Practical Astrology in July 2006 - What is Mercury Retrograde in Cancer Good For?

by Robert Wilkinson

This article should be read in conjunction with the article "What is Mercury Retrograde in Leo Good For?" since Mercury starts its retrograde in Leo, but spends most of its period in Cancer. There are many things that are favored while Mercury is retrograde, despite the general opinion that it leads to massive confusion, miscommunication, and things going everywhere and nowhere all at once. Usually, it's the beginning of the period that is most difficult for people, and yet if you know how to adjust your sense of timing, you'll see things fall into place in ways you never suspected.

As I wrote in the Mercury Retrograde in Leo article, during a Mercury retrograde period we all know we're NOT supposed to sign contracts, make purchases of electronics, make major moves or decisions, and are supposed to hang out with the energies, seeing that things may not be as they appear, and so on. That said, there are many things that a Mercury retrograde period is good for, such as traveling. I have found that as long as one is flexible, retrograde travel is actually a good thing.

Also favored are research, reflection, review, rehearsals, and returns from the past. It's also a great time for reconnecting with old friends, finding people and things thought lost, It's a great time to explore possibilities, as long as no definitive decisions are made, since they are usually modified or reversed later on.

It's a good time for doing things left undone, or neglected, from previous times. It's good for resuming something from the past, as long as you remember that it may not look like it used to, or requires a different approach than before. It's also good for doing things that fill in gaps in understanding or activity, or for doing things that seem to go in one direction but lead you to entirely new information and understanding.

It's a good time for resuming things begun in previous retrograde periods, or for picking up threads that had to be set aside while other things developed. It usually indicates a time when you need to be able to build in a time lag with whatever you're doing, since retrogrades often show that there are things yet to develop that will ultimately fill in whatever is missing in the present.

In my book, "A New Look At Mercury Retrograde," I included a chapter on Mercury retrograde in the signs. Obviously what sign Mercury retrogrades through makes a huge amount of difference in what is appropriate during that period. Since it is going retrograde in Leo and retrogrades back into Cancer, I'll offer you some possible manifestations of what we may expect, regardless of what Sun sign we are or which house(s) it moves through in our individual chart. That said, here's a bit about Mercury retrograde in Cancer from the book.

In Cancer, Mercury's energies slow down to rethink in a sensitive, receptive, adaptive mode. The inward turned feeling-dominated mind tests all ideas and evaluates them to see if they bring greater or lesser feelings of security. There is a solving of puzzles and all that can be picked apart. This position uses feelings to communicate as well as using ideas about unsuspected needs. There is a caring communication style able to touch others deeply, and a sensitivity to what others are feeling, even if it cannot be expressed.

This position understands other's survival issues. Here there is an ability to express a sympathetic view because of seeing situations as another would, or seeing into another's subconscious. This position indicates an instinctive mental sympathy with others, with the ability to absorb unusual ideas in order to anticipate needs for future times and situations.

Mercury in Cancer is in its own 2nd sign. Here feeling values itself as a way of confirming what it can draw on, especially to fulfill an immediate need. This position seeks mental substance to further a sense of definiteness, and examines matter's source. It knows the immediate need and communicates that knowledge indirectly, or in terms of another's feeling-based point of view.

It is also in its own 11th sign, indicating that the goal of all ideas is to fulfill some need. Mercury retrograde in Cancer gives the desire to provide nourishment within a group situation. Knowledge comes from need fulfillment; knowledge also comes from offering what you preserve from the past in a caring and sympathetic way.

I am re-editing the book files on "A New Look At Mercury Retrograde" so those of you that are interested can purchase it as an ebook, which is probably a perfect Mercury retrograde project. On a final note, the coming three weeks will be a good time to harvest the best of what has emerged in your life in the past few months, play and consolidate, and let go of pride, insecurity, neediness, clutching, and defensiveness. Do not allow your mind to wander off into a self-absorbed echo chamber or house of mirrors. Your instincts will be very up, but beware of misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and egocentricity.

Which brings us full circle to something I said in the second paragraph: Hang out with the energies and information, pay attention to details while remembering that a lot of it won't make sense for several weeks or months, and don't believe everything you're told. It will be a great time to review recent decisions, and rework your habits and need-fulfillment systems. Let go, take time to be by yourself, find time to be playful and creative, and be willing to sacrifice old ways of life that no longer serve the need of your life or the times.

More on the influence of the October-November 2006 Mercury retrograde in this article covering its overall meaning. Part 2 offers more insights about this Mercury retrograde period for your individual sign, while this article will help you understand its influences based in what house in your chart it is retrograde.

Comments

[hitchhiker72]

Hi Robert,

I just wanted to say that I actually found a copy of your book, A New Look at Mercury Retrograde, on Abebooks.co.uk. Great place for out of print titles.

Funny that I found it during this mercury retrograde...

Anyway, have a good one.

[Robert]

Hi hitchhiker72 - Congratulations! It's a real find. Hope it's in great shape. Enjoy reading it, since it's a treasure trove of lots of different info about Mercury retrograde. And of course you would find a book about a retrograde during a retrograde!!

[D.]

Hello;

I was wondering: is merc. in cancer Rx a good time to Plot a book? Not to write it, but to plot it?
(I also have mercury in cancer natally, but not Rx.)

[Robert]

Hi D - Yes! Excellent time to rehearse scenarios, do research, get non-linear approaches to communications. Regardless of what you decide during the RX, you may find that by the time you have actually written the book, you have turned the RX chapter 3 into chapter 9, or combined what you thought would be chapter one and two into chapter 4, and will use an entirely different angle of approach for chapter 1. It's a general sketch of what usually happens to things formulated under a RX. Of course, it could keep the same structure, but you may find that you want to explore things from whole new angles, new perspectives, taking into account things that others have overlooked. In any case, best of luck.

[D.]

Oh, good.
Thank you for your response :)
I wasn't sure about ploting :)

[shaon]

hey,
i have a natal mercury Rx in cancer. Is that what is responsible for my occasional "shyness" and prevalent insecurity about friends, even though i am a sun and moon leo with an aries ascendant?

[shaon]

i was just wondering, because unlike typical leos i am uncomfortable in the limelight although i love getting attention.

[Robert]

Hi Shaon - Yes, Merc RX in Cancer makes for shyness and insecurity. Rules your 3rd and 6th houses, so you'll see it work out mainly through those areas. Leo Solar chart also has Merc ruling 2nd and 11th houses, so those areas as well.

Also, your Sun will always have a strong lunar quality due to it being a New Moon. Leo loves attention, but aversion to public limelight has mostly to do with all your inner planets below the horizon, as well as your Saturn, since it rules your natal 10th and 11th (look to Venus and Mercury ruling your Solar 10th and 11th.)

Obviously if you have a planet in the 10th or 9th near the MC, you would find yourself in the occasional limelight, but if afflicted, your experience of it would be uncomfortable, regardless of how well you actually did.