by Robert Wilkinson
Over the years I've been asked many times what Mercury retrograde is good for. We all know we're NOT supposed to sign contracts, make purchases of 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. So what's favored?
There are many things that a Mercury retrograde period is good for, such as traveling. I have found that as long as one is flexible, retrograde travel is actually a good thing. Also favored are research, reflection, review, rehearsals, and returns from the past.
It's a perfect time for reconnecting with old friends, and finding people and things thought lost. It's also the best time to explore alternative possibilities around projects, potential futures, or assumed methods, 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 often a period when we resume things begun in previous retrograde periods, or pick up threads that had to be set aside while other things developed. It usually indicates a time when we need to be able to build in a time lag with whatever we'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.
When Mercury retrograded back into Leo 2:46 am PDT August 8, it marked the first time it's been RX in Leo since the Summers of 2005 and 2006. Since it went retrograde briefly in Virgo and will spend most of its time in Leo, today I'll offer you some possible manifestations of what we may expect as it occupies Leo through late August.
We will see things that are related to Mercury in Leo, regardless of what Sun sign we are or which house(s) it moves through in our individual chart. As for what house it's transiting in our charts, in a recent article on how Mercury retrograde impacts all signs I gave you a link to How Does Mercury Retrograde Affect Us In The Different Houses?, which gives some insights about how its current transit in our chart could affect us.
So here's a bit about Mercury retrograde in Leo from my book, "A New Look At Mercury Retrograde."
In Leo, Mercury's energies slow down to rethink in an expressive, dramatic, playful mode. This is the pride of the mind's own variety and multiplicity; it plays with its own insights, as though swinging from the limbs of a tree. This position measures the applause for, or rejection of, its clever insights.
This position communicates the truth, nobility, or authenticity in any art form. There may be noble eternal thoughts that hold a timeless vision of honor and a regal ideal. There may be radiant speaking, communicating a generous point of view, or grand thinking that penetrates other's subconscious.
Mercury in Leo is in its own 3rd sign. This is the mind's pride in its own form of self expression, Here joy, play, and spontaneous expression are the perceptual mechanisms of the mind. This is a position where the light of mind shines into many corners yet to be explored, where the play of power will be harvested.
It is also in its own 12th sign, indicating that pride of mind is self-destructive. Mercury retrograde in Leo offers love as the motivator of all communications, and playfulness as the endgame of all ideas and reflections.
Knowledge comes from enthusiasm or power resulting from projecting the idea; knowing also comes from focusing only on what is noble and loving.
On a related note, I retrieved the rights to my work a while ago. Therefore at some point in the future I will re-edit the book files on "A New Look At Mercury Retrograde" so that it can be republished as an ebook. That's probably a perfect Mercury retrograde project, now that I think about it. It's just takes a lot of time and so I'll need an assistant to do the set up work. Now if I could just clone myself...
On a final note, I would suspect the coming weeks will be a good time to reflect on how to play or enjoy ourselves more wholeheartedly, find a new approach to spontaneity, and let go of pride, inflexibility, false loyalties, and attitudes that stifle the heart. Fiery energies will be very prominent, but stay alert for misunderstandings, misinterpretations, and egocentricity and find ways to antidote before they get set as patterns.
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 review recent perceptions about what characterizes people and situations, and rework how we express our most loving and creative self.
Let go, release and demonstrate your heart's expression, find time to be playful and creative, and be willing to get a new view of what's true, good, and beautiful in your relationships. Taking a new look at patterns that ended a while ago, or which have existed in an old form up to now, when seen from an updated point of view can bring a new love and more enjoyable life.
© Copyright 2011 Robert Wilkinson
Hi Robert: You are my favorite astrologer! Thanks for gracing us with all you do. Perhaps I can help with the set up work or know someone, for "A New Look At Mercury Retrograde". Warmly, Dixie
Posted by: Dixie Heart | August 10, 2011 at 09:22 AM