by Robert Wilkinson
Mercury goes retrograde at 22 Virgo on August 23. Today we take a look at some primary factors in the coming retrograde.
An Overview of the Retrograde
The coming retrograde will give us a new look at recent signals and information that we sent or received in the house(s) where we have 9-22 Virgo. As with all Mercury retrograde periods, things from the past will be reviewed, re-examined, reevaluated, or understood differently. We can get a new look at how we see our greater spiritual standards, perhaps with a need to revise some ideas or methods.
We’ll get new insights into all things related to our Virgo response from now through mid-September, including another look at how we view work, service, health, the need to adjust for practical purposes, and all other life things related to the house where we have Virgo in our chart. This spans the social, emotional, and actional-material levels of “education” as well as the social-spiritual levels of “characterization.” This will be mostly great for planets we have between around 7 to 24 degrees of the Earth and Water signs, and help us rethink parts of our lives involving Gemini and Virgo.
Because our review begins at 22 Virgo, this will give us a “back to the future” look at some of the major decisions we made back in 2008-2009 and how we’ve been living those values since then. This will give us a new look at our “royal coat of arms” so we may update our spiritual symbols, and a review of our ideas related to our Virgo house(s), as well as where we have Gemini and Virgo.
The next 3 weeks will give us a new take on emergent developments, and what must be reviewed and released, or researched and rehearsed to prepare us to move forward in mid-September. Because of the “back to the future” quality of Mercury retrograde, we may also get glimpses of how the last 3 months have given us a new look at how we’ve reorganized our lives in some important way, and a new sense of what’s needs adjusting to find our way to our vision.
As the station happens with an exact Moon opposed Uranus from a degree stimulated by Saturn in 2014, Mars in 2016, and Jupiter in 2018, I am sure the themes of that degree will be very important these next few months. During those years we surrendered to the need to allow inspirations to change our lives, the need to face a “vital challenge,” and form ideas clearly to fit our “challenge to transformation.” This will give us a look back, and perhaps we’ll re-establish an emotional connection to that long wave transformational process.
This year’s retrogrades all begin and end in Earth, giving us new insights into all the practical and material elements of life. The focus of the one in January in Capricorn was practical-responsible; the past one in Taurus was practical-enjoyable; this one in Virgo is practical-serviceable. So this year is a time of review, reflection, rehearsal, and new angles of focus on our Earthly interactions and concerns with an eye to seeing newer, more enjoyable ways to communicate and becoming aware that we are in a time of fullness, but also need to avoid trying to “push the river.”
This retrograde period offers us a chance to round out our Virgo functions in some important ways. Mercury retrograde is great for taking a new look at past actions, feelings, ideas, and people to come to a different perspective about how these impacted our lives since then. As per all retrogrades, we’re done with the initial approach where “the stone was thrown into the pond,” and now enter a time when the ripples will return to source in multiple ways.
Mercury Retrograde Is In A Consistent Element Emphasis
To review something I gave you yesterday, Mercury retrograde element patterns repeat over the years. In the “past as prologue” department, 2018 was entirely in Fire signs until the last one, which paralleled 2012. 2019 featured two Water to Water retrogrades, paralleling 2013. So in 2019 we moved from feeling to feeling in March, from inspiration (fire) to feeling in July, and feeling to feeling in Oct-Nov.
In 2020 we moved from Water to Air in the Feb-March retrograde, from Water to Water in June-July, and Water to Air in October-November, paralleling 2014, except then all 3 retrogrades began in Water and went back to Air. In 2021 all three retrogrades began in the last decan of an Air sign, and retrograded back to the middle decan of that sign. 2021 paralleled 2015, which also had all three Mercury retrograde periods in Air signs, and all trine each other, except they began in the second decan and ended in the first.
2022 brought us three Mercury retrograde periods which all began in early Air signs, and ended in late Earth signs. That year all three Mercury retrogrades began in the associative element of Air and wound up in the practical element of Earth. All three SRX points trined each other, and all three SD points trined each other.
2023's retrogrades all begin in the second half of Earth and end in the first decan of Earth. The last time we had back to back Earth retrogrades was in April-May and August-September 2016.
A Bit More
In the next 3 weeks, we can see what life has prepared for us since the last Mercury retrograde in April-May 2023. The next 3 weeks are a good time to take a look at the knowledge we have which is not being put to good use, and examine whether our ideas are bringing us living experiences or dying directions. This is a stabilizing, illuminating, clarifying, and efficient retrograde due to the various aspects, with past awakenings taking a new meaning to be used in September.
So welcome to many things being reviewed or coming back up from your subconscious mind or your connection to the collective these next three weeks thanks to the retrograde. This one allows us to review and get a new look at how we’re using Virgo in our lives, and review how we’ve moved forward since May. The retrograde is a great time for new insights into how we’ve been guided to our Souls, as prelude to clarity from mid-September forward.
Summing It Up
For all of us, the next several weeks offer glimpses of past values and our spiritual heritage as we used our foundation for service to transfigure our everyday life between 2012-2017. This will also give us a preview of opportunities and expansions to come based in whatever Mercury and Mars trine Jupiter have awakened these past several weeks in the way of an understanding which requires new approaches to be learned between now and the end of the year.
This retrograde will probably not be appreciated for what it’s revealing until October or even November when Venus transits the retrograde span. As Mercury is the “final dispositor” for all the other planets except Neptune, it’s very powerful through early October. It now begins its trek back to the Inferior conjunction which happens on September 6 at 14 Virgo, after which it will be the planet which leads the Sun and becomes “the gateway to the Light.
Until then, Venus retrograde in Leo leads the Sun, making it very powerful. Being ruled by the Sun, its inward turned nature will help us get insights into many things from the past which may be blocking our heart’s expressions.
Renewals, returns, reconnections, reunions, and a sense of our spiritual heritage as we review the past preparing for a renewal of allowing inspiring teachings to transform our lives are promised by this retrograde. And of course, more on this Mercury retrograde period will come over the next few days, including Sabian Symbols, Jones Pattern, aspects and more!
Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames
Because Venus will bring us appreciation for this retrograde in October, this period gives us clear signals about that month. Because often Mercury retrograde periods give us roundabout looks at potential futures, this one can provide a window into what Venus will confront when it transits Virgo.
If you would like to know more about how to use your inner Venus power to shape your relationships and make them better than they have been in the past, please get your copy of my book Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames. Venus helps us eliminate difficult relationships by helping us see our changing vanities and values so we can attract more ideal friendships and responses when dancing with the countless Soul Mates we encounter throughout life.
It was written for both astrologers and non-astrologers, and will help you understand why you once attracted what and who you did, and how all your relationships have led you to open your heart and mind to encourage your ideal expression in your interactions. Each time you read any section of this book you will find new insights about your power to steer your personal evolution and have more perfect relationships in the future. You will understand how to throw off all the attitudes which have held you back from finding your ideal friends and partners as you fulfill your destiny as an Eternal having human experiences!
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It is the most comprehensive book on Venus ever written, and explains why we attract who we do and how to create more satisfying relationships in the future. You will understand the foundations of long term healthy relationships and friendships, why Soul Mates come into our lives, and how to know the difference between a Soul Mate and our Twin Flame. Even if you’re not looking for a partner, this book will explain why certain people with certain traits came into your life and what they taught you about yourself.
It has chapters on the qualities of each sign’s natural mate, the qualities of Venus in each sign, and when crucial choices and changes are made, affecting who we attract in the future. It was written for both astrologers and lay people, and as it has a thousand gems for better relationships, with self, others, and Source, please consider getting your copy by going to the link above! (And when you’re done, please leave a review on Amazon, since it helps the book and all other books on astrology as well!)
See you soon with the next installment on Mercury Retrograde, with the Sabian symbol, aspects, and more!
© Copyright 2023 Robert Wilkinson
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