How Long is Mercury Retrograde?
Astronomers have told us that at certain times of the year, the planet Mercury appears to move backwards in the sky. This is known as Mercury Retrograde, creating a powerful influence in our lives. Above all, Knowing when the retrograde periods will be, gives you insight while navigating your Spiritual Journey of Life.
Mercury Rules Communication
Above all, the planet Mercury rules communications of all kinds. Consequently, its energy affects your everyday events more than you know. Have you ever experienced a moment when everything seems to go wrong? Your computer crashes as you put the final touches on your PowerPoint pitch, your data disappears, people argue over nonsense and traffic is hellish. Flights delayed or canceled or you forgot your passport at home on the way to an international vacation. Plans change without warning and your friends stand you up. Well, chances are, you have entered an astrological time warp called “Mercury Retrograde”. -From “Gateways to Change: Navigating the Seas of Life”
People fascinated by the capriciousness of the universe may find Murphy’s Law and its variations interesting. Murphy’s Law is the name given to the adage stating: “If anything can go wrong, it will.” An addition to this law reads, “and usually “At the worst time”.
Edward A. Murphy, Jr, 1/11/1918 – 7/17/1990, American Aerospace Engineer, Coiner of Murphy’s Law
In other words, no planet in the universe can turn retrograde. A retrograde planet is just the result of an optical illusion. All the planets orbit around the Sun. Relative from our point of view on Earth. At times it appears that a planet will stop and go backwards. This is referred to as retrograde motion. At the end of the retrograde period, the planet has the appearance of stopping and then moving forward. This is called direct motion.
Mercury Shadow Phases
First of all, Mercury goes Retrograde three or four times every year. It slows down before the Retrograde period, called the Pre-Retrograde or shadow phase. Then there is the Post-Retrograde when Mercury picks up or gains speed but is still moving slow enough to cause slow progress in the projects undertaken. During the Retrograde period it is best advised not to venture into any new territory and to stay put. Actually, Mercury keeps going around the Sun, always in the same direction and more or less at the same speed. Knowing the retrograde periods can help you to plan your ventures in advance so that they do not go off-track.
Book a Consultation with Liz for your personal Astrological Charting. As a result, you will then know and understand how to continue on your Spiritual Journey.
