I have thought about blogging for years … and thanks to an
encouraging friend, have decided to go for it! It seemed appropriate to begin
the blog just after Mercury went direct (July 2, 2014), in the sign it rules (Gemini).
At first the blog was flowing: I was writing
brief monthly forecasts for each sign for July. But it was taking so long, I realized
I wouldn't get done until it was time to start the forecasts for next month.
Perhaps I'll get to monthly forecasts in the future, or perhaps I will focus on
one per month and do that one more in depth.
For now, Mercury, the much maligned when retrograde planet, will be the star (no pun intended) of this blog.
Mercury retrograde has in fact become a part of ordinary conversation - I
actually heard reference to it in a movie recently! Does it deserve the bad
press it gets? What do the retrogrades "do" to us? How long do they
last? Please add your questions to this list! I find the retrogrades quite
fascinating and they will be the subject of future blogs.
Mercury retrogrades are a fairly common event - they happen
3 (occasionally 4) times a year and last for about 3 weeks. However, each one
has a different "flavor," i.e. each one occurs in a different zodiac
sign until it cycles through all the signs. Not only does that make each one
different, but they affect each of us differently. That is why blogs and newspaper
horoscopes and even really excellent forecasts (and there are many out there -
as I develop this blog, I will start a list of some of my favs) can only
resonate for each individual to a point. In other words, the part of YOUR birth
chart where Mercury retrogrades causes each retrograde to affect you in
particular areas of your life. That said, there are some general statements
that can be made for each retrograde that apply to the world and to each Sun
sign.
What is a retrograde? If you were a stargazer, you would see
that Mercury appeared to be moving backwards in relation to the stars for three
weeks. In a nutshell, it is caused by earth's position relative to the Sun and
the stars. Since we are in orbit around the Sun, as are the other planets,
sometimes our view of the planets changes because astrology is about how
*everything* revolves around us (the word for this is geocentric
(earth-centered). Of course, the Sun is at the center of the solar system
(heliocentric), but we live here on Earth, not on the Sun, so we talk about the
planets and stars from our perspective. We are the center of our universe, for
all intents and purposes (and yes, we are egocentric).
Before Mercury (or any planet for that matter), goes
retrograde, it appears to be standing still (this is called stationing). It
stations again before it goes direct.
Now here's the kicker, and the answer to why people feel
likes it's still retrograde AFTER it's gone direct: Since Mercury has
backtracked through part of the sky, it now has to move forward through that
same part of the sky it backtracked through. Until it passes the point it was
at when it stationed and went retrograde, we are in a SHADOW period, still
feeling the retrograde. This last two to three weeks.
When does it end this time? July 17. I eagerly await that
day as I have been in a holding pattern with regard to a project I'm engaged in
currently. Until then, we need to hang tough and keep working on the stuff
we're trying to accomplish. Generally, Mercury rules plans, travels, news, and
communications. Each retrograde impacts particular areas of our lives. The
theme right now is Home and Roots (again, this is general - it may be affecting
other areas of your life more strongly depending on your birth chart). So if
there have been changes in that area for you, you should be getting some
answers soon.
That's all for now, lest I wait another few days to get
something posted. Thanks for reading and I hope I shed some light on the
Mercury retrograde phenomenon.
