Often points to deep-seated fears or a sense of inadequacy carried over from a life of extreme responsibility or, conversely, avoiding responsibility entirely. Accessing "Karmic Astrology Vol. II" PDF
The soul may have misused information, broken vows, or suffered from a lack of free speech.
Areas of life where energy was misused, neglected, or left unresolved in previous incarnations.
The core of Volume II explores how each planet behaves when retrograde, analyzing them through a karmic lens. Inner and Personal Planets
The individual carries a heavy, often vague sense of guilt or burden from early childhood. They are incredibly hard on themselves, feeling as though they must constantly pay back a debt they cannot define. They struggle with authority figures until they claim their own inner authority.
According to Schulman, a retrograde planet indicates that the soul is operating on a different time loop. Instead of moving forward into current-life experiences, the individual's consciousness is pulled backward to resolve unfinished business from previous incarnations. The retrograde planet represents a "re-do"—a specific area of life where the soul must break old patterns to achieve spiritual graduation. The Three Stages of Retrograde Consciousness
A lifetime spent under severe tyranny, or a past failure to protect those who relied on them.
The aspects made to direct planets, which show how your past life integrates with your current evolutionary path.
The house where the retrograde planet resides indicates the specific area of life where your past-life karma will play out:
Schulman introduces a unique three-step psychological process that individuals with retrograde planets experience. These stages often operate simultaneously, creating a sense of inner tension:
Look at the house where the planet is retrograde to determine the area of life (e.g., career, marriage) where the karma is playing out.
To truly understand these placements, researchers and practitioners frequently refer back to Martin Schulman's Karmic Astrology series. Volume II remains a highly sought-after text for several reasons:
by Martin Schulman is a foundational text in esoteric astrology. First published in 1977, this book shifts the focus of astrology from everyday personality traits to the deep, evolutionary journey of the human soul. It provides a spiritual framework for understanding retrograde planets not as cosmic inconveniences, but as profound indicators of past-life dynamics and unresolved karma.
An intense, overriding sense of guilt or duty. You may feel like you are constantly paying off an invisible debt. The lesson is to redefine personal boundaries, accept self-discipline, and stop carrying the weight of the world. The Outer Planets: Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto