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The Spirit Daughter Podcast

The Retrogrades Nobody Talks About (and Why They Matter)

5/8/202617 min

Retrogrades are not what you think they are. And if the word “retrograde” makes you cringe, tense up, or want to cancel your plans, this episode is going to change that.

Today I am breaking down every single planetary retrograde so you understand what each one actually does and how to work with the energy instead of against it. Retrogrades are not bad. They are not here to ruin your life. They are simply a different kind of energy, one that asks you to slow down, turn inward, and integrate everything you have been learning. The key is in those two letters: “re.” Reflect. Revise. Reintegrate. Review.

I walk through Mercury retrograde, Venus retrograde, Mars retrograde, Jupiter retrograde, Saturn retrograde, and the outer planet retrogrades (Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto) so you know exactly what to expect and how to use each one. I also explain what a retrograde actually is (spoiler: it is an optical illusion), why we are almost always dealing with some kind of retrograde energy, and how the brief window where all planets move direct is rarer than you think.

If you want to stop fearing retrogrades and start finding the power in them, press play. And share this with a friend who panics every time Mercury goes retrograde.

 

Topics Covered:

  • What a retrograde actually is and why it is an optical illusion
  • Why retrogrades are not bad and how “re” is the key: reflect, revise, reintegrate, review
  • How we are almost always dealing with some kind of retrograde energy
  • The rare all planets direct window (March 20 to May 6 in 2026) and why it matters
  • Mercury retrograde: communication turning inward, 3 weeks, 3 times a year
  • Venus retrograde: relationships and values spinning inward for reassessment
  • Mars retrograde: action and drive redirected into reflection and strategy
  • Jupiter retrograde: expansion that happens internally instead of externally
  • Saturn retrograde: reviewing the structures and commitments in your life
  • Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto retrogrades: slow, generational shifts that work beneath the surface
  • How every retrograde is an invitation to integrate before your next leap forward
  • Practical ways to work with retrograde energy in your daily life

Resources:

Timestamps:

[00:02] Welcome and why retrogrades are not what you think

[01:30] What a retrograde actually is: the optical illusion explained

[03:15] The “re” prefix and why retrogrades are an invitation to slow down

[04:00] All planets direct window (March 20 to May 6) and Pluto stationing retrograde

[05:30] Mercury retrograde: communication turning inward, deeper conversations

[07:45] Venus retrograde: reassessing relationships, love, and what you value

[09:30] Mars retrograde: redirecting action and sitting with frustration

[11:00] Jupiter retrograde: internal expansion and revisiting your beliefs

[12:30] Saturn retrograde: reviewing commitments, boundaries, and structures

[14:00] Outer planet retrogrades: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto and the slow generational shifts

[16:00] How to work with retrograde energy and closing thoughts

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Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Jill Wintersteen· Host0:00

    This is an iHeart podcast. [upbeat jingle] Guaranteed Human Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy?

  2. Robert Smigel0:07

    Not quite. On Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends, me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week my guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidell help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Where does your group perform?

  3. Alex English0:24

    We do some retirement homes. We perform- Those people are starving for banter.

  4. Robert Smigel0:28

    Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and Friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

  5. Speaker 30:34

    [gentle music] Imagine an Olympics where doping is not only legal, but encouraged. It's the Enhanced Games. Some call it grotesque, others say it's unleashing human potential. Either way, the podcast Superhuman documented it all, embedded in the games and with the athletes for a full year.

  6. Jill Wintersteen· Host0:51

    Within probably 10 days, I'd put on 10 pounds. I was having trouble stopping the muscle growth.

  7. Speaker 30:57

    Listen to Superhuman on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

  8. Sam Jay1:03

    [upbeat music] On the Look Back At It podcast.

  9. Clifford Taylor IV1:06

    1979, that was a big moment for me.

  10. Speaker 31:08

    '84 was big to me.

  11. Sam Jay1:09

    I'm Sam Jay.

  12. Alex English1:10

    And I'm Alex English.

  13. Sam Jay1:12

    Each episode, we pick a year, unpack what went down, and try to make sense of how we survived it, with our friends, fellow comedians, and favorite authors. Like Marc Lamont Hill on the '80s.

  14. Clifford Taylor IV1:22

    '84 was a wild, I mean, it was a wild year.

  15. Alex English1:23

    It was a wild year.

  16. Clifford Taylor IV1:25

    Yeah. I don't think there's a more important year for Black people.

  17. Sam Jay1:28

    Listen to Look Back

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