Mercury Retrograde in Cancer: Take a Break

From End of the Line: Past Perfect                                                   Catherine Al-Meten

Mercury Retrograde Phases 

Even for those who know nothing about astrology or the planets, most  have heard about Mercury going retrograde. Without understanding what that means, we nevertheless allow ourselves to enter into a mentality of fear, and we all know what that leads to. Fear-based belief and thinking, leads to fear-based decision making and choices.  Knowledge is power, and in the case of Mercury retrograde, the more you know, the more likely you are to discover that retrograde phases have gotten a bad rap. 

Mercury, like other planets in our Solar System, sometimes appear to be moving backward. This year Mercury goes retrograde three times: February 23-March 17, June 26-July 20, and finally, October 21-November 10.  Mercury is the archetype for communications of all types, travel, literature, poetry, merchants and thieves. Romans gave the name Mercury to the Greek god, Hermes. Many cultures have archetypal symbols that represent the trickster. Mercury is the trickster, representing the ‘everything that can go wrong, will go wrong, or maybe not?’ mentality. 

While Mercury is in its retrograde phase, has to do with your communication. At our best, communication can be a tricky issue as we are all viewing the world from our own perspectives. During the retrograde phase, we may want to take the time to slow down, rethink what and how we are communicating, and to pay closer attention to the details, the completion of projects, and the clearing out of whatever is blocking energy or trapping you in  worn out habits, patterns of thought and behavior, or working its way out of your experience.  With Mercury in retrograde in Cancer, Saturn in Scorpio, Neptune and Chiron in Pisces, and the Sun and Venus in Cancer, our unconscious and intuitive nature is activated. Spending some of this retrograde phase intent on truth seeking of the deepest kind. 

Mercury retrograde times may be times when we discover we need to slow down a bit more, take more time to catch up with yourself, and give yourself a break from the rapid pace of life.  Release your attachment to having to have things run smoothly all the time, and allow yourself to be more accepting and at peace with disturbances, delays, or disruptions that take place in life.  Not one of us gets through life without something not going the way we thought is would or should.  Fretting, stewing, berating ourselves or others, or giving up are not healthy options. Mercury retrograde time gives us a nudge to take some time out of any routines, habits, or patterns that are causing us to be more crisis-oriented, anxious and upset, or living in our expectations instead of living mindfully with what is. 

Another aspect you might want to consider is Mercury’s shadow period.  The shadow period for this retrograde phase began on June 3, when Mercury first passed over the degree where it turned retrograde today. The shadow period ends when Mercury reaches the same point on August 3.  The period when Mercury is moving very slowly is called the storm period, and is not the same as the shadow period.  Shadow elements are the undeveloped, unresolved, and more materially-based forms of communication in our lives.  Ruling all kinds of communication related to daily life contracts, communications, negotiations, agreements, mail, day-to-day operations, there seems to be a sense of feeling muddled or confused during this period.  Life feels more sluggish and decisions made during this time tend to be more challenging than at other times. On the more up side, this is a great time for reflection, recharging your batteries, taking your time and reviewing plans, projects, and again, the way you are communicating. One of my clients recently mentioned becoming more aware of her negative thought patterns. She had just made a major life/career transition, and had assumed that the critical thinking patterns served her well in her old job, were now still affecting her, but not in a positive or healthy manner. Sometimes when we have more time, or take more time (by intentionally slowing down), we discover that what we thought were problems related to our environment, schedule, job, or responsibilities, are really more deep-seated issues within us. These issues may reflect the shadow elements of our nature which need to be attended to if we are to grow more into a greater sense of our self, our wholeness, and our happiness.  

Some advise against starting anything new during a retrograde session, but avoid living from a fear-based belief. If you have already prepared and set off on a journey, a project, or a new path, this is probably a great time to engage actively and thoughtfully in whatever it is that is before you.   Take a lesson from Shakespeare’s character, Hamlet: “Why then 'tis none to you; for there is nothing either good or
bad, but thinking makes it so. To me it is a prison.”  The part that’s usually left out when someone pulls out this quote, is the last line, “to me it is a prison.”  We can make our own prisons, hell on earth, crisis, or failure from whatever is going on in our lives. We can also make a gift from the garbage, discover heaven on earth. Communication with ourselves during this Mercury retrograde phase, is crucial for rooting out those patterns of thought, belief, habit, and perspective that color the lens through which we view our lives, through which we live our lives.  Taking the attitude during this retrograde phase, that allowing ourselves to discover the truth of our being and then doing what we can to become clearer, more kind and compassionate (to ourselves and others), and more aware of who we are and how we communicate with others. 

During this period when several planets are transiting Cancer, it is an excellent time to become more mindful of how we are nurturing and nourishing ourselves, body, mind, spirit, and emotions. Tuning into, accepting and expressing, and feeling more at home with our emotional natures right now, can be healthy for ourselves and for all those with whom we relate.  Excellent health and self care begin inside ourselves and within our own lives.  This is an excellent time to make yourself more comfortable and at home wherever you are. Avoid rushing into projects, relationships, conditions, or choices before thinking them over and giving yourself time to see them develop slowly. If it is something meant to be, it will be meant to be a month or two from now. Avoid pressuring yourself or others to be, feel, accept, or make decisions until the time is right.  Putting too much pressure on situation at this time can bring you  a result you might be sorry about later.  Allow Divine timing to operate, and practice mindful presence to bring yourself to a place of deeper peace.  

Later in the week, I will be writing an article on Jupiter’s transit through Cancer. Notice if you can sense, feel, or see any changes in your awareness, perspectives, or the flow of your life over the next few days. Just observe and notice what is or is not flowing, what is or is not coming to fruition, or what is or is not arising from your unconsciousness. Allow yourself to feel the waters of the cosmos wash over and through you, cleansing and clearing away the debris from your body, mind, heart, soul, and emotions.  Notice your dreams and the energy shifts in and around you.  Have a great week. Take a break. Sit back and observe more. Take a walk, and slow down that pace. Be at peace.