It’s that time once again! Mercury, the planet of communication and travel, the trickster that rules contracts, siblings, cars, electronics and a host of other things, turns retrograde at 9:04 a.m. EDT in Virgo. It turns direct again on September 22, at 1:31 a.m. EDT.
Since Mercury rules Virgo – and Gemini – these two signs are the most likely to feel the effects strongly. However, none of us really escape the effects. You’re on your way to work and your car gets a flat. Or the AC dies in the midst of a heat wave. The email you sent to your boss in which you requested time off, ended up in the trash and he or she never received it. Or your washer breaks down, your computer crashes, your iPad or phone stop working.
Generally, it’s not a great time to travel unless you can remain flexible and go with the flow, whatever that flow may be. It’s best not to sign contracts during a Merc retro unless you don’t mind having to revisit the terms at another time.It’s not the most auspicious period for submitting anything or for publishing a website or a book. Unfortunately, Rob and I have 2 books being published during retrogrades- The Biggest Book of Horoscopes Ever on September 13, and Sensing the Future on January 3, during the first retro of 2017.
I advise people to follow the rule of the 3 Rs: revise, review, reconsider.
Just in case you’re a skeptic, here’s a Merc retro story that impacted the globe:
On November 7, 2000, Mercury had been retrograde since mid-October- first in Scorpio, then in Libra, where it turned direct at 9:20 p.m. The potential for miscommunication when Mercury stations – when it’s about to turn retro or direct – is particularly strong. But for that date, the station created complete bedlam because it was election day in the U.S.
At 7:49 that evening, as Mercury was stationed and preparing to turn direct, NBC decided they had enough data from exit polls in Florida. Tom Brokaw called the state for Al Gore. With Florida’s 25 electoral votes, it meant Gore had won the election.
Shortly after 10 p.m. – less than an hour after Mercury turned direct – Brokaw backtracked and said George W. Bush had won the state and the election. We all know what ensued after that – the endless dispute over the chads in Palm Beach County and the eventual decision by the Supreme Court that Bush was the 43rd president.
Fortunately, Mercury won’t be retrograde during the upcoming election!
PS here’s also a solar eclipse in Virgo on September 1 at 2:07 a.m. EDT. This one should usher in some nice surprises and opportunities, especially for Virgos and other earth signs, and for anyone with a Virgo moon or rising. But sine we all have Virgo somewhere in our charts, we will all benefit in some way!
Glad to now understand the root of current events in my and my family’s lives. Very challenging, very troubling times from enigmatic Mercury. On a different subject, we are sitting dead center in the path of what will become tropical Storm Hermine as she crosses the northern areas of FL, dumping immense amounts of rainfall in a short while, with high winds, meaning floods (because this town is slightly BELOW sea level; our bayfront has a retaining wall that isn’t sufficient to hold the water back) and the loss of electricity from downed wires and trees. Crunch time. She isn’t a hurricane; is sitting still right now, in a sea temperature of 90 degrees, gathering strength, will be a tropical storm in an hour or so but at least not a hurricane, although these TS’s can be brutal. Tis the season…..
Thanks Trish
Thanks for this, since I wasn’t aware of the retrograde period coming up. One of my other bloggers just put a quick post up on his iPad because his computer just stopped working! And thanks for the information about the eclipse. I’ve got Virgo Rising. 🙂
Should be interesting for you then, DJan!