#1 in a Series of 3
“Mercury assists the shadow function to the fore in order that repressed unconscious material may be more fully expressed… [giving] rise to issues that have lain dormant for the three months prior.1”
“Mercury Retrograde”… the very phrase strikes fear into the hearts of many. Everyone wants to hide in bed with the covers up over their heads, attributing every “issue” that crops up during this period to that “trickster” Mercury: cars break down, trains & planes are delayed, your email goes nuts, miscommunications happen, your computer hard drive crashes… Ugh! But what’s really going on here? Is Mercury really out to get us, or is it something else?
[pullquote]Mercury will be retrograde from Saturday, 2/23/13 through Sunday, 3/17/13[/pullquote]
From Saturday, 2/23/13 through Sunday, 3/17/13 we will be in a new Mercury Retrograde period that will remain in the element of water for three retrograde cycles. (This is the first, the second will be from 6/26/13-7/19/13 and the third this year will be 10/21/13-11/9/13).
When Mercury is retrograde it is time for us to pause and reflect. When it’s in the element of Water (in this case, Pisces), we are asked to reflect upon the quality of our lives and to our emotional responses to life’s challenges. (Hence the challenges that show up! How else are we to reflect upon our challenges if we’re not facing any?) This is where Mercury acts in concert with our own inner gremlins and is dependent upon how willing we are to look at our own lives. When we are not in touch with our feelings and the quality of our lives, we experience Mercury retrograde as an “interfering” energy messing with us. Much like a fussy child will get our attention any way it can, turning our attention towards the area that Mercury is pointing may reduce it’s interference and potentially result in some healing. Specifically, Mercury wants us to consider those areas of our lives that have remained dormant since the last retrograde cycle, or 3 months ago.
[pullquote]When Mercury is retrograde in Water it is time for us to pause and reflect upon the quality of our lives…[/pullquote]It is not that Mercury is “malefic” or “mean”. Mercury is a teacher, and sometimes lessons can come hard. Before we can heal something, we must first know that it’s there, and Mercury merely asks for us to look. When we don’t look it screams at us. Consider Mercury Retrograde a “gentle nudge” to start looking at those feelings you’ve been unwilling to explore. If you continue to ignore these feelings, Mercury’s big brothers Saturn or Pluto will come along and really rock your world.
The first retrograde cycle this year is in the mystical sign of Pisces and collectively, we will all benefit from paying close attention to our dreams, for it is through these that we may receive significant symbols of our neglected feelings and areas for growth.
What follows is a brief spin through the Sun Signs to see in which area Mercury may be asking you to look during this cycle.
Note:
This is only your Sun Sign here so this will be extremely general. In order to really understand how this transit will affect You we would need to look at your entire chart. Contact me if you’d like to know more.
Remember… re-explore these areas, but (where possible) make no final changes until Mercury goes “Direct” on March 17.
Read your Sun Sign below to see the area of focus for you during this Mercury retrograde cycle.
Aries:
Go within… This is a time of reflection and meditation; be with yourself and your feelings at this time. In communicating with others, be sure to be clear and leave your ego out of it, keeping secrets undermines your trustworthiness. Explore your own hidden motivations, where are you being dishonest with yourself?
Taurus:
Groups and organizations… How are your ideas reflective of those of your group, and do these ideas support who you are? Are the group’s goals also your own? This is a time to understand how your goals are being met by You and what feelings may be blocking the attainment of these goals.
Gemini:
Career… It’s time to get a firm grip on how your emotions are supporting or interfering with your career. Research where you would like your career to go and plan to take the necessary steps in this area when Mercury goes direct on March 17th. For now, look within to see where your feelings are interfering with who you want to be in the world.
Cancer:
Higher Education, Distant Travel: Perhaps it’s time to go back to school? How do you feel when you look at your current level of education? Do you feel fulfilled? If “Yes,” then this is a time to look at where else you want to broaden your own horizons. Do you feel the itch to travel? Research this possibility and go after mid-March. If the answer is “No,” research what it will take to get that degree.
Leo:
Deep Inner Work & Shared Finances: For you Leos, get ready for some soul-searching. Is it time to air out some deep personal truths, if only to yourself? On a more basic level, you may just be revisiting shared finances or property, in which case, explore & understand your feelings, but don’t sign anything until after March 17.
Virgo:
Marriage, Partnership, “Others”: How well are you communicating with the most important people in your life? Have you left too much unsaid? Are there deeper truths you yearn to reveal, but have been afraid to do so? Consider how what you’ve been holding back is impacting you and your relationship. What is it you want to say? Come March 17th, it may be time to “get real”.
Libra:
Work & Health: Where have you been hiding your feelings so that it is now manifesting in your body as some kind of sickness? (I’m not necessarily talking about major illness here, you could just be “run down”.) If you’re not fulfilled in your work, you could be feeling it in your body. Reflect on what needs to shift so that you can feel better about work and get healthier. Start taking better care of yourself now, but be prepared to make some more serious moves in mid-March.
Scorpio:
Creativity, Children & Romance: Where have you been blocked creatively because you’re not making room for your feelings? This could crop up in any of the areas mentioned above. Consider the impact of your unexpressed emotional needs upon your creative expression, and avoid manipulating others to distract from your own true feelings. Where are you blocking yourself and what are you prepared to do about it when Mercury goes Direct?
Sagittarius:
Home & Private Life: The results of childhood experiences could be showing up in the present day as a way of reminding you to stay present and recognize how far you’ve come. What’s the connection between your thoughts of childhood and what’s going on now? This may well be the time to begin some healing in that area so that your present life can move forward. Reflect and take action after March 17.
Capricorn:
Communication, Siblings & Immediate Family: Have you been running at a frantic pace, losing site of your present in your intense communications with everyone? Mercury is asking you to reflect on how this activity is serving you; where are you running on empty? It’s time to slow down, process all you’ve been absorbing and consider your next moves come mid March.
Aquarius:
Personal Belongings, Finance, Values: What do you value? What really matters to you and what can you do without? Consider what’s important and where you may have been neglecting your values, particularly in business. When you reflect on what matters most, you can make changes in support of that when Mercury goes Direct.
Pisces:
Your Personal Expression: Where have you been holding back speaking your own truth and being real with the world? This is the time to check-in with what is authentically “you” and understand what gets left out when you are not expressing your true self. What’s the cost to you and to the world of hiding who you are? Consider how you might more authentically share your truth in Mid March.
And finally… Always infinite possibilities… always your choice.
Contact me if you would like to explore your own chart or if you’d like a complimentary Sneak Peek at your Astrological Life Path.
1. Erin Sullivan, Retrograde Planets (York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, 1992), page 54 & 56.
Music Credit (in podcast): “Mack the Knife” ©Copyright 1959 by Bobby Darin
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