Tom JacobsThree times each year for about three weeks each time Mercury goes retrograde, which means that from the Earth’s perspective it appears to go backward. It never does in fact do so but from our vantage point it appears to.
The light reflected from Mercury to the Earth during these times changes things related to the planet of commerce, planning, machines, communication, learning, and logistics.
Simply put, things don’t work as expected. But the thing is that we are conditioned to think that Mercury is supposed to be everything to us – that all is to revolve around mental stimulation and seeking and gathering of information.
All Mercurial stuff working differently during the thrice-annual retro periods stresses out and frustrates just about everybody. Not so much if we’re willing to read between the lines. Here’s what I mean:
If it looks like you can’t get something done because of a tech or machine glitch, take a breath and pause so you can sense into if the thing you’re trying to do really needs to be done. If so, if you are indeed the one to do it. Or if it’s the right time. Or if the plan you made to do it has good legs on it.
If it looks like you can’t get through to people or they can’t get through to you, take a moment to breathe and check in with yourself if it’s the right time for the conversations you’re trying to have. Do you have all the facts? Do you know how you want to come across? Could waiting a few weeks benefit you, your position, or the other person?
And so on. Essentially things will not work normally or as expected. It’s completely up to you what you do about it – how you respond. You’ll be tempted to react but insert some pauses to create bits of reflective time and then you can choose how you will respond. Take the Mercurial time-based pressure off and let some things breathe, not just yourself.
All that said, this is happening in Scorpio, the sign of getting to/telling/dealing with the truth, asking hard questions, emotional sensitivity and reactivity, and making subtext text. It’s also the sign of hiding from and avoiding the truth, keeping secrets, obsession, possessiveness, and paranoia. It’s really good for each of us to observe the parts of self that carry these inclinations – and not judge them. That’s big here. Let them be and hear them but then make the choices you want to make. Make the choices that work best for you overall, not just what a Scorpionic part of self who rarely gets air wants you to do.
Living through Scorpio means confronting fears that we carry. Mercury retro times are for rethinking and reviewing, so you’ll do well during this three-week period to take notes on your mental processes and where parts of you want to go with certain kinds of Scorpionic thoughts.
Your emotional history of feeling controlled by others and of perhaps controlling yourself should come up during this retro period. It’s good for you to see these things but as mental energy is working differently you’re in a much better place to gain insights on what exactly is happening.
All success in the sign of Scorpio involves facing fears about what’s true and transforming through those fears. This retro period is for you to gain more awareness of who you are on the inside and to become stronger by facing your fears and doing something proactive about them.
If you can do that in the face of machines, gadgets, and schedules sometimes seeming or being messed up or breaking, then you’re doing it well. Don’t let your gadgets and time-based delays distract you from what’s really going down on the inside.
Tom Jacobs is an Evolutionary Astrologer and Channel helping you understand what your soul is here to do and how to make it happen with grace, ease, and joy. He channels Ascended Master Djehuty (a.k.a. Thoth, St. Germain, and Merlin) and Archangel Metatron (a.k.a. Sariel). Book your private consultation, get a Soul’s Journey Soundbite, and explore intuitive coaching and astrology tutoring by visiting tdjacobs.com. Jacobs offers over a dozen books including the new The Soul’s Journey III: A Case Study. The Soul’s Journey radio show airs live each Wednesday at 7 pm Pacific on Contact Talk Radio.