Mercury Retrograde, Dec 26 - Jan 15, 2010
By Catherine Kenward
www.astrologess.com

Many people who know a little bit about astrology are aware of Mercury's occasional periods of retrograde when communications go awry and obstacles and delays arise but what is this really all about?

Mercury represents the mind, how we communicate and how our mental processes work. This is different for everyone. Some people are more intuitive, others more emotional or practical thinkers. Not everyone is an analytical reasoner. How your mind works depends on how Mercury is placed in your birth chart and also on how current astrological trends are affecting you.

Every year Mercury goes through three retrograde periods when, from our vantage point on planet Earth, it appears to move backwards for a while. If you are born while Mercury is in one of these periods, you have Mercury retrograde in your birth chart. Retrograde Mercury is more contemplative and inwardly focused not the busy, out-going chatterbox that a direct Mercury can sometimes be. Both placements have their strong and weak points, neither placement is better than the other, just different.

When Mercury goes into a retrograde phase business and personal communications often become confused or temporarily blocked. Ideally, this is a time to stop and review what's been happening, to take some quiet time to contemplate and meditate on the big picture and how well current activities reflect your goals and intentions. Unfortunately, the world does not come to a stop just because Mercury is retrograde. If it catches you in the middle of a business deal, signing papers, buying a house, etc, Mercury retrograde can be very frustrating. Papers get lost in the mail or misplaced, phone messages and emails get deleted or lost in space. If you try to force something through it ultimately ends up back on your desk needing to be redone or revised.

Each Mercury retrograde is different. As it moves backwards, Mercury revisits any planetary contacts (aspects) that it has recently made and prolongs their sphere of influence. Since Mercury moves very quickly, any aspect it makes is usually in effect for only a few days. When retrograde Mercury triggers an aspect, its influence is extended for almost two months. The nature of the aspect colors the experience of that particular retrograde period.

This winter Mercury goes retrograde on Dec. 26th, pausing right on top of the North Node. (The North and South Nodes are not planets. They are the points at which the Moon's orbit intersects the Earth's orbit and are widely used in Hindu or Vedic astrology). The Nodes have a strong quality of destiny or what the eastern religions call karma. They were also an important part of medieval European astrology where they were used as predictors of fated events, both positive and negative. Nostradamus rose to fame after he predicted the King of France's death when a difficult line-up occurred on the King's South Node.

Mercury with the North Node in the sign of Capricorn indicates some type of intellectual achievement or recognition, the triumph of certain ideas or policies. Capricorn is a political animal so this will surely pertain to the world of politics. Individually, its effect depends on how this alignment is placed in your own birth chart. Clear-headed, practical thinking is favored, as well as strategizing and charting a productive course for the New Year.

As Mercury continues its backward motion, it moves just within range of the planet Pluto, which is now in the early part of Capricorn. Mercury comes to a stop as it changes direction and begins to move forward again on Jan. 15th. At this time it will be triggering one of the more important astrological alignments of the coming year, the square between Saturn and Pluto. Expect to bump up against some stubborn, deeply ingrained attitudes that can be a real road-block to progress. At its worst, this can bring an encounter with some very cold and calculating characters.

Mercury first triggered this Saturn/Pluto square back on Dec. 7th, so events in mid January will be related to what you were experiencing at that time. For many people old, unhealthy mindsets will kick into gear under this influence. Self-sabotaging behavior and attitudes that keep you stuck in the past become more obvious now, making it easier to get some perspective on oppressive and limiting patterns that usually operate below the surface, unconsciously.

Mercury will join up with the North Node again in early February so, hopefully, progress will be made as practicality wins out over self-destructive behavior and a hard won perspective helps heal old wounds.