Mercury goes retrograde, three or even four times a year. It has now become part of pop astrology. But the problem is, most people don’t know enough about it and just assume the worst. It’s all “Don’t travel”, “Don’t sign contracts”, “Don’t marry” or “Don’t look at your computer or it will blow up!” In my opinion you have to take the whole of the Mercury retrograde cycle into account which in total is approximately eight weeks. Some years this that could mean you are hiding under the duvet for pretty much half the year. What a waste of a truly magical time!

The reason people are so scared of Mercury retrograde is because it is when Mercury’s shape-shifting, trickster side comes out. It’s when our mind apparently plays tricks on us. I say “apparently” because, Mercury retrograde is an optical illusion. It isn’t really going backwards at all.

The reason some people do experience Mercury retrograde as problematic I believe is because of all the negative hype that comes with it. We all know fear makes us clumsy and nervous, and of course there is the danger of feeling cursed. Curses work because the trickster energy, working it’s magic on our mind is dictating reality. Reality is not important, it’s the perception of reality that creates your future and generates either success or failure. This is the test of Mercury retrograde.

Vedic astrologers consider Mercury to be stronger when it is retrograde because it is a closest to the earth than at any other time during its orbit. So Mercury will be between the earth and the Sun. The fact that Mercury is strong though, doesn’t mean life will go smoothly, hence Mercury retrogrades bad reputation.  Astrologer and fellow Goddess worshipper Gary Caton once described Mercury retrograde as Mercury going down into the Underworld and of course for someone interested in anything dark and taboo I would certainly agree with that.

Mercury Retrograde In Astrology

For me then, while Mercury is stationing retrograde, we put on our night-vision specs for going down into the pit. We are standing at the portal, squinting our eyes and adjusting to the new way of perceiving. This will be the wobbly stage where we are likely to slip up, make mistakes, and misread another’s communications. But once we are over the threshold and into the underworld we can safely go about out business knowing we are in another realm. In these three weeks, whichever houses Mercury falls in, will be your Underworld zone. This area of life will be where you will be seeing the world through another lens. It is a little like the Lilith Corridor, we might feel the boundaries between the different dimensions are thinner. We might get layers of messages overlapping and this can get confusing, we may even feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information.

In the Underworld then, because it is dark, our senses are heightened. We will feel extra sensitive here, psychic even. Everything will seem hyper-real, you will notice things you had overlooked before. This will prompt you to re-evaluate, renovate, re-invent, reform and all those nice re-words. It’s true you might have to redo things, but what this transit is not letting you do is go into auto pilot.

Mercury retrograde will make you question everything. It will make you jittery about signing contracts, because you will be constantly thinking, “Is this what I really want?”. The trickster will be whispering all sorts of paranoid thoughts into your ear, so any deal that manages to get through this third degree from your subconscious could actually have even more staying power than you would suppose under a Mercury retrograde. I think the danger zone of mind-changing, and of people backing out of commitments is actually most likely from when Mercury turns direct again, slowly diminishing it’s effect till you are safely out of the retrograde zone 3 weeks later.9

Example DownUnder

I have noticed Mercury is in it’s retrograde cycle every time I come to Oz! It’s not planned that way it just seems to happen. I guess this is very apt for our renewing our relationship and travelling into the downunder-world. But maybe it also ensures I have to re-turn! By way of example my last trip shows how Mercury retrograde cycle works very well. The day I left for Oz last trip, Mercury entered into the retrograde or shadow zone while at the same time crossing into my 7^th house, I was actually making the trip to get married also.

We got married just before Mercury turned retrograde, so I was just starting to adjust my vision to the underworld as I stepped onto that nuptial beach! Yes, I did feel very wobbly and it wasn’t just the platform shoes. On New Years Eve I traveled back to London alone without my new husband, Mercury stationed direct on my 7th house cusp once more, back on the very spot it was on when I departed. So although I was now married, I essentially was still as husbandless as I was when I left London to marry.

The next 10 days while Mercury was in it’s shadow period, were pure hell. I questioned why on earth I had just married someone I couldn’t even live with, and what was even worst was both our former partners decided to make life every difficult for us indeed. At one point I wasn’t even sure if I’d get to see Jamie at all this year. Custody issues and all sorts of nasty demons came out of the closet. It all looked doomed and hopeless and I felt I was loosing my mind. By the time I was out of shadow everything was sorted. It was like a miracle had occurred. Shock revelations and then help from an unexpected source. There were loads of twists and turns of fate. The trickster showed all of his faces, good and bad.

Survival Tactics

The time when Mercury is stationing are the times I think you need to keep your wits about you. The mistake people make is that they think when it goes direct you are out of the woods. In fact this is the time when you are at your most vulnerable. We forget this is shadow period too, anything you started when those degrees were hit the first time will be coming up for resolution, this will be things started a couple of months back when Mercury was coming up to retrograde. The renewing, resolving, reinventing, regenerating will continue right up until the spot at which it went retrograde is revisited.

So Mercury isn’t a “Bad Thing” necessarily, although in retrospect I really would not have chosen to marry at such a time, not because it means that the marriage is doomed, but because it made me extra nervy, sensitive and insecure at what happened afterwards. The only reason we did so, was because it was the only time we could get our kids together, my daughter actually picked the date, so fate obviously chose that time for us. But the magical turnaround afterwards showed me the benefits of this period and we always knew we will probably re-marry again in London again at some point. That would be a nice thing to redo, re-affirm our vows in front of friends and family.

So how do we use this period constructively? I have already given some examples of the Re-words. Re-invention is one of my favourites. But I think the best use of this time would be to re-search in the houses that retrograde cycle covers and re-evaluate all that the planet Mercury touches on its journey.  The three weeks before the retrograde, is a good time for gathering the information, finishing off projects and clearing the inbox before going into to your cave at the point of retrograde. Then you can slow things down, let yourself be taken into other dimensions, try on different filters, go inward, shine a light on your demons, purge yourself, detox, recharge, reboot and I think, yes, even reinstall that copy of windows, your computer won’t bite you, I promise!

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1. 

   AlterEgoTrip on March 31, 2011 at 7:50 am (Edit)

   Thanks for this one Marina- Interesting that you discover that Mercury is retrograde when you travel to Au-

   On all my travels to Manchester, the same thing, it suggest to me that I am always “destined to return”…

   ..certainly when I went there the very first time–a rare concert and I took my nearly 3 year old son there (and he slept after Mark E Smith’s performance!) I was wondering how this was going to replay..

   And oddly enough, it managed to do so.. because I never expected it to happen again, but I was invited to a lecture given at a museum by one of the people speaking, so I got the cheapest flight, the cheapest train, and the cheapest room ever– had a few days alone away from my family, and hung out with aging pop stars- although the recording of the talk that was extremely long, didn’t go to well, with the sound, (the sound wasn’t good at in entire building) I managed to meet friends and have a really great time.

   Hope that I go to Manchester again in the future, since it is still in the cards since the last time I went was also on a Retrograde, which is probably why the sound quality of the lecture at the building was problematic.

   So I’m going to take Mercury retrograde on travels meaning a serious destined to return… for you especially!

   • 

     Marina on March 31, 2011 at 9:50 pm (Edit)

     Yes it has quite spooked me out the times I have travelled on a retrograde as I said below. “Destined to Return” I like. But yes you do have to put up with the gremlins and the glitches though. Last Mercury retro we had a broken car, broken dog, near drowning, bridal hair style malfunctions….

     • 

       AlterEgoTrip on April 1, 2011 at 9:31 am (Edit)

       With your Gemini ASC, I’m not really surprised that a Mercury Retrograde has had an intensive effect upon you!

       Its what you make of it, and I always find lost things and hidden information when Mercury is in Retrograde.

       When we see events unfolding during a Mercury Retrograde, I would also make a point to really pay attention. I really like that idea of Mercury going down into the Underworld. It makes allot of sense.

       Mercury is after not unlike the power of the real essence of mind, and the word itself, it goes everywhere, and does what it needs to do regardless of the location.. from Earth to Olympus to Hades itself.. Mercury comes and goes has he sees fit and never seems to stay in one place very long, but comes back and visits. 

       Just hope nothing breaks! I keep thinking how we say in English “fingers crossed”, but doesn’t Mercury rule over the fingers? Perhaps we need to cross our fingers a bit more and hope to side track some of the weirder things that happen 

2. 

   KK on March 31, 2011 at 8:07 am (Edit)

   I’m waiting for this post Marina. Thank you! What a treat.

3. 

   Maria on March 31, 2011 at 10:55 am (Edit)

   Spookily the times I have visited my Indian fiance was during Mercury retrogade and needless to say a very difficult time…

   • 

     Marina on March 31, 2011 at 9:44 pm (Edit)

     Last year Mercury was retro grade FOUR times!! Look at this. It would have been very hard to avoid travelling with this lot going on. I know I was returning from Oz on the january one, I was in Oz this time last year with the second one. Look at this:
     findyourfate.com/astrology/year2010/2010-mercury-retrograde.html

     So Maria since communications are an issue, maybe now you can try and plan you travels around these periods. Jamie is putting up a table with all the periods this year.

     To be honest, since as you can see Mercury retro is so frequent, I didn’t think it was much of a muchness. But since I have been really observing it, I do believe it has great significance, you just need to know how to use it’s magic.

      

4. 

   Dimos on March 31, 2011 at 11:09 am (Edit)

   Hi there! Great article! I loved the part where you said that Mercury goes to the underworld while retrograde. It relates to the greek mythology as Mercury was the guide of the souls to the underworld. In fact the souls had to pay him a “ticket” (1 coin) to take them to the underworld; that’s why the ancients used to put a coin in the mouth of the dead before they buried them.

   Before I go, I just saw the pictures of the surface of the actual planet Mercury that NASA released yesterday! Such a beautyful planet, looks like an inhabited moon! amazing! Does the fact that those picture were released yesterday, have anything to do with the begining of the retrograde circle?

5. 

   WILL on March 31, 2011 at 11:45 am (Edit)

   Dear Marina,

   My 10th house extends from 27 pisces to about 2 taurus. At the moment transiting retrograde mercury is 24 aries moving backwards over most of my ten house which is intercepted by aries. What is important for me also is that there is a large stellium. Mars, dark moon, uranus, sun, vertex, jupiter, and retrograde mercury. As already mentioned in another post the last year has been quite a challenge me living alone at home for most of the day wheelchair dependant, but I’ve managed quite well visiting my 88 year old mother in a nursing home who is by now also in a wheelchair.

   • 

     Marina on March 31, 2011 at 9:35 pm (Edit)

     It should be a really inspiring time for you and wow you already have a retro-Mercury anyhow. I would imagine it might work the opposite way for you maybe? It depends if your Mercury is now going forward by progression, but other Mercury retro people I know have said they always find the retro periods really productive and enjoyable. Would you say you thinking is more poetic or logical right now?

     • 

       WILL on April 1, 2011 at 1:04 pm (Edit)

       Dear Marina,
       Thanks so much for your reply. No my mercury in my natal chart isn’t retrograde. It’s 29.33 degrees capricorn and 3 degrees away from my 8th house cusp. It is so strange that you ask me whether I,m more poetic or logical because probably when you were reading my post yesterday I was sorting out a bug on my new computer because the digital camera software was too old and corupting my solar fire software so that involved quite a lot of back tracking. I have periods in my life when I am more creative like when I wrote a book part sci fi autographical and otherwordly. That took me 3 years. Now I am focused on helping Mum and astrology and reading and trying to understand your method.

6. 

   KK on March 31, 2011 at 12:00 pm (Edit)

   physorg.com/news/2011-03-nasa-pics-mercury-surface.html

   I was ‘looking’ for Mercury for days and how it surfaced in a big way! Nice!

   • 

     Marina on March 31, 2011 at 9:30 pm (Edit)

     Freaky these came out when it went retrograde. Did they know?

     • 

       KK on April 1, 2011 at 7:10 am (Edit)

       Most probably not. They have a set schedule not mindful of astrological implications. I’m amazed sometimes that astronomers and astrologers are strange bedfellows. I have a childhood friend who travels all over the world chasing eclipses and astronomy breakthroughs…but can’t make up a basic understanding of how the elements work together astrologically speaking.

       It must be the mythology behind it. Who’s got a better grasp of the subject, myths on facts or the other way around? See how ‘prejudice’ is at work here?

       Brings me back to 14-15deg Libra on circular paths. Since prejudice breeds isolation, we need a ‘messenger’ to get our intents across. If we crash through the prejudice and do away with it, bonding/linking to form a chain will occur. So much so that to come full circle as a unit, we need to touch the common bond with the next unit by retracing half of the circle and so on.

       What happens to the ‘messenger’ then? Do we fire him out of the equation? Are we killing him in our search for unity? Or do we absorb every piece of him that dies everytime a link is forged?

       On a personal level, when our conscious choices are fully tied up with our subconscious will then we definitely lord it over Mercury. He becomes our servant, a weapon or tool.

       Therefore the Death of Mercury is the Awakening of the Conscious and the Subconscious Mind as One.

       Is the astrological stage then heralding the Death of Mercury?

       • 

         charyl on April 1, 2011 at 6:51 pm (Edit)

         Yup kk is going underground. Don’t forget it’s the two serpents tied representing healing. Greatest healing is link with the Universe. Done, but mercury must be back on the job on Monday to the healing center for the next one.
         Isabel Hickey said “when I and my father are one” in regards to Mercury. “When the link between the Universal self and the personality are one the mind as we know it no longer operates – non duality. No tool in non duality.
         No gemini traits either. II becomes I. melded together.

         REPLY
         • 

           Marina on April 2, 2011 at 12:02 am (Edit)

           “when I and my father are one” in regards to Mercury. “When the link between the Universal self and the personality are one the mind as we know it no longer operates – non duality.”

           Yay! I like that. Isnt that also about the joining of the male/female, left brain/right brain, sex/spirituality? This is just why I like Mercury retrograde.

           • 

             Charyl on April 2, 2011 at 12:12 am(Edit)

             Totally. The Tao. Night and day. The divisions god made when got around to it.
             Sort of like the yod i quess. Take the bottom extremes and bring them back up to the point. That definitely can be the orgasmic high but seems like that’s short term and then there’s Uranus or the plant that has both the fem. and neg. within itself independently. The passage up the spine to the fountain or down to channel as above so below. 8 hrs on line now. crazy

7. 

   Al on March 31, 2011 at 1:25 pm (Edit)

   Interesting that NASA’s MESSENGER satellite REturned it’s first photos from its orbit of Mercury just when the planet stationed retrograde.
   redorbit.com/news/space/2021564/nasa_unveils_more_images_of_the_planet_mercury/

8. 

   Phoenix on March 31, 2011 at 2:21 pm (Edit)

   Interesting note…the G-20 is meeting today in China and one of the major topics is global currency balance and the need for many nations to REvalue their currencies.

   Great article Maria and I love the art work….great stuff.

   Phoenix3333

   • 

     Marina on March 31, 2011 at 9:28 pm (Edit)

     Oh that interesting about the currencies. I actually want to do a proper reading for this retrograde period if I get time.
     Oh the artwork is lovely isnt it? Gustav Klimt was a very spiritual guy, you can tell he was into the occult and so influenced by mythology. It’s great I can use his work now that it is past copyright when I haven’t got time to put my own artwork up. The Mercury one was a sculpture of Mercury with Klimts work photoshopped in the back ground.

9. 

   Nate on March 31, 2011 at 2:23 pm (Edit)

   Yesterday my friend found out his mother died a few days ago. His solar return chart had retrograde mercury retrograde, north node, pluto, and mars in the 12th house. It was 2 days after the 15 minute span where those three planets were all aligned with each other in december. They also received a square from saturn in the 8th.

   Now Uranus is on the cusp of his 4th, and mercury has gone retro within it.

   • 

     Marina on March 31, 2011 at 9:23 pm (Edit)

     Wow that describes it all pretty accurately doesn’t it? Mercury in a solar return chart would defo show that ones thinking will be more to the esoteric, Mercury retro is pretty Neptunian anyhow so it being in the 12th only emphasis’s that further. Condolences to your friend, going to a good medium might help? 12th house Mercury retro = messages from the dead. I felt very healed by a visit to a medium when my father died in 2004. A psychic is hard to find though.

10. 

    rob on March 31, 2011 at 9:29 pm (Edit)

    Marina – really enjoyed this view and your personal experiences – good ‘evans I can relate to how that must have felt, coming back to ‘blighty’ and deep challenging journeys into that very personal underworld – he gives quite a rare gift (as did your daughter!) like an invitation to Pluto-land with a guaranteed return ticket and without the heavy vibes – also, hard to pin down, this planet has so many faces and they are all hard to see, maybe thats why we get hooked on the effects – in many cultures it seems the trickster side of Merc is also an innate creative intelligence in the universe, certainly this corner of it, and the subversive element is very instrumental through ‘interventions’, ingenuity and re-invention – as Lewis Hyde said in “Trickster makes this World” (which I cannot recommend highly enough for an in depth view of Merc as trickster) ‘chance makes sure the design is never finished’ and Merc is a seeder of chance, – he’s found spying on the Gods, how he ends up tricking Apollo is classic and making sure the intellect’s high mindedness (Apollo) always has a banana skin waiting for it so that our mortal selves will benefit is high on his agenda – without which we would be stuck in godly designer rigor mortis – he is also seen as the ‘articulator’, as in the flexible joint, elbow, funny bone, ‘turning point’, as well as being highly ‘articulate’ – but, I really love the fresh view of his otherworldy gifts you bring here, very enriching and a very useful understanding to work with – many thanks

    • 

      Marina on April 2, 2011 at 1:05 am (Edit)

      Cheers Rob, I was listening to a podcast with John Major-Jenkins while yoga-ring (As I do) yesterday, he’s an expert on the maya. He mentioned something about their trickster God, Chuen (which means ‘monkey’). I mean to look into this more, but as I understood it there was something tricking the ego god in 2012, Im not sure about this so I could be wrong. But it sounds similar to what you are saying here about Apollo.

      1. Uberqueenofwands on March 31, 2011 at 10:00 pm (Edit)

         I dread Mercury retro. My memory turns to pulp and everything which can go wrong electrically, travel wise, computer wise etc falls to pieces. But worst of all I often get really depressed. Mercury is my ruling planet, in Virgo just behind my asc. It varies by sign of course but the worst thing is the constant misunderstanding and having to explain stuff over again in detail etc etc. I have lost no end of small important items under mercury retro.
         My husband, a pilot, is well tuned into merc retro now! He didn’t believe in astrology at all but he knows the patterns now and usually knows when its retro without being told!
         I am currently moving house in the Uk, then return to SA then back here. This will take up the entire cycle. I anticipate mayhem….

         • 

           charyl on April 1, 2011 at 7:05 pm (Edit)

           hugs * so it’s 12th house? mine too. I just remember that mercury sensitizes first to our own suffering and then to the suffering of others. Our common humanity. I guess sooner we get there, the better we’re gonna feel.

           REPLY
           • 

             uberqueenofwands on April 7, 2011 at 8:25 pm (Edit)

             I am now surrounded by my past in boxes which I am painstakingly unpacking… trying to fight an insurance company, having internet problems, TV problems, absent mind, intense dreams about people I have never met, intense dreams about unknown forces, being in total silence most of the time but then having bouts of verbal OCD… spending ages trying to decide whether to keep a paperclip or not… having above normal and spooky telepathy and premonitions and incredible synchronicities.
             The little silver fiend has taken over my life!

         • 

           Marina on April 2, 2011 at 1:13 am (Edit)

           Oh wow, good to have some empirical evidence. I had been quite skeptical about Mercury retro until last Christmas. It definitely had a “Vibe” then. I have Gemini rising and I must admit I really don’t find Merc retro too much of a problem. However I did have a few troubles setting up my computer here last week, it turned out to be something really simple so I put that down to sleep deprivation when I arrived. The worst time for me was just before it went retro actually, now I feel really settled in. But Jamie is feeling it worse because he has foggy Neptune opposite Mars right now. I really think it depends on what other transits are going on at the time,

      2. 

         rob on March 31, 2011 at 10:02 pm (Edit)

         KK when I saw your comment on ‘About Us’, asking if Mercury is the key, a big bell sounded – every night now for about two weeks I’ve been getting astro dreams about Neptune bringing a ‘change of state’, somehow important to our Earth changes and the dreams lead me to think that this is more to do with aspects than simply a change of tropical sign – in my dream two nights ago the clear statement was made that Mercury square Saturn is the key! the very words, so some nice synchronicity……I checked when this will next occur and its exact on the midyear solstice – in the chart for this day not only is Merc squ Saturn, both at 10ºs (which puts Saturn opposite that 10º Aries point again) but Moon is quincunx Saturn and trine Merc at 10º Pisces, Neptune is retro at 0º Pisces, Mars is at 0º Gemini squaring Neptune, and of course the Sun is at 0º Cancer Jupiter is at 3º Taurus trine Pluto, Uranus is at 4º Aries square Pluto, and Chiron is retro at 5º Pisces sextile Pluto – so, Mercury is being flagged up to bring his pivotal role, his elbow function, to play and on this day unlock something held in form – with all those squares and early degrees it emphasises ‘the change’ for sure…..where is Elenin on this day? 7º Virgo at the point of a Yod, 3º conjunct Saturn, quinx Jupiter and Chiron and opposite Uranus – look out!!

         apparently, there are two other dates preceding this that have something to do with this ongoing and building process – May 20th and June 6th + we have the Lunar eclipse 24 Sag on the nodes 23 Sag on the 15th June – watch this space, something may POP….!!

         • 

           rob on March 31, 2011 at 10:11 pm (Edit)

           also Ceres is at 27º Pisces with all its connections – big Grand Square in there too….

           • 

             KK on April 1, 2011 at 5:56 am (Edit)

             Will check Sabian on all of the degrees mentioned, can probably come up with a nice pot of stew! Yum! 

             • 

               rob on April 1, 2011 at 8:45 am (Edit)

               in that case add a degree as I knocked the minutes arc off each degree for simplicity, ie rounded down – for sabians youll need to round them up again

             • 

               rob on April 1, 2011 at 11:36 pm (Edit)

               that could well be an alchemical stew – Mercury and Saturn are like Cinnabar and Lead – Fire completes the process – Mars squares rx Neptune, massive change within; Uranus square Pluto, transubstanciation at the root – now on the menu at the Cafe in the Sky…..

           • 

             charyl on April 1, 2011 at 7:22 pm (Edit)

             So with my son’s natal saturn there and Uranus’s been hovering over it(freeing up) and his progressed saturn at 29 degrees what would you think cere’s represents? The mother? Am I going, Is it time?

           • 

             KK on April 1, 2011 at 5:05 am (Edit)

             Been harping about Mercury for quite sometime now as you know. This guy is mischievous! Oh yes, and Neptune too! Everytime I thought of Mercury, the depths of a large body of water comes to mind. But he’s supposed to fly…why is he underwater nestled on the deepest pit of the ocean? This is the vision that has haunted me thus my email a few weeks back. The message to me then is that Mercury is dead or bound somewhere. The large planets set the stage…who’s going be put on the spotlight? Venus or Mercury? Material wealth and wellbeing or elevation of consciousness? We all know that a huge change is coming but where exactly the tear would start to rip the whole fiber…I don’t know…maybe in depth and aggressive astrology can take it from here.

             REPLY
             • 

               KK on April 1, 2011 at 5:49 am (Edit)

               “12th house Mercury retro = messages from the dead.”

               That figures then. Looks like most of us here vibrate in synchronicity on a significant Mercury transit, definitely my recurring migraine and palpitations diminished at this time. Holy cow…my head is clearer on a Merc retro! The night vision, Marina, as you put it could be something that I’m wearing right now.

               Back to Mercury/Neptune, I have had visions of it last year holding the key to Autism as well, again fueled by my assumption that Mercury ‘poisoned’ Uranus through the waters. And its only Mercury who can reverse it. Thus, the cure is within the poison. Those were a series of visions that I failed to document, coz I was doubting myself the whole time.

               So much of the answers are in the water and what it contains. I think I posted somewhere (could be Fukushima Explosion) about a higher understanding hidden underwater. As above, so below. I think it’s time to look for the answers into the darkest depths, into the unknown.

           • 

             charyl on April 1, 2011 at 7:18 pm (Edit)

             Well then it does sound like you two are on to something. So where is saturn? This all hits awfully close to my natal chiron and we’re already into Jupiter excess questioning here in familyville.

           • 

             KK on April 3, 2011 at 11:28 am (Edit)

             Looking into this. Coincidentally, tr Merc on the midyear solstice will cross my natal 12th house as it conjuncts my Ven/Sat which also biquintiles my Neptune. Is that a window that I can look into right now? Will I find an understanding no different than what I know right now?

             I see the equivalent of the Dalai Lama. Addressing NATO or G20?

             Is there another wikileaks exposure to rock the stockmarkets big time?

             Humiliating defeat for NATO?

             Let’s see what’s coming up in a few days.

             REPLY
           • 

             uberqueenofwands on April 7, 2011 at 8:34 pm (Edit)

             I had a dream about a week ago I was on a boat in the New York Bay – looking up at what seemed to be the Twin Towers. Between them a massive column of water was rising. I had been trying to explain in the dream to someone an experiment with two plates of metal which when charged would cancel gravity… I knew the tower of water was going to collapse – it rose above the towers and then everything was obliterated by water but all I experienced was a “finely textured” steam. Everything else disappeared.

           • 

             DR.WASAM AL-SAIFI on March 31, 2011 at 11:41 pm (Edit)

             Retrograde Mercury for 2011

             Retrograde: March 30 in Aries 24°
             Direct: April 23 in Aries 12°

             Challenges: Since Aries is the sign of development, launching a new idea or project may be particularly difficult. Also, you may find it challenging to stand up for yourself or express yourself as an individual.

             Gifts: Analyzing how you express your ideas and desires will heighten your ability to share your true self.

             Most affected: Those with natal Mercury in Aries, Cancer, Libra or Capricorn, or with Aries in the 1st, 4th, 7th or 10th house.

             Take a look at your natal chart to see how Mercury retrograding will influence your life. Below are suggestions of what to do and not to do during this period.

             First House – Look in the mirror and see if you like your appearance. Recreate your image or go back to an old hairstyle, get new clothes, or change the way you approach other people.
             Second House – Reconsider the ways you chose to earn your money. Are you happy with everything you have? Should you start thinking about saving more money in order to avoid having problems with paying your debts, or maybe you need to be less attached to your material possession?

             Third House – Pay attention to the way you communicate. This is where Mercury retrogrades, and it can deeply influence your way of thinking and your nervous system. Avoid speaking before you think. Don’t schedule trips during this period. Don’t forget to do a checkup on your electronic and mechanical machines, and back up your computer.

             Fourth House – Redecorate your home, and if necessary, change the furniture around or repaint the walls. Try changing old childhood or family standards that no longer match your personality and confuse you emotionally. Call your parents, go for a visit or change the way you communicate with them.

             Fifth House – Recreate everything in your life, even if you think everything is complete. Call an “ex” lover. Evaluate your relationship with your children, and visit the ones who live far way.

             Sixth House – Organize your work desk, and throw away everything that you don’t have any use for anymore. Analyze your current projects, and rearrange your routine. Improve your health, and change your diet if necessary. Ask your doctor for a check up.

             Seventh House – Change the type of people that you hang out with, or change your relationship standards. Call your “ex” spouse, or reconstruct your marriage. Don’t select a wedding date because you may regret it later. Don’t even think about getting married when Mercury retrogrades. You should also not start a partnership; hire a lawyer or a new agent. Meet with someone that worked for you in the past.

             Eight House – Rethink a decision that you’ve made. Go back to a closed chapter in your life. Reinvest your money. Redo a partnership. Make love with an “ex” that still lives in your heart. Rejuvenate and restart.

             Ninth House – Reevaluate your standards. Brush up or learn something again. Redo a thesis that you prepared for college. Call a former professor. Reschedule travel plans, but don’t travel to another country during this period.

             Tenth House – Reevaluate your value system regarding power and success. Reanalyze your career. Don’t ask your boss for a pay increase during this period. Don’t start a new career unless you have already worked in the same field in the past.

             Eleventh House – Call friends that you have not seen in a long time. Reevaluate your dreams, or go back and revive an old one that you gave up on a long time ago.

             Twelfth House – Take a look inside yourself, meditate and refine your intuitive awareness with the Cosmos. Evaluate your internal barriers, and do something to change them.

             For us ordinary people, we need to be careful with impulsiveness. We need to think before we speak. Also, taking unusual risks is not advised with Mercury retrograde in Aries. Remember, the Sun, Uranus and Jupiter are all in Aries at this time. We feel super-confident. (Of course I can afford that tour to seven sacred sites!) Our enthusiasm can win out over practicality and budgets. Overextending physically is also a danger during this period. This is not a good time to amp up your exercise program. Stick to what works. If you have been inactive, you may find this is the perfect time to get back on track with a fitness program. Overdoing anything is not advised with Mercury retrograde. Just keep a steady pace.

           • 

             charyl on April 1, 2011 at 8:04 pm (Edit)

             Thanks for the reminder that yes indeed I need to step back, cut costs and go within. Listen to myself.

           • 

             DR.WASAM AL-SAIFI on April 2, 2011 at 6:40 pm (Edit)

             Thanks ….CHARLY .

           • 

             Marina on April 2, 2011 at 5:23 am (Edit)

             Thanks for that, very useful DR WASAM, I’m off to revive a dream now 

           • 

             DR.WASAM AL-SAIFI on April 2, 2011 at 6:51 pm (Edit)

             THANKS MARINA , aries mercury retrograde survival tips ….

             * Put a temporary stopper on new ideas and use the time to constructively review things that are already under way .
             * count to three bfore making those split-second decisions you are normally so good at
             * Take some of that unused vacation time and relax .
             * Do a kind deed for someone else .

             2012 MR … 3/12- 4/4 Aries/ Pisces
             2018 MR … 3/22- 4/15
             2024 MR … 4/1 – 4/25
             2025 MR … 3/15 – 4/7 Aries/ Pisces
             …………………………..

           • 

             DR.WASAM AL-SAIFI on July 20, 2011 at 11:07 pm (Edit)

             What Was I Thinking Planning a Trip During Mercury Retrograde?

             Mercury Retrograde in the Four Elements

             Earth

             Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn: Security, Practical concerns and basic needs are important. You may find fault with your home, job, country etc. Do not move quit your job, move or spend a lot of money in haste. It’s a good time to reflect and look for new opportunities. This is a great time to focus on getting yourself organised. Dealing with the practical issues in life will be easier when your life is uncluttered.

             Issues of self-esteem, money and health could be areas that need some attention now. Are there other ways you can improve in these areas of your life?

             Fire

             Aries, Leo, Sagittarius: If you want to start something – do you have the determination to finish it? This is a great time to think about what you do in yourlife to develop your creative side. Do you allow time for play or is your energy blocked. How is your fitness – do you live your life being too sedentary? These are all areas that can do with re-assessing during this phase. Find something that inspires you.

             Water

             Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio: Mercury retrograding in the Water signs is a good time to rethink about old habits and patterns. The desire to retreat is stronger in the Water Signs. Dream analysis and journal writing are great ways to reap the full benefits of this cycle. Our emotional & spiritual needs may go through a re-vamp now. Meditation would be very beneficial.

             Air

             Aquarius, Gemini and Libra: With Mercury retrograding through the Air Signs we put on our thinking caps – our minds are busy. By airing our thoughts we may find we create a better understanding in our relationships. Minor irritations that occur eg missing documents, not showing up for appointments etc. This would not be a good time to buy machinery, such as cars, computers or anything that involves communication. This is a good time to organise your life by simplifying your life from too many complications. Think about your long term goals and see what comes up for you after Mercury goes forward again.
             •Mercury Shadow Period: Fri, Jul 15, 2011
             •Mercury Retrograde Period: Wed, Aug 3, 2011
             •Mercury Direct Period: Fri, Aug 26, 2011
             •Mercury Release: Fri, Sept 9, 2011

             

           • 

             ASTROLOGY-WASAM@HOTMAIL.COM on October 25, 2011 at 11:35 pm (Edit)

             Nice of you. Marina .. Some information from me extra .

             NO —->
             no important decisions of long-term consequences make

             Mercury is the archetype of the trickster associated. This planet is in decline, it tends more strongly in the role. We may never know what Mercury leads in a declining phase in mind. With quality decisions during this time, we should therefore avoid the more cautious. If possible, it is of fundamental, guiding decisions to keep distance and use this time rather than quality opportunity to assess the existing level of information and to obtain more information. To do trials and tribulations in this phase that the decline in Mercury messes up our thinking, we can not think as clearly and overlooked by important aspects of a case easy, or do not remember.
             can after the end of the retrograde, therefore, suddenly new insights, facts and circumstances showing us during the retrograde were not known, but our decision is of fundamental importance.
             No new projects begin

             Whatever we start in this term quality has a greater potential to take longer to take unexpected paths, we again force at the start back to start anew or to end in the realization that we would never end scheduled to begin. If the circumstances allow us no choice but to initiate a new project we (have to), it is appropriate, more than usual to work, to test several times and details to be flexible in its implementation.

             no ——>
             new job or take up a business

             The likelihood that we will not achieve the results that we hope is just too great. Much better is to use this phase to knock off all the options again. Could also be a very fruitful workshop idea, developed in the new possibilities and opportunities. The new insights may be surprising to say the least. It is also not a good idea to stop in a retrograde phase Mercury new employees. The risk run by the adjustment process again to have is simply too great.

             JA —–>
             Discretion is the better part of valor

             Vigilance is however advisable during this period. Especially where it comes to clarity, accuracy and time. There is an increased risk of faulty communication. So you should check arrangements and appointments again and make sure that our message is also arrived as we meant it. For the way to important meetings, we should schedule a time buffer to be punctual to make sure. Also, the drafting of letters, emails and other important correspondence, it is worthwhile to make the written test before sending a third party again.
             Old, unfinished projects resume

             The Mercury retrograde is an ideal time to be abandoned, unfinished projects to resume and finish. New insights and previously unknown information can now make possible the completion of these projects. Basically this is slowing down in time the events – especially the professional and business. So we have this window of opportunity to clean up old problems and create order: work up the stack of documents to clear the desk together to organize the new filing. If we work through this phase in the old ballast and throw it overboard, we can easily walk forward when Mercury goes direct again.

             

11. 

    KK on April 1, 2011 at 7:20 am (Edit)

    And oh, I’m a 12th house Merc/Ven/Saturn blabbermouth with the transiting Moon squaring my Uranus and tr Uranus squaring my Moon. Delightfully insane and off to grab my Starbucks java chip! 

12. 

    charyl on April 1, 2011 at 8:16 pm (Edit)

    KK: Okay, I can’t talk, I gained 10 lbs at Tim Hortons. Good think I don’t have a car and have to walk a lot. What sign is your moon in?

13. 

    rob on April 1, 2011 at 11:40 pm (Edit)

    Marina – that is one FUNKY illustration!

14. 

    Dee on April 1, 2011 at 11:46 pm (Edit)

    I like mercury retrogrades! I have it retrograde natally and a Cancerian sun conjunct so perhaps it’s just we crabs like to rehash the past! I always find more clues or aha moments to things that were bugging me or elusive during merc retro. They are also both in the 8th so that prob attributes enjoying that trip too!

    Thanks Marina for your honesty openess and thought provoking article!

15. 

    Charyl on April 1, 2011 at 11:58 pm (Edit)

    Hi Dee: I have it retrograde too, but it has turned Direct. Once read that Rx planets are one’s that we’re discouraged to express. I think that’s so true. Also read that we are to learn what we’re expressing wrongly so that next lifetime we will do it differently. I have sun in cancer by progression in late degrees. My first boy friend was a cancer but then I have mars there too and my daughter took his place and many of my friends and passing acq. are cancer’s. So I like you find aha moments to things I missed in the past, pieces to the puzzle. Mine are in the first few houses. The who am I versus who I’ve been told I am.

16. 

    Dee on April 3, 2011 at 5:04 pm (Edit)

    Aha so has mine gone direct in leo in progression, interesting insights thanks! I’m absolutely surrounded by cancerians!!! Differently to you I was always encouraged to communicate, didn’t always have the best results though!!

17. 

    Leola Harper on April 2, 2011 at 2:41 am (Edit)

    You have given the best information regarding Mercury (retrograde) I have ever read. I love reading the positive and “accurate” writings; just keep us informed ’cause there’s so much garbage out here. Thanks, thank you so much for the correct information regarding the planets.

    • 

      Marina on April 2, 2011 at 5:30 am (Edit)

      Me smiling:))))) Thank you for nice words. I intend to follow this up with Mercury retro reports when they occur much like I do with my Moons. I might do this one still it depends… Feel a little burned out with Mercury now and I’ve probably missed the boat now anyhow.

18. 

    lucy on April 2, 2011 at 11:08 pm (Edit)

    very good thank-you marina, venus/pisces rubs it in! you send yourself to the top half, he lives underneath, ariel communication is everything. the question hanging in the air is…WTH

    mmmy story is renovting w/ the painfully slow carpenter we hired to remove a wall, dug himself in, a routine of handwashing, trowling, fumbling, running out to his truck, rustling the trash, retro the spell is broken, “when I said man hours befor it was w/o your sons help,” he says, “yeah my son has lots of energy,” I say. My son made double the hammer noise. The carpenter’s licence plate is MCwood and I was happy to see it leave. anyway this is my merc, 19aries backwards and all!

19. 

    KK on April 4, 2011 at 3:30 am (Edit)

    For all the Merc retros I remembered for the last five years tracking against my personal events, this one is the most healing, rewarding to say the least. None of the tearing, emotionally gutting issues that I had to deal with in the past. I guess it’s just a matter of perspective. When we see Mercury ‘reversing’, we’re probably just going too fast. It’s calling us to align our actions with our thoughts.

    • 

      Marina on April 9, 2011 at 1:03 am (Edit)

      Yes I’m finding this one a breeze compared with the last one (Bloody nightmare!). So much for it effecting communications. I think I have done my best writing during this one. I don’t want it to end.

Tags: Mercury Retrograde

Categories: Retrograde Planets.