Greetings everyone! Today is the last Mercury Retrograde of 2018. If you are familiar with astrology or the metaphysical side of spirituality then you are probably familiar with the term Mercury Retrograde. If you are not familiar with this phenomenon, it is a planetary event that takes place 3, (sometimes 4), times a year in which the planet Mercury appears to travel in a backwards motion when viewed from earth. It has been determined, though, that it is not actually traveling backward but is just moving very slowly which gives the illusion that it is moving backward. Scientifically, this process is known as apparent retrograde motion.
Mercury Retrograde dates for 2018 were
March 23rd – April 15th (In Aries)
July 26th – August 19th (In Leo + Scorpio)
November 17 – December 6th (In Sagittarius + Scorpio)
It’s About Communication
How all of this relates to this planetary event is that since the planet Mercury is associated with communication, whenever mercury goes retrograde it tends to wreak havoc by causing errors in all forms of communication and it can also affect human behavior, cause delays, issues and problems. The types of communication that can be affected include, but are not limited to:
- Speaking + listening
- Reading + learning
- Editing + researching
- Selling + buying
With this in mind, as you might guess, whenever this event occurs the likelihood that you may be misunderstood, get into an argument with someone, misinterpret things, not pay good attention to things or make mistakes is high. A few other things to be wary of are:
- Starting anything new
- Merchandise purchases
- Agreements + contract signings
- Dating + relationships
- Having surgery
- Mailing important documents
- Equipment breakdowns
- Travel issues
- Sudden + unexpected change of plans
- Email + social media mishaps
- Losing things + forgetfulness
- Etc…You get the picture don’t you?
Pseudoscience?
Is this just pseudoscience? Maybe… but for anyone who has experienced the results of mercury retrograde or believes in the influence of planetary alignments it is an actuality. Mercury is not the only planet that “retrogrades’, but it is the most popular type of planetary retrograde event.
Not So Bad…
Whenever mercury goes retrograde it is a good idea to pay close attention to the possibility that problems may arise and trouble may ensue. So, it is probably best to steer clear of agreeing to anything or making any important life changing plans until mercury retrograde has ended. There are some people who consider mercury retrograde somewhat ominous, but there are many others who choose not to view it in that way and see this event as a time of opportunity.
The good thing about mercury retrograde is that we can prepare for it and work around it or decide to carry out an action at a later date – Thankfully.
A key thing to remember about mercury retrograde is that it always involves another sign and the element associated with that other sign. What does that mean? Well, if mercury is in an earth sign at the time that it retrogrades any problems can usually be eased by applying a bit of practicality instead of wishful or hopeful thinking. If in an air sign analyzing and careful thought or discussion can be helpful. If in a water sign it’s all about using your intuition, and if mercury is in a fire sign, the best thing you can do is use your creativity and be daring and bold in your approach to attempting to fix any retrograde related problems.
This current and last mercury retrograde was actually the first time, (that I really noticed it having an effect on me and my life. Initially, I had not even considered that all of my recent miscommunication issues and delays were because of mercury retrograde. Yet, when they kept happening over and over again that is when I began to get a little concerned – and then earlier this week it hit me… Of course! Why had I not thought of this sooner? It was just a little planetary interference.
As you can see, mercury retrograde is not all doom and gloom. It is a time to:
- slow down a bit and set or reassess any intentions, priorities and goals.
- Tune into your intuition.
- Change any bad habits that you may have.
- Set new personal affirmations.
- Express your creative side.
Goodbye For Now
It will be a while before the next mercury retrograde event:
The Mercury Retrograde dates for 2019 are:
March 5th – 28th (In Pisces)
July 7th – 31st (In Leo + Cancer)
October 31st – November 20th (In Scorpio)
So, smile! If this is something that you follow and believe in then there is plenty of time to prepare for any commotion that the next events may cause you. Now we can all focus a little more on holiday meal planning, gift giving, thinking of new ways to remember and honor lost loved ones and all of the cheerful loveliness of the holiday season – for me – that is a gift in itself (thank you for that experience mercury retrograde) and what a great way to welcome the Christmas season and ring in 2019!
Until the next post
Blessings!
Take care + be well,
Carol
Salubrity and Soul 