Practical Astrology in October-November 2006 - What is Mercury Retrograde Good For?

by Robert Wilkinson

When it comes to Mercury retrograde, most of what we read is not encouraging. We all know we're NOT supposed to sign contracts, make purchases of appliances or 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. However, there are many things that a Mercury retrograde period is good for, such as traveling, as long as one is flexible. So is research, reflection, review, rehearsals, and returns from the past. It's also a great time for reconnecting with old friends and 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 Scorpio, I gave you some of what I wrote in this article titled A New Look At Mercury Retrograde In Scorpio.

Eventually I'll re-edit the book and turn it into an ebook, probably a perfect Mercury retrograde project. On a final note, I would suspect the coming Mercury retrograde period will be a good time to sort things through, letting go of what you no longer need and regenerating what you will need in the near future. Just don't allow the mind to wander off into negative thoughts, and if old resentments and suspicions come up, do all you can to let go of them by being as positive about things as possible. Due to it being in a water sign, you can bet that intuition will be up, but so will misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and intense points of view.

Which brings us full circle to something I said in the first 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 bust old lies, old misunderstandings, and old seductions. Just let go, embrace a vaster point of view, see the seeds of what's emerging, and be willing to close things out patiently and compassionately, since a whole new pattern will stabilize by the end of this retrograde period around the time of the Sun conjunct Jupiter.

Comments

[Nicole]

Thank you for this piece! I was actually born with Mercury retrograde in the fifth. Could this be the reason why i don't panic when transiting Mercury goes Rx?
March 11th 1973
8:26pm
New York, NY

[Robert]

Hi Nicole - You're welcome. I have found that people with Mercury retrograde actually do well during these periods, since by nature they identify with the process. So yes, that is part of the reason you "don't panic" since you're already living with that energy.

[Vicky]

I recently connected with someone for whom I've always had a soft spot. We met in first grade, 1963, and then graduated from high school in 1975. We were never friends, really, until we found each other at our 30-year class reunion in October 2005.

Nearly a year later, we decided to get together, and I picked the day that each of our horoscopes listed as the most romantic day of the month for each of us -- September 30, 2006. It was the most magical weekend I've ever spent.

Now, we're planning to spend the weekend of November 10-12 together (live 3,000 miles apart).

I'm a Gemini; he's a Virgo. Any suggestions for how the planets might affect us that weekend? And anything we can do to keep our fires burning?

Me: June 18, 1957, 6:45 PM
Him: September 18, 1957, no time of birth available

[Robert]

Hi Vicky - I can't really go into everything since this is only a comment stream. I would say that it's favorable and it should be a climactic time relative to what has been up to now, so take thought to preserve the balance. Use foresight, keep the pace at a sustainable level, and remember that any obstructions that may arise in this dance are not long lasting and great opportunities to raise oneself to a higher level through introspection. It's a transitional time for all, so be flexible and force as little as possible. Then you'll thread the needle to the next chapter. It's always great if/when a couple of 40-somethings who actually LIKE each other can find each other. It happened to me.

As for keeping the fires burning - Cultivate the loving friendship, and allow the "being in love" with each other to wax and wane appropriately to whatever is going on in life. We cannot sutain "being in love" for very long once our "hearts and flowers" anima (subconsciousness) has been fulfilled (and probably damaged to some degree!) by earlier relationships, but it is equally important not to become indifferent to the possibility of experiencing romance from time to time, even frequently. We can sustain this well into our old age.