Understanding retrogrades

Just when I think I understand what is going on, a planet or 2 begin to reverse course, and retrace their steps. Sometimes they spend more time in a house because of their retrograde patterns. I thought I'd share some sites explaining retrogrades, and would love to hear experiences and wisdom from anyone here!!

So far I understand basically that retrogrades make us internalize what is going on, while direct planets encourage us to express and act out what is going on. But I know there must be more to this. Plus there are some planets in my natal chart that are retrograde and I wonder what that means too.

Here is an article that includes asteroid retrogrades:

A retrograde period is best seen as a cycle, which begins when the planet begins to slow to a halt before travelling backwards through the zodiac and ends when the planet returns to the point where it first paused. However, during the cycle, the planet's energy is most powerful (and more likely to generate critical events of universal importance) when the planet makes a station, appearing motionless in the sky. These stationary periods occur at the beginning of the cycle (when the planet first halts as it prepares to move backwards) and midway through the cycle when the retrograde planet slows to a stop before moving forward again.

http://www.astrologycom.com/retro.html


Retrograde Planets Meanings (excerpt)

In Karmic terms, Mercury retrograde in your natal chart suggests that you may be dealing with old lessons about the negative consequences of uninhibited speech. Motives mean a lot to you. You could find yourself attracting more than your share of criticism or opposition to your ideas, but if you let that stop you from speaking your mind, you are essentially inhibiting yourself from communicating. You can learn to overcome your fears. Most other people are actually more concerned with how the world sees them than they are about what they think about you. Apply your curiosity, flexibility, and take an active interest in the welfare or interests of people around you. Half of your ability comes from listening! If speaking to groups of people makes you nervous, let your thoughts escape into the outside world by writing. Make small talk wherever possible about any topics of interest, while you boost your self confidence and begin to overcome your hesitance of expounding your personal views in public.

http://www.skyviewzone.com/astrology/retrogradeplanets.htm

And here is a lesson in Retrogrades (an excerpt):

When a planet is retrograde, its energies are turned inward and becomes more subjective. The energy is slower manifesting in the external world, partly because the individual with retrograde planets tends to think more deeply about the energies involved. Many geniuses and leaders have retrograde planets.
According to Martin Schulman, in his Karmic Astrology: Retrogrades & Reincarnation, Vol. II, retrograde planets tend to break the time barrier. The individual brings memories of prior lifetimes into the present incarnation. There may be feelings of a “blending of lifetimes” characterized by the person attempting to resolve issues that still appear to be unfinished. The memories can be so vivid that the person does not recognize them as “memories.” In Schulman’s words: “He is living in a dulled phase of another time zone whose irresistible magnetism seems even more important than his current life.” The individual keeps re-living the experiences that relate to the particular retrograde planet.

Enjoy!! Thought I'd share some stuff I am learning about