Moving forward with Mercury
Winter, and especially the period around the winter Solstice, is a period of stillness. This year, that stillness has been enhanced by Mercury going retrograde between December 10 and December 30. When a planet is retrograde it appears to move backwards in the sky, and likewise we may find ourselves moving backwards, or at least feeling like it. Mercury went retro in Capricorn, sign of deep winter, and of course the snows of recent weeks have caused typical Mercury retro travel disruptions. In our house, Mercury retrograde in the sign of cardinal earth has been reflected in all the frustrations of a holiday where we all got ill, and so couldn't accomplish the many tasks we had set ourselves. Moving house under Mercury retro, anyone?! We are just about there, now that Mercury has been direct for a few days. Establishing our new home has taken longer than we might have liked, but we have been thorough and focused in our work. Capricorn is about structure, hard work, and slow steady progress, and we have certainly had plenty of that around here. The best way to use a planet's retrograde energy is always to revise, reflect, go over old projects and re-check the planning for new ones. Mercury retrograde brings Capricorn's natural prudence and caution to the fore, as forward movement becomes difficult.
Of course, a few days after going retrograde, Mercury moved back into Sagittarius, where he remains as he moves forwards again. Where Mercury retro in Capricorn is happy enough to revise details and act prudently, Sagittarius is a different matter. Sagittarius is a seeker, an adventurer, a free spirit. Not a sign to be held back and forced to plan in great detail. This may have been a frustrating period for those with strong Sagittarius energy, finding that their explorations go nowhere, and their leaps of faith crash land. But there are always lessons to be learnt, and Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius teaches us that going back over old ground can sometimes be just as revealing, and just as much of an adventure, as discovering something new. This time of year is root time, and Mercury retrograde asks us to look to our root system, examine and revise the assumptions we operate from, allow our minds some time to sink deep into the compost layer and seek treasure. Now as Mercury moves forwards, we can lay the groundwork for our next adventure, make our resolutions in good faith. On January 18, Mercury returns to the point at which he went retrograde, and finally we can establish our new structures, and grow forth from the deep roots of winter.
Of course, a few days after going retrograde, Mercury moved back into Sagittarius, where he remains as he moves forwards again. Where Mercury retro in Capricorn is happy enough to revise details and act prudently, Sagittarius is a different matter. Sagittarius is a seeker, an adventurer, a free spirit. Not a sign to be held back and forced to plan in great detail. This may have been a frustrating period for those with strong Sagittarius energy, finding that their explorations go nowhere, and their leaps of faith crash land. But there are always lessons to be learnt, and Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius teaches us that going back over old ground can sometimes be just as revealing, and just as much of an adventure, as discovering something new. This time of year is root time, and Mercury retrograde asks us to look to our root system, examine and revise the assumptions we operate from, allow our minds some time to sink deep into the compost layer and seek treasure. Now as Mercury moves forwards, we can lay the groundwork for our next adventure, make our resolutions in good faith. On January 18, Mercury returns to the point at which he went retrograde, and finally we can establish our new structures, and grow forth from the deep roots of winter.