Basic Stuff About Mercury Retrograde Here's what you need to know

by Rebecca Brents

  mercury retrograde  

Mercury Retrograde is an optical illusion

* Mercury Retrograde is an optical illusion caused by our perspective from Earth, the fact that both Mercury and Earth are in motion orbiting the Sun, and the fact that Mercury moves faster. Mercury is not really reversing course but it appears to be.

That's really all you need to know. If you can just accept that and move on, great. If not, do some research. Use the internet. It's full of answers.

* Mercury Retrograde is an astrological / physical / metaphysical phenomenon associated with periods during the year when technology goes awry, communications get scrambled, traffic gets snarled and congested (more than usual), travel plans change -- or get disrupted ... and turn into a general hassle (That's fine. I hate traveling!) and information is not reliable.

Mercury Retrograde -- A Personal Perspective

Mercury Retrograde isn't the end of the world

* Mainstream news and conventional wisdom make Mercury Retrograde a lot more intimidating than it is ... or than it should be. It's not the end of the world. It happens a lot -- 3 or 4 times a year. You've lived through it a lot. Chances are you'll live through the next one. But Mercury Retrograde can be annoying -- and inconvenient. I'll grant you that.

* Mostly Mercury Retrograde is a convenient scapegoat for when people get delayed, deliveries miss their schedule, misunderstandings occur, your email -- or lovingly written, carefully polished document -- vanishes into the ether, you get a flat tire ... or your computer crashes ... expensively. Yes, these things happen when Mercury isn't retrograde, but they happen lots more often when he is.

The Positive Side of Mercury Retrograde

Mercury Retrograde is both simpler and
more complicated than its reputation suggests

Believe me or not. I'm not here to persuade you. I've learned ways to deal with Mercury Retrograde that work for me. You can either learn ... and hopefully implement ... some of the advice you find here. Or you can carry on as usual. Your choice. It always is. And Mercury Retrograde has absolutely no influence whatsoever on that.

* There's a "shadow-mode" associated with Mercury Retrograde that extends its influence -- and may account for some of those times when "Mercury Retrograde things" happen when Mercury isn't actually retrograde.

* Mercury Retrograde and Shadow-Mode

This shadow-mode begins from the time Mercury first crosses the degree of the Zodiac it will retreat back to during retrograde and lasts until it passes the degree where it turned retrograde ... once it finally goes direct again.

I know that sounds confusing, but it's pretty simple. Think of it this way: Mercury Retrograde's "effect" begins about two weeks before it actually turns retrograde ... and lasts about three weeks after it turns direct. This anticipation and lag-time is Mercury Retrograde's shadow.

When Mercury Leads the Sun

Mercury Retrograde -- you'll survive

* So ... to survive this little dip in the road, back up your data. (Do this. Don't even think twice. Do this. Srsly.) Give yourself more time to get places -- and get things done. Expect problems. Do what you can to prevent or allow for them. Double check everything.

* Keep your sense of humor. Look for the message within the message. Let Mercury Retrograde do its thing. Know you'll get through it. Stay calm. Don't let the media hype -- or Mercury Retrograde's well-deserved reputation as a trouble-maker -- get to you.

When Mercury Trails the Sun

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Mercury Retrograde
Members Content

* Mercury Retrograde -- Rethinking Your Present Direction ---> In the territory of the mind ---> When Mercury is retrograde (Mercury Rx -- in shorthand), it is a time of rethinking, refocusing and re-communicating. In Astrology, Mercury represents your intellect; your mental focus; your mind and how you use its assets. It describes your ability to read, write, study, talk, absorb information and learn new things. It describes your communication skills, your use of knowledge, your individual perspective. It also depicts your ability to be mobile, to move around -- physically and intellectually.

* Mercury Retrograde -- A New Look at an Old Aggravation ---> People know what it means ---> A surprising number of people know the term Mercury Retrograde. More surprising, since many people aren't really "into" astrology, they have a pretty good idea what it means. They know it means screwed up communications, frustrating delays, "things going wrong," misunderstandings, misplaced items, lost documents, and inconvenient mix-ups. It's a good excuse for "things not working," so they grab that and run with it to "explain" why life is a mess.

* Quick Notes on Mercury Retrograde ---> You might want to start here: Mercury Retrograde in Shadow-Mode ---> Time to reconsider ---> When Mercury turns retrograde, which it does about three times a year, it moves from the degree of the Zodiac where it stops before turning around (Astrologers call this piece of business "taking a station.") ... then it moves about 14 -15 degrees backwards to a previous point. There it takes another station ... and then finally, starts moving forward again -- having tended (we hope) to the business it forgot ... or misunderstood.

More about Mercury Retrograde

* Don't Govern with Bad Intelligence -- Knowing what Mercury Retrograde Means -- And What It Means to You!! ---> One thing's for sure ... things will change ---> When Mercury is retrograde, it's hard to make reliable decisions. You may not have all the facts you need. The facts you do have may change ... or your understanding of them may change. New information may arrive that puts a different light on your life, your plans, and your world itself. You gain a new perspective -- or a new opinion -- on something that makes you rethink everything start to finish. When Mercury is retrograde, remember this: What you think -- and pretty much all your immediate plans -- will change soon. Until you have a more ...

* Mercury Retrograde and Shadow-Mode ---> The real life truth of Mercury Retrograde ---> When Mercury turns retrograde (in any sign), look at the degrees of the Zodiac it will cover in its backward retreat. Mercury's "official" retrograde period lasts about three weeks if you go by the regular calendar, but objectively -- in real life -- Mercury's retrograde cycle takes a lot longer. It starts with what's called a "shadow phase." This begins when Mercury, while still going direct, first crosses the degree of the Zodiac to which it will return when retrograde. This takes a little bit of awareness and extra ....

* Turn Mercury Retrograde into an Inner Experience ---> Go inward ---> Mercury rules all functions of the mind and all forms of transportation and physical mobility. When Mercury turns retrograde -- as is legendary in everyday experience -- the chance that something will go wrong in these areas increases to the point it almost seems like a given. Things get lost. Things go missing. Things break down. Delays and misunderstandings abound. But Mercury retrograde is also a time when you can learn to use your mind (and your travel modes) differently. Try reducing the times you communicate and the things you communicate ....

Mercury Retrograde
From the Blogs, Ezines
and Elsewhere

From EDA: Mercury Retrograde -- From Everyday Astrology ---> Everyday Astrology June 1, 2021 Mercury Retrograde ---> Three or four times a year, Mercury ... the planet closest to the Sun -- associated in Astrology with travel, speech, communications & language skills, & with technology, transportation & equipment in the material world -- "turns retrograde." Previously, outside the fields of astronomy & astrology, this term was barely known & never heard. With recent interest in New Age doings, that has changed. A surprising number of ordinary people (grin) know the term Mercury Retrograde ... & even more impressive, they have ....

Mercury Retrograde in Your 1st House
Mercury Retrograde in Your 2nd House
Mercury Retrograde in Your 3rd House

Mercury Retrograde in Your 4th House
Mercury Retrograde in Your 5th House
Mercury Retrograde in Your 6th House

Mercury Retrograde in Your 7th House
Mercury Retrograde in Your 8th House
Mercury Retrograde in Your 9th House

Mercury Retrograde in Your 10th House
Mercury Retrograde in Your 11th House
Mercury Retrograde in Your 12th House

Learn more about Mercury in Astrology
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Mercury in Astrology -- Articles Index
Mercury Retrograde -- Articles Index
Mercury Retrograde Through the Houses

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