the closure date.
00:23:07
Speaker
Somewhere between the direct turning day and the day Mars leaves the span, we see a final battle or decision being made. This is a several weeks long span, and can see things being brought up from the beginning of the span, which occurred well before Mars went into retrograde.
00:23:25
Speaker
So for example, for this last Mars retrograde, this could be as far back as October 4th, 2024. And Mars doesn't even leave its span until May 3rd, 2025, which is, i can't do math, but like at least two months after the Mars retrograde ended.
00:23:43
Speaker
So this is where Mars will pass six degrees of Leo, where it originally went retrograde. And this is the date when Mars retrograde is truly officially fucking over.
00:23:54
Speaker
until January, 2026. So how do you deal with Mars in retrograde? The best thing to do during a Mars retrograde is to slow down, practice deep breathing, and mindfulness before you take action.
00:24:07
Speaker
It's recommended to resist conflict as much as possible during this time, so stepping away from escalating situations, practice active listening, and understanding that not all conflicts need to be resolved immediately.
00:24:20
Speaker
This is a time to reassess where your energy and effort are going and examine your intrinsic motivations. Physical activity during this retrograde can be a great way to deal with Mars retrograde. So getting in those steps, physically working in your garden, and pursuing anything creative like journaling or drawing can be ideal activities to handle this energy.
00:24:41
Speaker
and it's also recommended that during this time, it is not the time to initiate a lawsuit and the odds are not going to be in your favor. So here's looking at you, Blake Lively. You shouldn't have done that.
00:24:52
Speaker
Additionally, It's recommended to not start a new business during this retrograde because of the likelihood that you may run into problems with the business or it could even fail. What you can do, however, if you are in the midst of trying to start a new business during this time, it's just to really focus on reflecting, redirecting your energy, revisiting old projects, and tying up any loose ends, organizing and updating what you need to.
00:25:20
Speaker
So how do we work with Mars in retrograde? If you are Mars sensitive, so Aries and Scorpio sun and rising, take this time and engage in honoring the God of War. Add the color red to your altar as well as cinnamon.
00:25:34
Speaker
Donate to local veterans associations. Maybe dedicate your workouts or any physical activity that you do to Mars. Donate blood. And if you place offerings, do so by placing offerings of meat like lamb, pig, or bull as well as red wine.
00:25:50
Speaker
And then lastly, place iron objects on your altar. And to end this, I wanted to briefly cite some correspondences that are associated with Mars.
00:26:01
Speaker
The color would be red. The number is nine. The day of the week is Tuesday. The plants and herbs associated with Mars are aloe, garlic, cayenne, nettle, mustard, wormwood, hellebore, ginger, hyacinth, and cinnamon, and ginseng.
00:26:18
Speaker
Incense and just scents in general would be myrrh, dragon's blood, tobacco, black peppercorns, red pepper, patchouli, musk, rosewood, and juniper. And the crystals associated with Mars are garnet, flint, red adventurine, and
Navigating Mercury Retrograde
00:26:33
Speaker
ruby.
00:26:33
Speaker
Now on to the infamous Mercury retrograde. Dun, dun, dun. It's always funny to me because everybody knows Mercury retrograde, but not everyone knows why they know it.
00:26:46
Speaker
Right. Yeah. So Mercury retrograde is the most talked about planetary retrograde, often referred to as the trickster of communication. It earns its reputation by going into retrograde three to four times a year.
00:26:59
Speaker
With each period lasting about three weeks, causing enough disruption to become a frequent topic of discussion. And it's even joked about frequently. If you think like Freddie Mercury is in the microwave again, how many times do you hear that when it's like Mercury retrograde?
00:27:13
Speaker
It's so funny to me. It's dumb, but hilarious. Mercury only takes 88 days to orbit the Sun compared to Earth's 365, so that's why we see it in retrograde so frequently.
00:27:26
Speaker
Mercury as a planet governs communication, travel, and technology, so as we're going to discuss, its retrogrades will affect those particular areas. It's often a time that is associated with confusion, delay, and frustration.
00:27:41
Speaker
You might see things like undelivered messages or mail, email blunders, frazzled travel plans, etc. When we talk about it, ruling communication, this this could be listening, reading, writing, and speaking, but it could also be really related to negotiations and contracts.
00:28:00
Speaker
Travel can be any form of travel as well, but it also includes shipping and the mail, which I found really interesting. I feel like we have talked about that on the podcast before, but I couldn't remember when and why.
00:28:12
Speaker
But I just remember thinking like, what an odd thing like for travel. I mean, I guess because like the mail has to travel, but like yeah specifically like mail is odd to me. yeah Well, I guess with communication too, depending on what is in the mail.
00:28:26
Speaker
Yeah, maybe. Mercury retrograde is really about mindfulness, and it is a time that we should be using as a review process. Look back on what is working, what isn't working, what lessons we've learned through this process.
00:28:40
Speaker
It assists us in seeing the flaws and the faults within our communications, our relationships, and even our friendships. It brings up the flaws that we tend to brush off in everyday life, and it can help us improve our relationships and communication in the long run.
00:28:56
Speaker
It's also a great time to take a step back to work on self-improvement. You can expect there to be communication mishaps, technical difficulties, and just general confusion overall during a Mercury retrograde.
00:29:08
Speaker
So how do we survive Mercury retrograde? Double, triple, and quadruple check all important emails and messages, as well as pausing to think through verbal communications. You should be doing this anyways, but it's also a great tip for any planetary retrograde as well.
00:29:24
Speaker
Back up all of your devices and important files just in case. but Allow extra time for any travel and for your scheduled appointments. Be as clear as you can be in your communications and use this time to revise and review any projects that you're working on.
00:29:41
Speaker
In terms of having Mercury retrograde in your birth chart, this can influence how you express yourself. You may find yourself needing to communicate differently You could be drawn to concentrations in storytelling, writing, or even journalism.
00:29:55
Speaker
As a child, it's said that you may have been shy or even found that your learning process growing up was a little bit different than your peers. And when you have an important conversation with a person, it's likely more thought out or you may spend extra time deciding how something could be best worded.
00:30:13
Speaker
Communication might be something that you just take very seriously. And what you're probably all wanting to hear Mercury is going to go into retrograde in 2025 in the following dates. So by the time this releases, because I think it releases shortly after this, we'll be in a Mercury retrograde.
00:30:31
Speaker
So March 14th through April 6th, July 17th through August 10th, and November 9th through November 29th. Keep in mind that, again, not everyone's going to experience a retrograde the same way.
00:30:45
Speaker
Some people might not even notice anything at all. while others might feel like they're just really being put through the wringer. And if you're wanting to work with Mercury retrograde, you could... this Honestly, these three bullets right here could work for any of the planets that we're going to talk about.
00:31:01
Speaker
So just keep them in mind for all of them. Create an altar to connect with like the energy of the planet, in this case, Mercury's energy. As it's going into retrograde, leave out offerings and work with some sort of spell that relates to Mercury.
00:31:19
Speaker
Correspondences for Mercury... The colors are orange, yellow, silver, and then things that are multicolored. The numbers are mainly eight and nine, but minor number ties would also include two and three.
00:31:31
Speaker
The day of the week is Wednesday. The element is air. The zodiacs are Gemini and Virgo. It's the third and sixth house. Symbols are the caduceus, the wing sandals,
00:31:45
Speaker
and mercury staff. Plants and herbs are going to be parsley, mulberry, honeysuckle, garlic, burdock, alyssum, anise, crocus, fennel, heather, mullein, and peppermint.
00:32:00
Speaker
Incense is lavender, coriander, and cardamom. Crystals are agate, carnelian, jasper, clear quartz, citrine, aventurine, mica, and muscovite.
00:32:11
Speaker
Food and drinks are going to be coffee, tea, wine, honeyed water, bread, olives, and almonds. um The chakra is the throat. The tarot is the magician.
00:32:22
Speaker
And themes for Mercury Retrograde are going to be communication, intellect, travel, divination, and technology. And just some things to keep in mind when working with Mercury's energy, consider using lavender and thyme both for their ties to Mercury and also to help enhance spells related to mental clarity and eloquence.
00:32:42
Speaker
Using Mercury's minerals and crystals like clear quartz and citrine can amplify your magical workings. aiding in mental focus and in your decision making.
00:32:53
Speaker
Mercury's ties to yellow make it ideal for spells related to learning, persuasion, and divination. And incorporating Mercury's elemental connection to air can help you harness its powers for mental agility, quick thinking, and effective communication in your magical practice.
Venus Retrograde Insights
00:33:10
Speaker
Moving on to Venus retrograde. Venus is named after the Roman goddess of love. It's a planet all about how you love, create, and indulge in pleasure, respond to beauty, and make or spend money.
00:33:24
Speaker
When Venus is retrograde, as with the other planets we have covered thus far and will continue to do, ah The energy is brought inward and for Venus in matters of love, this could mean that you approach this differently.
00:33:37
Speaker
This is the time to review and reimagine all things tied to Venus. So some examples would include becoming more financially literate, diving deep on your own values and understanding them and focusing on your relational intelligence.
00:33:50
Speaker
This is a great time to ask yourself if your spending is getting irresponsible or if you're holding on too tight to your finances and being a Scrooge. Additionally, This is the perfect time to reflect on your own relationships and self-worth.
00:34:03
Speaker
Do you hold on to relationships that are unhealthy? Are you indulging in toxic relationship patterns? Whatever it might be, I don't know. um So when Venus is in retrograde, you'll often see it affect relationships.
00:34:17
Speaker
So longstanding issues can reach a boiling point. Some may even break up during this period, and it doesn't just affect romantic relationships. This can cause changes to family relationships and friendships as well.
00:34:31
Speaker
An ex may even reenter your life, which can be good or bad depending on the situation. And Venus retrograde can also affect your finances. So your bills could become larger than usual.
00:34:43
Speaker
Or maybe you could go on a spending spree and spend without really any care. Any of that could happen as well. And old insecurities could come back around during this retrograde and past wounds could come to the surface.
00:34:58
Speaker
So upcoming dates. um When this releases, we will be in a Venus retrograde. So this begins March 1st and goes through April 12th, 2025. This retrograde is going to take place in both the signs of Pisces and Aries.
00:35:14
Speaker
Venus retrograde in Pisces could lead to instances of weak boundaries and wishy-washy decisions. So we need to remember during this transit to not let people play on our sympathies and don't let anyone use you.
00:35:27
Speaker
When Venus retrograde continues on in the sign of Aries, this reminds us to take a step back and not let aggression or impertinence affect our relationships. So how do we deal with Venus retrograde?
00:35:39
Speaker
The important thing here is to remember not to make impulsive decisions about your relationships during this time. Take your time before you make any new decisions to break up or take your ex back.
00:35:51
Speaker
Monitor your spending habits, practicing mindfulness to help you prevent impulse spending. And don't freak out if an unexpected expense arises. Unexpected expenses are part of life, and this is a perfect time to reflect on your spending in other areas and think about a practical solution.
00:36:07
Speaker
If issues related to your self-worth arise, take the time for self-care and maybe even reach out to a therapist if you need to, and try to avoid elective plastic surgery during this time.
00:36:18
Speaker
I thought this was interesting. Yeah. So don't get that lip filler, guys. ah Venus retrograde will affect everyone differently depending on where Venus is located in your natal chart.
00:36:30
Speaker
In our show notes, I have linked an article that goes over each house and what it means if Venus is stationed retrograde in them. So for an example, Venus is in my ninth house and it's in Pisces.
00:36:40
Speaker
So this could affect my travels during this time and traveling could be maybe more expensive than i was expecting maybe even a romantic adventure could be affected as well.
00:36:51
Speaker
But now that I know that i will make every effort to have a plan B and practice patience. So how do we work with Venus in retrograde? Some things that you could do as far as offerings would be chocolate, flowers, green candles, honey, incense, rose water, scented oils, and wine.
00:37:10
Speaker
Friday is the day of the week associated with Venus, so it's the perfect day to set up an altar in honor of Venus, and your altar can also consist of red or pink roses, an offering to the goddess Venus, the glyph of Venus, and any of the other offerings that I mentioned.
00:37:27
Speaker
Another thing that you can do if you're interested in connecting to the planet of Venus as well as the goddess is to take a luxurious bath. Add rose petals or rose essential oil to your water and just lap in the luxury that is Venus.
00:37:42
Speaker
And as far as correspondences go, the colors associated with Venus are green, rose, and sky blue. The number is seven. The zodiac signs associated with Venus are Taurus and Libra.
00:37:55
Speaker
The crystals are emerald, turquoise, green jade, malachite, lapis lazuli, rose quartz, and ruby. The metal would be copper. The element associated with Venus is are going to be water, earth, and air.
00:38:12
Speaker
For instance, this would include African violet, almond, apricot, cherry, honeysuckle, jasmine, lilac, mint, myrtle, pomerosa, red sandalwood, rose, tonka, vanilla,
00:38:26
Speaker
and violet. So basically anything that you would have in your home. i don't know. so All of the good smells. All of the good things. But that's it. That's Venus retrograde.
00:38:37
Speaker
This did not take quite as long as I thought it was going to. I know. But also, we i guess we're just kicking ass. And if you can hear whatever the fuck is happening in my backyard, I don't know. It's not my kid. I was losing her shit earlier and I was like –
00:38:53
Speaker
You didn't react so I assumed it didn't come through. Oh no, I didn't hear it. Thank god. Yeah, she lost her shit. I don't know why.
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:39:08
Speaker
That's a wrap on this episode of Get In Loser, We're Doing Witchcraft. We hope you had as much fun as we did. If you loved this episode, we'd be eternally grateful if you left us a five-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts. It helps more witches, seekers, and magical misfits find our show.
00:39:23
Speaker
Want even more Get In Loser content? Join our Supercast Coven. As a member, you'll get early access to episodes, a monthly newsletter, exclusive printable grimoire and shadow work pages, access to our witchy book club, promo codes for merch and so much more just check the show notes for the link or search get in loser we're doing witchcraft on supercast you can also find us on facebook twitter and instagram at get in witches or email us at we're doing witchcraft at gmail.com join us next week as we dive into part two of our series all about planetary retrogrades until next time stay magical stay curious and as always blessed be witches