by Robert Wilkinson
In part 3 we explore more about this phenomenon that occurs 3 weeks at a time 3 times a year. At the end of this article I have included a table so you can find which house(s) this January 2009 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 affects 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 parts 1 and 2 (links at the bottom of this article) we explored specific qualities of the present Mercury retrograde period, including aspects, stationary retrograde and direct degree symbols, and other important factors. The period before Mercury goes retrograde is important in getting your paperwork and other life areas in shape.
Please take the next few days to get important paperwork in order, since Mercury goes RX at 8:44 am January 11, 2009, at 8 degrees Aquarius. We now entering a three week retrograde period to deal with things we've put off, or take care of things from the past. This January 2009 Mercury retrograde will give us new understanding about the events of the past four months.
Once Mercury goes retrograde, you may experience that communications and other Mercury ruled areas are slower than usual. It's time to re-do, review, rehearse, research, and take a new look at many things that evolved to a threshold during the period before Mercury goes stationary retrograde.
We can again reconsider, reinterpret, and rework Aquarius issues and activities, seeing their significance from new angles of understanding. Looking back, we got Cancer insights during the Summer 2007 Mercury RX, and Scorpio insights during the Autumn 2007 Mercury RX.
We got Aquarius insights during the early 2008 Mercury RX, and insights about our Gemini areas during the Summer 2008 Mercury RX in Gemini. We completed a natural Air trine of Mercury RX energies when it went through Libra in Sept-Oct 2008, offering new insights about relationships, judgments, balance, fairness, and ways we are or are not being an equal with others in our world.
Now that it's in Aquarius again, we'll get more insights about our friendships, goals, ambitions, ideals, group work, larger vision of how we can contribute to our world, how our love and enthusiasms are exteriorizing, and the greatest good for the greatest number.
When it goes back into Capricorn, we'll get insights about our public self image, how we readily self-organize to make our lives more effective, and see how willing we are to embrace different ways to use discipline and our power to take responsibility effectively.
We'll also get insights about how to synthesize various life components 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 freedom to explore higher and broader realms, this time can show us how to transcend our old selves through taking a new look at our perceptions, opinions, and judgments concerning the areas mentioned above.
Examining what signs previous Mercury RX fell in, Summer 2007 we began to explore home and family issues, the supply of our everyday needs, and ways of experiencing our past, present, and future. Autumn 2007 we extended this feeling-understanding and whatever emotional intelligence we developed when the Mercury RX period made a trine from Scorpio to Cancer.
In early 2008 when it last went through Aquarius, we began to synthesize many things into a new larger view or a greater sense of community or larger service. June initiated a period of exploring how the concrete form of the images glimpsed the past year have come forth as forms of understanding, modes of communications, and new "brothers and sisters" in our community. October began a time of looking at our sense of balance, justice, and fairness, our relationships, and through responding to a life renewal, we'll eventually find a new form of hope.
Over the past year, due to Mercury RX in Air signs, we've been guided to our Soul through reviewing and revising obsolete attitudes, ideas, and ways of relating to others. In each instance this led us to greater emotional, social, or cultural power.
Autumn extended this set of patterns, and we found ourselves at a philosophical and karmic fulfillment. We continue the emotional, social, and cultural focus during this retrograde period and beyond as a result of both stationary degree points in the upcoming period.
By the end of this retrograde period, we will stand on the threshold of four months when we can practice a greater emotional, social, or cultural power that will offers spiritual victories through apparent surrenders. By being strong, resilient, and using our creative imagination, we can demonstrate the tools to future success. This begins a renewed Earth influence that will pervade Mercury retrograde periods through December 2010.
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 January 2009 Mercury will go stationary at 8 Aquarius and retrograde back to 22 Capricorn, you can learn a lot about this coming period by reading all you can about Mercury retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn.
You can get more information how this important time of Mercury retrograde (which happens three times a year every year!) affects you personally by getting a copy of my book "A New Look At Mercury Retrograde" and reading the section on Mercury retrograde in the houses. However, you can also get some very useful ideas of how it works by consulting the article that I linked to in the first paragraph of this article titled "How Does Mercury Retrograde Work in the Houses." The ideas I offer there work, whether you're referencing the natal or Solar charts.
To that end, the houses in astrology show us the specific areas of our worldly affairs where we experience 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:
Dec 28 to Jan 10, read Mercury retrograde in the 1st house.
Jan 11 to 26, 12th and 1st houses.
Jan 27 to Feb 7, 12th house.
Feb 8 to 24, 11th and 12th houses.
Feb 25 to Mar 10, 11th house.
Mar 11 to 26, 10th and 11th houses.
Mar 27 to Apr 10, 10th house.
Apr 11 to 26, 9th and 10th houses.
Apr 27 to May 10, 9th house.
May 11 to 27, 8th and 9th houses.
May 28 to Jun 11, 8th house.
Jun 12 to 27, 7th and 8th houses.
Jun 28 to Jul 12, 7th house.
Jul 13 to 28, 6th and 7th houses.
Jul 29 to Aug 12, 6th house.
Aug 13 to 29, 5th and 6th houses.
Aug 30 to Sep 12, 5th house.
Sep 13 to 29, 4th and 5th houses.
Sep 30 to Oct 13, 4th house.
Oct 14 to 29, 3rd and 4th houses.
Oct 30 to Nov 12, 3rd house.
Nov 13 to 28, 2nd and 3rd houses.
Nov 29 to Dec 11, 2nd house.
Dec 12 to 27, 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 © 2008 Robert Wilkinson
Ciao Robert,
I carefully read your column today, and it is clear that this Mercury retrograde is really putting pressure on my 7th house: it has already started at work where everything has changed and is changing since december 23rd for me (I was born in Montreal July 2nd at 8:24 am). I am a little unsure of what is in front of me, and I still can't see the good or bad intentions of people that are in my surroundings (I'm starting a Ph.D., and wonder about my thesis director). I was clueless about many things...
Thank you always. Often your language is a little difficult for me, but I keep on reading: you are an aosis.
Grazie
alessandra
Posted by: Alessandra | January 07, 2009 at 06:30 PM
Robert,
I meant oasis !!!
a
Posted by: Alessandra | January 07, 2009 at 06:31 PM
Robert,
I just want to thank you for helping me to learn more astrology. I have been studying for about two and a half years, and your article, though hard for me sometimes, always offer me something meaningful and significant. Lately, I have been comprehending a little bit more each time, which is a good thing I guess! I really have enjoyed the Mercury Rx articles - they are best ones I have seen so far - very helpful and accurate. Thank you!
Posted by: Lourdes | January 07, 2009 at 10:03 PM
Robert:
I am signing a lease for a new apartment (my first one since leaving the nest) on the 10th. Is this totally horrible? If I had no knowledge of astrology I would be very hopeful and happy -- I am so excited about this new place and had every intention of getting the place BEFORE Mercury went retrograde, but unfortunately things got slowed down (landlords are out of state & thus the singing had to wait till this weekend!) and it had to be put off. I am really happy about this but now a seed of doubt has been planted! I read your previous post about Merc in Rx leading us toward our soul and higher purpose, so perhaps that could be the silver lining. Could you give me some quick advice to help allay my nagging anxieties? Aside from Mercury, I am so happy and excited to be moving, should I second guess this feeling?
Birth info, just in case: 9/25/84 12:14 pm Brooklyn, NY
Thanks always -
Justine
Posted by: Justine | January 08, 2009 at 01:23 PM
Robert:
A follow up comment, since I read the comment thread of your post from Feb 08 about Merc Rx and souls. I have to track down your out-of-print book written on the issue as I'm sure it would answer a myriad of other questions I have about the topic.
Also of note, I started a job in the Merc in Rx period of Jan/Feb 08 -- I am still at the job, but I definitely have a new understanding about the position, my boss and myself as a worker. I think starting the job during this time helped me go over some ideas I had about my own abilities and that of my role here. My birthday also fell in the Sept Merc Rx of 08 -- all significant events seem to take place during these transits! Perhaps I should look to it as a good, positive thing? I seriously need to get out of my mom's house, although I've gotten out from under her roof before, this time is what feels like it will be 'for real' -- not sure if this is relevant, but I have Mercury in Virgo, and my partner (with whom I am moving) is a Taurus/Leo rising with Mercury in Gemini -- we are both very Mercurian people it seems! Thanks for your help, and I think I helped to answer my own question.
Love,
Justine
Posted by: Justine | January 08, 2009 at 02:08 PM
Hi, Robert. Great article. Ya here comes another rx mercury... I use astro.com to look at my charts.
I found that mercury is going retro in the early part of my 6th house and then goes direct in 5th house.
Posted by: Micheline Cloutier | January 11, 2009 at 07:14 AM
Hi Alessandra - Perhaps you will find that things won't turn out as you may think, and that you will think of different things that motivate you, different goals, different values and different ways to frame and communicate things. Obviously there are 10,000 ways that a given astrological factor can manifest, so keep open to alternative views and interpretations. The analogy of an oasis is interesting, and accurate, from what I see of the desert wasteland of modern media-driven existence. Lots of cotton candy info that does not nourish. At least around here Manja! is a thing worth doing. Prego!
Hi Lourdes - You're welcome. That's why sometimes I write on different levels, since there are many who come here with vastly different levels of knowledge, and I'm attempting to make this site truly "global." Learning astrology is a journey of 10,000 steps, some of which take a while, other times things fall together quickly. Thanks for your praise of the Mercury RX articles. I did "write the book," as they say!;-)
Hi Justine - The placement of the Moon (and its aspects) is far more important in signing leases than Mercury RX. In fact, I was forced by delayed circumstances to sign a lease on my LA pad during a Mercury RX in 1990, and though I entered into it on a month by month basis not knowing how long I'd be there, I've had the place for 18 years! Just realize your future there may not be as you now think. Not necessarily bad, but definitely different due to circumstances that will arise that you have no knowledge of at present, and probably cannot anticipate. You have a whole new life coming this Autumn, and given your chart, you're probably going to be a true force in your world. Just realize that many will not understand you as you do your purifying and transforming roles. This year will bring radical changes - activate rather than hesitate, and you should do quite well coming into your own. Enjoy going through my book. Eventually I'll reprint it in paper and as an ebook, but it seems that there's always something coming up to deflect me into other efforts. Good insights about getting new angles of viewing your job, and you'll probably note that changes come during Mercury RX periods. These periods can be very positive, depending on too many things to go over here. That's why getting my book will be of great use to you.
Hi Micheline - You should be able to find a new way to anchor your natural self expression, or at least find experimental motifs for your creativity. Maybe going back to the past to find something for the future?
Posted by: Robert | January 11, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Thanks again Robert for your reply, as your comments are always amazingly invaluable!
Posted by: Justine | January 11, 2009 at 10:55 PM