#retrogradation

Primary and Secondary Motions 

Most people would already know what a retrograde is, since ‘mercury retrograde’ hype is what drew mainstream media into astrology. 

I’ve described it on my blog as a planet doing a backflip, but if we actually think about it - before it can do that kickass flip - it has to be station so it gets a good lift off and landing, right?

Planetary motion is a thing - there’s primary motion and secondary motion. 

First, let’s explain the primary motion. Say we know the earth spins once every 24 hours. Once every day. We know this because we get hours of daylight aka. we’re facing the sun (close or directly facing it as we spin - sorry, those who live in the polar nights and midnight suns ;;) and periods of darkness aka. when we’re not on the side of the sun, but other continents are having their daylight time. That’s from our earth’s perspective.

Along with that, we get stars and planets in our skies. The primary motion is the apparent rising, path, and setting of the planet from our earth perspective. If we were to snap a certain time period of it - at a certain place, to the exact minutes and second, it would be our chart. 

That’s the path of the planets in relation to us. We can see the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, etc. But no earth - because we’re looking at it from earth (we’re earth). We’re earth-bound. And this is our sky chart (chart of our sky, at the time we select/use for the chart. At the certain place in relation to us.)

There’s more signification to these motions in other techniques and methods - but we’re not getting to that today. ( link | link )  

So, primary motion explained. What’s secondary motion?

Ok so earth example. We know we spin, it’s how we get night/day (in relation to the sun) - but we also know we have to orbit around the Sun. That’s 365 days. Two motions - easy to get right? 

What does it mean for other planets? Well, Secondary motion is how we track other planet’s progress/direction. This is where stationary comes in.

Stationary planet - is when a planet is motionless in it’s path (no apparent motion) - usually occurs when it’s about to go into retrograde or it’s leaving one to go direct. 

Since we’re talking about orbits instead of spin - consider how Mercury orbits the sun every 88 days. That’s so much faster than us!! We’re not tracking how many time it spins - we’re checking in on Mercury to see how it’s doing so far in it’s orbit (in relation to us and it’s own progress) in the way we can - which is against the zodiac belt. 

If one day you see Mercury (from our perspective) just stay in Scorpio for like, a day - you might be concerned and ask ‘?? buddy why did you pause??’ - it’s because Mercury is about to do a cool backflip, or maybe it’s already done one, but it has to get ready (‘station’) first in order to do it’s motion.

What’s stationary? 

So you can think of stationary as - well, being motionless. In the secondary movement. It’s a significant time that changes should be focused on (when this happens during transits aka. every time we’re S.R and about to go into rx and when we’re S.D to go direct again) is that the S.D period (what you’re talking about) is gathering in strength point. 

If we’re looking at this in transit, it’s also Prime Time to focus our energy into fueling what it is the placement, house and planet/sign is focused on. The reason/explanation for this is that it’s slowing in motion/motionless, it’s energy is concentrated/focused in one significant area (house/context/planets in activation about to go through pivotal motion). Where it lands in your house, placement, signs - that’s where we should read and learn where the energy is intense/collected. 

This is possibly why people say stationary movement is an interesting period - because this is when changes actually occur. Larger planets have larger influences on worldly, bigger things- personally planets can affect us directly. With larger (outer planets) these don’t affect personality as much but when it’s stationary - it’s making connection to the Sun (it trines the sun) and thus, there’s a personal connection to us through external factors or external means.  

Stationary Retrograde (about to go into retrograde, S.R.) and Stationary Direct (about to go into direct, S.D) rather than being completely 'ughhh’ emoji like how we usually talk about retrogradation - we see stationary period as an opportunity to exert and fuel our energy into the topic/subject of the house and placement that is relevant - it could be good to us. There’s a belief that S.R is when it’s weakening and S.D is when strength is gathering. That’s possibly why we do so much prep prior to and after rx motion - hopefully, because we know these periods (shadow periods) also tend to affect us. 

Outer planets (so very very slow) that are about to change motions are also trine to the Sun. That’s usually when you can tell whether or not an outer planet is about to go S.R or S.D - is more significant because it’s in relation to our core, our Sun, our direct self (astrology wise). Rather than say - oh it’s a description by itself. It’s more useful to define it via personal aspect to what is relevant to us. 

For the natal stationary person 

All of this talk, what does it mean??? So to actually answer your question about stationary planets - it has to do with evaluating it’s aspect to the Sun.

Everything we’ve talked about at this point - has been about our and other planet’s relation to our center - the fizzing ball of Large Fire. Because that’s where it’s actually significant, and what we can actually think about and concentrate on.

To actually answer your question anon; you asked why you don’t relate to your Leo Jupiter in 4th, and if it being S.D makes a difference? If we look at stationary interpretations - in a broad sense, most would consider it an accidental debility. The explanation for this, is the planet itself is powerful - especially during a gathering time period. However, the person’s ability (or inability) to realize and use it’s potential makes it a debility because they let it go to waste (trine to sun).

Debility is a weakness (as opposed to dignity which is it’s strength). To clarify, some people describe this as stationary being a ‘stand still’ - and thus, without moving (which is what planets are supposed to do) - a deadlock is formed and things are hard to produce, act, or displayed. 

Certain elements of the person (i.e. what is trine) is in the essence of the person themselves. This can give them significant boost or concentration in said area (like what we said about planets being stationary in transit, above) - but it might not actually be noticeable to the person (as with most case of trine). This is particularly significant - because we’re talking about a non-personal planet here.  

Jupiter isn’t a personal planet, it may be close to you, but it isn’t your personal object. It’s your guidance and teacher, perhaps wisdom and knowledge. These we can’t control but is influenced by regardless. 

It can also be a part of our essence, but do we have control of who we are, or how we’re hard-wired right into our system when it’s so intertwined with our character/how we just do things? That’s why trine aspects are hard to control and use, especially if it’s stationed in a deadlock period, and is an outer/social planet like this as well (larger influence, a little more impersonal than personal planets i.e. mercury, mars, natal venus s.r or s.d.)  

This isn’t personal, but others will see it and perhaps not you. We can’t actually control this, but the thing we can do is to try looking at it’s aspect to the Sun, and also keep in mind that to the person themselves - you are referring to a planet (and it’s aspect, that trine) that you can’t control. I’ve heard that other stationary natives may also experience the same.

Also keep in mind - the period you are born is a significant key activation. Jupiter being motionless and about to get back into being direct again signifies changes, and preparation for said changes. Those with stationary planet in their natal usually goes through significant pivots in their life during S.D or S.R periods as well - so look out for it. 

So. To answer your ask: Yes, being stationary direct has significations (maybe not as much or as positively as you might think) - but that explains why this Leo Jupiter becomes a debility to the person themselves. And how trine aspect to the Sun can be interpreted (w/ motions like this) this way as well. 

More if you want to learn:

To find out (for others) if you have an S.R. or S.D planet (I won’t take anymore questions for personal placement being in these motion and what it means bc oof im tired) - if you use astro.com, click ‘additional tables’ and it’ll show you if you have anything in S.R or S.D in your chart. 

Second helpful tip: 

Why do planets seems to go into retrograde or do a backflip?? Here’s an answer (and video) that I’ve already talked about that explains the topic.  

Third, and last, helpful tip: 

Here’s some resources and links on the topic, hopefully this will answer your question anon! If i haven’t helped you in anyway ;; I hope at least it’ll give you some insights and for anyone else as well:

TheRealAstrology - Stationary Planet

StationaryPlanet - This is vedic, but might be fun to read (esp. the note about having potential and not letting it go to waste)

Quora - ‘What does it mean when a planet is stationary in a natal chart?’  -  second answer is the best one, please check out the quote as well!

Quora (again) - ‘What does stationary Jupiter in natal chart mean?’ - this one is a good explanation of motions, and why it’s relevant to the conversation. As well as a good explanation of why trines are so hard to get under control. I hope this helps! 

Other general resources available about the topic:

Astrology.com - Rx and Stationary Explained 

Pandora astrology - Jupiter station and rx 

Power of Planetary Station - examples of public figure chart/events and world events during certain planetary motion period

Retrograde Planets: Transversing the Inner Landscape by Erin Sullivan (book) - has examples of sun-trine combination along with S.R or S.D and how it affects people personally. 

Astrologyweekly - looking at terms related to the motions of planets