Jupiter, the largest planet in our Solar System, is in retrograde motion for approximately 4 months every year. This means that approximately one-third of the population has the planet retrograde in their natal chart. A retrograde natal planet means that its energies are turned inwards, at least for the beginning of the native’s life.
Any planet being retrograde during the native’s birth indicates that the planet and the things that it rules in his life are strongly connected with previous lives through karma. As Jupiter is the planet responsible for expansion, such a natal condition makes him expand inwards instead of manifesting in the material reality. It can act like a huge sponge, absorbing positivity from the surroundings. As Jupiter is the natural ruler of the 9th house, it tends to inhale abstract knowledge and aids the formation of philosophical systems in the native’s mind. Eventually, the planet’s energy will turn outwards and all its cumulated energy will radiate towards the world. If natal Jupiter is in a house connected with material ownership such as the 2nd or the 4th house, its retrograde natal status will help in developing wealth or possessions that will later be used for a prosperous living.
Most people have more than one planet retrograde in their natal chart, and it is rather difficult to find a person that has all his natal planets direct. Therefore, we should understand that the karmic connection to previous lives is a rule affecting most of the population, and should be regarded as a tool to understand ourselves.
Jupiter is the most benefic planet and thus even when natally retrograde, his traits remain positive. Yet, it will have an influence regarding when its powers will start acting benevolently, making the individual a late bloomer. By looking in which house it is natally placed, one can understand which life area will bloom and develop later in life.
The native will experience a feeling of preparing for a big jump in life, and will subconsciously structure himself to be ready for the correct time. Jupiter will help him absorb all the needed information and make other preparations so that he uses his experience wisely. People with Jupiter retrograde should not rush concerning the matters of the house where it is present, as waiting for the right age to make steps forward can be quite beneficial. In fact, Jupiter usually triggers by itself the positive events that will lead towards expansion.
The individual must understand that Jupiter’s expansive tendencies can also bring some troubles, mostly connected with an overflow of things. The planet can give too much of something, even if that something is desired. When its energies are turned inwards, there are dangers of over-thinking. In addition, it can make one indulge into abstract and higher meanings that do not really have any useful functions in everyday reality, no matter how wise and correct they can be. The person may be lazy and impractical, especially if Jupiter is adversely aspected. On the other hand, the time dedicated to procrastination might help him develop interesting philosophical models in his mind.
A common effect of Jupiter retrograde is doubts about one’s self-esteem. Actually, the native can even be quite sure about himself and his qualities, yet can be shy and unsure about whether the world will also value his characteristics the same way that he does. A retrograde Jupiter can bring feelings of guilt about pride, even if the native totally deserves praise for certain things and can be proud of his accomplishments.
Retrograde Jupiter indicates that during previous lives the individual may have experienced trouble concerning the law or the church, due to different opinions about how the system should function. In addition, he may have experienced difficulties during long travels also, or connected to foreigners and people of other cultures and religions. This pattern can be recreated in the current lifetime, making the individual yearn for traveling but postponing it, or elsehow keeping himself reserved about 9th house life matters expansion. Instead, he can spend a lot of time fantasizing about distant journeys and read a lot about foreign traditions.
During the present lifetime, Jupiter retrograde will make the native re-evaluate moral and religious systems. He will not accept new types of beliefs easily and will have a lot of doubts about the correctness of the law. In addition, Jupiter retrograde can bring disappointment about the dominant laws and morality of the social system.
On the other hand, the hesitation to jump into new spiritual systems can protect a person during his young age from joining religious organizations that can harm him or lead him towards delusions. The native will tend to raise an eyebrow before accepting theories, and will not easily become a fanatic or a zealot of a new spiritual road.
Of course, natal Jupiter retrograde gives a lot of different traits depending on the house where it is located. Even though there is no general rule of when a retrograde planet starts to function properly, expect that by your 30’s you will notice the planet to have operating outwards too. Different astrological systems suggest various ways of calculating the change of a planet’s direction through progressions. Yet it is quite safe to say that the more we mature the more Jupiter opens up towards the world around us.