{"id":72732,"date":"2015-09-16T20:50:43","date_gmt":"2015-09-16T20:50:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.moonkissd.com\/?p=7136"},"modified":"2015-09-17T17:13:25","modified_gmt":"2015-09-17T17:13:25","slug":"5-tips-for-finessing-your-mercury-retrograde","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/astrologyblogger.com\/?p=72732","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips for Finessing Your Mercury Retrograde"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"fantastic <\/em><\/p>\n

From 9\/17\/15-10\/9\/15 Mercury will move retrograde from 16 to 1 degrees Libra.<\/em><\/p>\n

The Facts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Three times a year, for approximately three weeks time, Mercury slows down so that from the Earth’s perspective it appears to move backwards. We call this Mercury retrograde. Mercury is associated with the zodiacal signs Gemini and Virgo. In mythology he is the messenger to the Gods, charging communication, commerce, ideas. First, the difficult news: As the fastest moving planet in the solar system, Mercury’s slower motion will slow down or altogether stop computers, electronic gadgets, communication, transportation and mail. The errata of daily life gets\u00a0interrupted<\/strong>; mail goes missing, checks lost, cell phone batteries die –and you\u2019re late for an appointment. During this time, schedules are more easily bungled. Delays, cancellations and postponements are common and par for the course. The potential for miscommunication misfires is high, and the more dependent we are on technology, speed and getting it done yesterday, the greater our potential for misunderstanding and frustration.\u00a0Yet there are also some clear benefits to\u00a0Mercury retrograde, and ways to work with this quixotic energy. Below, 5 tips for finessing your Mercury experience.<\/p>\n

<\/span>
\n1. Re-turn To Me<\/strong><\/p>\n

During any retrograde, the astrological sages advise do nothing new<\/em>.\u00a0This is because the retrograde planet is simply not moving as quickly. It’s as if we all function with an invisible team (the planets) and a certain team-member\u00a0is moving a bit more slowly.\u00a0 If Saturn were retrograde we might\u00a0suggest not taking on a new responsibility or commitment. If Venus were retrograde maybe we\u00a0wait until Venus\u00a0direct to start a relationship. As Mercury rules contracts, commerce, transportation, travel and electronics, you may want to avoid doing anything new in these areas -your team member Mercury isn’t reliable right now.<\/p>\n

If you can put a “Re-” in front of it, and take confidence.<\/strong>\u00a0For Venus retrograde, you might re-marry. For Saturn retrograde, you might re-dedicate yourself to a commitment. For Mercury, the great mimic, and whose quicksilver nature can take on the nature of just about anything: “Re-” away! Re-think. Re-decorate. Re-turn. Re-model. Re-novate. Re-visit. Re-place (yes, cell phones, computers, software, electronics, I believe are perfectly reasonable to replace during this time). As a writer, I use this time to edit or re-write work. Reconnecting with old friends, information-gathering activities, investigative research efforts all prove fruitful now.<\/p>\n

Sometimes\u00a0favorite things, things once lost forever, re-surface during this time.\u00a0People often return, too– long lost friends, clients, and loved ones.<\/strong>\u00a0Old love affairs and relationships can be re-kindled now. Will it work out this time? That depends on the two people.\u00a0Generally, misunderstandings during this period arise easily\u00a0(so make extra effort to keep communication lines open) but old misunderstandings\u00a0can be repaired, too.<\/p>\n

2. Mercury Charges The Flow<\/strong><\/p>\n

Without fail, during every Mercury retrograde I hear from at least one client in a state of mental duress over a decision.\u00a0They want to make a move, a decision, yesterday – and they simply cannot bear to wait a couple of weeks until Mercury moves direct (often they cannot even\u00a0wait until next week for their astrology reading, when I have an appointment available!).<\/p>\n

Aside from a true medical emergency, there are very few decisions in life that must be made right this second.\u00a0If you are agonising over a decision, hit the pause button.\u00a0<\/strong> The cosmos do not support major decisions now- especially knee-jerk fear based ones. Those are ones we usually reverse later when we’re thinking clearly.<\/p>\n

Yet there are some decisions that can be made, anytime. If\u00a0you are in the flow, connected to your intuition,\u00a0and feel no resistance or anxiety around starting something new\u00a0–I say,\u00a0why not?\u00a0Astrology is a divination system, a way of tuning into your intuition, reading signs, making connections and living a more meaningful life. It is not a science, or a set of rules to follow.<\/p>\n

So\u00a0why do some Mercury retrogrades pass by without a hitch, and others are a nightmare? First,\u00a0each Mercury retrograde transit effects\u00a0our individual charts differently.\u00a0Beyond that, I return to my “Are you\u00a0in the\u00a0flow?” theory:\u00a0As we get better at heeding our\u00a0own natural rhythm and internal cues, our consciousness changes, and that changes how we experience Mercury retrograde. Mercury charges the flow of life, which\u00a0has slowed down. Can we gently allow our self to accommodate this slower pace? The more we hold onto trying, the more we struggle.<\/p>\n

When we’re in the flow<\/em>, that is, in touch with our intuition and aligned in our self, no matter what happens, things just tend to work out.<\/strong>\u00a0Have you ever noticed this at work in your own life? When we’re struggling with our hopes and fears, when we’re anxiously attached to our thoughts & emotions, when we make decisions out of confusion, things don’t.<\/p>\n

3. Check Your Mind – You\u00a0May Be Confused!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Observing people’s perceptions about Mercury retrograde periods, I encounter our human tendency to favor dualism & logic over holism, intuition and higher self wisdom.\u00a0On that note, be open to examining your perceptions during this time – including your ideas about Mercury retrograde. One person recently complained that Mercury retrograde was\u00a0terrible\u00a0as to her chagrin an unwanted break-up was not (eventually) reversed. So:\u00a0Why would you want to be in a relationship with someone who does not want to be with you?<\/em>\u00a0We each have our preferred version of how things should be, and are often the last to know what we actually need.<\/p>\n

That said, Mercury rules confusion, and we may feel more confused during this time. But think about confusion, prescriptively, as a positive thing:\u00a0When we\u00a0are confused we are forced to open our minds really wide and seek out possibilities, books, opinions\u00a0that we otherwise might not have. When we’re confused, our minds are stretched to\u00a0look at problems\u00a0from new angles.<\/strong> When viewed from\u00a0a higher\u00a0perspective… confusion\u00a0can be divine. Try not to\u00a0get stuck on your version of events, ideas, or even your confusion. Relax. Open your mind. Receive.<\/p>\n

4. Go WithYin<\/strong><\/p>\n

This period can help us tune into our inner voice. During retrograde we think more subjectively, and we are attuned to our unconscious, dreams, intuitive connections & synchronicity. Mythically, Mercury was the only God allowed free passage into the Underworld. Pay attention\u00a0to\u00a0omens,\u00a0intuitions and signs. They\u00a0will\u00a0prove more helpful than logic right now.<\/p>\n

This is a useful time for building sanity & repose around the larger movements of life, to slow down & contemplate where you are, do investigative work, readjust your thinking. If you feel compelled to take unfounded leaps of faith during Mercury retrograde, why not ponder and information-gather, instead? \u00a0“Guides” of all sorts -helpers, healers, astrologers, books, counsellors – are Mercury’s messengers, and can prove helpful now.<\/p>\n

During this time\u00a0we have a greater ability<\/strong> to find that stillness so many of us crave. <\/strong>Our minds are primed to reconsider old assumptions with new eyes, and hungry to clear up dusty patterns of thought perceptions. Mercury craves perceptual freshness, and a retrograde time to sort, search & reflect facilitates this.\u00a0Just as every astrological cycle has a divine order, the time is right to re-examine, re-evaluate and reflect on paths we are so gung-ho about.<\/p>\n

5.\u00a0Be Proactive and Intentional<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you practice\u00a0“conscious transits”,\u00a0the idea that one\u00a0can use any\u00a0transit intentionally?\u00a0When I see Mercury retrograde coming around the bend,\u00a0I look at where he’s\u00a0transiting my\u00a0chart then free associate the possibilities. What terrain\u00a0might I need to take second\u00a0look at? What projects related to this area could stand\u00a0revision?<\/strong> What needs fine-tuning? Is there anything I’ve been overlooking in this area of my life?\u00a0Is there something unfinished here? Allow Mercury to\u00a0take your hand and guide you to the best use of your<\/em> Mercury retrograde.<\/p>\n

I also give myself plenty of flexibility during this time period.\u00a0For instance, I’ve signed up to take a\u00a0new class\u00a0during Mercury retrograde, and instead of springing for the whole enchilada (a series of classes) I’m listening to my intuition and\u00a0experimenting with\u00a0taking just one. By keeping my agreements loose, I\u00a0give myself the freedom and flexibility to change my mind.<\/strong> Then, if I choose to walk away, my investment level is low\u00a0so\u00a0it’s no big deal.<\/p>\n

Yes,\u00a0retrograde\u00a0can be annoying. Delays, especially those\u00a0costing money and time, are annoying when we can’t imagine how they benefit us (they may later). We will come face to face with our dependence on: Speed, instant gratification, everything working properly. Follow the above tips and learn: Mercury retrograde\u00a0can be\u00a0so much more than an annoying fly in your soup!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Ref: Susan Millers’ excellent article Mercury Madness<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From 9\/17\/15-10\/9\/15 Mercury will move retrograde from 16 to 1 degrees Libra. The Facts Three times a year, for approximately three weeks time, Mercury slows down so that from the Earth’s perspective it appears to move backwards. We call this Mercury retrograde. Mercury is associated with the zodiacal signs Gemini and Virgo. In mythology he […]<\/p>\n

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