Mercury is retrograde right now (Feb 23 to March 17). What this means is that when viewed from the Earth, Mercury appears to be traveling backwards in the sky. The traditional view is that this prevents the smooth running of Mercury type activities such as paperwork, writing, teaching and travel. Clear thinking is also an attribute of a strong Mercury, so making good decisions can feel harder under Mercury retrograde.
Mercury goes retrograde three times a year, for about three weeks each time, and as if this was not enough time to be warned not to sign important documents or travel, in recent times Mercury retrograde paranoia has gone to new extremes. I am seeing more and more blog and Facebook posts and astrological columns espousing the notion that the shadow time (from around 3 weeks before Merc goes retro to 3 weeks after) is the same as the actual retrograde period, extending the whole deal to nine weeks, 3 times a year, in which one is supposed to not sign anything and basically be an indecisive recluse. That makes 27 weeks of inaction and fear in a year. THIS IS NUTS, PEOPLE!
First of all, Mercury retro does not mean everything stops. It just means you get to review past decisions and plans, and tweak whatever needs tweaking, and that it is not always the best time to be initiating MERCURY type activities (travel, study, paperwork). It can also mean that details need extra attention and that there is a tendency to more forgetfulness and more general snafus in travel and finance.
Second, this shadow business is a recent invention and seems to be part of the astrology-as-limiting-fear-based-philosophy that is unfortunately the way some people like to play it.
Third, from my personal observations of Merc retro over the past 35 years, if you have a Mercury led or ruled chart, you will probably feel the retro period more than most. And when you will feel it most is when Mercury is stationary, ie the days around the turns retro and direct, at the beginning and end of the retrograde period. Throughout the retro period you may experience a general slowdown in communications. This time is most sensibly used for inner work and editing writing projects. But for the many people who don’t have a strong Mercury and/or work in Mercury type occupations, they may not notice Mercury retrograde at all.
Fourth, while travel on the day or two of the Mercury station is not a great idea, being away on vacation is actually one of the best ways to spend Mercury retrograde. It is also an ideal time to go on retreat or visit a spa. And if you have to work, then work! The flow and necessity of your own life is always the most important thing. Don’t let fear-inducing so-called astrology stop you from doing what you need to do.
good to read something sensible about Merc retro. I read an astro description once that said not to make any permanent plans re work or business whilst Uranus is transitting the 10th house…I thought sheesh…the whole 7 years????? Obviously some people have very different lives to mine! Same idea with Merc retro, life demands we show up for more than half the year 🙂
Yes, that is ridiculous re Uranus on the 10th. I’ve come across similarly crazy interpretations. Unfortunately there is more and more bad astrology out there. Now that astrology has become big business on the internet, the lowest common denominator effect is happening. It’s kinda like The Daily Mail or The National Enquirer: fear sells.
Yes!!!! I totally agree. Have to be very careful of what one reads and believes on the internet.
Well ranted Lara. Things seem to to be progressing nicely and steadily for me now although the station which was on my Mars was a bit challenging.
Thanks Jude! Glad to hear things are moving well for you. Be interesting to see what the station direct is like for you.
Thanks for this, Lara! Your experience with Mercury Rx dovetails beautifully with mine. With Mercury conj my ASC & a Virgo MC, I sort of qualify as having a Mercury led chart and I have had just as many Mercury-related problems with Mercury was direct as Rx.
Thanks Diane! I have Merc cj the ASC too! In Gemini –so I often feel Merc retro quite intensely, but I still live my life! And yes, weird stuff happens at other times, for sure.
I have Mercury retro along with 5 other planets, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, & Pluto, things go better for me when Mecury is in it’s retro period. Having so many retros and reading forecasts for years I have come to the conclusion that if I take the exact opposite of what the forecast says usually works out better!!!
Yes I’ve heard this so often, that people with Merc retro do very well under the retro periods.
A welcome rant, couldn’t agree more. Astrology is not the only area that seems to be full of people just making things up these days – I also see a lot of really bad “yoga teachers” where I live too. It’s very discouraging, so it’s nice to see someone with credibility setting everyone straight.
Thanks Carolyn. Yes, it’s the unfortunate bandwagon effect. Same thing happened with acupuncture. Once something alternative starts to look like a viable career, some people will be drawn to it for the wrong reasons. I always look for a practitioner (of anything) who has been called, and who takes whatever they do seriously and with passion, and who you learn about through word of mouth or through reading something of gravitas that they wrote, rather than someone with a famous name (unless they got there the honest way, which takes a long time). Anyone can learn a technique and market themselves successfully. It’s a whole ‘nother thing to master a craft, and those who do are often less inclined to market themselves at all! It’s counter intuitive, but in some professions the best known practitioners are not the ones one would want to consult.
Thanks, Lara, very helpful. Although I’ve never felt particularly subject to Merc Retro, I do have Mercury in my 2nd house, along with my sun sign, though I’m not sure that’s significant. But I always like to be aware of the Retro, just to be on the safe side. Thanks for lending sanity to the conversation. Hugs, A.
Hi Areanne! Merc in the 2nd house often experiences Merc retro as snafus with money. Hugs back to you!
This explains why life went a bit chaotic then. I keep diaries and journals. I was looking at one of my diaries and it fits the picture.