One key to success is to be in harmony with the universe. By understanding the planetary cycles, you can know ahead of time the cycles and transits and plan your decisions and activities accordingly.
Astrology is not a system of predicting events, but rather predicting conditions and revealing the cycles that affect everyone at one time or another.
The Astrology of Planetary Cycles
Each one of the planets in our solar system is orbiting around the sun at their own individual pace before they have completed a full cycle around the Sun. These cycles are very interesting to observe as it has an influence on our lives here on earth.
If we pay attention to these circles of the planets in the solar system, then we can see the different changes it gradually makes in our lives. And when we look back over the years at the changes that have come about we are often amazed. Some of the planets make a bigger impact on us than others, but that is often because we haven’t been aware of the deeper side of ourselves and the planets affect on us bring a message home to us that we could perhaps have dealt with a long time ago.
Astrology shows us the cyclic nature of our identities. Each part of our lives is affected by cycles, rhythms that underlie our connection to the planet. When you work in a positive way with the energy from the planets that is affecting you at the time you will experience the benefits it provides if you take the appropriate action.
There are smaller and larger cycles. The cycle of the moon is only 28 days while the cycle of Pluto is 250 years. This shows how much we are affected by faster moving “events” and by larger, more collective ones that evolve slowly over time. As a planet returns to its original position in our birthcharts, feel a focus on that particular energy more strongly.
The Sun travels the entire 360º daily, touching each and every degree. Therefore, the Sun is our energy and when it is hidden by cloudy weather, we are all down in the dumps, so to speak for that “cycle.”
The moon returns every 28 days to its original position and at that time we feel a connection to our emotional roots and feelings. This is a core cycle as everyone feels this connection and the moon is a symbol of the pure rhythm of nature.
Read more about the Moon Cycle
Mercury returns every 88 days to its birthchart position and at that time, we feel a focus on our intellectual/informational identity. Mercury follows closely behind the Sun in its cycle. Mercury is known as the Messenger of the Gods. This is our “thinking” power. It represents how we think by the planets making aspects to it. It also represents our brothers and sisters, communications in general, short trips and contracts, plus many things to numerous to mention here.
However, we have times when the Earth tends to speed up and the planet Mercury tends to slow down. This is a phenominum known as “Mercury Retrograde.” Actually no planet moves backwards, but if you look through a telescope, it will appear to be moving backwards. This influence is quite strongly felt on earth. I offer the example of a Mercury Retrograde on November 7, 2000 of a communicative event of our Presidential election. This is a mix-up in history many of us will never forget.
Read more about the Mercury Cycle
Venus, the next planet out in space, represents love, your personal possessions, how you feel about yourself and the money you earn. The same phenominum happens to Venus where it also appears to be going “backwards” in the heavens. You couldn’t prove that it isn’t happening when things tend to go astray in your love life. Venus represents beauty, art, and many more things too numerous to mention here.
Venus returns at about nine month cycles and represents relationships and the aesthetic side of life. The sun’s one year movement is our birthday when we feel our basic identity and mission in life.
Read more about the Venus Cycle
Mars comes back to its original position every 2 1/2 years and is a time of action and passion. Mars is the planet of action, and a very complex addition to our list. This planet shows us how you will express yourself through action and what type of action. Mars is a well known “trigger” planet, setting off the various reactions within you as described in your life pattern. It shows if you want to be a leader, be in business for yourself, be involved in sports, or what you want to do in general in your life. It is best described when blended with the sign of the Zodiac it was in at the time of your birth. It should also be mentioned here that Mars also is shown as being retrograde in the sky, the same phenominum as described above for Mercury and Venus.
Read more about the Mars Cycle
The larger cycles are represented by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, which are slower moving planets and create changes over longer periods of time. Jupiter and Saturn have 11 1/2 and 29 year cycles respectively while Uranus is 84 years, Neptune 164 years and Pluto 250 years. The latter three have a collective as well as personal impact.
Jupiter and Saturn symbolize the ‘adolescent” and adult in us and each balances the other in our personalities.
Jupiter’s first 11 1/2 year cycle shows us our entrance into early adolescence which we experience as a time of opportunity. Jupiter is the planet of benevolence. It’s position shows your ethical, religious and or philosophic beliefs. Jupiter tends to expand things – you can go overboard with things you do without realizing it. This can cause you financial problems by “over-spending” as an example. This planet represents your religious belief, your legal problems, if any, and, in general, can be very beneficial if placed well in your life. What major part it plays in your life is best explained by a competent astrologer, according to what is promised in your birth chart.
Read more about the Jupiter Cycle
Saturn, on the other hand, brings to us a sense of responsibility, duty and structure at its 29 year cycle and is a time for examining the adult in us and where we want to focus our energies as responsible members of the community. Saturn represents “Father Time”, so to speak. You are considered grown when Saturn goes completely around the zodiac and returns to where it was at your time of birth. This is known as your Saturn Return. Your life begins to take shape and you go into the direction you should. This is not always the way it goes, but it is intended for you to grow up and take a grip on your life. Use Saturn’s energy correctly and you will succeed. It’s not an easy task, but it can be done.
Read more about the Saturn Cycle
As collective planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are experienced by the culture as a whole in addition to us personally. Their cycles represent changes that merge us with a universal sense of who we are. I had always heard of the “generation gap”, but until I began studying Astrology, I really did not understand what it was in referring to. There are still questions regarding the outer planets because only people who have reached their 84th birthday, have ever experienced a Uranus return. This planet takes 84 years to circle the entire zodiac.
The outer planets of Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto are called trans-personal planets and because of their long orbits (cycles) they affect generations of people. We can observe cycles of fashion (Neptune), scientific breakthrough (Uranus), and cultural evolution (Pluto) that tend to affect all of us for a period of time.
The other planets Neptune and Pluto have never had a return to their natal position because man has not lived long enough to experience these vibrations.
Uranus is change itself and when it comes into opposition to the place where it was at our birth, we call it the “mid life crisis”. This occurs a about age 39 when we look at our lives and seek our fundamental individuality and freedom.. This occurs over several years as we attempt to become who we really are while many changes in the way we look at ourselves occur.
Read more about the Uranus Cycle
Neptune is our spirituality and about age 41 is the “Neptune square” when it reaches 90 degrees from where it was at our birth. This is a time of examining our faith and connection to a higher power as the key to our lives.
Read more about the Neptune Cycle
Pluto represents power and mission and transforms us as it moves through our charts. Like Uranus and Neptune, it also is a part of change on the planet as a whole. At about age 37, we experience the “Pluto square” when it moves 90 degrees from its original position. Now we look closely at our power /mission in life and how close or distant we feel from that mission. The ability to feel our power is fundamental to this period.
Read more about the Pluto Cycle
Cycles are occurring continuously in our lives. Short term cycles show us the flow of events in current terms while longer cycles show us the evolution of identity over time. The key is to recognize that everything is occurring cyclically and we are a part of the rhythm of nature that connects us to the core of who are! This opportunity of connectedness is available in each moment of life.
Here is a look at the cycles that are headed your way:
ORBITAL REVOLUTION OF THE PLANETS:
The time it takes for each planet to make one complete orbit around the Sun.
| Mercury | 88 days | Mars | 1 year and 322 days | Uranus | 84 years |
| Venus | 224.5 days | Jupiter | 12 years | Neptune | 166 years |
| Earth | 365.25 days | Saturn | 29.5 years | Pluto | 248 years |
Last updated on December 3, 2017 at 10:38 pm. Word Count: 1673
