Mercury Retrograde March 2018

Mercury Retrograde

YOUR STARS WITHIN - ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELING

Mercury Retrograde is when it looks from our perspective that Mercury is moving backwards in the sky.

This happens 3x a year and provides an opportunity for the mental energy to be still and reflect.

Often when we’re still trying to push forward we experience frustration and glitches. So, keep your computer files backed up and work on completing already started projects but refrain from pushing forward with new ideas!

Mercury rules our thought process and our communication as well as technology. Looking at how this particular Mercury retrograde affects you, through your chart, will tell more of the story. If it connects to any of your planets, this tells us that this particular retrograde cycle is opening up an opportunity for you to grow in that planets area of your chart.

Before we talk about applying it personally, lets talk about what is happening out there because its quite interesting and tells a story in and of itself:

• Mercury goes retrograde at 16 degrees Aries. That’s an important spot. So, look where that is in your chart.

• It retrogrades all the way back to 4 degrees Aries (on April 15, 2018), before coming back through these degrees.

A few things happen in this time.

• Mars and Saturn are both in Capricorn and they’re going to come into a conjunction at 8 degrees Capricorn on April 1, 2018 , though I bet you’ll feel this energy as its building and before its exact!
• Mercury then retrogrades to square this Mars/Saturn spot, by April 3^rd, I think you’ll feel it in full force.
• Then, as if that’s not enough, as Mercury goes forward and past its original retrograde spot, it will square Pluto (21 degrees Aries/Capricorn). That won’t happen until the end of May. In my view, this will be the Ah ha moment! This is when all of the frustration of the experience makes sense.

What does this all mean? Let’s break it down:

Saturn and Mars conjunct tend to create a push-pull energy. It’s the impulsive go-getter energy making decisions with the cautious restrictive Saturn energy. Its like driving a car with one foot on gas and the other foot on the brake, each just slamming the pedals as they see fit! So, a lot of stop and start. There is frustration and tension experienced with this, though in its best expression it could be courageous risk with a grounded approach. I would look what house 8 degrees Capricorn falls in your chart as this will tell us where you’re likely to experience this frustration.

As Mercury retrogrades back to square this spot, I think it will add a sense of not understanding why this is happening or trying to make sense of something that just isn’t really making sense to you. The house Mercury is retrograding in (Aries), will give you an idea of how you may be trying to understand it (or who/where will bring you that understanding eventually). Unless you’re born with Mercury retrograde, this probably won’t be an insightful time. This is a time to be patient and apply meditation skills, trust and peace as you flow through whatever is happening. Things from the past often reappear during a Mercury retrograde phase, old friends, lovers, old writings or books, music etc. Note what is coming up from the past as it will be related to your understanding later.

Mercury moves forward again and retraces its steps though Aries. Eventually, it passes its starting point (16 degrees Aries) and moves to square Pluto at 21 degrees. This is the point where what was brought to light during the retrograde will need to be understood and changes made. Something must go (Pluto)! Usually and especially related to Mercury, this will be an old belief, thought pattern, behavioral response or communication tactic. Something needs to die so that a new healthier understanding may take its place.

In sum, what you’re going to experience here at the end of March and beginning of April is the frustration of the “old way” not working. It may be hard to see though because of retrograde. Look for signals like blaming others or hearing a similar message from people. This is the indicators of what needs to change. Come end of May there is no choice, the new understanding must take hold so that you can move to the next level of consciousness and communication.

My experience has always been that the sooner you work towards what life is pointing at, the easier the whole process is. Of course, that requires humility, insight and a willingness to accept ownership of one’s mental habits which become behavioral and communication patterns. Everything springs from the mind and that’s exactly where this change needs to be made. For example, if you always assume others are thinking negative about you, then you may be confronted with seeing how this belief results in your defensive behavior. In turn, that defensive behavior often makes people feel negative and you create this “proof” that you were right. To change this, you’re going to have to see your part in this and how your automatic beliefs contribute to this reality. 

Look for blaming, this is your telltale sign there is something for you to personally own!

If you’re feeling confused by where this is in your chart or what it means, feel free to utilize some astrological counseling/mentoring. Contact me and we can discuss how I may best assist you in this journey. 

Sincerely,

Galeet