How Astrology Works - Mercury Retrograde in Cancer Heralding Mars Retrograde 2007-2008

by Robert Wilkinson

This was inspired by a recent comment. When asked how the Mercury retrograde and Mars retrograde, both in Cancer, will affect us if we have planets in Cancer, I thought it would be good to share how I see the process working so you can anticipate what you'll be dealing with later this year.

Mercury is a herald, a coordinator of information and insights so we can weave our life affairs into meaningful movement toward a variety of purposes. It brings us messages, ideas, and perceptual input so we can figure things out. It races ahead of the Sun when direct in motion, then slows down to bring that information to the Sun, symbolic of our life, when it's retrograde.

So when RX in Cancer, Mercury will bring us information about the Cancer related affairs of our life. It may deal with subconscious material, overlooked material, or returns and reviews which give us a different perspective on those things. As the Sun moves through Cancer and meets up with Mercury, it will illuminate and integrate those things in our experience.

Though the Sun goes through Cancer every year at this time, this transit will include the material provided by Mercury retrograde, giving us all a whole different take on our Cancer experience. Any Mercury RX shows us insights, information, and ideas helping us see patterns of actions to come.

Mars, on the other hand, has a two year cycle, and activates any planet it touches, which in turn activates any planets in the sign it rules. When Mars conjuncts our Venus, it activates not just our Venus in whatever house, it also activates any planet we have in Taurus or Libra, as well as those houses in our charts and whatever life affairs those houses govern.

Mars goes RX every two years. It always happens around the opposition of the Sun and Mars. Mars RX is also a slowing of the Mars speed relative to the Sun, and like all retrogrades, is associated with turning inward, slowing down, re-working some material, since Mars is about doing more than thinking.

The person posing the question has a Cancer stellium. I explained that Mercury RX will offer information and insights about her Cancer planets that anticipates what she will have to act upon when Mars conjuncts her Cancer planets. When Mars conjuncts a planet, we begin a new two year cycle. Since it's conjuncting her Sun, Venus, and Mars in Cancer, it will also affect the Aries, Taurus, Leo, Libra, and Scorpio sectors.

This happens the first time when Mars conjuncts these in October and November. Then Mars goes RX, and re-traces its Cancer steps in late November through December. That will involve slowing down, perhaps re-do something, or straighten out some energetics. When retrograde, it shows us things we didn't see before that must be dealt with before we actually begin our new two year work. It may require "re-preparing the ground," or doing something needed before we can actually pick up our Cancerian work.

It retrogrades into Gemini in January 2008, and goes direct in late Gemini at the end of January. Then we can pick up where we left off in the Autumn, and finally move into the new realm of activity. When Mars is direct in Gemini in September will be when we can take proactive measures to mitigate or prevent any hassles involved when Mars is RX in Gemini in January, and even provide a pattern for "right action" for Mars direct in Gemini in February 2008. After then, when Mars enters Cancer in the Spring, THEN the process will finally feel like it's moving forward.

The upshot? Pay close attention to what's been going on in this Gemini time, and take a new look at the information you're getting during this Mercury retrograde, since it's heralding what we'll all be dealing with for several months later this year into 2008.

© Copyright 2007 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Robyn]

the Silver Surfer must be a cancer/gemini.

i only have my Sun in cancer in the 2nd house. so that would aspect my Leo sector, which would be my 3rd house. money and possessions affects how i think. (true enough)

Mars is in taurus. 11th house. which i would assume makes an aspect to my 2nd house somehow. being that taurus rules the second house... relating to my happiness, hopes and wishes.

you know how things slow down in the event of a car accident... where every moment before impact is in slow motion....then bang. such is life sometimes.

a big bang.
who said evolution started with that?
i just want to evolve into something new...

ty

[Stevo]

Hi Robert, it's Stevo. This Mars Rx will be another 12th house transit for me. And my prog moon is hovering in mid Cancer. Clearly a time for water.

Mars conjuncted my Aries Saturn last week. A 10th house event. I was able to generate a chart which is basically the transits of 6/12/07, and play with the time to make the conjunction exact (7:09am CT). How accurate would this chart be in tracking Mars over the next 2 years for 10th house matters? As it turns out, this chart also placed Mars in the 10th.

Thanks,Stevo

[Kona]

I'm hesitant to leave the house each day as the energy has been erratic and emotional! Sun in Cancer 1st house, Ascendant Cancer, Mars in Cancer 1st house, Uranus in Cancer 2nd house. Virgo moon 4th house. Mercury & Venus in Gemini 12th house. I'm trying to hang on!
thanks for all your info!
K.

[Robert]

Hi robyn - Well, he looks like a Mercurian! He's a herald, androgyous, with a skin like quicksilver (Mercury) and always on the move! No doubt you're reviewing many things associated with your 2nd house Sun. I believe this slo-mo period could actually bring better things than car crashes, but that's just my opinion. And no doubt you ARE evolving into "something new," even if you don't recognize it yet due to being too close to the experience. That's the way of being inside of any process, so take a large view and enjoy!

Hi Stevo - Sounds like Mercury is offering you insights about what's going to close out and/or be rewarded later this year. Your P Moon is on the way to the Grand Irrationality zone, eh? Get ready for major forks in the road when it moves through the degree span. As for Mars on your Saturn, yes, it marks the end of a two year Saturn manifestation and the beginning of another. And of course, being the inception of a cycle, it will show important turning points which just happen to coincide with the hard angles to Saturn in your chart (which don't necessarily have to be made by Mars.)

Hi Kona - Erratic energies help us see what self-control and equilibrium we have, and what we need to work on. Glad the Cancer stellium example serves you specifically. Maybe you need to let go rather than hold on, open rather than close, welcome rather than clutch? I think you're on the edge of insights that can free you and show you the humor in things once you look for the deeper meaning in a lot of what you've never understood, but worried about nonetheless. You'll see how your experience has given you great gifts over the next two years, and deepen so tremendously that by this time next year you should be enjoying yourself thoroughly!

[Stevo]

Thanks Robert! I just assume say goodbye to my Cancer 12th house anyway. Pluto will be taking aim at that region in another year. From what I can tell my prog moon closes the door behind me. So it's best that I stay behind Saturn as it seems to clear the path. Mars is without a doubt how I do the work for it. The moon and I aren't getting along these days. I've had about enough of the 28+ day guilt trip. I wouldn't be surprized if the next year has me utilizing a Leo Ascendant like my progressed chart shows. It's time to move on!!!

Stevo

[Valerie Morrissey]

Thank you for a very informative little assessment of Mercury and Mars... I think the "insights" have come to me in the form of yourself, actually, as until now I didn't think of retrograde planets in those terms. Mars will contact MY stellium in Cancer in the 5th/6th houses (Sun, Moon, Jupiter, Merc Rx, Uranus, South node) so I'm figuring on some activities involving creativity and my job- combined I guess. Also Mars will oppose his natal place. I'm actually kind of excited, whereas I used to dread Mars transits in years past. The possibilities are endless, as this transit obviously can affect many areas of my life. COOL.

Valerie

[PK]

Hi Robert. This was a helpful addition to what you said about the Mercury RX during my consultation in May. I have Venus, North Node, and Ascendant all in the region of Cancer affected. Is Mars re-entering Cancer in the spring the reason you said that next April would be a time of new energy and a new direction for me? Thanks.

[Mary R]

I think I just had a mercury rx cancer experience. I recently converted old 8mm film to digital and made a mini-video with music for my family which turned out great. Tonight I thought it would be nice to made a second little video for a family we were close to growing up (we had lots of footage). After working on it for four hours, I was within minutes.. maybe seconds of being finished and the application crashed. Nothing was saved and I lost everything! AAARGH. Not quite sure what to think of it. I haven't spoken to the family in years and thought it would be fun to make it for them. There was some splintering in their family several years ago, so maybe it was a reminder that I should not get involved in others' family affairs. I have moon in Cancer in the 10th.

[Robert]

Hi Stevo - Sure. Mastering one's Mars is daunting, but prevents the ten thousand problems from an undisciplined Mars. We're always moving on, but I believe the trick is to stay centered in enjoying the ride!

Hi Valerie - RX planets usually work themselves out through other people. Yes, the RX Cancer planets will bring a lot of activity to all those rulers, planetary functions, etc. Mars opposite Mars just indicates a time to go slow and be precise. Could be that your integrated Cancer purpose will be clear!

Hi PK - Yes, as a matter of fact. Mercury will give you great info to consider, and help you re-evaluate all those functions in your life. You'll reach the threshold in October-November, then backtrack for a while, then finally move you out of closures into openings.

Hi Mary - A classic Mercury RX! That's why I tried never to shoot footage during Mercury RX, and if I did, I made sure to set aside a LOT of time for the edits, which never did seem quite right. The servo-mechanisms on the decks used to malfunction on a regular Mercury RX basis. Wish they had been fixed before, but that's retrograde.... All your elements are there: media, things from the past that have to be assembled/reassembled, someone else involved, and a bomb that makes it all "much ado about nothing." And your reflection that it may have set off some things in another family is interesting. Of course, with your Moon you could do things like video family histories quite well.

[Mary R]

One other thing I just thought of... the soundtrack I was laying over the footage was Paul Simon's "You've Got to Learn How to Fall". Lyrics are saying you've got to learn how to fall before you learn how to fly... kind of a retrograde sounding tune that became ingrained in my head tonight :)

[Patricia]

In the spring of 2005, I tried to edit a video during a Mercury RX. It seemed fine at the time, even though there were some computer malfunctions.

There was also miscommunication. I thought the footage looked and sounded fine when we completed it during the retrograde period, but seeing it later when Mercury was direct, there were a lot of problems.

At some point when I have the financing and time, I am going to go back and fix that video.

Oh, and speaking of Mars RX. It was in my 4th house in 2005-06 for a long time, remember when it was in Taurus for several months?

During that time, the neighbors decided to renovate their home. They did a major job with part of the house being demolished. The project was only suppose to take 3 months, but ended 9 months later. The noise was awful and I had to stay home and listen to it since I was recovering from a sprained ankle which I acquired during that April's eclipse.

Taurus is on the cusps of my 4th house--HOME.

Patricia

[Stevo]

Robert: AGREED!!!

[Jacquelyn Barrows]

My Venus,Mars and Jupiter are in Cancer,how will it effect me?

[Robert]

Hi Jacquelyn - 10,000 ways. The info you're getting now is a prelude for actions to come in your affected house, and will affect the houses ruled by those planets, and any planet disposed by those planets, and any house the disposited planets rule. Literally, there are too many possibilities for a concise comment.

[K8eros]

I am going on a trip on November 16 of this year and am concerned because Mars will be in retrograde. Can you please ease my mind?

[Robert]

Hi KBeros - I only have a brief moment, but I'll remind you and everyone that Mars goes RX every two years, and I don't recall a rash of plane crashes during those times. Besides, it takes a group of aspects for anything truly bad to happen, and even then, one may avert bad results by being spiritually diligent. Then even if something happens, the negative is mitigated, and sometimes we're even the angels on the scene of something bad for others.

[Chickie]

Your Highness,

This has been the week that was! My father, as I have written about in my website, passed away on July 17, 2004. I drive his 98 eldorado. It/he has been playing tricks on me like when I turn off the car, take out the key and go in the house, I will discover the next day when I enter the garage that the radio is on. It has happend also when I turn off the radio, sit in the car for 5 minutes in silence, exit and return in one half hour, bam! The radio is on at a time that the numbers mean something to me. He knows I know numerology VERY well.

On the 4th of July I accepted an invite from a new neighbor to have dinner with their friends. I met a women who has her masters in mythology. We hit it off very well, exchanged email addresses and she directed me to this site:

. www.firethegrid.com.

I urge one and all to visit. There is a global meditation scheduled on this July 17, 2007 at 11:!! GMT time or 4:11 am in the US in your respective states to fire up the grid of connection, hoping for a spiritual shift for the good of humanity in order to save our planet.

On November 2002 this woman's car when into a marsh with her and her 4 year old son. They both died underwater for 15 minutes locked in the car. While they were dead, she was taken by the light people instructing her to relax and FINALLY BREATH IN THE WATER, so she could save her son and bring him back from the dead later. She did everything they told her and has continued to spread the word and the love regarding our worldly affairs.....THIS MORNING MY CAR BATTERY WAS DEAD. The battery is only 6 months old. So after a week of Sam Farella's shananigans which sent my neighbors back into their homes to lock their doors saying, "See I told you she is some sort of a witch," I have a new battery and orders from my dad to direct you to this beautiful website to share this beautiful story. Remember to meet with me July 17, 2007....4:11am US time to send the good vibes to kick start the shift this planet so desparetly needs to survive!

God bless!
c

www.firethegrid.com.

[Curious One]

Hi Robert,

I've been visiting your site for the past few months, since last June.
I find your expressions very interesting. I am really new to astrology.
I am an artist & photographer.
I have been in some sort weird confusing cycle, and have been going through a bit of a rough time.

I am curiuos to know more about my astrology.
My birthdate is 3rd of April, 1980. Born in Penang Island, Malaysia. Time 2.26pm.

Would appreciate it if you could help me out with some basics or more.Thank you.

[Robert]

Hi Curious One - You're a Sun in Aries with Moon in Scorpio. Sometimes you don't know which means to use to get the results you want, and get deflected by short term stuff and lose sight of the bigger picture. Learn detachment, and which battles are not worth fighting. You have genius, but are also emotionally erratic at times, getting more intense than you need to. Learn how to release pressure productively. Saturn has begun a long term restructuring of your vision, your motive, and your way of expressing yourself. Do not take too narrow a point of view. Open to learning as much as you can the next two years, and be more optimistic as you see what and who you can and cannot live with. Your free will is very strong right now, as is your confusion. How you react to things in the next 24 months will determine your future for many years. Do not surrender to being discouraged too easily, and by next June you will have been liberated from some ordeal. Search for your mission or cause, and you will see things opening by next Summer. You may want to find a copy of "Astrology for the Millions" by Grant Lewi, as it is an excellent text for those who know little astrology, but want to learn more about their planets and how current transits are affecting them.

[Curious One]

Thank you Robert! May you have a lovely day!
x

[Robert Clark]

Great Blog Robert, I hope to start up an astrology blog of my own in Febuary. I have just finished programming a new Astrology Horoscope charting software package, feel free to email me if you want to take a look.

[Robert]

Hi Robert Clark - You'll have to email me at the link on the left column, since I have no way of contacting you.