by Robert Wilkinson
In part two we explore more about this phenomenon that occurs three weeks at a time three times a year. At the end of this article I have included a table so you can find which house(s) this October-November 2007 Mercury retrograde period falls in relative to your Sun or rising sign. Then you can consult my article How Does Mercury Retrograde Affect Us In The Different Houses? to find how this transit will affect you personally as a result of Mercury retrograding through the houses in your chart.
Like all Mercury retrograde periods, these three weeks offer a chance to reorganize in the areas of our life ruled by Mercury. These are the houses of your chart ruled by Gemini or Virgo, any planets in these signs in your chart, and the house occupied by your natal, progressed, or solar return Mercury.
All retrogrades show us that sometimes it is more important to be inwardly oriented than outer-directed. These are times when our previous activities "echo back" information about what we've already experienced during a planetary direct motion phase. When the inner planets are retrograde, our personal life is most subject to review, reflection, re-doing or getting a new angle on those affairs. When the outer planets are retrograde, we get the same process of review but it impacts our place in the larger scheme of things, whether social, cultural, or transpersonal-global.
When retrograde, Mercury, the "Guide of Souls," challenges us to cultivate our personal understanding of our "fellowship with the Eternal," explore our deeper issues and useful but overlooked details in what's being discussed or asserted, take an unusual view, and allow ourselves to be led by the future implications of what's happening. It’s a time when we truly get a new look at many things and come to a different understanding of how the various affairs of our inner and outer life are coordinated, or need to be.
We can get different perspectives and insights into prior events, messages, and signals, and can fill in important gaps in our understanding. Sometimes it may seem like it's one step forward, two to the side, one step back, one to the other side, then two steps forward, but often we find that we are offered entirely new and crucial perspectives and knowledge that can help us when it's time to move forward again after the retrograde is past.
In Part 1 we explored some specific qualities of the present Mercury retrograde period. Remember to get your important paperwork in order as quickly as possible, since Mercury goes RX at 9pm PDT October 11, and be ready during the three week retrograde period to deal with things you've put off, or take care of things from the past. This October-November 2007 Mercury retrograde will give us new understanding about the events of the past four months.
We can again reconsider, reinterpret, and rework Scorpio issues and activities, seeing their significance from new angles of understanding. We got Cancer insights during the Summer 2007 Mercury RX. Now we'll get more insights about our magnetism, desires, how we deal with loss and gain, defeat and victory, destruction and regeneration. We'll get insights about how to purify whatever needs it so we can move unencumbered into a greater, purer fulfillment opening us to our future in some important life area.
As this is a sign that knows no boundaries in its explorations, this time can show you how to transcend your old self through taking a new look at your perceptions, opinions, and judgments concerning the areas mentioned above. Last Summer we explored home and family issues, the supply of our everyday needs, and ways of experiening our past, present, and future. This period will extend this feeling-understanding and whatever emotional intelligence we've been developing through the trine from Scorpio to Cancer.
By the end of this retrograde period, we will stand on the threshold of four months that will test many of us to expand our self into a greater persona, see the potential of new forms and opportunities, and mutate into a new heart strength. Through our deepened connection to the planetary Life Force, we can find our personal technique of "refreshing others and being refreshed" in ways that allow us to stay connected more easily to all that is.
When Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio it's a good time to re-examine our internal connetions, and find what we've lost in the way of emotional power that should sustain us and allow us to feel like we're truly riding our own magnetic wave. Re-examine your internal and external power dances, why you do or do not attract what drains you or feeds you energetically. Many will need to reconsider feelings and desires that are no longer fulfilling, and ways of responding to perceived threats and events that drain or generate power. Through seeing what's being grounded in the way of a new emotional imperative, we can come to emotional power and forms of expressing ourselves throughout the rest of the cycle.
Regard much that presents itself these next few weeks in terms of communing with others and feeling the emotional-social-cultural connections that are strengthened by time and activities done together. This is the beginning of the emergence of groups of people who belong together, which each personality contributing its unique flavor to the overall collective energy.
Find those who share your ideals, and allow individuality to be "uplifted" by the group energy. This is the extension of what we got earlier in 2007 that allowed us to prove our capacity to do what we claim to be able to do, and then mid-year integrate decisions showing a new life allegiance and dedication. Those who searched for the Mystery found a new form of God, Truth, and Eternal Self taking flight in their lives.
Early 2007 we got management skills and efficiency in knowing what and how things work. Saturn configured in important ways with the two Merury stationary direct points at 26 Aquarius and Scorpio since November 2006, magnetising “Efficient Functioning” in whatever ways it has in our lives. It showed as new goals, ambitions, friendships, and group endeavors, and we had opportunities to manage our spiritual energies in ways that prove our ability to deliver a higher power while glimpsing our potential "spiritual community."
As I pointed out yesterday, Mercury does not make many frictional aspects this retrograde period, with only a few quickly passing semisquares except to Saturn at the end of the period. Everything else is either harmonious, specializing, or productive of personality choices that will determine future elements of planetary "destiny." as indicated by the Grand Irrationality.
Due to very favorable aspects at work right now, expect some fairly productive harmonious interactions between the Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Saturn ruled areas of our lives the next week or so. Any planet or house involving the signs of Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Aquarius will be harmonious with each other, so take advantage of the opportunity and/or understanding to further whatever you're doing that involves these.
The frictional aspect Mercury makes with Saturn at the end of October and beginning of November will create internal crises of deciding what we need to learn, how we need to view limitations, duties, obligations and rules, and challenges us to cultivate our spiritual rapport with others. Our habits will either show us our fear and limitations, or a more mature way to express our heart energies as we stand on the threshold of moving into practical forms of expressing that wisdom now that Saturn has hit Virgo.
During the times the Mercury semisquare Saturn is strong, there will be cross currents between the Gemini/Virgo and Capricorn/Aquarius areas of our charts, challenging us to become more optimistic and caring in realistic ways while decreasing our sense of rigidity and exclusivity. This configuration usually accompanies a very low degree of mental inspiration, so find practical ways of expressing your sense of purpose at the end of a larger cycle without being too narrow in view.
This retrograde will be dominated by the New Moon of October 10 at 18 Libra, a degree of facing consequences for social risks, and the responsibility of individuals to their society regarding behavior. After this point in time many will see a higher and broader vision due to the sextile to Jupiter, trine to Neptune, and quintile to Pluto.
Open to greater opportunities and a greater vision, face certain obvious facts, and move toward multi-tasking or learning new information. Return to the values that can help you express your Higher Self in a joyous, balanced way. Work on how you package your self-expression, and enjoy the productivity of the many sextiles and trines in Fire and Air AND Earth and Water.
Mercury is heavily influenced by Mars and Venus this retrograde period, since it occupies the signs these two planets rule. As these two move from the sextile to the quintile through the RX period, it should be an outstandingly productive RX period, with both "backdrop" influences favorable with each other.
The favorable New Moon aspects, especially the quintile to Pluto, should help us open to our unique "seed understanding" of the larger transformative process enveloping our world. This can give us specialized insights regarding Pluto's contact with the Galactic Center helping free us from local conditions, narrow thinking, overattachment to rationality, and unhelpful perceptions.
As with all Mercury retrograde periods, review, reflect, research, gather information, and take a new look at your power to change your point of view and interpretations. This gives a chance to shift how you do what you do, how you coordinate your affairs, and indicates future shifts in the areas where Scorpio falls in your birth charts.
And now, a last look back: The Mercury retrograde period in October-November 2006 showed us how to understand the emotional movement of 2006 so we could be more fluid in our responses and feel more deeply. Many got in touch with needs and feelings and became more certain in our focus, and began eliminating unhelpful corrosive tendencies as we moved into new dynamic activity resulting from seeing how we could be more efficient and adaptable. It activated the individual-mental-Spiritual level of “Faith,” and retrograded back to the mental Spiritual and emotional-cultural levels of “Communion.”
The retrograde period in February-March 2007 emphasized the Individual-Mental-Spiritual level of "Federation," then retrograded back through the Emotional-Social-Cultural and Physical levels into the Individual-Mental-Spiritual level of "Management." We saw ways to manage ourselves and our energies, leading to transfigurations as we "left our cocoon," and joined with new friends. Summer 2007 we saw our needs and home experience differently, reworked some things about our everyday lives and experience, and grounded new emotional responses.
By learning about these recurring Mercury retrograde periods, we can understand how to deal with them productively, as well as the months afterwards, which they also indirectly influence. Since this October-November 2007 Mercury will go stationary at 10 Scorpio and retrograde back to 24 Libra, you can learn a lot about this coming period by reading all you can about Mercury retrograde in Socrpio and Libra.
If you want more information from this site about how this important time of Mercury retrograde (which happens three times a year every year!) will affect you personally, if you can get a copy of my book, read the section on Mercury retrograde in the houses. However, in the meantime you can also get some useful ideas of how it will work by consulting the article on this site titled "How Does Mercury Retrograde Work in the Houses," linked at the top of this article.
The houses in astrology show us the specific areas of our worldly affairs where we are experiencing a given planetary influence. If you know your natal chart, then read the corresponding house in the article. However, whether you do or don't know your chart, you can find out Mercury's approximate position in your solar houses (created by your sun sign position) by consulting this table:
For birthdays between:
October 2 to 15, read Mercury retrograde in the 1st house.
October 16 to 29, 12th and 1st houses.
October 30 to November 14, 12th house.
November 15 to December 1, 11th and 12th houses.
December 2 to 13, 11th house.
December 13 to 30, 10th and 11th houses.
December 31 to January 12, 10th house.
January 13 to 28, 9th and 10th houses.
January 29 to February 10, 9th house.
February 11 to 27, 8th and 9th houses.
February 28 to March 11, 8th house.
March 12 to 29, 7th and 8th houses.
March 30 to April 11, 7th house.
April 12 to 28, 6th and 7th houses.
April 29 to May 12, 6th house.
May 13 to 29, 5th and 6th houses.
May 30 to June 12, 5th house.
June 13 to 30, 4th and 5th houses.
July 1 to 14, 4th house.
July 15 to 31, 3rd and 4th houses.
August 1 to 14, 3rd house.
August 15 to 31, 2nd and 3rd houses.
September 1 to 14, 2nd house.
September 15 to October 1, 1st and 2nd houses.
Of course, this table is approximate, and if your birthday falls near the edge of two possible positions you may need to read both. One should always have the chart calculated professionally in order to know where the planets are situated, as this helps clarify your exact cyclic pattern.
© Copyright 2007 Robert Wilkinson
Hi Robert,
I fall into: September 15 to October 1, 1st and 2nd houses. (September 21). Would this influence be helpful with my current employment search? That's the main goal/intent right now.
The above would fit, the houses of being self and self worth, values and personal money ... as I mentioned so many life lessons woven through along the way have had to do with both being me, self worth and being at peace with money.
I feel like a shift has occured with me today. :)
This Rx of Mercury will be in my 12th house. My Solar Return chart has Solar Return Venus in 8th house, Solar Return Saturn in 8th house, Solar Return Uranus in 2nd house, Solar Return Neptune in 2nd house.
Progressed Jupiter will be in the 2nd house and Pluto retrograde in the 2nd next year. Jupiter will go retrograde in the 2nd next year.
Return Ascendant in the Natal 2nd House. Return Ascendant trine Return Part of Fortune. Return Midheaven in Libra. Return Saturn trine Return Part of Fortune.
Return Pluto conjunct Natal 2nd House Cusp. Return Mars conjunct Natal 8th House Cusp.
At this point, I'm in hope that all of this will help me to find great employment since being laid off. Some of the above are of good aspect and some aren't.
That's the main goal/intent right now to find great employment.
I feel at peace today though ... happy with me and at peace with myself just because I am whom I am. It's a nice feeling. It took alot of work to get here, but it's a gift. It's going to be okay.
Keep a good thought.
Thanks for being there! :)
Lori
Lori Flory
9-21-1957
11:19 am
Coalinga CA USA
Posted by: Lori | October 10, 2007 at 08:04 PM
It was an important reminder the october-november 2006 period, though unsettling it ripened into something truly wonderful. Mercury retrogrades have new meaning. Hope all is well -g
Posted by: gaye | October 11, 2007 at 05:57 AM
Hi Robert,
I have a question if it's okay?
Though I can't afford to physically move right now (looking at my finances) I know that I won't be living in this apartment forever. : )
I also know that when the ex and I moved here in Oct of 1984 from California (I've lived in Colorado for 23 years) that the relocation aspects were always better for him than they were for me. I'm a California native and I know that the aspects in the west are better for me.
I'm especially attracted to where the ocean, mountains and pine forest come together as one. Places such as Washington state and Vancouver etc. The energies are better for me in the NW I feel. I've always been more attracted to to the direction of north. It's probably past Native American lifetimes as well.
Maybe this is my eventual direction.
I just wondered if you had an opinion in that area in so far as eventual relocation goes? Who knows what the Universe can bring forth? Seattle also attracts me ... I actually do better in cooler weather. I don't handle the high temps well. I like being closer to the coast.
Lori Flory
9-21-1957
11:19 am
Coalinga CA USA.
As always I'm grateful for your help!
My friend Debbie created an Internet Cafe awhile back on the virtual level. Her website is at: http://www.namastecafe.com.
Check it out. Debbie is also a talented webmaster. Her husband has a computer business. They also made it through Katrina living near Gulfport MS.
Debbie, like you, had a vision of bringing many different modalities together in one virtual place.
Thanks for being there!
Lori
Posted by: Lori Flory | October 11, 2007 at 10:04 AM
Hi Robert,
I was born 2/17/78 and is into the field of law. I'm working in a local court and have been seriously pondering on working internationally. I do not know what lies ahead, but I want to invest in my field. I have limited resources and bills to take care of so I don't know if my plans to go back to school is supported by the cosmos. When I read what the Mercury Rx means for me (affecting my 8th & 9th Houses), I was surprised to see that going back to school is an option for me at this period. Given that Mercury is going retrograde right now, is it wise to come up with a firm decision on that at this stage? Also, I felt a heavy burden lift some time September - October 2007. For the longest time, I felt my career has been afflicted by some planetary alignment I do not understand and have still not understood. What was it? I felt it for 2 years beginning some time 2005. I'm thankful everything feels lighter for me these days. Career-wise, should I expect any other bumps to come next year?
At any rate, I'm thankful for all your insights. They're uplifting!
Posted by: Joy | October 11, 2007 at 10:14 PM
Hi Lori - Mercury RX is okay for a job search. Take an unusual view or regenerate a skill you used to have. As for relocation charts, I don't use them and don't think they have much validity, all rumor notwithstanding. I use the charts of states and cities, and remind people there are real world considerations that override astrological speculations. For ex, if you make your life as a fisherman, don't move to Des Moines. A farmer should not move to Dallas. In my case, climate is more important than most other factors due to a variety of things. And I'll check out the internet cafe.
Hi gaye - Glad I could help you remember an important period that was related to what has happened since that's good. Perfect Mercury RX energy. It helps us take a new look at a lot of things we may have overlooked before.
Hi Joy - I think you should do research, perhaps take alternative views of your options, or figure out a roundabout or indirect way to achieve your goal. You've been going through your Saturn return these past two years, which is often accompanied by heaviness. As for career bumps in the future, that's beyond the scope of this comment stream as it requires significant analysis and more adequately addressed in a personal session.
Posted by: Robert | October 15, 2007 at 11:46 AM
Hi Robert,
Thanks! Re-visiting what you wrote on Saturn Return. I'm not so fond of Mercury retrogrades, but the last one this year I appreciate. I think it's perfect to make a review of the past to make way for the new year up ahead. Time to pause briefly and see how far we've gone. Thanks again.
Posted by: Joy | October 16, 2007 at 06:40 AM
Hi Robert : )
Speaking of climate changes ... Denver and the mountains are a place of weather extremes - it's very true that if you don't like the weather, wait 20 minutes. It changes frequently. Denver is actually on the plains near the foothills that work into the high country.
Being in the center of the country, we tend to get the changing and colliding weather patterns. The weather can change in minutes or even 40 degrees fom one day to the next.
When I told my Dad to bring a sweater when he visited last June, he ended up being glad that he did.
I grew up within 40 miles of the San Andreas fault (not far from Parkfield where earthquakes are monitored) in CA and saw my share of earth quakes.
Lori
Posted by: Lori | October 16, 2007 at 08:15 AM
Hi Robert,
I mentioned once before that this is my starting over again year after 26 years and 2 ex husbands. (it's just my energy going forward this year). I was looking over some of my reports last night and it dawned on me why although in some ways this year has seen improvement, in other ways it's been difficult. (yet lessons along with that). Pluto rules my chart and to my knowledge has spent lots of time transiting the 2nd house and the lessons there.
Much of the solar return has transits in both 2nd and 8th houses.
Progressed Transits: (Any advice? Not sure of the houses).
Pluto Square Mars
23rd February 2006 until 13th December 2007
Pluto Squares Sun
26th February 2006 until 14th December 2007
Pluto Trines Moon
13th January 2007 until 10th November 2008
Mars Squares Sun
22nd September 2007 until 28th February 2008
Mars Squares Mars
22nd September 2007 until 28th February 2008
Mars Trines Neptune
27th September 2007 until 8th March 2008
Mars Trines Venus
16th October 2007 until 28th March 2008
Mars Squares Jupiter
17th October 2007 until 28th March 2008
Mercury Conjuncts Neptune
27th September 2007 until 12th November 2007
Mercury Conjuncts Venus
6th October 2007 until 18th November 2007
Mercury Squares Uranus
8th October 2007 until 19th November 2007
Oh I wanted to tell you - your interpretation of my solar return through next September - totally accurate.
Thoughts of the above transits? Still looking for work. I try to remain positive and organized but it gets discouraging at moments ... then I pick myself back up and keep at it.
Mercury is retrograde in my 12th house this time. The noisy apt I mentioned to you earlier ... the Apt management finally had the police keeping on eye on them and their all night partying preventing people from sleeping ... the past few days that apt has been dark with shades drawn. Not sure what happened - but it's been quiet. It's nice to sleep at night.
I've always lived by intuition ... I'm the type historically when everyone is off doing one thing, I'm off doing something else ... I've always lived by my own drumbeat.
For example ... lately it's been in the 70's in Denver. Our Colorado Rockies are going to the World Series (tickets on sale Monday by the lottery system) (the stadium is 12 miles S of where I live) and Denver has been going nuts. What was I doing? Off getting new snow boots and a new snow shovel ... which today ... comes in handy. I take care of myself. (and I'm on a budget). Around here it's a good idea to have a couple snow shovels at home and one in the trunk of the car.
Thanks for being there, you are appreciated more than you know!
BTW ... as I mentioned we are having our 1st measurable snow in Denver today. About 5" by tonight the news says. Mountains 12-16". Ski resorts open soon, I can see the snow on the mountains to the west.
Yesterday was 70's and today 32 ... normal Denver weather. "If you don't like the weather wait 20 minutes" they say ... and it's true! The white stuff is coming down in big snow flakes as I look out the window. Good thing it's Sunday.
Thanks Robert!! : ) You are a blessing!!! Astrology so often makes sense of what doesn't always make sense otherwise.
Lori
Lori Flory
9-21-1957
11:19 am
Coalinga CA USA
Posted by: Lori | October 21, 2007 at 10:54 AM
Hi Lori - At 49 we truly begin again by entering a transition zone lasting till we're 56. You can't really have "progressed transits." You can have transits, progressions, or transiting planetary aspects to your progressions. You're describing Pluto aspects to your natal, which are long range transformers and should not be feared in any case, since those times bring needed purifications and renewals. And your printout is erroneous. Mars only squared your Sun and Mars recently and will again in Jan-Feb. So don't lose your cool, go slow, be thoughtful, and bring things to completion with vision and humor. As for the other aspects, I really can't answer all that they mean. Too much for a comment stream.
Posted by: Robert | October 21, 2007 at 06:17 PM
Thank you Robert, I'm an amateur when it comes to Astrology but always learning and always fascinated. I'm so glad to have a master teacher to learn from.
I can't tell you how much I appreciate you - your words are always a breath of fresh air, wisdom and understanding at just the right time. : ) Knowledge is empowerment.
The transition beginning at age 49 makes sense since I am newly 50. This has been a year of rediscovery for me on so many levels. I am thankful for the wisdom that you share. Everything I've experienced has made me whom I am.
Sometimes it was the difficult lessons "back there" that brought the greatest lessons and growth; that have shined up the diamond in the rough to make it sparkle.
and I know, that some of those souls contracted to be a part of this life experience to bring those lessons forth. Pluto is the ruler of my chart natally and I have so many of my planets all crammed up/compacted in the upper left corner of my chart specifically ... lots of growth, purification, transformation - lots of lessons.
Life is filled with learning tools ... many paths leading to the same one light.
We're all teachers and students. Teachers teaching the teachers to teach the teachers to teach the teachers & students at the same time.
Thank you for being there!! :)
Lori
Posted by: Lori | October 21, 2007 at 07:13 PM
hi Robert. so what do you think about children concieved during this retrograde? just found out i'm pregnant. thankyou.
Posted by: tabatha | November 13, 2007 at 09:02 PM
Hi Tabatha - With this RX in Cancer, it may mean you should slow things down and take care of inner nurture. It will probably bring up some inner issues from the past which you can now work through in a healthy way. Pay attention to "reversals" in diet, since you may need some nutrients you haven't been getting before now. It also means that your child's Mars will be speeding up their entire life, a very energetic position. And of course, congrats on your conception.
Posted by: Robert | November 14, 2007 at 06:51 AM