A Mercury Retrograde Tale

When Mercury is retrograde, I back up my hard drive, check my rear view mirror and appointment calendar more often and go about my day. I don’t usually experience terrific mishaps; although I do notice the glitches that occur related to communication, transit and electronics. I keep a sense of humor because Mercury is Trickster energy and is usually harshest on the humorless.

But this bout of the backward dance has been a bruiser for me and a lesson. To paraphrase a feminist mantra: “the Personal is Planetary”… which means I have to look at my own horoscope (always a challenge) and see what the heck is going on?

I think part of what makes this “bigger” is that Jupiter is also retrograde, even though the two planets are not in direct dialog (making any geometric aspects). Actually, when we look more closely we see that Ceres (nurturing instinct) is right smack in the middle of Mercury/Jupiter. The message in the madness? Take care of yourself and the rest will fall into place.

Mercury is doing its “moonwalk” through my 6th house (routine, work, health) and Jupiter is backsliding through my 1st (how I appear). So we look to where the planets are drawing attention. We also look to where they are in the birth horoscope, because this tells us how I generally deal with Mercury and Jupiter matters.

Since these planets call a lot of attention to themselves in my horoscope, my focus is high on communication and knowledge. This retrograde period has been derailing my sense of what I thought I knew. Mercury will go direct long before Jupiter does, so the lessons will continue. But I know the deepening of wisdom is what Jupiter can bring once I’ve released the inconvenience of the Mercury mishaps.

I have been having an inordinate amount of computer and technological SNAFUs that have effected my work and ability to deliver information in a timely manner. Last night I offered a webinar where I had some visual issues and then the sound mysteriously died. My lesson in this? I’m still working on it, but in lieu of Ceres involvement, I’m guessing I need to find a more intuitive webinar program, and ask for help.

The more personal tale has been the dismantling of my parents’ home. Silverplate from a 25th anniversary that goes to scrap metal because no one wants it. Boxes of photos and slides that have been archived. Logistics of charities that take certain things and those that pick up and those that you drop off.

Oh! and the sprawling apartment is a third floor walk-up because the elevator is in repair… for six weeks. That was the impetus to get our parents out now, which actually has been a blessing. See how Ceres message is to care take? Nonetheless, I’ve been moving without the perk of ending up in a new place.

Mercury retrograde can also lead to communication revelations with siblings; people you think you know very well… I’m grateful for a deepening relationship with my sibs through this process.

Nonetheless, because “the Personal is Planetary”, I know there’s a particular message in this mercurial confusion. So I’m going to work a little today and then visit friends on a lake. I’m bending to Ceres push to take care of myself and spend some time with my kid before school hits.

Mercury keeps this glide until 9/12 when frozen in space from our perspective, it begins its forward motion. After that it is a couple of more weeks until it comes out of the ‘shadow” of its backward trail. Keep your sense of humor and keep in mind a day-trip or respite that will give you the refreshment you need.