I commonly get asked about Mercury going retrograde so I thought I would just write a little note to tell you my take on it!

Mercury Retrograde does tend to affect our communications (that old Mercury is the messenger planet, you know…) – so, we have issues with electronics (especially our phones, etc) and with understanding and being understood. This is why it affects things like contracts, etc… it is that “meeting of the minds” that is sometimes quite difficult to achieve during a Mercury Retrograde period. That means that it is probably best not to start new projects or sign new contracts or buy new electronics during this time, if it can be helped.

If you can’t help it… if you HAVE to sign a contract or start a new project, just do it with the knowledge that you will likely need to have extra patience and take extra time to make sure all your i’s are dotted and your t’s are crossed. You will most definitely need to be patient with people you are dealing with… you’ll need to take extra time to communicate and give people an extra dose of patience in all the communication you receive from them, as well.

With our electronics, I typically try not to buy new ones during these times, but if I need to, I usually do it with the knowledge that I may need to exhange them after Mercury goes direct! 🙂 When communicating with people through electronic means (telephone, email, etc), I always remind myself to be extra patient. There will be lots more dropped calls, missed messages, and emails that were never received.

The thing about all of the above is that if you are aware of the phenomena and you prepare yourself, it is much easier just to take the stuff in stride and to get through this period of time with your sanity still in tact! Patience is THE key word! And when things go awry (as they are apt to do), you can take a deep breath and remind yourself that Mercury is retrograde and that accounts for the trouble. That will help you be calmer when dealing with others… so you don’t go off half-cocked on someone you are trying to communicate with!

The flip side to all of this is that Mercury Retrograde can be a great time to do things like wrap up projects and get yourself organized and to clear out old junk that no longer serves you (physically AND emotionally!). You may want to hold off starting new projects… but if you are like me, there are always a ton of projects that would be done if I could just tie up the loose ends on them. Mercury Retrograde is the PERFECT time for that! My friend Robin pointed out that this is a perfect time for some self-reflection… it’s a great time for healing of old wounds!

So… while Mercury Retrograde comes with some headaches that we may not really be able to avoid, I still never fear or freak out about this time. I try to plan ahead to use the time appropriately. Really, in the natural world, everything has a season. When you work WITH the season, instead of trying to work against it, things are always much better (you wouldn’t try to plant a garden in your back yard in the middle of Winter, would you?). My best advice is to take some time to be thoughtful about what you can accomplish during a Mercury Retrograde period and to get yourself ready to have a lot more patience with the things that are more challenging during this time!

Blessings!
Donna

PS… They say that keeping a bit of amber or petrified wood next to your electronics will help to reduce the effects of Mercury Retrograde on them. I would love to know if you find that this works for you or not!

PPS… I found a fun little website you can check if you just want to know whether Mercury is retrograde or not: www.ismercuryinretrograde.com – just remember… Mercury Retrograde is not the only planetary situation that affects our lives! If you really want to know all about it, I know there are some really fantastic astrologers out there that you can consult with!!