Mercury difficulties came early this year with a challenging square from the planet Saturn, the ruler of challenges, delays and disappointments. Saturn creates blocks and forces us to find a pathway around obstacles – it inspires determination and strength to overcome endurance, but also supreme frustration.
This Mercury/Saturn square was embedded in the chart for the Scorpio Full Moon on the 3rd. For the first two weeks of May as Mercury’s motion begins to slow in preparation for its change of direction we saw communication begin to become more confused and a greater need to turn inwards for answers as the externals lose their focus.
Mercury retrograde periods are essential since they help us to realign our thinking and refocus our energies – however, they can be difficult when we try to push a project through to completion and encounter Mercury-related glitches and delays.
Many people become unnecessarily frightened of these retrograde periods and believe that they have to hide in their house, essentially, and not make any decisions or take any steps until the retrograde is over. This is an inaccurate and disempowering way to look at the situation and not one that I would ever advise. Mercury is retrograde for three weeks, four times a year which is 25% of the year. You can’t stop living your life!
There are lots of things Mercury retrograde periods are good for and most of them begin with RE. A client recently called me because she had to have surgery when Mercury is retrograde. RE-moving a tumor is a good thing to do under retrograde Mercury. RE-vising your life plan. RE-modeling your house or office. RE-doing your website. Anything that involves looking backwards over the past to correct past problems is a good thing to plan now.
If you can help it, putting off a major purchase or decision until after Mercury retrograde is a smart idea, but not always possible. As many of you have heard, in my other life I own a real estate business and we have to write contracts throughout Mercury retrograde periods. Very few of them fail, and I would guess that the number of failed contracts is not any more than non-Mercury retrograde periods. We DO see more glitches, communication breakdowns, equipment failures, etc. But we laugh, acknowledge that Mercury is retrograde and move on.
Perhaps its my contrarian nature, but I have a tendency to schedule vacations when Mercury is retrograde. Often there are glitches, and sometimes I make mistakes and the reservations are for the wrong day, but generally things work out for the best.
Think of astrological cycles as being like the weather. Just because there’s a chance of thunderstorms doesn’t mean you will always be hit by lightning.
Thank you for you outlook on Mercury Retrograde. I am RE-doing a heart issue during retrograde. It is old and will be corrected during this time. The irregular heart beat will be re-set to make the heart beat as it should. It is a good thing. I like your positive take on retrograde .