Mercury Retrograde By Dr. Puja Shah Mercury retrograde we’ve all heard of it. But did you feel it recently? Associated with lost keys, late payments, closed off streets while getting to an important meeting, computer drive failures and major communication mishaps, Mercury retrograde does not have the best reputation. Some people clear everything out and take a fully cautious approach against its current, while other people seem impervious to it, like it’s not even happening.
What exactly is mercury retrograde? Mercury retrograde happens when the planet Mercury passes between the Earth and the Sun. Because Mercury’s orbit is about 84 days, this happens three times a year. The retrogrades typically last about 22 days, but there is also a margin on either side of two to three weeks where the influences can still be felt.
The current retrograde took place between January 5th and 25th 2016.
What astrologers call the shadow phase has passed and we are in retrograde. The afterretrograde echo phase begins when Mercury stations direct. And just so you know, Mercury is not made of mercury. It has a huge core with a very high density, leading many astronomers to believe that it’s made mostly of iron. In fact Mercury is believed to have the highest iron content of any planet in the Solar System. This is all another way of saying Mercury retrograde is actually when a huge iron magnet passes between the Earth and the Sun. This may actually explain why cell phones act up, and maybe even why we act ‘weird’, like losing things or looking into problems that are not problems. Our nervous system runs on electricity so “this magnet” may just be throwing us off, too.
So what’s with the no signing, no buying thing? When Mercury stations, either retrograde or direct, it’s pretty interesting. Mercury has a way of bringing out information, especially right as it stations. You can pretty much count on this. If you’re working on research or trying to solve a mental puzzle you just can’t get the answer of, keep at it until the next Mercury station retrograde. This is one reason you want to wait before signing contracts or buying anything important. Don’t jump to press send. Communication errors are so common during this time. If an item of communication like an email is missed by someone, don’t assume that they are ignoring you. With spam filters, busy people answering a hundred emails a day and odd errors like emails simply not arriving, it’s better to give people the benefit of the doubt, especially during Mercury retrograde. Wait a day or two. If you haven’t heard from them, send a friendly reminder. Plus…try the phone. Things can get misconstrued in emails, so before letting that happen, pick up and dial or meet in person if possible. Like the saying goes, err on the side of being human and do it the old fashioned way.
What can you do then? It’s not like you can’t do anything. You can always work on resolving the past and planning the future. Clean your desk free of old papers and go through email clutter. You can even collect your ideas and figure out what you’re going to do next for a future event or current project. And keep your sense of humor alive. It can be easy to let Mercury take over your mind, but might be better to laugh it off when your timely document has disappeared from the Cloud that morning. To survive, remember, Mercury too, shall pass.