Mercury Retrograde Discussion

OK (I'm putting on my body armor as I speak) - Let's talk of many things -- especially mercury retrograde. Pallas has talked about this in other threads, as have others, and we seem to have many different schools of thought on this topic.

First, a little about myself. I'm schooled in astrology, but I don't do it full time, and never for others as a vocation. Only for moi. Now. I'm also a college professor and a realtor (both full time, ha) and in real estate we deal with contracts.

I've noticed that during mercury retrograde periods, things that aren't meant to happen will fall apart. Things, however, that are simply being resolved, will resolve quite nicely during mercury's apparent retrograde motion. Mercury is about to go retrograde as I write this -- This is Friday and I believe Mercury will be retrograde on Monday or Tuesday (don't have the exact in front of me at the moment).
Yesterday I got a call from a client who had earlier decided not to sell and buy another house. He decided to go ahead with his earlier plans, and we are writing the contracts on both the sale and the listing this weekend.
I also got word that an earlier deal with a buyer that had been turned down by the seller was now possibly back on, although my buyer has to write another offer before that will occur and I'm not sure they will;
AND
yesterday I was on an important conference call with clients whose property is my listing and a contract is awaiting their signatures for acceptance. It appears that before we can accept the contract they want assurances from the buyers that they can afford the property. What was interesting about this deal is, before these people were totally unavailable, but yesterday they arranged a conference call between siblings to resolve questions they had.

I believe that mercury retrograde is good for many things, especially in resolving conflicts, re-visiting issues, and working out the kinks in agreements.

I do agree that new projects are best not started under mercury retrograde, because by its very nature, this aspect requires some revision with anything that is started under it.

Now. Let's be nice. But let's talk. OK???

thinks mercury's been retrograde for the past three weeks. it's been in & out of the shop because of connection problems (it apparently does not like the new ethernet card i had installed & refuses to behave & play nice). i'm to the point of going out & just buying a new computer so i can actually use the internet connection i'm paying for, but i know now's not the time to go out & buy new stuff, especially electronics. however, i don't like the idea of sitting around for 3 weeks with no access to the net from home.

dg

I like your take on it Pink Tiger.

I know lots of folks go into a tizzy about it...interesting, that. Funny thing is, I lived the early part of my life ...living through all those MercRxs and not even being aware...and I have survived them all :)

I think we often get back what we put out ( project)...and that sometimes poor little Merc bears the brunt of things that aren't necessarily his fault...perhaps its how we communicate (Mercury) with ourselves (inward) during retrgrade cycles...if we expect things to be difficult, then they may turn out that way. :shrug:

Of course there is always your own chart Mercury placement in the mix, too..if it was direct or Rx...aspects & so forth.

The worst thing for me is I get my words all mixed up, my typos INCREASE :scared: and communications/messages get missed, lost or mixed up. I just try to flow through these things, knowing that at some point they will straighten out.

It is also a great time for me to hear from people I haven't heard from for ages...or get in touch with them :)

So my advice...don't fear Merc Rx...it is a CYCLE and as such, it too will pass :)

:hi:
DR

Things that should be moving forward get stuck. People literally can sit in traffic when they need to be somewhere. Computers slow down, etc. The big example was the 2000 election which remained in limbo for 6 weeks.

Mercury Stationary.

Personally, I'm not too fond of the whole 3 weeks before and during the Mercury RX.

I think it depends on how many Planets you have in Mercury ruled Constellations and Houses. I have 6 Planets, A Rising Sign, and an Asteroid in Gemini and Virgo..and People must think I'm stupid during these times(although I'm always telling my friends and co-workers as much about Merc as possible).

My daughter and her family are flying in from Portland, Oregon to visit me in New York, next Tues, and I would have chosen another time..but am certainly going to try and make the best of it.

to go visit friends at Annopolis before flying back to Oregon and the trip was very successful,imo!

I was apprehensive because of the timing and I hadn't seen them for 4 years..it was so awesome to see them again!

I, too, have felt that things not meant to happen seem to fall apart under mercury retrograde, but other things can go quite well. Understanding this has allowed me to go forward, albeit carefully, with things.

I really fear it when it comes around.

Here's some information from a website:
"On March 20th, 2005 at the Equinox—the cosmic turning point—Mercury, the cosmic magician, turns retrograde again, sending communications, travel, appointments, mail and the www into a general snarlup! This awkward period begins a few days before the actual turning point (as Mercury slows) and lasts for three weeks or so, until April 12, when the Winged Messenger reached his direct station. At this time he halts and begins his return to direct motion through the zodiac.

Everything finally straightens out on May 1, 2005, as he passes the point where he first turned retrograde. Mercury turns retrograde three times a year, as a rule, but the effects of each period differ, according to the sign in which it happens (see box for Retrograde Periods in 2005)."

Link:
http://www.astrologycom.com/mercret.html

Further discussion:

Mercury is retrograde in Aries, which is my eighth house. I think looking at the house in your chart, the aspects the planet makes during its transit there, and the duration of the retrograde period are all important. Of course, if looking for a more generalized effect on the world at large, a person would need to study the impact of the eighth house on that, plus any mundane aspects in the chart considered (country, et al).
In my case, Mercury is not making major aspects, but it is in the my house of other people's money, meaning that I will have to work through some dealings with contracts and real estate deals during this period. In many respects, this is a beneficial aspect, because it means that the paperwork will be considered and reconsidered and set right before we go forward to ninth house affairs in April.

take on Mercury Rx.

I purchased my treadmil during a Merc Rx, and without failure, during a Merc Rx, my treadmil acts up in some way. I'd never purchase any electrical item during that period, again.

The Republicans pulled this "Free Terry Now" stunt the weekend Mercury went Retrograde.

And so, if astrological theory holds true, there is a high likelihood that their actions will not stand, but will instead suffer some kind of reversal.

But then again, they are attempting to reverse what had already been settld after 7 years. So they may, curiously, be going with the tide. We shall see.

Of course, George W. Bush is at the center of it. Just as he is responsible for high gas prices, he is responsible in the Schiavo matter for trampling on basic human freedom -- all the while proclaiming that freedom is what he is all about. Hypo-krite.

This whole Schiavo case will blow up in their faces. I certainly hope so, anyway.

Tell me if I am off...

Looking at my chart, I have Mercury in the second house (money)
Mercury Virgo 14°56'16 02 direct
2nd House Virgo 03°49'08

Major aspects:
Mercury Conjunction Venus 3°19
Mercury Quincunx Jupiter 0°58
Mercury Sextile Uranus 2°45

I just received my first unemployment check in the mail Friday! Yay! But it says they have the right to appeal.
Since my supervisor "re-created" the times when she "thought" I worked for my last paycheck instead of going to the official computer records, this shorted my time by 3 hours. Furthermore, this goes to bolster their claim that I left early. I have been advised to go to the Dept of Labor and let them know. They will supoena the official records which will prove I did NOT leave early, and so no misconduct took place. (I can be denied for unemployment if it was through misconduct)
So, my interpretation is to follow this through based on where Mercury is in my chart.

The other thing is on Tuesday, I have a job interview with a company I interviewed with last year. Since this is a repeat, I stand a better chance of getting the job this time based on Mercury. Right?

Fight the good fight... and then move on to the new job, if it's a good one!! I'll be sending prayers and energy your way!

BTW, has your dad tried stabilized Oxygen? Comes in a liquid form and is taken as few drops under the tongue. I've heard it does extraordinary things for those who have suffered from chronic pulmonary conditions...asthma, chronic emphysema etc.

I am a biochemist/nutritionist and after doing clinical research for the NIH for many years, I like to investigate different products. Several yrs ago I bought a bottle of stabilized oxygen in the health food store and used it for ~ 1 month.

I do not have any pulmonary problems. However, I was quite amazed at how much energy it gave me. And, I could run several miles almost effortlessly! Just a thought.

Next Tuesday at 10 am. This job would only be 4 miles from my home and although a "temp to hire", I would have more of a chance at eventually becoming permanent.
It is in insurance (P&C) and although I had a license which lapsed in December, I had been trying to get into the field.
I audited the insurance class (again) and will be sitting for the test shortly. I have not picked the day, but the employer wants me to get the license asap.
Yep, the Spaghettios, Top Ramen Soup and PBJ sandwiches are getting old!

I went out this evening and purchased the next to last bottle of stabilized oxygen. I figured if I could tell my Dad a firsthand experience...he MIGHT try it.
My chest became tight and I kept wanting to cough. It was right after I had mentioned that I had skipped a cold so far this year. Jinxed! I took some of my echinacea and also purchased Cold Calm as recommended in another thread. Thanks!

And while these are helpful overall, right now the issue with Mercury retrograde is dealing with the transit of Mercury in Aries. This would be your ninth house, probably, if your natal Mercury was in Virgo in your second house; but without knowing the sign on your 9th house cusp and the degree, I can't tell for sure.

Anyway, it is either in your ninth or your eighth, and you should be looking at those houses and what they rule, as well as the sign and what they rule to get a handle on how Mercury retrograde will affect you.

Guess I will try to learn more about astrology starting from Astrology 101 and later get into more advanced stuff.
It really is fascinating.

You take your basic natal chart and then on the outside, put the transiting planets.
Depending on what kind of computer you have, there are also free and/or shareware programs that will cast the chart for you. I use Kairon - I have a Mac - and it helps me look at transits.

Do you or anyone you know have a natal Mercury retrograde? If so, do you or did you have any learning problems, ADD, etc? If you had them and they began to clear up, do you remember what year that was and have you checked to see if, by progression, Mercury went direct at that time?

Also, does anyone with a Mercury retrograde natally have sginificant vision issues, ambliopia, asthma, or other sensory awareness or lung issues? These are all areas ruled by Mercury. Thanks.

I've always had a speech impediment --a slight lisp -- that was more pronounced when I was younger.

My son, with multiple Virgo and one Gemini planet, has Mercury retrograde. He has strabismus and has had 4 eye surgeries. He wears one contact lens on the bad eye and it seems finally to be OK. I think this is because the Mercury turned direct a few years back by progression. He also had a speech impediment when he was littlebut we had his phrenulum cut (muscle under the tongue) during one of the eye surgeries (since he was already under) and that seemed to correct it. He also had asthma for a while but that also is resolved. I was interested to see if the pattern fit with other Mercury retrogrades.

I also had an eye problem - not crossed, but looking outward, and it was more or less fixed when I was young, by itself; now that I'm older, though, it is back at times, especially when tired.

Mercury retrograde is interesting, I think. It doesn't bother me as much as others, because my whole life, I think, has been like one whole mercury retrograde.

Ha!

Actually, though, I've been able to see the blessing side of things with these transits.

I've been an astrologer for 30 years and I'm an expert on this subject since my natal Mercury in Aries is Rx. My Ascendant is in Gemini so I sort of get a double whammy when transiting Mercury goes Rx.

Once, an astrologer at a workshop I attended told the audience that anybody who had a Rx Mercury at birth was retarded. :) While it may be true that some natal Rx Mercuries manifest in learning disabilities, asthma, etc., it's not true in my case. I've found my Mercury Rx to kind of temper the aggressive of Aries (I have a stellium in Aries) so I think before I speak.

Some of the ways this Rx "curse" has affected me is in writing -- anything. I write and rewrite everything until it's perfect (for me)and I procrastinate, a LOT.

When you're born with a Rx Mercury you learn to live with it. I simply wouldn't know how to live without it! :)

That's hilarious. So I must have Mercury Rx to thank for not being a genius. Ha!
I, by the way, am a Virgo with a stellium in Virgo - a Virgo rising - and I was born during an eclipse. (4:31 a.m., 9/12/50, Leavenworth, KS).
My natal Mercury is just inside my 2nd house, in Virgo. That, along with a Neptune in Libra in my 2nd, has made me have to work very hard for the money.

Sorry that your son has had so many challenges to deal with at such an early age. I bet he's got a bounce-back spirit, though!
I checked on astrodienst for which friends/relatives that I had on file, that have merc r, and found it interesting. I have merc r in 1 deg libra, and have always had attention wavering, plus reversal of letters/numbers. However, I'd have to look for the progressions to see when that seemed to clear up. my father also has an r mercury at 2 pisces. He has not had any typical learning disability, but does have add to the point that he seems off in space most of the time. I also looked up my sister's kids, since I know that 2 of them have learning probs in school. None of them have r mercury, but lots of outer planets were r during 1990-97. I also wondered if having the sun conjunct mercury would mitigate communication problems in any sense? I also wondered if uranus aspecting merc could cause similar problems. I do have one friend with merc r who does not have add or a learning problem, but does have a biochemical imbalance causing her some paranoia, etc. I don't know if mercury covers that sort of thing or not. hadn't thought about the vision aspect of mercury, but that would seem more unusual/rare. Anyway, I hope this isn't too much information for you- good luck with your project.

direct by age 4, returning forward to natal degree by age 8
forced to change from left-handed to right by parents & parochial school
subsequent speech problems began to clear by 8
a lifetime (57 years!) of going back, doing over: can count on the fingers of one hand the times when I've been able to do anything right the first time--but as another poster commented, you do learn to live with it...I count myself as very fortunate that with Mercury trine Jupiter in Scorpio, most times the inevitable initial error has turned out to be fixable/salvageable, or at least improvable!

I was dreading the whole Merc rx thing because my partner and I are in the process of buying another investment property. We were resigned to the fact that we would be putting the project on hold until the end of April, when we suddenly found ourselves having a discussion about how for many people, buying a house is something they may do once or twice in a lifetime, but for people who deal in it several times a year, it is business as usual. While I would have been super hinky about writing a contract five years ago, Merc retro or not, now it is like second nature. SO taking that theory one more step, if real estate acquisition is like a second job, what is the difference between it and going to work every day? We certainly do not take 3-5 weeks vacation from our jobs when Merc goes retro.

Anyway, we are not full out looking, but we are keeping an eye on things and have decided that if the right opportunity presents itself, we will go ahead with it.

with my friend she said it was probably a blessing in disguise. I think at this point I would agree. The fall out did seem awful at first.

I have one real estate deal set to close next week and the communication has been terrible. However, I'm anticipating this, so I'm in touch with the lender and the other realtor and the buyers, and I've been making things happen (faxing, calling, etc.) because others are having trouble getting stuff accomplished.
AND I was just interrupted while typing this by another phone call from another client on a second deal that has been rather trying.
I had an offer on a house that included seller financing. The seller wanted to go with it, but after meeting with the principals, I felt it was a bad idea.(the seller is in another state).
About 15 minutes after this meeting we received a second offer from a person who will pay cash, at a significant reduction ($7,500 less - $72,500 instead of $80,000) and I have finally persuaded the seller to accept this offer instead.
I would make more money on the first offer, but feel it would come back to bite me.
This has been very fun, ha. (not).
But it is indicative of what we are faced with during Mercury Rx periods. Lots of activity, and lots of do overs!!!

I went to list a property and had all the wrong forms. AAARRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't view a recorded event. Actually I can, in the bedroom on the 2nd remote. On the first one, though, it is Kaput.

Wait a minute. Maybe I need batteries.

It would seem that the universe is watching out for us, for some reason. We have been looking at property and writing contract after contract on properties that we have been outbid on. This has been going on for three weeks. We just found out yesterday that there is a hold up on our HELOC which was to finance the next deal. We would have been in a world of hurt had we actually had a contract accepted!

giving up $36,000 scholarship. Tell me about retrograde! Perfect kid... am totally blindsided.

And he will be able to get the scholarship back. And if he doesn't, it wasn't meant to be. Sometimes they have to test us, don't they????

to accept scholarship...pray for me.

Sudden, upsetting, turns everything around!! I hope Mercury will turn back and help, maybe an annulment? But Uranus changes can be pretty powerful. How much college has he finished?

total shock...bday March 7

straight A kid in high school...first kid allowed by school district to attend community college full time as a senior in high school.

Met older woman at the college who was taking one class. UGH! Am told she's from Louisiana and lives in trailer...get the picture?

Maybe he will get over her by then. It shouldn't take long.

And he obviously is trying to detangle from parental control, but choosing an older woman is proof he is very close to his mother. Give him enough rope -- he will come to his senses. And even if he doesn't, there is no use in your making yourself sick over this.
At 18, we do foolish things; but be there for him and love him, and when he comes back to you and asks for advice you can help him then.

Sometimes we have to go through a lot of crap before we can grow up.

At least it isn't drugs, gangs, or IRAQ!!!!