Hello Mercury Retrograde, old friend. You know, I knew you were on your way when my transmission started slipping this weekend and, sure enough, could barely make it to the mechanic today. I was born with Mercury in Retrograde, so it doesn’t ruffle my feathers when it ruffles my plans. I just know, without a doubt, that there will be glitches and delays and systems needing overhaul. I expect it. I’ve learned to go with the flow. (If I say it enough, it becomes true).
Well, all that ended when Mercury went retrograde on January 5th in humanitarian Aquarius (transits into pragmatic Capricorn on the 8th), and remains in the shadow until January 25th. This is the first of not just the usual three per year, oh no, but a total of FOUR “opportunities to remedy.” This first one is just a warm up. Enjoy it’s relative tame nature, even as Jupiter, planet of expansion and luck, also stations retrograde in sovereign Virgo on January 7th. (More on that in an upcoming blog post).
Before we get moaning and groaning about the terrible timing of the rest of these retrogrades this year, lets get to know Mercury a little bit better. Please put your astronomy spectacles on:
It’s important to know about Mercury because of the energetic signature being emitted. A planet made up of mostly metal is very strong and being able to withstand the heat of the sun symbolizes stamina & endurance. It’s swift orbit might bring about thoughts of efficiency and expedience. It’s blue color matches the color of the Throat Chakra. Mercury is known to have dominion over travel, communication, mental activity and electronics, especially those that we use to exchange information. It rules (in my opinion) the internet.
So when Mercury is in apparent retrograde things can get . . . a little tricky with planes, trains, automobiles, email, etc and on top of that, miscommunications between humans can arise pretty easily as well.
I’ll expound on that at a later time, for now, lets focus on understanding the final three Mercury Rx periods in 2016. If we know this now, we can plan our year much better. Work with the flow instead of against.
Our second Mercury Rx in stubborn Taurus (April 28 – May22) will be the most backward time of the year with a total of five planets in retrograde at one time. Joining Mercury will be: Mars Rx in Scorpio, Jupiter Rx in Virgo (until May 9th), Saturn Rx in Sagittarius & Pluto Rx in Capricorn. Let’s just call it now: SNAFU.
I recommend a glamping staycation to let self-indulgent Venus in Taurus (the only inner planet moving forward) lead the way with decadent meals and deep earth connection. Roll in the mud naked, shower under the stars and enjoy a four course fireside meal with all the fixings. Splurge & purge whatever those other retrograde planets are stirring up.
Not to be outdone, our third Mercury Rx in analytical Virgo (Aug 30 – Sept 21) completely covers not just the “Back to School” rush, but also the Solar & Lunar Eclipses with four planets total in apparent retrograde. Expect traffic snarls, missed buses and be sure to make lunch for the kids the night before. If you gotta shop, make sure you place orders in early August to avoid any delays, just to be on the safe side. It mercifully moves forward at the the day of the Autumn Equinox, so expect relief as we officially welcome fall.
And finally, our entire holiday season may be covered like a wet blanket with Mercury Rx in utilitarian Capricorn from December 19th (just before the Solstice) all the way until January 8th if we don’t utilize this energy for maximum calm. Instead of traveling to stay with extended family, the energy is ripe for a quiet, handmade holiday with friends. Drop out of corporate consumerism altogether. What you can’t make yourself, vow to order online from indie makers early in December, skip the shopping malls altogether and opt for local craft fairs where community connections abound.