July 14-August 7, 2012
Every three months we have to contend with good old Mercury retrograde, the most well-known, and sometimes, dreaded of all astrological cycles. Why? Well, because, Mercury retrograde is quite ubiquitous , yet sneaky--you never know when or where it'll strike, and it usually does, when you least expect it. That's why it's important to be aware of it, to some extent at least--and to equally have but a modicum of understanding as to its nature, intention, and function. We've experienced quite a bit of retrograde activity amongst the inner planets the first half of this year--and just as Venus retrograde comes to a close, we are greeted by yet another, albeit more common, Mercury retrograde cycle. While Venus is much more subtle, energetic, and even quite spiritual in its effects, Mercury retrograde always manages to place our attention more towards the nuts and bolts of our tangible reality. The dark side: Mercury retrograde is notorious for throwing that cosmic wrench into our plans and expectations, so, the best advice, is to be aware of this and to simply allow yourself to be more flexible. On the physical level, Mercury retrograde can often, and most commonly, bring up all sorts of mechanical malfunctions--so again, as long as we're aware of this, we can choose to see this as the natural cycle to deal with such things, and try our best to not get so stressed out when certain things go awry. The purpose? To shed light on what needs to be adjusted so that it runs more smoothly in the future, and to bring our attention dynamically to things that have been neglected or overlooked.
The light side: Mercury retrograde actually gives us a break, in the sense that while we find ourselves in the midst of this cycle, we can choose to relax more and not take things so seriously. During Mercury retrograde you will find yourself way ahead of the game if you can understand that this is not an ideal time for moving forward with really important matters--in fact, it's the most dreadful time to find oneself aggressively pushing forward in an attempt to make things happen, or to be particularly attached to a specific direction or outcome. This means that we are likely to find ourselves more in a state of revision and reconsideration at this time, and the best thing we can do is to simply allow this process to happen, and try our best not to fight it. While Mercury is retrograde, the normal flow of cerebral energy is inverted, and so naturally, this has a "turning back" effect, in the sense that we are more in a state of reflection and introspection. With so many prominent retrograde cycles lately, these have obviously been very dominant themes already.
One other important consideration about Mercury retrograde is that it tends to challenge, and allow us to question, certain ideas and informational fragments we've been holding on to. So, naturally, this is an ideal time keep your mind wide open to new bits of knowledge, awareness, and input. While this has also been a prominent theme related to other planetary cycles coalescing at this time--Mercury retrograde, by nature, inherently reveals that we will never know it all, and that there are natural cycles in which this becomes increasingly clear, and brought more to our attention. I personally look forward to these cycles, because for me, there is always a new understanding about the world awaiting to reveal itself each time Mercury goes retrograde. This can lead to a process of adjustment so that we can fit this new awareness into our reality, which is why it is important to remain flexible while this happens. Overall, Mercury retrograde allows us to go back over things--and especially projects and plans we've been working on, so that we can find any kinks or loose screws that could potentially trip us up later on.
Additional Mercury Retrograde Tips
- Practice impeccability: be very clear and sincere when communicating with others--you may need to go over or repeat things more than once to make sure there isn't any confusion or miscommunication.
- Double check all transactions and dealings, especially when it comes to money, and especially if the process is electronic. Don't just trust that things will work out or function as usual, it doesn't hurt to pay extra attention.
- Go over things in your mind that you know need to be fixed, adjusted, or serviced--cars, computers, appliances, etc--before and during the retrograde. Mainly anything that you consider to be important for things to function more smoothly, or could be costly if broken down.
- Avoid making serious or major agreements, such as signing contracts, or making big business dealings/decisions. Take this time to reconsider other options before jumping into action right away.
- Keep an open mind when dealing with others, especially when it comes to opinions or advice--there may be much to learn that you didn't know or understand before. Practice humility and receptivity.
- Be patient, just know that things are not going to flow or move as they usually do--so practicing patience by remaining calm if things "go wrong" can reduce a lot of unnecessary stress, anxiety, or confusion.
- If you find yourself coming up against resistance in an attempt to make something happen, try backing off by allowing things to work out on their own.
- Focus mainly on the "Re" prefix: any activity which incorporates doing something over, or making adjustments--all such activities are highly favored and will be successful: Revising, reworking, reassessing, revamping, reconfiguring, resettling, reverting, refurbishing, reapplying, reassembling, reassociating, reattaining, refocusing, remembering, regrouping, reclaiming, repairing, reducing, replacing, reconnecting, rekindling, etc......
- Keep a sense of humor, and approach things from a more playful mentality--this is the natural time to experiment without much attachment to the outcome. Allow yourself to be guided more now; you will be surprised with where things lead you and how they end up.
Mercury Retrograde In Leo
While Mercury goes retrograde in Leo, there's this collective revision and adjustment of personality and creative self-expression. Other common themes inherent to Leo is our innate human need and desire for simply enjoying the moment, letting it all hang loose, and indulging in a little fun--you only live once, right? Well, maybe we live more than once, but life is limited, finite, and as they say: If there's one guarantee in life, it's death--and taxes, although I'd say even that can be evaded in someways. Anyway, While Mercury is retrograde in Leo, this aspect of life is likely to come to our attention in one way or another, and allow for some pertinent adjustments to take place. Perhaps we've been taking things way too seriously lately, and need to loosen up, and enjoy ourselves a bit--and perhaps our own unique personal style has become stale, rigid, and routine--well, it's time for spicing things up a bit. Conversely, perhaps way too much time has been spent living in the present, and indulging in immediate desires and gratifications. Mercury retrograde in Leo could knock some sense into the whole situation, or seriously rain on your Leonian parade. Which ever end of the spectrum one falls--creativity, the enjoyment of life, and how we share ourselves dynamically with others--takes center stage.
Mercury retrograde in Leo redirects our attention toward the development of entirely new and creative directions, not only in our own personal style, but also in the way we navigate our own lives. The first half of this year presented us already with a tremendous amount of adjustment, revision, and direction changing--re-routing consciousness toward the awareness of entirely new potentials within ourselves and within the world around us. This retrograde cycle can be seen as a powerful bridging point, and one that will guide us playfully and creatively toward solidifying that next major step or possible breakthrough in our lives. We may find ourselves hesitant now, since before things have really only been visualized or speculated--but after this cycle is over, there will be a powerful jolt of momentum, allowing for a lot of movement and productivity we've all been waiting for. Obviously, this process will vary quite considerably for each of us, and will manifest in varying levels of significance or impact--but overall, we will all feel this energy in some way or another--and most definitely within the collective.
Take this time to deeply reflect on the past several months leading up to this point, and look for patterns within your own individual process. What's been holding you back now? What's keeping you from being who you want to be? While Mercury is retrograde in Leo, it's best to test things out, play with various ideas a bit more--and see how they feel and radiate within the core of your being. When Mercury goes direct, feel free to step out, take center stage, and utilize your innate willpower to assist in creative actualization. Allow this retrograde to be the vehicle towards a stronger utilization of talents and abilities, as well as a powerful manifestation of potential. The effects of Mercury retrograde manifest during both shadow periods, as well as the retrograde itself. Whatever transpires during the initial shadow, will likely be reworked and further developed during the actual retrograde--and finished up or completed at the final shadow.
Mercury Retrograde In Leo 2012
06-27-2012 01 Leo 26' Enter Shadow
07-14-2012 12 Leo 33' Stationary Retrograde
08-07-2012 01 Leo 26' Stationary Direct
08-22-2012 12 Leo 33' Leave Shadow
*Saturn in Libra goes direct on June 24, 2012--and Venus in Gemini on June 27th. Mid August, after Mercury leaves the final shadow, till around October, will be the most propitious window of time for launching new projects and endeavors, especially if you want things to have more stability, consistency, productivity, and reliability.