Direct
All of the Planets move through the Sign degree by degree in an upward counting motion. When these Planets pass from the 1° to 2° and thus to 3° the Planets are said to be move Direct or forwards and they appear so in the sky. This path of Direction is the natural movement of the Planets and because of this, a Planet is more happy and comfortable moving forward. The use and more detailed explanation of Direction can be found on other treatise, specifically the Application and Separation, as well as Dexter and Sinister. Sol and Luna are always Direct.
Stationary
A Planet enters a stationary position when it is about to turn into direction and thus appears to stand still in its placement. This means that a Planet goes stationary only when it is about to turn Retrograde (from Direction) or turn Direct (from Retrogradation). Each Planet has a different Stationary period excluding that of Sol and Luna as they are never Retrograde and always Direct. Planets stationary periods are thus;
Saturn is stationary for 5 days before and after Retrogradation.
Jupiter is stationary for 5 days before and after Retrogradation.
Mars is stationary for 2-3 days before and after Retrogradation.
Venus is stationary for 2 days before and after Retrogradation.
Mercury is stationary for 1 day before and after Retrogradation.
Stationary Planets should be interpreted with regard to the Planet in question and its Essential and Accidental Dignity placement foremost. They signify our desires, activities and person in an idle state. If the stationary event happens prior to Retrogradation, especially in a Horary chart, it should be interpreted as if the event will get to a certain point, then back away from the desired outcome. The contrary is true if its going from Retrogradation to Stationary, as this shows a slow idle start to any event. A stationary Planet however is not a debility but it is better to have a Planet passing from Retrograde into Stationary than the contrary.
Retrogradation
Retrogradation is a very simple concept and a very strong debility to any Planet. When a Planet goes into Retrogradation it travels backwards, contrary to the progression of signs, degrees, minutes and seconds. This occurs because of the movement of the earth making Planets appear as though they are moving backwards in the sky (even though it is an optical illusion), thus the term Retrogradation. All of the five Planets can go retrograde, with Mercury going retrograde the most often, the Luminaries however do not. Sol never goes retrograde being that he is in the center of the solar system and not moving. Luna also doesnt go retrograde because of her proximity to the Earth she is uninfluenced by the opitical illusion created by the Earth. Here is a list of the Retrograde lengths of each Planet.
Saturn Retrogrades for 140 days or approx. 4.5 months.
Jupiter Retrogrades for 120 days or approx. 4 months.
Mars Retrogrades for 80 days or approx. 2.5 months.
Venus Retrogrades for 42 days or approx. 1.5 months.
Mercury Retrogrades for 24 days or approx. 3 weeks.
Its been debated how exact to interpret this debility of the Planet and the value of this debility. The traditional authors saw its extremity as a 5, which is the worst debility on the scale of severity and I tend to agree with them. It's quite clear that a retrograde motion delays the development of whatever that Planet represents. For instance, if the Lord of the 8th House be retrograde, there can be delay in the fulfilling of a will or inheritance from grandparents. If that Planet is even more debilitated Essentially it can illustrate an extreme frustration concerning the inheritance or complete lack of any inheritance.
If Mercury is Retrograde in a Nativity, it can indicate a delay in the mental capabilities of the individual or their speech function that lasts for life. Depending on the other debilities whether Accidental or Essential it can strengthen or weaken the damage caused by the retrogradation of any Planet. It should however not be discounted that just because the dignities or debilities are neutralized, that the meaning of a Retrograde Planet is neutralized, it simply means that it is easier to overcome the debility with the more dignities it has but there is still a holding back.
Refrenation
Refrenation occurs when a Planet is applying unto another Planet by body (conjunction) or aspect but before this can happen he turns Retrograde and separates from the conjunction or aspect with the other Planet and thus refraining him (or holding him back) from achieving the perfect conjunction or aspect. For example, Jupiter coming to the conjunction of Saturn but before perfect or Partile aspect is reached, he turns Retrograde and thus failing to achieve his conjunction with Saturn in Direction. He can however after retain this conjunction when he goes direct.
This configuration should be interpreted as the withdrawal or taking away of something, whether for the good or better. It is especially important when knowing if one will reach their potential or in Horary if ones desires will be fulfilled. It will illustrate that the Native will get close to his desire, then it will be taken from him and fall out of reach. All the specifics are substituted with regards to the Planets in question. For example if this happens with Mars it can illustrate this usurping down by Martial men specifically.
Peregrination
Peregrination is simply a Planet that is not in any of his Essential dignities. The traditional authors have coined the phrase a man far from his home with regards to this debility. Peregrination is just as strong as Retrogradation due to the Planet being very weak and vulnerable outside his Essential dignities because he is a wandering traveler in a territory of another (which was an extremely dangerous and life threatening event in the time of the fathers of Astrology). Peregrination is a very common event that many students neglect to consider. For example, the Sun is Peregrine in Cancer, and the Moon in Leo being foreign to each of these Planets. Sol and Luna are the only two Planets that have an entire Sign of Peregrination because they are not included in the Terms tables as the other Planets. Peregrination of the other 5 Planets are effected by certain degrees of the Sign which should also be analyzed. The Sun is Peregrine in 1°-19° Capricorn (having a Face from 20°-30°).
Motion of the Planets
In order to discover if a Planet is swift in motion or slow the student needs to know the average daily speed of each of the Planets. If a Planet travels above this speed in one day it is considered swift in motion, if it travels under this speed it is considered slow in motion. The mean motions of the Planets are thus;
Saturn is 3-4 min. Swiftest motion is 6 min.
Jupiter is 4 min. 59 sec.
Mars is 38 min.
Sol is 59 min. 8 sec.
Venus is 59 min. 8 sec. Swiftest motion is 82 min.
Mercury is 59 min. 8 sec. Swiftest motion is 100 min.
Luna is 13 deg. 10 min. 36 sec. Swiftest motion is 15 deg. 2 min.
Void of Course
Void of course occurs when a Planet separates from an conjunction or aspect and doesn't apply unto another for the time of its continuance in that specific sign. This specifically happens in the last few degrees of the sign, however it can happen in the mean degrees of a sign especially with the Moon because of her swiftness. For example, if Mars is in the 28° of Aries, separating from Jupiter in 25° Aries, not having any other Planets to apply to in conjunction or Aspect, he is lost without direction or void of course.
