A second chance in life is in your stars this summer

Six planets are going retrograde but don’t panic! Astrologer YASMIN BOLAND reveals . . .

Would you like a chance to rewind and redo aspects of your personal or professional life? or maybe both? If so, you could be about to get exactly what you want because, according to astrological theory, we are about to move into a summer of second chances.

This summer, six planets (Mercury, Mars, Saturn, uranus, Neptune and Pluto) will be retrograde all at the same time, from August 7 to 19.

A planet is said to be retrograde when it appears to move backwards through the sky. This is most easily explained by imagining you’re on a train. outside the window a little way ahead, you see a woman riding a horse. She’s going fast, but the train is going faster, so you start to catch up. Eventually, you are neck and neck with her. As the train moves past the woman and the horse, they appear to move backwards. That’s how it works with retrograde planets from our vantage point here on Earth.

When a planet goes retrograde, whatever has happened in your life can be repeated. It can be literal, or there can be a sort of echo or theme that emerges. Second chances will come up — for better or worse. Sometimes something you were happy about could be in jeopardy, or something that didn’t work out could come good.

Retrogrades are common in astrology, but this profusion of planets all seeming to whizz backwards at once is not. The most well-known retrograde is Mercury, which happens three to four times a year. uranus, Neptune and Pluto are all retrograde two or three times a year. Saturn reverses annually, with Mars turning back on itself only once every two years.

Having these six planets all reversing at once is extraordinary — and it offers an unusual opportunity to revisit areas of your life you would like to make over. There can even be a chance to fix past mistakes.

The downside is that if in the past you tried to get away with something (by taking shortcuts, for example, or by not living up to your potential), the retrograde can mean that you’ll now have to face the music.

Mercury rules travel and communications; Mars’s domain includes sex and conflict; Saturn covers work and life lessons; uranus’s remit is sudden reversals and awakening; Neptune’s sphere includes soulmates and confusion; while Pluto is all about power and paranoia.

As these planets go backwards, we will each get a chance to look into the areas they rule, to bring something from the past into the present; to love again, fight again, try again. Second chances abound — don’t miss this opportunity to take them.

SATURN now (started april 18) to September 6.

SATuRN embodies the concept that we reap what we sow and, as such, is a planet many people fear. So what can you expect from Saturn retrograde? You have to understand that karma is teaching us lessons we need to learn.

When Saturn retrogrades, we get a break from new lessons and the chance to revisit old ones. It’s an important opportunity to rebuild any part of your life that needs it.

If you have ignored lessons you knew you needed to learn, you may find them easier to take on now. Perhaps you’ve wanted to lose weight or get fitter for a while, but couldn’t find the impetus to learn healthier habits — you may find that Saturn retrograde gives you a reason (pleasant or otherwise) to stick to what you promised.

What is life trying to teach you? learn your lessons this summer and you will have worked positively with Saturn retrograde. SATURN’S RETROGRADE HELPS YOU: Become wiser, rethink working arrangements, get a reality check, lose weight, make new plans. BUT BEWARE: It can make you feel burdened with the same problems for a long time, or sap your energy. Saturn is the misery planet and represents old Father Time, so when he’s triggering us we feel the weight of every one of our years. WHO WILL FEEL IT MOST: Aries, Cancer, libra, Capricorn and Aquarius, and people with those signs rising. (Read the boxes to work out what your rising sign is — and find out how some signs are more affected than others).

PLUTO now (started april 22) to october 1.

PluTo controls our darker side. We can’t grow spiritually or become happier unless we undergo a tough selfexamination from time to time. Pretending everything is oK when it’s not will not help us find contentment.

This is where Pluto retrograde comes in. Pluto is the planet of self- analysis, power and passion. It helps us face demons and work through issues. overall, this summer adds up to looking within, working to detox negative feelings, facing the parts of you that you don’t love — and fixing them.

If you’ve been struggling to move away from someone who is dominating you, Pluto retrograde can help, but you have to have the will to move away.

or if the negativity comes from within, now is the time to work on yourself. Forgiving yourself and loving yourself even when you don’t like the way you’ve acted is a major part of clearing away toxic energy. Pluto retrograde can give us another chance to do this. You will start to love yourself more and make a better life for yourself. PLUTO’S RETROGRADE HELPS YOU: Clear away negativity and let go of someone or something you know is doing you harm. It’s a great time to declutter your home. BUT BEWARE: You could become the bully yourself, or you could focus too much on the negative or allow fear to run your life. You may suffer from self-loathing if you don’t move through this cycle consciously. WHO WILL FEEL IT MOST: Aries, Cancer, libra, Scorpio and Capricorn, and people with those signs rising.

NEPTUNE now (started June 19) to november 25.

CoNFuSIoN is Neptune’s middle name. It’s all about altered states — from the feeling you get after a couple of glasses of wine to pure transcendence. If you’re feeling muddle-headed, now could be a good time to give up alcohol or stop smoking.

Neptune retrograde can mean old deceptions rear their heads again, leaving everyone unsure of what is going on. If you’ve kidded yourself over something in the past, now might be the time to open your eyes. Meditation will help. So will music and art, especially music and art you used to love — see how it soothes you now.

Seeing a healer you saw before and had a good experience with, for example, can be a good way to utilise the energy of the Neptune retrograde. If you had a spiritual

or wellbeing habit, such as yoga or meditation, that you allowed to slip away, this is a good time to reel it back into your life. NEPTUNE’S RETROGRADE HELPS

YOU: Take a look at your spiritual side and see if you are happy with where you are. No spiritual beliefs? See if you can connect to nature to feel the mysteries of life. This cycle can also help you face up to deception you didn’t want to see. A good time to give up alcohol or other bad habits.

BUT BEWARE: Old deceptions, including self- deceptions, can abound as you stare down a situation you hoped had gone away. If you haven’t yet opened your eyes, now is the time.

WHO WILL FEEL IT MOST: Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces and people with those signs rising.

MARS Now (started on June 26) until August 27.

AS wITh all the retrogrades, this is a double-edged sword.

The upside is that Mars is the planet of anger, fighting, testosterone and blood. There is reason to hope that when it is reversing, people will lay down their arms, at least for a while.

This can be literal or it can mean we are better able to control our angry impulses and draw breath before shouting! when it comes to second chances, Mars’s retrograde offers the perfect opportunity to revisit a situation that went badly due to anger or stress. See how things go if you remain calm this time.

Now is a good time to get back in touch with an ex-partner or a friend you fell out with. Or you could build bridges with a difficult colleague.

But Mars retrograde can also be frustrating (all the better for us to learn patience!). Mars is the ‘engine’ of the zodiac, so when it’s reversing, it’s harder to forge ahead. You’re better off not wasting your energy. MARS’S RETROGRADE HELPS YOU: work on your ability to handle delays without blowing your stack, get back together with an ex (Mars rules sex), take your foot off the pedal, have more time to put into a project

BUT BEWARE: You might want to move forward, but you may have to wait. we are all more likely to bottle up anger when we need to learn how to release it slowly and in a healthy way. Old arguments can resurface.

WHO WILL FEEL IT MOST: Because Mars reverses from Aquarius into Capricorn, it’s likely that everyone will feel it.

MERCURY From July 26 to August 19.

If YOu’re only a little bit interested in astrology, you will probably have at least heard of Mercury retrograde, a cycle which has something of a bad reputation.

Mercury governs communications, so when it reverses, it can lead to mix-ups.

There is a widespread misconception that Mercury retrograde causes bad luck, but that’s not the case. It’s as though the universe is testing you and the question is: how are you going to handle it?

Are you going to take trickster Mercury’s bait? Or are you going to do your best to see the funny side of life?

Mercury retrograde can be a time when communications and travel plans in particular go awry, and that can test your patience. Leave room for manoeuvre in your summer holiday itinerary and expect surprising adventures!

But it also gives us all a chance to stop racing ahead mentally, to rethink and review.

In terms of holiday plans, revisiting somewhere you love or seeing old friends is an ideal way to use those energies.

MERCURY RETROGRADE WILL HELP

YOU: Catch up with old friends, complete projects started under a previous retrograde cycle.

BUT BEWARE: This is a time of confusion, mixed messages, missed appointments, forgotten passports and miscalculations.

It can make your brain feel like scrambled egg. Keep your sense of humour intact.

It’s also not an ideal time to buy a new phone or car. WHO WILL FEEL IT MOST: Taurus, Gemini, Leo, Virgo, Scorpio and Aquarius, and people with those signs rising.

URANUS From August 7 to January 26, 2019.

urANuS is the maverick planet of radical change, awakenings and freedom, It’s also the planet of rebellion. If you’ve been trying — and failing — to make a radical change in any part of your life, uranus retrograding will give you another chance.

The key is not to try to control anyone. Go with the flow, even if it feels like you’re going backwards. Cut loose what you should have cut loose before. evolve! embrace change! URANUS’S RETROGRADE HELPS YOU: Make radical changes in your life or make a 180-degree u-turn. If you missed an opportunity to break free from anything that is holding you back — from a job or a town to a relationship — now might be your time!

BUT BEWARE: uranus is unpredictable and that even applies to the retrograde. It can throw curveballs at you.

Avoid half-baked plans and actions, and prepare to be unceremoniously dumped out of your comfort zone. WHO WILL FEEL IT MOST: Aries, Taurus, Libra, Scorpio and Aquarius, and people with those signs rising.