Besides the ever changing Moon Mercury is the swiftest planet for us to watch on his path around the Sun. And with his apparent retrograde movement from our place of view, Mercury gives us another pair of glasses to look into the world in a different and more holistic way. For 3 weeks this retrograde motion will move Mercury backwards all the way from Libra into Virgo. This article is an astrological update and forecast of the planetary weather in the heavens for September 8, 2009 but will serve you in a general way as well to understand Mercury retrograde challenges and gifts.
Mercury in Mythology
The planets played an important role in early mythology and religion and were thought to be divine beings. The names of the planets (except for Earth, which was not understood as a planet by the ancients) come from Greek and Roman mythology. The Greeks, Romans, and later cultures associated each planet with a specific god.
To look at the planetary principles as gods works for me because they do represent universal principles which are governing our universe and can therefore be looked at as GODS.
For example, the planet Mercury was thought as the messenger from the gods. He represents our mind, intellect, the way we think and communicate. Mercury is known as a teacher and traveler. He loves to explore, discuss, and learn. He is extremely flexible, a connection between things, but neutral and impartial. He is very curious, sometimes mischievous and playful. On the physical level he influences the brain and the nervous system.
Mercury has a Bad Reputation
There has been much written about Mercury retrograde when things connected with Mercury might not go as smooth as expected and he has gotten a bad reputation for putting sand into the turning wheels.
What happens when Mercury goes retrograde? The apparent backward motion of Mercury perceived from our point of view on earth is called retrograde. It happens about 4 times a year for about 3 weeks. But it is just an optical illusion based on the relative speeds and orbits of the Earth and Mercury around the Sun.
This phenomenon has been studied by astrologers for thousands of years and has been proven to be a time of challenges with all things connected with Mercury. These are areas like communications of all kinds, transportation, electrical equipment, computers, communication devices, traveling, contracts, cars, relationships and public relations might provide you with some trouble, annoyance and delays.
The Potential Benefits
And with all its challenges Mercury retrograde in Libra and Virgo is providing us with the chance to be more thorough with already started projects, complete and review, put things in order and catch up on paperwork. It is a good time to revisit old, unfinished problems, abandoned projects and have another look at them.
This is also a good time to go back through your notes of goals and intentions and deepen your connection and commitment to achieving them. Make a list of steps to move towards them.
With this retrograde period being in Libra and Virgo it is the time for paying loving attention to your relationships and friendships and your health. Think of it as a period of re-evaluation and maintenance for where you are in your life. You could say you get a second chance to put your affairs in order.
Relationship
This is not a good time to get married or to sign any contracts in your life. Communication in your relationships might not flow so easy these days. There could be misunderstandings or even an unwillingness to deal with things. It can be as simple as not hearing back from people you sent an email to or things dragging on where they shouldn’t. Like I am trying to reach this guy to do some work on my website and he forgets to get back to me. Or I ask a question several times to my assistant and never get an answer. My friend Rajita accidentally drowned her cell phone in the pool -- those kinds of things might just happen more often.
It is a time to take a deep breath and let it go. Just except everything will take a little longer and patience is needed. I am fore sure not the best person to follow my own advice. My Moon is in Aquarius and I am not known for too much patience. Especially at the computer if things do not work out the way they are supposed to I am getting upset very fast.
Health
Virgo people are known to be very interested and willing to pay attention to their body and physical temple of their soul. People with the Sun in Virgo usually have experience and educate themselves about healthy living and a good diet. It is only logical to them that you can only expect your body to function properly on a good wholesome diet. I know several Virgos who have experimented with raw food, or a more alkaline diet, they are vegetarians or on a low carbohydrate diets. Of course they eat organic and not much processed food in general.
This retrograde motion of Mercury is a great chance for you for some personal studies on your own and taking an aim for a healthier life style and diet. A healthier life style has to include some ways of exercising as well. With so many hours sitting at a desk in front of a computer, what most of us do, we need to balance that with motion.
Do you remember how much you used to move around as a kid and how you loved it? I used to do so many things from athletics, handball, karate, aikido, riding, skiing, rollerblading, Yoga, Tai Chi, biking and dancing at different times in my life. I remember how good it felt to move and be righteously tired in the evening. Nowadays I have so many physical problems that I am very limited in the exercises I can do. But I still dance the Five Rhythms every Sunday if possible, I sit with a book on my standing bike and I do Yoga.
I think the trick with exercising is to find something you really like to do and start slowly. For me -- I love to read. So for me it is no hardship to sit on my bike and read at the same time. My Sunday dances are a way to get out into my community, see friends, and celebrate life. When I do my Yoga I listen to some Abraham Hicks CDs or put some nice music on. Whatever it is for you, Mercury will help you put your mind to it and figure it out.
And then we can move on to new horizons and adventures with Mercury going direct and forward again end of the month.
This is how Mercury for 2009 is looking like in its back and forth movements:
12 Jan Mercury turns retrograde 8 Aquarius
1 Feb Mercury turns direct 22 Capricorn
8 May Mercury turns retrograde 2 Gemini
30 May Mercury turns direct 23 Taurus
8 Sep Mercury turns retrograde 6 Libra
29 Sep Mercury turns direct 22 Virgo
27 Dec Mercury turns retrograde 22 Capricorn
Remember putting on the astrological glasses can help you to align yourself with the universal forces and help you to be at more ease with them and what is happening in your life. For me my awareness and conscious presence with what is helps me tremendously to relax into it and use it to my advantage.
A Mercury Gemstone – the Citrine
--Citrine is ruled by the Sun and Mercury. Citrine is a light yellow to gold-brown colored Quartz. It crystallizes in hexagonal prisms with pyramids on the top of each crystal. Most Citrines that are found in shops are heat treated Amethysts or Smoky Quartz. The treated stones will be more golden or brownish, while natural Citrine is more of a pale yellow. A heat-treated stone will need some kind of healing ritual to restore it to its natural energies.
Citrine is a stone for the second or third chakra, depending on its color. It brings in the energy of the sun and opens our mind to higher thoughts beyond fears and doubts. Citrine gives us the patience and endurance we need to focus our mind on details such as writing, planning, and putting things in their proper order. The sun energy is dispelling depression and opens us to allow more light and love into our life.— (Adapted from Jewelry and Gems for Self-Discovery: Choosing Gemstones That Delight the Eye & Strengthen the Soul © 2008 by Shakti Carola Navran. Llewellyn Worldwide, Ltd.)
I like the Citrine for meditation. I lay it onto my heart or third eye. I also like the faceted stones because they are so wonderful sparkly, bright like the sun and they are very affordable in bigger chunks for big rings. Check out my Shakti Jewelry for the Soul website where you can see an archive of custom work soul jewelry and still available pieces I have done.
If you enjoy my astrological musings I invite you to find more on my Astrological Signs Weather Report & Healing Gems Blog for a regular update on the universal flow in the heavens. As you can tell I am also very passionate about the abilities of the healing gemstones to help to align and balance our flow and have even written a book about it. If you know where your challenges are, you can then take steps to support or balance yourself with gemstones, if that is something that appeals to you.
I hope you enjoyed this post. I am looking forward to hearing from you about your experiences with Mercury, aloha and many blessings, Shakti.
Shakti Carola Navran: astrologer, jeweler and author
