In our forward moving culture a retrograde motion can be a
difficult migration to value. Egos tend to love moving fast,
in forward motion and fiercely which is a wonderful way to
build a business but not the best way to build spiritual,
emotional and intellectual wisdom. If we are afraid to go
back over old hurts, if we are afraid to look our secrets in
the eye and if we are afraid to deconstruct a memory to gain
a deeper awareness of our lived reality then we are afraid to
truly live.
There are different components to the retrograde cycle that
are important to note for maximum insight, especially if you
are of the more detail orientated kind
(#imlookingatyouvirgo). The dates are listed below, pay
special attention to the days that the planet changes direction
(stations retrograde or direct) as they tend to be mighty revealing if not altogether challenging. They are good days to
become still and quite contemplative.
Because this Mercury retrograde hugs two eclipses, stationing retrograde four days before a solar eclipse and stations
direct two days after a lunar eclipse, we know that this is an especially potent time for healing. Eclipses are openings and
closings, moments of our lights in the sky being obscured and therefore being relegated to our right size. Eclipses usually
bring big events with them. Life changing moments. Pivotal pieces of our his/their/herstories.
As Mercury will be spending the majority of its time retrograde (and in its shadow phases) in Libra we will switch
from water to air. From the deeply penetrating and brooding sign of Scorpio to the beauty loving, relationship oriented
Libra. From the bowels of the bog and the depths of the caldron to the whirling winds of chattering friends and the
intricacies of balancing self and other. Libra might make everything look pretty but relationships can get ugly, fast. They
can also provide the necessary object for our reflection. We need one another to push the best and worst of us forward. We
need to be held in a loving gaze and to be able to do the same for our beloveds. You can bet your bottom dollar Mercury
retrograde in Libra will have us reviewing every last relationship dynamic that has been ignored, refuted and refused.
Happy retrograding!
Mercury retrograde dates to observe:
Mercury enters its shadow on September 14th at 16º Libra
Mercury Stations Retrograde on October 4th at 2º Scorpio
Mercury re-enters Libra on October 10th
Mercury Stations Direct October 25th at 16º Libra
Mercury leaves its shadow on Novem ber 10th at 2º Scorpio
Look to see what houses hold these signs and if you have any planets close to these degrees for clues as to what domains
(houses) of life you’ll be working things out in.
*I look to this time as still being affected by Mercury Retrograde. The pre shadow can be a foreshadowing of what will
occur during the retrograde and the post shadow can often be like a wrapping up of the lessons learned in the cycle.- See
more at: http://www.chaninicholas.com/mercury-retrograde-shadows-searching-light/#sthash.1Net9AjF.ZR9pAo7b.dpuf