7 Planets in Retrograde: How to Navigate This Retrograde Summer

By Lisa Stardust

In this installment of Practical Magic, Lisa Stardust gives you magical tips to navigate seven planets in retrograde. Always remember that magic is for believers, but this column can also simply serve as a guide to getting in touch with yourself — magically or not.

This summer’s astrology isn’t playing around. Before fall comes, we'll see a whopping seven planets in retrograde causing melodrama and frustration in our lives. Here’s a glimpse of what the cosmos are up to:

Pluto retrograde in Capricorn is forcing us to transform from May 1 to October 10.

Saturn retrograde in Pisces brings uncertainty of commitment from June 17 to November 4.

Neptune retrograde is pushing us to heal the past from June 30 to December 6.

Venus retrograde in Leo is bringing confusion and chaos into our love lives.

Mercury retrograde in Virgo will create miscommunications from August 23 to September 15.

Uranus retrograde in Taurus wants to shake up our lives from August 28 to January 27, 2024.

Jupiter retrograde in Taurus is going to urge us to take smaller and more calculated risks from September 4 to December 30.

Add in the weeks of retroshade that occur before and after the actual retrograde, while the planets begin the process of slowing down and retrace their steps and it’s a doozy that seems to never end. Seems like a lot? Well, it is. Luckily, there are magical ways to help make the most of these intense days and allow us to live our lives the best way possible with minimal upsets. Here are magical tips to make the most of this retrograde cascade.

Clean your space to clear your mind! Use a simple cleanser like white vinegar and water to get rid of the stale energy in your home. Once you've lifted up any grime, it's time to make things smell nice. Make a room spray by blending 1 part lemon oil, 1 part cedar oil, a few pinches of salt, a handful of grated sage, and an amethyst crystal in a spray bottle. Shake it up and use it to clear out the gloomy vibes and to brighten up your dwelling. As you’re using these products, think of an intention you want to manifest. This alchemizes the magical energy in your heart with a fresh canvas to create them upon. Doing this during the retrogrades will help you get clarity into what your heart desires.

We spend so much time on our phones texting, emailing, and checking social media, which is why it’s important to give our devices a little TLC during these planetary moonwalks (especially when Mercury retrograde commences). Technology is our gateway to connecting with others. Take fresh or dried lavender and let it rest on top of the devices in order to cleanse them from any issues that might occur, negativity people might throw your way, and to ensure positive communication.

Instead of focusing on others, give yourself extra attention right now. Treat yourself to something special like a good meal; take walks and connect with nature and yourself; spend time alone to quietly reflect and journal your feelings. As you meditate on your inner feelings and needs, say some self-affirming statements to lock in all the good feels. Since retrogrades can hinder confidence, these rituals can help boost our self-esteem.

Take a small jar and add rose petals for positive vibes (fresh or dried), mint for luck, and black salt for projection. As you put the ingredients in the jar, think about what you desire to attain from each of them. Seal the jar and melt hot wax from a candle on top so that no one can open it. Find a safe place for the spell jar outside your home or in the entranceway of your apartment. The purpose of the spell jar is to keep you safe from negative outside forces.

If you’re recovering from a recent breakup likely caused by Venus’s backwards spin, you should use this time to heal. Infuse a rose quartz under August 30’s blue moon in Pisces and place it on your heart while lying down for an hour. Repeat this ritual twice a week. Not only will your heart feel better and be at peace, but you’ll be using lunar magic to transcend your emotions and give you inner strength.

Wear or decorate your home with colors that align with the energy that you are lacking and wanting to bring in during this summer’s many retrogrades. For better communication, wear yellow or blue. Black is great to wear if you’re yearning for protection. Green induces abundance. For romance and self-love, all shades of pink (Barbiecore) can help induce good vibes. Orange brings in positivity and creativity. Purple brings inspiration and intuition to us. And, white is for clarity.

The most important spell you can practice is being present. It may not seem like much, but you’ll find that living in the moment allows you to detox your mind of many stresses. Not only will this exercise remind you to be in the here and now, it’ll give you time to concentrate on things that make you happy like your family, friends, and yourself without putting any pressure on any and every situation. Don’t dwell on the past or obsess about the future. Be here in the moment and accept everything that comes your way.