Mercury Retrograde: November 24th Through December 13th

Mercury, messenger of the gods, travels around the sun creating cycle after cycle of predictable energy that we can learn to understand and even work with as we plan our projects and communications and deal with our everyday reality. While Mercury is direct, we are more inclined to project our thoughts and energies outwardly in order to accomplish all of the everyday things that keep our lives moving forward. Like all of the planets, Mercury has a clear and predictable cycle and can therefore provide us with important information about our everyday reality.

Mercury appears to move backward periodically for approximately 3.5 weeks. In astrology Mercury is defined as the planet we associate with thinking, communicating and processing information through the brain and nervous system. It rules everyday communications and travel. It is associated with the signs of Gemini and Virgo. During the retrograde period of Mercury things tend to break down and all sorts of communication problems arise.

The message is to go with the flow, keep impatience in check and see what the cycle is trying to teach you. Rather than pushing forward, it is a time of reflection, introspection and possible reworking that which is not quite ready to be put out there. We live in a world of immediate gratification so when retrograde, the frustrations tend to build up as we try to make things happen. Mercury retrograde teaches us to be more cautious, take a closer look at our projects and ideas and be patient while we take the time to reflect and reevaluate our lives.

In the area of contracts, it is very important to be especially cautious while Mercury is retrograde. Be sure to review all documents carefully and make sure you fully understand what you are committing to. Major purchases are also often best left for after the retrograde period because this is the time for all of us to pull our energies inward and reflect on where we have been and where we are going. Appointments may need rescheduling as the everyday world sputters along. Think in terms of spiritual growth rather than getting mundane matters done.

Another common manifestation of Mercury retrograde is the reemergence of the unfinished business of the past. Sometimes people we haven’t heard from in years will contact us or if we have been procrastinating and not completing important matters, we might experience a real urgency to get these things accomplished.

We might begin to experience the effects of retrograde Mercury several days before it actually “turns”. Some sage advice: If anything needs to be repaired and you have been putting it off, Mercury retrograde could force repairs. Cars, computers and other everyday household items are at risk and frustrations can mount. The best advice during this relatively short period of time is to relax, take things more slowly and create the space in your life for deep reflection.

As the next 3 weeks unfold, remember to take a deep breath when frustrations mount and remind yourself that this too shall pass. As Mercury directs, it takes another 2 weeks or so for the planet to move into new zodiacal territory. So, by January 1, 2012, Mercury will be at 20 degrees of Sagittarius which is where it was when it went retrograde on November 24, 2011. This actually completes the old cycle and begins a new one. In my daily scheduling calendar, I mark the Mercury retrograde periods and when the planet reaches new ground in order to remind myself to go with the flow. This little exercise has always served me well.

People born with Mercury retrograde will experience these times as more comforting and natural.

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