ICYMI, five planets will have turned retrograde by the end of next week and will remain as such until May 9, when Jupiter turns direct. Since people always seem to reference Mercury being retrograde when things go wrong, I'm naturally kind of wondering what five planets being retrograde means for Taurus — my sign. 'Cause, to be honest, this year hasn't exactly been super so far and I'd like to know now if all this retrograde business is going to exacerbate the downward trend. So I decided to do a little snooping, and what I found was a bit of a mixed bag for us Taureans.
Of course, you can take all this with a grain of salt if you're someone who doesn't entirely buy into the idea of astrology. I personally am not incredibly well-versed in it, but I find it amusing and often can't deny how spot-on it sometimes is — especially since I discovered I'm technically an Aries-Taurus cusp (the "power cusp," holllaaa), which helped to explain some of the traits I have that decidedly did not fall beneath the umbrella of my sign. Horoscopes kind of "click" for me now.
So, all of that to say, I've never studied the stars or what-have-you. The information here is based on my research and is all in good fun. While I imagine it is a pretty fun gig, I'm no astrologer. Still, what I unearthed about the planets turning retrograde as it pertains to Taurus is pretty interesting stuff, so have a read if you want a heads-up.
1. Jupiter
The planet of wealth and power, Jupiter is one of the most influential among the nine planets. But while it typically symbolizes profit and good fortune, any time a wealth planet goes retrograde it causes all signs to tighten up their proverbial belts. For Taureans, who are lovers of luxury, Jupiter in retrograde will mean making sacrifices when it comes to things we want as opposed to things we need. Real talk: We're going to have to pump the brakes when it comes to spending and actually stick to a budget, y'all. This won't necessarily come easy, as Bulls aren't big fans of not getting what we want when we want it. In happier news, once Jupiter moves out of retrograde, the lucky planet will be in our passion and creativity sector, amping up our appetite for life... and love.
2. Mercury
Who hasn't heard "Welp, Mercury must be retrograde" at some point when things have gone awry? Much like the running joke involving President Obama getting (inaccurately) blamed for all the world's woes, Mercury catches flack for basically everything. Although this isn't quite accurate, it's based in some truth — Mercury is typically in charge of communication. When Mercury is retrograde, it influences everyone because it scrambles everyone's signals and stalls communication. For Taureans, this can be the source of great conflict. After all, we're already known to bear down in our own point-of-view from time to time and won't like having to defend mix-ups. So when Mercury turns retrograde on April 28, we'll need to be incredibly mindful of misunderstandings with others, problems with self-expression, and mishaps during travel (see Pluto for why the latter is so important).
3. Mars
Here's some good news, my bull-headed zodiac brethren — Mars retrograde, which began April 17, won't be a total bust for Taureans. Although Mars is often associated with aggression and volatility, that can also equate to explosive passion. We're already pretty lusty to begin with, and Mars retrograde will be making its way from our house of partnerships to our house of intimacy and sex. While this offers ample opportunity to reset our relationship focus, let's talk about what really matters: It's gonna be a sultry few months for us Bulls. Woot, woot!
4. Saturn
If every party has a pooper, than super-serious Saturn is the equivalent of a planetary pooper. When it goes retrograde on March 25, it'll start a slow-wind through Taureans' eighth house of perma-bonding. This means that while Bulls are feeling pretty darn randy from ol' Mars, we'll also likely crave commitment when it comes to relationships. Not so fun fact? Jealousy could rear its ugly head during this planet's retrograde. And, c'mon, there's more than one reason for the expression, "If you mess with the bull, you get the horns." Hell hath no fury like a Taurus scorned. Also not so bueno: Since Saturn will be in the ruling house of Taurus' resources when it goes into retrograde, now is not the time to add any debt. However, if you can abide by that, you'll wind up with a greater understanding of what is really important to you once Saturn goes direct again.
5. Pluto
So, yeah, Pluto isn't technically considered a planet anymore — but don't tell astrology, because this little dwarf planet is still a big deal in that respect. In fact, Pluto is considered the "transformer" of the zodiac. It's all about transformation, rebirth, and regeneration. When it turns retrograde, which will kick off on April 18, these Plutonian qualities actually grow more intense. In 2016, Pluto will reside in the Taurean zone ruling travel, higher education, philosophical understanding, and connections to foreign cultures or places. For hedonistic Taureans who love the good things in life, this could spark a deep and profound desire to go abroad and perhaps even live in another country. Because Pluto retrograde also amps up insight, it can cause Bulls to ponder the meaning of life or change belief systems.
Images: Cora Foxx/Bustle; Giphy (5)
