Mercury Retrograde Astrology in Aquarius in January-February 2008 Pt. 2 - What It Means For Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Pisces

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 January-February 2008 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. I trust you got your important paperwork in order the past two weeks, since Mercury went RX at 12:31 pm PST January 28. We now enter three week retrograde period to deal with things we've put off, or take care of things from the past. This January-February 2008 Mercury retrograde will give us new understanding about the events of the past four months.

We can again reconsider, reinterpret, and rework Aquarius issues and activities, seeing their significance from new angles of understanding. We got Cancer insights during the Summer 2007 Mercury RX. We got Scorpio insights during the Autumn 2007 Mercury RX. Now 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 enthusiams are exteriorizing, and the greatest good for the greatest number.

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.

Last Summer we explored home and family issues, the supply of our everyday needs, and ways of experiening our past, present, and future. Last Autumn we extended this feeling-understanding and whatever emotional intelligence we developed through the trine from Scorpio to Cancer. Now we explore how the concrete form of the images glimpsed last Autumn have crystalized into forms of new opportunities, new heart strengths, and new self-expression.

By the end of this retrograde period, we will stand on the threshold of four months that will test many of us to launch a vision, and give reality and form to our ideals. Our previous spiritual realizations will be given wings as we repudiate obsolete attitudes and activities. We can practice a technique leading to a greater emotional, social, or cultural power through allowing our symbols to come alive.

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-February 2008 Mercury will go stationary at 24 Aquarius and retrograde back to 9 Aquarius, you can learn a lot about this coming period by reading all you can about Mercury retrograde in Aquarius.

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:

Jan 28 to Feb 12, read Mercury retrograde in the 1st house.

Feb 13 to 26, 12th and 1st houses.

Feb 27 to March 12, 12th house.

March 13 to 27, 11th and 12th houses.

Mar 28 to Apr 11, 11th house.

Apr 12 to 27, 10th and 11th houses.

Apr 28 to May 12, 10th house.

May 13 to 27, 9th and 10th houses.

May 28 to June 12, 9th house.

June 13 to 28, 8th and 9th houses.

June 29 to July 14, 8th house.

July 15 to 29, 7th and 8th houses.

Juny 30 to Aug 14, 7th house.

Aug 15 to 30, 6th and 7th houses.

Aug 31 to Sep 14, 6th house.

Sep 15 to 30, 5th and 6th houses.

Oct 1 to 15, 5th house.

Oct 16 to 29, 4th and 5th houses.

Oct 30 to Nov 14, 4th house.

Nov 15 to 29, 3rd and 4th houses.

Nov 30 to Dec 13, 3rd house.

Dec 14 to 28, 2nd and 3rd houses.

Dec 29 to Jan 12, 2nd house.

Jan 13 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

Comments

[Lainie]

Robert, do you have any advice for a sense of total resource depletion and exhaustion from all of these retrogrades? I feel like I can hardly bear any more introversion, solitude, meditation, surrender, peeling away layers of the onion. The last six months of 2007 everything collapsed, but it seems like I've been stuck in the wreckage now forever. Now Mercury is retrograde in my 10th house, Mars has plowed backward through my 2nd house, and I can hardly get anything done. I had one trip I was anticipating and even had to cancel that due to finances. I welcome your thoughts! Thank you, and welcome back from your travels.

[Tiffany]

Lainie, I completely know what you are talking about b/c the last 6 mos. of '07 were a disaster for myself as well. It is a daily struggle to get up and go to work, get daily tasks done, etc. Everyday it seems there is 'always something'. Mars has been retro in my 4th house and squaring pluto in the 7th so it's been an especially trying time for me. Mars couldn't go stationary direct soon enough but now we have Mercury retro, which I am feeling directly (in the 12th house). You are by no means alone!

[Micheline]

Hi, Robert, I am reading this and this makes sense now. (it has taken a while to figure this stuff out!!!). I have virgo co-ruling my first house and ruling my second house. I have virgo ruling my (well mercury) first house in progressed chart and co-ruling my 12th house. I have my solar return (in Tokyo) this year with virgo at 1 degrees ac and it is also ruling my 2nd house. I have been spending a lot of time on dealing with my sense of self. My dreams that took a back seat or which had got lost are coming back to bite me in the you know what!!! But honestly, for the past couple of years I have gotten back to singing and music. I had wanted to do something in this area for years. Dabling in so many of the different areas of the performing arts. I did master dance. Now, I am trying to master the art of poetry and writting. I wrote a song I actually like. Of course there is the perfectionist in me (mars in virgo) that is always not quite satisfied but for once I wrote the words, composed the music and arranged the song by myself. No help or inteferance from any musical Hitlers. The feedback is good. I am going to try it out again on some friends at a poetry event next sunday coming. It is funny that it is taking me so long to come to this point in my life. I wish I had been younger and been able to do this. But better late then never I feel and guess. I have been told over and over again by some of my siblings that we are all late bloomers. I guess prefering to taste many things and then combine and create from many forms of art. I am pretty good at anything I do now. I could be better and feel that I must master. I know how important this is especially now that I am a much more mature. I would like to say wiser???? I have also been very into the idea of actually saving money. So, I am looking for opportunities to increase my income without losing my precious time for music and my goals for the future. Thanks for the post. I also have gemini co-ruling the tenth hous and ruling the 11th house. My true node has progressed into my 9th house.
I have a progressed tenth house rulerish of mercury. I am working in a kind of communication environment. It is very interesting. Again, my solar return is co-ruled by gemini this time around. It is interesting to note that my progressed ac is within four degrees of my progressed ac. If I were to bring in numerology I am in a one year as well.

[donn323]

Hi Robert ... in the article above, you wrote "We can practice a technique leading to a greater emotional, social, or cultural power through allowing our symbols to come alive." Would you please elaborate on this --> allowing our symbols to come alive. I know what my symbols are, for example, and know what this might mean to me, but I would love to hear more on this.

Thanks so much!

[Lainie]

Thank you Tiffany -- I'm sorry you too are feeling the retrograde blues but I appreciate knowing I'm not alone or crazy. I have Taurus rising, so it really all started with the Venus retrograde. I guess we just keep at it, and read Robert's words with care and appreciation! Hang in there.

[Tiffany]

Lainie, you are by no means crazy, though I thought the same thing about myself for most of last year. I just couldn't get anything to go my way and wondered what I was doing 'wrong'. These articles help tremendously b/c they provide guidance and insight, so I'm thankful for Robert's contributions as well!

[Robert]

Hi Lainie - I felt that way a few years ago. Then I surrendered to the wisdom of the Mystery, and stopped trying to make sense of it or control the process except for examining my own reactions to what was and wasn't. That led me to stop doing that which brought frustration, and turn to imagining what could bring me a sense of fulfillment and enjoyment, and taking small steps in those directions. We all need recharging from time to time, and it's up to us to see what will and will not accomplish that end. That usually entails looking in a new direction, trying new behaviors, and not getting bummed out or angry that what used to bring us nourishment no longer does. You may find, now that Mars is direct, that what was put on hold or going backwards can now more forward unencumbered by whatever was wrecked in 2007. Mars RX was a momentum killer! But I've found that I can again accomplish a little more each day than I was able to for the past 3-4 months. Open to finding new ways to do your Being and be paid for it, or at least find new training that could give concrete payoffs down the road. Overlook nothing because it seems too small or off-track, since even a temp typing job could lead you directly into television production and directing!

Hi Tiffany - Yes, many saw the collapse of an old life due to the 2006-2007 eclipses helping us all "escape from a narrow destiny," whatever that meant. We were all "freed from routine duty," and finished our training in some important ways. This Mercury RX should help all of us see things differently and should be a real blessing for many due to the aspects. And of course, one of the great things about this site is that we can all share our experience of the times and remember that in fact, we are not alone in this and we're all in this together. Things may get very irrational, but that doesn't make us crazy!

Hi Micheline - Good that this helps make sense of something, since we are still in the heart of the Grand Irrationality being triggered by Mercury. Glad you got back to your heart expression, and you're embracing opportunities to do your art for others in non-lumbered ways. Absolutely better late than never! When younger doing your art may have led you into untenable situations, as it did me and has for so many others. In my case it required a radical cosmic intervention to set me straight, involving a catastrophic "accident" where I left my body, was dying, went to the other side, and then was given the choice to come back into this body to live completely differently than I had before. At least now I have the wisdom to know how to live without many of the struggles I used to have.

Hi donn323 - Our life symbols transcend the Sabian symbols, since our metaphors in life show us the mystery of our process of Self realization. When we can take our abstract images and turn them into applicable powers, then our symbols "come alive" and we are living the wave of our own existence rather than trying to figure things out. This is about actualizing our "symbolic life," as Rudhyar put it in the Mandala. As we embrace our Spiritual Self, everything we do and are mirrors the Way we Are beyond the doing. Every Self-realized Being in some way walks in the footsteps of their predecessors, but also blazes trails for those who follow.

[Selena]

Hi Robert... I have been reading with great interest your posts regarding the Grand Irrationality pattern that is operative now. I am curious about how this -- and future transits to these sensitive points - could be affecting people who so far have been refusing this call to transform -- and have, instead, apparently gone backwards or regressed? Do you see these subsequent hits as further opportunities to wake up?
Just curious to hear what you think about this..
Thanks!

[robyn]

July 12 - so my 8th house. i'm seeing results of that, i've gotten money from a variety of unexpected sources within the past few days that have pumped up my savings account thats for sure. SAVING? WHAT? its amazing.

i also find it interesting that the 8th house is pluto ruled, along with the planets i have in the 12th house (venus, jupiter), along with scorpio being in my 5th house. intense. i can't say that mars hasn't affected me lately, i've been paying attention to my sexual affections that are intertwined with security in relationships per se the past 4 months which are what i've been reflecting on. this is important for me in order to find what it is that i truly want in life. and your on the money when you say "we repudiate obsolete attitudes" i am totally doing that with the way i go about relationships and love and sex. amazing!!!

the only thing i can say about aquarius is that its in my 9th house, and i have no planet in aquarius, only that it opposes my 3rd house of Leo which is my mercury, squaring up with my mars in taurus and my scorpio sector. Which is odd, since we're headed into retro mercury in aquarius, how does that work? its obviously opposing how i think about situations mentioned. god your a genius. i see how this all works now.. omg.. amazing.

thank you!

[Joanne]

I too have experienced the last 6 months of difficulties, so belong to your group. I left one job because it wasn't a fit, and expected to, by faith, find a comparable job, and it took until the beginning of this month to actually find one. The job is great I'm totally enjoying it, but it doesn't cover all of my expenses. That means more trimming for a lifetime of survival mode. I so want to be out of that path of survival. I'm an Aries sun, Virgo rising and Aquarius moon, so feeling all sorts of energies.

May we all through faith find our path to the abundance, peace and light we all so truely deserve.

Joanne

[Jennifer P]

Hi Robert!
I was originally emailing regarding this mercury retrograde for my father who just had eye surgery of one kind and now needs a cataract operation which they say to be done asap. He has experienced mercury retrograde and asked me if he should wait until after if possible so I'm writing to you. His birthday 12/14/23 jersey city,nj, around1:15 am give or take if you need this. Given that the operation would use technological equipment, I was thinking to wait but I'd rather hear from you about this myself.

Also I would like to express after reading some of the posts here that I too have been experiencing a tremendous drain of energy that has affected my ability to function ie. go out etc. Like no energy? I'm assuming that is what people are speaking to here. I am hopeful therefor that this is a passing thing...started last year. Would appreciate your response. Scary.
5/24/51 Jersey city, NJ 3:30pm Thanks!

[Sue]

Hi Robert,
This might be a good thread to ask a question I've been wondering about for a while. I notice you say to look up both the house position for your rising sign and for your sun sign. Which is the most relevant? I find the way transits affect the chart for my rising sign to be more accurate yet sometimes readings based on my sun sign are spot on.
With the movement of Pluto into Capricorn I'm curious as to whether my rising sign chart or my sun sign chart would give the best indications of future trends. With Scorpio rising Pluto transiting my second house was pretty much a decade or more of financial hell. As a writer I'm really hoping that a Pluto transit of my third house will give me a real boost. Does the sun sign chart hold any relevance if you know your own rising sign chart? I hope this question isn't too far away from the original post on Mercury.
Thanks - Sue
I agree with the lack of energy thing - I'm been feeling the same way.

[Robert]

Hi Selina - To me, the planets have a perfected expression and a dysfunctional expression. For example, when a dysfunctional Jupiter is being triggered by this pattern, a being may be compulsively whining or refuse to take responsibility for their past, present, or future actions. In a functional Jupiter, it can mean forks in the road of one's higher understanding and aspiration.

In a dysfunctional Moon it could manifest as compulsive neediness or irrationally feeling victimized or insecure. In a functional Moon it's a "grand obsession" of caring for something greater, embracing Divine Mother energy, or knowing one has hit a spiritual fork in the road regarding one's family, habits, and ways of experiencing day to day life.

So I suppose that those who refuse to transform are going through all kinds of problems they probably are seeking to blame on others. I believe every moment is an opportunity to wake up, so yes to your question.

Hi Joanne - Many are going through the rough endings indicated by the cluster of conjunctions in December with Jupiter and Pluto at the Galactic Center opposition Mars RX after suffering the disillusionments of Saturn opposition Neptune operating from Summer 2005 through Summer 2007. I have noted that many following Dharma have in fact landed in fairly perfect situations, both personally and doing an enjoyable work. That means leaving a lot behind, since it's time to face the new as long term plan. I also have a Sun in Aries and Moon in Aquarius, and so believe you could live much better than in "survival mode" once you find the right point of view. I've had Saturn conjunct my Ascendant and in my first since Summer 2005, and the training and diligent work I've accepted as a learning rigor have set me in perfect circumstances after 2 1/2 years of working 6 days a week. Saturn in the first can bring you great gifts of taking responsibility, setting a course you could persevere in for a long time, and bringing you a greater maturity in trusting your experience.

Hi Jennifer - While it's usually a good thing to wait out a Mercury RX before doing surgeries, I suppose there are conditions that could make it appropriate, like redoing something or doing something in multiple stages. Energy fluctuations are expectable with Saturn opposed Neptune then planets in Virgo T-squaring Mars opposed Pluto then Mars retrograde opposition everything in Sag and Capricorn at the Galactic Center then staying opposed to Pluto. This is challenging us all to get a better handle on our "fight or flight" principle.

Hi Sue - Both Solar and Natal chart are valid. The Solar chart is accurate and shows the cycles relative to our light, integration, and Self. The Natal chart based in the Asc shows the cycles of self and self-image unfoldment, also important in knowing who we are and what we're to do in this space-time continuum. It's not about relevancy, except that each has its realm of relevancy, and Pluto is operating in both those realms and others in your chart as well. Actually, it is said that the Year of the Earth Rat is good for writers, so may you succeed this coming year beyond your wildest dreams. Pluto in the 3rd can give glimpses into collective transformational ideas. And on a final note, I too have been drained in recent weeks, but that's understandable given the extreme tensions and pressures arising from the aspects mentioned earlier going on the whole second half of 2007.

[Jennifer]

Thanks for your comments-
Fight or flight it is! Not sure what to actually say to my father regarding the cataract operation based upon what you explained except if possible to wait out the retrograde. Any additional comments on that?

[Robert]

Hi Jennifer - Major medical decisions probably shouldn't be made on the basis of a comment stream. That said, there are definitely better times for surgeries than others - and eye surgery shouldn't be done with Moon in Pisces, Aries, or Taurus, at New or Full Moons, or under major afflictions.

[Tiffany]

Joanne,
I've been dealing with the job issues as well and am trying to find a much better fit myself. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place b/c I need the health insurance to pay for my monthly precriptions (about 300.00 without ins). This falls right in line with the fourth house issues that I've been dealing with (mentioned in an earlier post).

[ssya]

Hi Robert, Always enjoy your insight. Thanks. I have a question. I am a Leo by birth -8/21/65 12:45 pm in Mumbai, India. And yet, currently my chart shows Mercury in my 3rd house. In fact, my 3rd house is packed this eclipse with the sun, moon, mercury, neptune, and chiron -- if I have done it correctly. What does this mean? I have been told I am a scorpio rising, but this would suggest a sag rising, right? I am confident that my birthdate and time are correct. Thanks in advance for your insight.

[Robert]

Hi Tiffany - It seems like you're dealing with what so many are. We're all learning to move in a new direction, ambition, and sense of purpose.

Hi ssya - You have transiting Mercury and the stellium in Aquarius in your 3rd. It shows your view, communications, and environment will be changing, as well as how you speak. Depending on the house system, you could have a Scorpio rising but still have mid-Aquarius in your 3rd. Though I have 11 Leo rising, I have Mercury in Aries in the 10th, since where and when I was born yielded 30 Aries on my MC, slightly earlier than my Mercury at 30 Aries as well. Like you could have planets in mid-Sag in your 1st or 2nd, depending on how wide your first house is, which depends entirely on what house system you use. The width of the houses is one of the differences between Western and Vedic Astrology.

[ssya]

Many thanks Robert. Have you written any articles on Western and Vedic systems. Your comments were great and it would be helpful to learn more about if it's possible to use bith systems for a broader perspective. Thanks!

[Robert]

Hi ssya - I haven't written anything substantial on Vedic, as I studied it years ago but never got into extensive practice since it would have diverted me from my Western and Chinese studies at the time. I also was deep into the Theosophical Wisdom, and just didn't have any more time to devote to Vedic. I have made a few comments in the streams about why I have reservations around some of its assumptions, despite its deep wisdom and remarkable accuracy around certain things.

I may pick it back up someday, but I am skeptical because of how deterministic it seems to be, along with its complete negativity concerning the Rahu and Ketu periods or subperiods of life. Like Vedic, I also believe the Nodal periods are where karma manifests, but unlike Vedic I believe we have the power to shape our karma as we shape our responses to life. And I am completely against the idea that we need a sapphire or other gemstone to overcome "bad things to come" in certain periods. If these periods are not bad for gurus, sages, saints, and avatars, since we ARE potentially these resulting from Self-realization practices, then there must be ways of responding to the challenges of these periods that are positive in a Spiritual sense.

Also there are the issues of Vedic ignoring of the degrees of houses, the chaotic fuss about how many degrees to subtract, the negativity around certain parts of signs, and I think I'd rather hike a friendly mountain. Who knows? Maybe next life I'll get to study it more intensely and rewrite the negative interpretations! I love it as a form of Spiritual Astrology, but believe it's been misinterpreted, just as is much in Western Astrology. It's all in the practitioner.

[Your Enchanted Gardener]

http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=1113203

When does this Mercury Retrograde end?

Blogged you!

Enjoy your site very much.

Thank You,

Leslie