Have you been feeling a little “off” lately? Are people having a difficult time understanding you? Have you found yourself waxing nostalgic or looking up an old flame? If so, you can blame the planet Mercury for being in retrograde. Don’t despair! Instead, hold on and enjoy the ride. Although Mercury in retrograde tends to have a bad reputation, some amazing breakthroughs can occur on a personal or professional level during a Mercury in retrograde period.
Mercury’s orbit is about 88 days, meaning Mercury will orbit the Sun approximately four times for every one earth year. Because Mercury travels faster than the Earth it will sometimes catch up and pass us as it travels around the Sun. When that occurs, Mercury appears to slow down and then reverse direction. For a short period of time, it looks like Mercury is moving backward. Mercury does not actually slow down or reverse direction; however, Mercury’s location between the Earth and the Sun, its rate of travel around the Sun, and the relative position of Mercury and the Earth at certain points in time create the illusion of backward, or “retrograde” movement. Mercury in retrograde occurs several times a year with each retrograde period lasting about three weeks. Mercury began its most recent period of retrograde motion on October 4th and is scheduled to remain in retrograde until October 25th.
To understand the effect of Mercury in retrograde you must first know a little about the astrological importance of the planet Mercury. Mercury rules your intellect, communications, and travel. Look to Mercury for clues about the way you process information as well as the way you express yourself. On a societal scale, Mercury is associated with computers, air travel, learning, and transportation. In your birth chart, Mercury is always in your Sun sign or in one of the signs on either side of your Sun sign.
You may have heard about all the things you should not to do when Mercury is in retrograde, such as “Don’t enter into a contract” or “Don’t schedule travel”. Because Mercury collectively stays in retrograde for at least two months out of any given year it is not realistic to put your life on hold simply because Mercury is in retrograde. You should, however, take extra time to consider signing that contract or planning that trip.
Chances are good that you will feel Mercury in retrograde even if you are not aware of the cause. Are you suddenly getting into arguments that appear pointless? Are you having trouble getting your point across or communicating at work? Did your brand new computer crash? Was your plane delayed or are you running into unusual obstacles making travel plans? Does your normally organized and logical world suddenly seem disorganized and off-kilter? If so, Mercury is probably in retrograde.
It isn’t all bad though! In fact, Mercury in retrograde provides us with a much needed “pause” in our busy lives. This is the time to reflect and consider before moving forward. In fact, if you find yourself inexplicably contemplating the deeper meaning of life, analyzing your past relationships, or focusing on your spiritual side, chances are good that you are feeling the positive influence of Mercury in retrograde.
So what should you do when a Mercury retrograde period is coming up? Be prepared to relax and go with the flow. Don’t fight against Mercury’s influence – it won’t work anyway. Instead, take some extra time to make decisions, except that things may not go smoothly at home or at work for the next several weeks, and embrace the natural tendency to spend time examining and evaluating life during a Mercury in retrograde period. Like many people, you may find that you emerge from a Mercury in retrograde period with exceptional clarity and amazing insight into your life and your future!
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