Planetary cycles are direct responses to the influences of the stars on life, with each planet being essential to understanding the birth chart.
Have you ever felt that greater forces might be influencing your days? That certain occurrences are not mere chance? If so, it is possible that astrology is acting in your life. In certain periods of time, it is common for some dramas to have more effect and weigh much more in reality. This is the case of planetary cycles and their action in the sky that directly influences human existence, signaling crucial milestones in personal and professional life. After all, astrology can explain different situations throughout the ages.
In this sense, first of all, it is essential to understand the power of astrology. Its study is based on observation and identification, so that the path taken by a planet and the quality of the energy manifested by the movement reflect the similarities between the two. All of this also depends on the place and time affected by the event. Thus, when looking at an astral chart, you are actually observing an occurrence in time, a landmark of an exact instant in the sky. Such observation is also directly connected with the origins of the universe.
However, the constant movement of the celestial sphere makes it impossible to base an entire personal reading on a single instant, or on a single pattern in the birth chart. It is necessary to observe the movements of the planets for longer periods of time, understanding how they can influence your life and growth. This way, it is possible to discover more about someone through further study.
In this way, planetary cycles, or the way in which the movement of several planets can influence their existence, come into account. Check below everything you need to know about the occurrence, as well as 6 of the planetary cycles that can affect you the most.
How do planetary cycles work?
But after all, what exactly is a planetary cycle? Each planet takes a certain period of time to go around the Sun, and such movement is called a planetary cycle, or revolution. The planets closest to the Sun take a few years to rotate, but others further away can take decades.
In the sense of astrology, each planet is responsible for influencing a specific area of human existence, as well as the psyche. Thus, as certain planets progress through their cycles, changes can be felt internally, through transformative events and energies that alter the course of the days. It is possible to think of the event as the journey of the soul: each cycle brings with it new learning. And they are capable of affecting virtually every area of life, be it growth, discovery, love or spirituality.
It is common for many to describe crucial changes that occurred over time and that changed their days in a certain period, such as every 7 years, for example. The famous “28/29 year crisis” is actually the return of one of the planets, Saturn. The 40-year crisis follows the same script.
Main planetary cycles
Although all planets influence the course of life, there are those that play a greater role in your days. Its cycles are mainly of maturation, with the function of giving that “little push” necessary for you to continue on your spiritual journey. Thus, human growth follows the course it always needed to follow. Are they:
- Marte: Its rotation around the Sun is made approximately every 2 years.
- Jupiter: Its rotation around the Sun is made approximately every 12 years.
- Saturn: Its rotation around the Sun is made approximately every 28 years.
- Uranus: Its rotation around the Sun is made approximately every 84 years.
- Neptune: Its rotation around the Sun is made approximately every 164 years.
- Pluto: Its rotation around the Sun is made approximately every 248 years.
Obviously, no human being lived long enough to be able to tell what changes were felt in the cycles of planets like Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. However, it is possible to feel the transformations because each planetary cycle goes through stages, or phases, which are like fractions of a complete cycle.
Phases of planetary cycles
During the passage of each planetary cycle, its phases, as well as those of the Moon, are responsible for major changes in life. It is common for them to bring challenges to the evolution of consciousness, making you a better person, or making you realize what you may not have been able to understand for a long time, and maturation was responsible for providing such understanding.
Return
The most important phase of all, the return is also known as conjunction. It means the closing of a cycle, where the planet returns to the same position it was found on the day you were born. Each return means that a planet has completed its turn, moving to the beginning of the next one. The period can be translated as a time of closure, of spiritual cleansing, abandoning what no longer serves you. The phase is met with new challenges and forces you to make crucial decisions.
First quadrature
The first square is also known as the first crisis period of a cycle. It occurs when a planet moves and makes a 90º angle with the return position. The phase is testing, where the choices made during the Return will be questioned and it will be proven whether they were good or not. It is common for it to bring crises because of regrets or efforts through reaffirmation, convincing oneself that it is necessary to fight for what was chosen. Overall, the moment can be extremely exhausting, but a gateway to the best.
Opposition
Following the first square, opposition occurs when the planet is positioned in the opposite place it was on the day of its birth, at an angle of 180º. It is possible to see it as a period of analysis, in addition to harvesting the fruits planted in the return and in the first quadrature, which can be both positive and negative. Above all, opposition brings with it a gain in awareness and maturity.
Second quadrature
Being the last phase, the second square continues forward, once again making a 90º angle with the position of its birth, close to a new return. The time is for elimination, freeing yourself from everything that is no longer necessary to move forward through a blank canvas. Experience with the other cycles counts a lot at the moment of the second square, as they will have taught you what will be worth keeping and what should be thrown away.
Influence of planetary cycles
It is a fact that there are several planetary cycles and that the influence of each planet is essential for life to flow as it should. There are ephemeral ones, like the Moon, which occurs every 27 days. Have you ever heard the expression “de Lua”? This just means that something is capable of changing quickly, as the satellite’s emotional responses are extremely fast. The Moon is directly related to the unconscious and its habits. Each lunar cycle, after all, is responsible for a slight and necessary change.
In this sense, other faster cycles such as those of the Sun, Mercury and Venus also tend to have more general influences. The Sun, for example, has to do with life, and with each birthday, it is capable of renewing vitality and giving meaning to existence. Mercury, in turn, is linked to the mind, with thoughts and intellect. And Venus is responsible for teaching about values and real importance.
Marte
The planetary cycle of Mars occurs approximately every 2 years. It is responsible for promoting personal development, a situation where it is necessary to look inside and understand more about one’s own existence, as well as what resources are available for success. The time is ideal to invest in both romantic and professional relationships, in addition to developing more of your own skills.
Jupiter
Jupiter’s cycle takes place every 12 years. It is related to understanding the place you take in the world, and the awareness you have about it. The time is perfect to expand connections, testing your ability to connect with everything around you.
Saturn
Saturn closes its cycle every 30 years. Their relationship is due to maturity, where responsibilities grow and are better developed. Thus, the situation works in such a way that it is possible to create stable bases to build values and beliefs, managing your own life.
Uranus
Uranus opens the realm of transpersonal cycles, which are the longest and are responsible for defining generations. He is responsible for promoting freedom from the spiritual ties that bind him, breaking with everything that hurts him or that he no longer needs. The period is perfect to renounce what needs to be renounced. Its cycle ends every 84 years, but halfway through it, at age 42, marks the famous “midlife crisis”.
Neptune
In this sense, Neptune’s cycle lasts around 165 years, so it is impossible to feel the effects of a complete rotation of the planet, in addition to the irregularity of the orbit. However, the first square and opposition still greatly affect everyone’s lives. Its movement brings spiritualization, bringing the intangible closer. It is common to perceive the period as chaotic, since a lot happens without any explanation, disappearing and appearing in mysterious ways. It is the ideal time to connect with the forces of the universe.
Pluto
Finally, comes the Pluto cycle, which takes around 248 years to complete. From it, it is possible to experience only the first quadrature. Pluto enters the game to make you face everything you have hidden for so long, through radical and irreversible transformations. All of this occurs through awareness, which comes through traumatic events that awaken a greater force, such as great losses. However, such losses are essential to put you on the path to light.
If you liked this article about planetary cycles, also take the opportunity to check it out Planets in the birth chart – Characteristics of each one
Sources: Earth, Astrolink, Systemic Astrology
Images: Geek Reply, National Geographic, Hype Science, Brazilian Times, Exame, Agência Brasil, Yodarta, Astrologia Psicológica, Stoodi
