Review

By Len Wallick

Friday shortly after 7 am EST, Mercury stations retrograde at 5+ Capricorn, in a close conjunction with Pluto.

Like the rest of current astrology and life in general for many right now, there is a theme of complexity. It would make sense to itemize some of the highlights of the entire period that actually started nearly three weeks ago when Old Wing Foot crossed the point where it eventually stations direct at the end of this month. It would also do us well to review some basics of retrograde synchronicity and protocol.

This is the first Mercury retrograde in over a year to take place in more than one sign. It is happening at a time of peak expenditure and travel that accompanies a widely observed holiday season. Taking into account the time since Fleet Foot passed the station direct point, thus entering the echo phase, there will be several significant highlights repeated three times. In addition to thrice crossing the Sagittarius-Capricorn cusp, those triplets would include three conjunctions each with the Galactic Center, North lunar node and, finally, Pluto, the last of which will take place just as the backside echo phase is coming to a close.

There will be a change of seasons and Mercury will conjoin the Sun in passing. Just a day or so before a full-blown lunar eclipse will take place. Interestingly enough, on the same day of the Sun-Mercury conjunction, just before the Capricorn Solstice, Venus emerges from the echo phase of its own recent eclipse cycle and steps into new territory for the first time in over two months. Told ya’ Venus knew how to pick its spots.

But we digress. The first way to make sense of the inescapable, unaccustomed and characteristic complexity of this Mercury retrograde period is to be aware that there will be a predictable pattern of repetition. This pattern will allow you to create a framework and/or set of demarcations. We have already been through the first set of conjunctions. With the Galactic Center, it was on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

Think back. What do you remember about that day? The cusp crossing took place as November ended and December began. What do you recall of that Tuesday and/or Wednesday? The first hook-up with Pluto was just this past Sunday, but it may have been lost in the midst of the crowded-house New Moon and Uranus stationing direct, so we can forgive each other if we did not notice.

As you can see, it’s not chaos. Complex, yes, but not without order. You can break it down in your own mind as Mercury passes each milestone noted (and a few others not mentioned) just as you would a trip, a day shopping or at the office. Think of it as an itinerary or to-do list. Feel better?

Now to some basics of reality and synchronicity. Planets do not actually move backwards, ever. Objects orbiting the Sun in the region of the ecliptic travel at more or less the same velocity. The difference is the size of the orbit. Planets with the inside track seem to move faster because they have to cover less distance to complete one circuit. The apparent difference in speed is an illusion of perspective that leads to yet another. As the inside planets lap Earth and as our planet in turn laps those objects in the outer lanes, it appears as though they go in reverse for a while as seen from our moving frame of reference. Think of sitting in a train or on a bus. As your vehicle slowly starts moving forward, the one next to you appears to be moving backwards.

Over thousands of years astrologers kept track of what happened during these retrograde periods, compared notes and wrote things down. After a while a pattern emerged. The qualities associated with a planet tend to reveal another side in the events that take place just before, during, and just after a retrograde period. What’s more this does not appear to have anything to do with cause and effect. It is synchronicity — one cycle informing another, the underlying supposition of astrology and other oracular methods that utilize a detached methodology.

The functional approach is to anticipate the dichotomy attendant a retrograde period as a tool for awareness rather than as a cause for anxiety. This is especially true of Mercury as it happens about three times a year, taking up about half the days of the year in total. Once you shake the doom and gloom attitude, it’s almost like planning around the phases of the moon. The principle is the same. As Obi Wan Kenobi advised an incredulous Luke Skywalker, a lot of it comes down to your point of view.

Our point of view from a moving frame of reference engenders the illusion in the first place. Our personal perspective of events that are concurrent with the cosmic illusion creates an expectation that takes on a life of its own. Pretty soon we are ascribing cause and effect to and blaming reality on a phenomenon that isn’t really happening. That’s no way to run a railroad, or a life, which leads to the ultimate protocol for all retrogrades — take responsibility.

Inform yourself about the likely synchronicities, plan for the contingencies that would apply for you and go into these days with a set of choices. That way, if “plan A” is stymied, delayed or frustrated, you have a “plan B” ready and can resort to it without losing momentum, getting flustered or even breaking stride. In the event that does not work, you can at least know that you had a hand in the course of events.

Since Mercury relates to communication, transportation and electronics, take special care in those areas. Make a special effort to remember the cell phone charger, back up your hard drive, check the tires and fluid levels on your car. It’s difficult to put off purchases during a season when many buy gifts, but you can exercise discretion over what you give. Make it something simple, or an experience rather than an object. If you must travel, gift yourself with extra time and have alternative means and/or destinations. And if things don’t work out, don’t blame some poor Joe or Jane or yourself for that matter. Think about where and into what you want to put your precious, limited energy.

Finally, there is context. For example, when Mercury is in Capricorn, ruled by Saturn, expect it to be a different experience than when it is in Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter. For the next week or so, you may experience the retrograde motif within the framework of limits and contraction. After that, and until the middle of January, perhaps some expansion. Then perhaps some contraction again. Neither possibility is inherently good or bad, both scenarios have opportunities as well as things to put off or avoid. It all depends on your point of view.

Plus, you might learn something. Try it. Keep track, take notes, perhaps even a retrograde diary. After all, your best, most perceptive and understanding astrologer is you. Of course, if you wanted to buy the old man a new pair of boots in return for seeing someone tall, dark and handsome in your future… nah… the Swedish justice system would probably send the whole damn Bolivian army after me, seeing that they apparently don’t have anything better to do right now.

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