The Transit of Mercury & Its Retrograde Motion

The planet Mercury has to do with our thinking process.  It also has to do with evaluation, speculation, integration and information. 

The placement of Mercury in the Natal Astrology chart, by sign and house position along with natal aspects determines how your mind operates and how it deals with information, both favourable and challenging.  Regardless of how your Mercury is aspected in your natal chart, you have options as to how you wish to deal with life’s adversities and also how you wish to move forward when opportunity strikes.

The Transits of Mercury & Its Retrograde Motion

As Mercury moves through the Zodiac, it forms aspects to all of your planets over a relatively short period of time, quite opposite from the movement of the slow outer planets.  Mercury is known as a neutral planet, suggesting that it needs stimulation from outside sources before it becomes activated.  A transit to your Natal Mercury is quite different in energy from an aspect by Transiting Mercury to your natal positions.

Transiting Mercury changes signs at least once every month unless it goes into retrograde.  Retrograde motion is when a planet appears to move backwards in the Zodiac.  Outer planets are in retrograde about half of the time through the year.  Mercury remains in retrograde for about three weeks at a time.  It can change signs while in retrograde motion, therefore moving over the same degree in your chart three times until it finally moves direct again and continues its forward motion.

Many individuals fear Mercury while in its retrograde cycle but this is a bit of a fallacy.  What Mercury suggests while in retrograde is that you review your current plans before actually moving forward with them.  Mercury retrograde is a time for studying and integrating and then moving ahead when Mercury moves out of retrograde and back into direct motion.  We are not saying stop your plans to do or buy something. We suggest caution, however, if you are signing documents as the outcome may not go as planned.  Some challenges may interrupt the flow of things.

It is also important to know that those with Mercury retrograde in their birth charts may have more issues when Mercury is in retrograde by transit.  It should also be noted that Mercury must affect a planetary position or angle in your natal chart by no more than 3-4° of orb for it to have any type of effect in your chart. 

For example, if Mercury crosses your Sun in Gemini at 3° and your Mercury is retrograde in your birth chart, it will have an impact on your chart especially if Mercury conjuncts or is in opposition to this placement (the Sun in Gemini in our example).  Squares and Trines along with Sextiles have a lessor effect, and the energies will not be as bad as you might think they may be. 

Those individuals that do not have Mercury retrograde in their natal charts may experience nothing more than a minor setback, if at all, during Mercury’s retrograde cycle.

As a side note, all planets except for Saturn while moving through their retrograde cycle do not operate at full capacity.  Saturn, however, seems to operate with far less restrictions while in retrograde than it would in direct motion. 

The transits of Mercury & its retrograde motion are short lived as it moves quickly though the Zodiac. Mercury is neutral and needs stimulation. Use Mercury’s retrograde periods to plan and then act when Mercury goes direct. There is nothing to fear with Mercury retrograde.

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MERCURY WENT DIRECT SEPTEMBER 22, 2016

Mercury has been retrograde since August 30, 2016. It went direct on September 22. We have discussed what Mercury retrograde represents but we have never discussed what to expect from the direct cycle. Mercury does go retrograde 3-4 times a year remaining retrograde for approximately 20 to 24 days. The remaining days in the year Mercury is direct.

Mercury is considered a neutral planet and is only activated when connected with some other planetary link. It reacts in harmonious or discordant ways depending on the energies of the planet that touches it. Mercury is known as the communicator. Its energies are linked to the messenger of the gods. If Mercury is trine (let’s say) to Venus, to Jupiter or to Sun in the natal chart or when making these aspects through transit, Mercury will be activated in a favourable manner.

Transiting Jupiter trine natal Mercury in the 3rd house, for example, may open doors to communication through publication. Communication could be linked to higher learning through studies with topics such as philosophy, religious doctrines or spirituality. If this is a natal aspect then the opportunities for success in writing or any communication techniques such as public speaking, or radio broadcasting could be areas of interest and even areas worth exploring. This is a birth aspect so when it is activated through transit or progression in a favourable manner these avenues of expression may become activated. Mercury in trine or sextile to the Sun, Venus and Jupiter often brings periods of good luck and opportunities.

Mercury is the planet of the mind and provides us with our ways of thinking. Much of how the mind operates can be deciphered by Mercury’s links to other planets in the natal chart. It also rules communication and the same rules apply in the way we talk with others and our style of communication. The Astrological sign which Mercury is located in within the chart plays a big part in the process as well.

When Mercury is direct, it would be a time to sign agreements, move forward with plans, and in general take action. When Mercury is retrograde many of these areas seem to be held back; strategies often do not go as planned or there are interruptions to plans that have already been set in motion. Saturn by aspect can either hinder Mercurial things or bring more stability to them; much depends on the aspect between the two planets.

Mercury is currently in the sign of Virgo and will remain there until it moves into Libra on October 8, 2016. When in Virgo, it is a time to organize things in your life, to make any adjustments to your life that will make things run more smoothly, such as using an organizer or daily planner. Virgo is also about detailed work, making sure all the “t’s” are crossed and the “i’s” are dotted. If your plans include documentation or orchestrating something of importance, after October 8 (sign of Virgo) might be the time to move ahead in these endeavours.

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Holm Astrology also offers individual intuitive readings or group parties. For more information, visit us at www.holmastrology.com/intuitive-readings

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