Leslie Benson– Mercury Retrograde is one of the more widely discussed astrological phenomenon, and tends to get a lot of negative press, as it has become notorious for missed connections, miscommunications, malfunctioning electronics, travel snafus, fender benders, and the like.
What often doesn’t get mentioned, however, is that this period of time can be rich with potential especially when we further attune our awareness with the factors of this era that are supportive and nourishing.
When Mercury retrogrades, it tends to be a time when there is more inward turning energy, and when, in the realm of thoughts and communication, we slow down. It is a beautiful opportunity for self-reflection, journaling, meditating, and bringing more awareness to all that we do.
A good way to approach the retrograde is to remember it’s a good time for anything ‘re,’ as in: reflect, refine, relax, re-prioritize, re-negotiate, re-organize, re-communicate, etc. Mercury Retrograde tends not to be the best time to start a brand new project, sign a new contract, or to make big impulse purchases.
We may lose when we try to rush or push agendas. Instead, the Mercury Retrograde period is perfect for fine-tuning our approach, in preparation for when Mercury straightens out and eventually recovers its lost zodiacal ground after the entire next month of April.
While this is the general thinking, I want to encourage everyone not to run their life according to some set of rules just because of Mercury Retrograde! if you’re starting a new job during this time, it’s really OK!! Just bring an extra dose of awareness to how you are conducting yourself as you begin. Go slow. Your car broke down and you have to buy a new one? Yeah, that’s a bummer, but a needed purchase now is OK, too! Just be very fastidious and aware of all aspects of the transaction. This will also give you a good chance to reflect on your actions and their outcomes.
In general, double check your work. Think twice before you speak. You might want to double-check whether you’re hitting ‘reply’ or ‘reply all’ on that email with sensitive information. Perhaps the most important thing to prioritize (and this is not just during retrogrades!) is to practice bringing to our lives the gift of our presence and full awareness. It is really where we go on autopilot and run along on unconscious patterning that trouble tends to arise; mindfulness counts!
Mercury stations retrograde on March 22nd at 5:19 pm PDT at 16º of Aries. The Aries flavor suggests that during this retrograde we may come to re-examine how we exert our will, and how our more masculine or driven side expresses itself into the world through action.
Mercury also stations quite near Venus which represents values, love, connection, and beauty. In fact, Mercury has been exchanging positions with Venus all through the month of March. Venus is not at her best in Aries, so this retrograde may begin with a hard look at our relationships, and the way our minds shape stories and attach meaning to what arises in our realms of human connection. It is also likely to initiate a period of time when we will be in thoughtful re-examination of all our partners and of our relationship dynamic in general.
As Mercury meanders its way back through the Zodiac, April 1-4 marks an important window, asMercury conjoins the Sun, and they both make a close square with Mars and Saturn in Capricorn.
This is a very powerful window of time. There may be some unique challenges and potent opportunities to re-structure areas of our lives and ways of being that are in need of a revamp. There is tremendous opportunity for transformation, but there’s also a good chance this could come in the form of a hard reality check.
Masculine ways of being (in either sex) that have fallen into dysfunction and outworn themselves could come into the spotlight for a much needed deconstruction and reorganization. We could see hierarchical systems, agenda driven behavior, mansplaining, aggression, harsh words, “my way or the highway” attitudes, and the like all being called out as unacceptable and in deep need of change.
On a more personal level, we may find ourselves bumping up against conflict, limiting beliefs, and frustrations ring this time. It’s in moments such as these that the questions we ask ourselves can create openings for transformation. Here’s a few you may wish to journey with when you find yourself in the midst of challenge in this particular time:
-When I have an idea I want to move forth into the world, what kind of structures do I create in order to fully manifest that in tangible form? (IE, outlines, maps, business plans, accountability partners)?
-When I speak to another, what place within myself am I coming from and what intention am I carrying?
-When I get frustrated with a situation, how do I respond?
-What’s my relationship to conflict? Do I seek it out? Do I avoid it? Do I navigate it skillfully?
-How do my biases, beliefs, and thoughts shape my perception and experience of the world around me?
After stationing to direct motion on April 15th, coincident with a powerful New Moon, Mercury finally escapes its retrograde shadow on May 2nd. All this time we may be in somewhat of an introspective fog regarding matters of the real world of practicalities, while remaining, however, rich in the spiritual rewards that self-reflection offers.
On a final note, I wish to re-impress the element of personal empowerment through this retrograde cycle. The planetary movements can help us find context and meaning in the world around us, but they do not determine our choices or perception. It is my prayer that we may each continue to learn the art of bringing the fullness of our loving awareness to our lives, to each other, and to our world.
SF Source Astrograph Mar 2018