http://cafeastrology...retrograde.html
Mercury Retrograde in Leo: July 14th to August 8th, 2012
Although not quite as popular as Sun sign astrology, "Mercury Retrograde" has certainly become a buzzword - or buzz phrase - these days.
What is Mercury Retrograde? Three, and sometimes four, times a year, the planet Mercury appears to be moving backwards in the sky for a period of approximately 3 weeks. "Appears" is the key word here, because, technically speaking, no planet actually moves backwards in their orbits around the Sun. In fact, they don't even slow down. Retrograde-station-direct cycles are essentially illusions that result from our point of view from Earth, simply because the Earth is also orbiting the Sun at a different speed than the other planets. Mercury turns retrograde more frequently than any other planet. It can never be more than 28 degrees from the Sun, and whenever it reaches its furthest distance from the Sun, it changes direction.
Where is Mercury Retrograde transiting by house in your natal chart? Does it conjunct a natal planet, your Ascendant, or Midheaven? Read interpretations of Mercury Retrograde in Transit for a more personalized meaning of the transit cycle.
Mercury is retrograde from July 14th to August 8th, 2012. Mercury's shadow period begins June 27th and ends August 22nd, 2012.
As the planet of communication, Mercury retrograde tends to breed a certain level of confusion. Mercury rules our "lower" mind--how we perceive and interpret information that we receive from our environment, and how we relay that information to others. Mercury has rulership over such things as speaking, negotiating, buying and selling, listening, formal contracts, documents, travel, the mail and shipping, and so forth. All of these areas of life are affected when Mercury is functioning in a sluggish state. Decision-making is challenged during Mercury retrograde. Needless to say, it is not advised to sign contracts, engage in important decision-making, or launch a new business. Delays and challenges are more probable with Mercury retrograde. It's a time when being careless with money, our personal information, or paperwork can be costly.
There is a positive side to Mercury Retrograde. This period is best used for re-organizing and reflecting. We look at the world a little differently--through different filters--and can come up with some very important inner revelations. It may be difficult to communicate them under this influence, but not everything needs to be rationalized. Mercury retrograde periods can be times of heightened inner awareness, when meditation, benefiting from keeping a journal, reworking old plans, and reviewing past work are favored. Minor breaks in the mechanical aspects of communication can actually re-connect us to other means of communication, such as when there is an unexpected power outage and we're forced off the computer and television, finding different and often satisfying ways to entertain ourselves.
It is important to note that there is abssolutely no reason to suspend projects or anything of the sort during the Mercury Retrograde cycle. It's not an ideal time to start new ones or to sign contracts, simply because a change of mind is very possible once Mercury turns direct. However, it's a fabulous time to do some "outside of the box" thinking. Acting on our ideas, however, might be best left for a Mercury Direct period.
Not everyone feels the effects of Mercury retrograde. Those born with Mercury retrograde in their natal chart, for example, may not notice the effects described above.
When Mercury is retrograde in the natal chart itself, the thinking processes are generally more acute, and the sense of humor rather quirky. People with Mercury retrograde take in information differently than those with Mercury direct in their natal charts. How many people are born with a retrograde Mercury? Roughly 18%.
This has been the Hardest Mercury Retrograde EVER!
Started by
nikkiblue
, Jul 30 2012 11:30 AM
3 replies to this topic
#3
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- VibeTribe
- 1,242 posts
Posted 30 July 2012 - 12:01 PM
Good God, I was wondering if Mercury was in Retrograde during Vibes! I had every sort of communication / technical / logistical malfunction you could imagine that weekend! As a result, missed most headliners, and a LOT of other cool stuff...Thanks God for the Tapers is all I can say! 
