Yay!!! Mercury goes direct today!! The Magician is finally starting to pick up speed and move forward.
I tried to be upbeat about this astrological cycle in my post three weeks ago, but this Mercury Retrograde has been sort of tough.
With Mercury being the planet of communication and transportation, when it slows down, things can get a little haywire in both these areas. And it was.
The biggest manifestation has to be the failure of four electrical grids in India last week that resulted in the loss of electricity for over 670 million people.
Talk about slowing things down. I can only imagine.
But on a personal level, my own computer networks acted crazy too. Sure I was able to dig through things that needed to be reorganized, but only because everything around me seemed to fall apart.
Computer servers didn’t serve, programs didn’t open, and information typically had to be relayed once, twice, sometimes three times before it was clear. And even then it wasn’t always.
If ever there was a story of Mercury messing with someone, that’s it.
To be fair though, as I predicted (and hoped), this planetary slow down did bring some old friends back into my world, even for a brief visit, and that was great.
But happy reunions or not, I’m glad that this cycle’s done for a while. It feels like I just caught up to where I was three weeks ago. Now it’s finally time to charge ahead! Go!!
Mercury goes retrograde today and will be that way until August 7th.
From a Tarot perspective, it’s sort of like the Magician is running backwards, or at least he’s been considerably slowed down from his usual high-speed pace forward.
The Magician is a first rate communicator. His messages are typically clear, timely, and right on point.
And as a representative of communication in general, he’s also known for keeping information technology on-line, and travel and transport running smoothly.
But when he’s in retrograde, or going much, much slower than usual, the Magician’s usually perfectly delivered messages can get out of whack.
They can be ill-timed, murky, and address everything except the point at hand. Travel can also get kooky. And it’s wise to back up your digital files just in case …
But it’s really not all bad.
A slow-moving Magician gives us a chance to really dig into the details, and maybe even fix things that have been neglected till now because there just hasn’t been the time.
And if you’ve been forced to take the ‘scenic’ route on your way somewhere, try not to fret.
Wherever you find yourself, look around. There’s likely something on that path you really want to see that you would have missed had you taken your intended route.
Mercury in retrograde, or the Magician slowed way, way down, isn’t the same as the Magician reversed. He’s not on his head. He’s just looking back and taking his time with things.
This isn’t the best time to start fresh, or jump on new ideas, but it’s perfect for reading the fine print or figuring out why your account reconciliation isn’t balancing.
And if there are people or places you haven’t seen in a while, this is an ideal time to visit, call, or send a quick email. You might be surprised at how important a visit back can be to your future.
Expect delays and even some backtracking. And don’t be surprised if people say some unusual things. Know though that in the end it’s all good.
This is an opportunity to get things straight and organized, not a hindrance to what you want to do next.
When the Magician finally does start speeding up again on August 7th, you’ll be back in the fast lane, and stronger for the detour.
A 30 foot golden replica of Michelangelo’s David took a tour of New York City last week.
Serkan Ozkaya created the piece and thought it would be interesting to see it visit different neighbourhoods before eventually heading to its new home at a museum in Louisville, Kentucky.
To me it looked a like a statue of Mercury, tied down, and without his winged feet. That got me thinking of Mercury Retrograde and how this golden David was a perfect metaphor for the messenger planet slowed down.
And as it turns out, Mercury went retrograde just yesterday and will be so until April 3rd.
Though this planetary shift can bring with it miscommunications, computer kookiness, and transportation snafus, it’s not all bad.
It can also give you an opportunity to slow down and sort through tasks you’ve been putting off for a while, maybe even since the last time Mercury went retrograde late last year.
During this time, it’s recommended not to sign contracts, or buy electronics without getting a warranty. And you might want to give yourself a little extra time to get to appointments or other important commitments.
But don’t stress out if things don’t move along exactly as you expect them to. They might not go as planned, but they’ll most likely work out fine in the end.
We can take our cue from the golden David, if you have to take the long route, you might as well just relax and enjoy the ride.
If communication and travel have been crazy these last three weeks, fear not, life should be getting back to normal soon.
Since November 24th, Mercury has been retrograde. The small but super-fast planet has been moving slowly, making the world that much more complicated for us here on Earth.
When Mercury lags behind the Earth we often find ourselves confusing messages, retracing past errors, or having to do new things over and again.
Travel can get messed up, with increased incidents of car trouble, flight delays, or subway standstills. But in the end, everything usually works out just fine.
As does most of the trouble appearing during a Mercury retrograde, whether it’s lost emails, hard-drive crashes, or misplaced cellphones.
For all the confusion it can cause, Mercury slowing down isn’t always so bad.
It’s great for clearing through old tasks, and working through details you might normally miss.
And at least in my life, it’s usually a time for catching up with old friends who seem to appear out of nowhere and disappear as fast.
Whether it’s been a good retrograde for you, or just one giant challenge, it’s over for now, not to return again until March 12, 2012.
If we think of Mercury from a Tarot perspective, the Magician has finally stopped running backwards.
He’s zooming forward ahead, still in Sagittarius, but now at full speed towards the future.
Mercury moved back into Leo today, and will be there until September 9th.
Looking at this transit through the eyes of the Tarot, it would be like the Magician is wearing Strength’s clothing.
He’s still floating his lemniscates, but now he’s wearing a dress, and for part of the time, he’ll be going backwards.
Mercury in Leo, or the Magician in Strength’s clothing is a time of energetic and potentially exciting communication.
Ideas can be expressed with enthusiasm, and it’s worthwhile to share. You can inspire others, and be inspired right back.
Watch out for boasting though, and keep to the straight and narrow when you tell a story. It’s easy to get carried away when the sun’s shining and everyone seems to be smiling.
Be inspired, clear, and focused. But please note, until August 26th, Mercury will be retrograde. It’s sort of like the Magician is running backwards.
Communication and travel are especially prone to mix ups, and with Strength’s energy involved, the results can be dramatic.
It’s nothing to be afraid of, just remember to check your schedule twice, and try to think before saying anything that might cause a stir. It’s hard to take things back once they’re out.
And on a more positive note, it might be a good time to catch up with old friends. Wherever the Magician looks, he sees something interesting, and right now, he’s looking back.
