Radical Reposts: The Planets – Mercury

With Mercury now retrograde early in this year of reposts by topic, what follows offers plenty of humor and advice on how to make the best of this cycle we enjoy three times a year. “Enjoy” is part of my new program on manifestation. What you focus on increases, according to Oprah and Chopra (that’s Winfrey and Deepak) in their 21-day meditation series that’s giving magnetism to my Mercury and manifestations. I’d rather enjoy it than groan my way through, even if it’s tempting to give into chronic annoyance when the Trickster side of Mercury comes calling.

Since Mercury Retro concerns even your average Joe or Jane who knows little about astrology (it’s surprising how often I’ve heard it mentioned in TV programs), there are links to past articles within most of the articles on that topic. (Yes, you’re seeing double! Mercury rules the Gemini Twins, so no surprise. Can you see both twins, as well as the Mercury glyph, in the abstract artwork above?)

Of course, Mercury is direct most of the time. There are a couple of articles to help you explore your natal Mercury, too—one each by “playwork” and humor. (There’s another set of twins.)

Now for some recaps to think on and laugh with. 

Exploring Mercury

Planetary Fishing: Mercury  (7-May-13)

If you've missed the background on our MayPlanetary Fishing Trip, the details are in this link. Today we're onto Mercury, the planet of thinking, mental pursuits, short trips, commerce and communication.

Auntie Joyce Talks Turkey About How to Hone Your Mercury
(18-Jul-10)

Auntie Joyce thinks we could use the equivalent of a Pilates class to get our Mercs in better shape for this crazy cyber sprint we’re all signed up for, this marathon of Mercurial madness called the Virtual World. A humorous romp through Mercury by sign with social networking in mind.

2015 Retrograde Dates

Mercury will be retrograde in the Air signs this year:

January 21 – February 11 (17 – 01 Aquarius)
May 19 – June 11 (12 – 04 Gemini)
September 17 – October 9 (15 -01 Libra)

Mercury Retrograde

 A Blessing for Mercury Retrograde (20-Aug-10)

A prayer-poem to put our heads straight about the gifts in Mercury’s retrograde cycle. Recommended daily while the Quicksilver Planet is in reverse.

First Aid for Mercury Retrograde (10-Jun-14)

Mercury Retrograde can be such an ongoing thorn in the side of humanity, we treat it like a vampire who bites our neck and sucks out any semblance of order for three-and-a-half weeks, several times a year. It concerns us so much; The Mountain Astrologer dedicated an entire issue to it. Links to the articles below.

Jest Gear Down and Humor Mercury Retrograde (7-Sep-09)

How to avoid Mercury Retro disasters by keeping your activities focused on what it’s good for—and by keeping your sense of humor. Personal cautionary tales from when I didn’t follow my own advice.

Ten Ways to Celebrate Mercury Retrograde (1-Aug-11)

Here are some ideas about how to go with the flow and celebrate that every gear shift has Reverse for a reason. It’s true of your vehicle—your body—too.

Is Mercury Retro a Mean Santa? (26-Nov-11)

What happens when the winter holiday season and Mercury Retrograde converge? Tips to make it a merry Mercury Retrograde.

Down with Mercury Wrecko! Up with Mercury Respecto! (26-Feb-12)

Ten more ways to celebrate Mercury Retrograde. It almost always sneaks up on me, and I find it difficult to practice what I preach about setting aside time to reflect on the Mercurial issues in my life because I haven't  I haven’t planned for it. Here are some how-to planning tips.

~~~

Photo Credit: © goccedicolore - Fotolia.com

Radical Recommendation

Mercury Retro is great for “re” words, including recreation! If you haven’t already, consider taking a break with The Crystal Ball. It’s my mystery novel, a romp that happens at a longevity organization’s silver anniversary costume party. The theme is “come as you’ll be in the future.” You’ll see a lot of wild Mercury expressed, including some pretty crazy Geminis and Virgos. All 5-star reviews on Amazon as of this writing! Only $2.99 in Kindle and other eReader versions. See sidebar or click here for details.

First Aid for Mercury Retrograde

©2014 by Joyce Mason

How to minimize curveballs and enjoy the slow pitch.

 

Mercury Retrograde is such an ongoing thorn in the side of humanity, we treat it like a vampire who bites our neck and sucks out any semblance of order for three-and-a-half weeks, several times a year. It concerns us so much; it’s the theme of the current issue of The Mountain Astrologer.

Of course, I’m exaggerating for effect and humor. TMA and I are on the same page in their cover subtitle, How to Make It Work for You. I thought this would be a great time to provide an annotated blogography and link to previous articles about “Murky Retro” on The Radical Virgo, starting with A Blessing for Mercury Retrograde. This “prayer” helps us set our intention to be on beat with the season of Mercury’s apparent backwards motion. In setting a positive intent to respect the wisdom of slowing down, reconsidering things and focusing on review, recreation and other “re” things; we minimize the negative effects and Murkiness. Remember that disaster means against the stars and that most of our Mercury Retrograde experiences are brought on by rushing around without regard to the pulling back this sky condition calls for.

When all else fails, let your sense of humor take you on an adventure with it. In the last post, The Summer Signs, we talked about the value of being kids again during the summer. Children seldom take themselves as seriously as adults, and they’d know how to find the fun and value on any Mercury Retrograde detour.

Mercury is Retrograde this time from 4 Cancer to 24 Gemini and from June 9 – July 1.

If you have planets in that arc of the zodiac, you’re more likely to feel the effects when you court disaster. People with prominent planets in Gemini or Virgo are Mercury-ruled and can also be more sensitive to its retrograde motion. An individual with a lot of focus on Mercury in his or her chart (many aspects to Mercury or Mercury’s at the focal point of an aspect configuration such as a T-square) may also be more sensitive to Mercury Rx. Finally, those people who have Mercury Retrograde in their natal charts often report immunity to its more tricky antics.

A valuable tip. Almost every time I’ve caught a major banking error in my accounts, it has been during Mercury Retrograde. Mercury Rx usually highlights how I wasn’t thinking straight or was careless in my thinking. I found one on the first day this time, a $450 debit I forgot to enter! (I kept wondering why I had so much extra money this month.) You might want to make a bank balance review one of your regular Mercury Retro “re” things. I’m sure glad it was one of mine, so I caught my error before anything bounced. Lesson learned: Debits have to go straight into my check register. I can’t park them temporarily on scraps of paper that I may or may not notice again.

Past Articles

Stillness: Our Retrograde Winter 2014 (2-Jan-14) One of the better ways to understand Mercury Retrograde is to review last winter’s multi-retrogrades during the most inner time of year. “Just” Mercury Retrograde will feel like a cakewalk by comparison! Its 10 suggestions for a retrograde winter can be applied to Mercury Retrograde in summer, too.

Retrograde Wisdom: Waiting Is Fullness (29-Mar-12) The wisdom of waiting, even if you’re a go-getter who finds slowing down difficult.

Mercury Retrograde Stellium in Pisces, Void Moon (26-Feb-13) A poem about what one of the Murkiest Retros feels like and how to plunge its watery depths.

Is Mercury Retrograde a Mean Santa? (26-Nov-11) Tips for making it Merry when Mercury Retro is part of the winter holiday season.

10Ways to Celebrate Mercury Retrograde (1-Aug-11) In this popular post, I share tried-and-true retrograde practices that work for me, including the check book review. Learn about fasting from Mercurial gismos for a few hours a day (cell phones, computers) and other practices for a smoother Mercury Rx.

A Blessing for Mercury Retrograde (20-Aug-10) – A “prayer” to keep you on beat with Mercury’s Retrograde cycle and to set an intention that will keep you in the flow of this cycle.

Gear Down and Jest Humor Mercury Retrograde (07-Sep-09) – Let humor supersede superstition when dealing with Mercury Retro.

~~~

Photo Credit: © Steve Young - Fotolia.com