Mercury and its Damn Self: How to Deal
So you’ve experienced a particularly bad Mercury Retrograde before? Tell me more… Many people, like myself, are born with Mercury Retrograde or Stationary. Lots of people like to say this trait indicates a poor communicator, or someone with exceptional confusion, but they would be mistaken. When Mercury is in retrograde motion (appearing to move backward), it is the closest it can be to the Earth. This means our communication becomes a central focus on our consciousness. Thus, we are more concerned with, and impacted by, our miscommunications. A person born under this transit understands the ever-present likelihood of Mercury-related hiccups. Such a person can either deal with these issues as they arise, or take the necessary precautions to avoid these situations. So in a sense, some people born with Mercury retrograde will appear to be immune to the transit Mercury Retrograde, and may tell you that they are “unaffected”. In reality, they are just better at dealing with it, because they have more experience than the norm. But the good news is that YOU TOO can be this suave.
Here’s how to deal:
Preparation is key.
Let your loves ones know when you are on your way to meet them. They may be off schedule, or have forgotten about the meeting altogether, and this gives them the opportunity to tell you, before you get halfway there. I don’t know how many times I’ve arrived at someone’s house or office just to find out that I missed the email or voicemail they sent which asked to reschedule our plans. If you are going somewhere you’ve never been before, do leave early, like 30 minutes early. Consider that all GPS is not reliable at this time. You may even want to write down the directions on a separate piece of paper just in case. If someone tells you to meet them at Starbucks, clarify which Starbucks they are referring to. Do not make assumptions about meeting places or meeting times.
On Communication:
Really think about how you say things during this transit. You are very likely to be misinterpreted. People may over analyze your words, and feel an emotional blow from them. Make sure than what you say is clear and honest, as well as caring. Say what you mean, and mean what you say. Remember that no one is a mind reader. From personal experience, thinking that you appear upset, will not let anyone actually know that you are actually upset.
On Transportation:
Fill your gas tank to full, and get an oil change. It costs just as much money to fill your tank from empty to half, as it does from half to full. Don’t blame your lack of preparation on an astrological transit. One of the core lessons of this transit is that you need to think ahead, while remembering what happened in the past. Mercury, the messenger, rules over our vehicles. If there’s something that you’ve been neglecting about your bicycle, boat, or car, fix it. But ideally, fix it before the retrograde transit.
Technological meltdown:
Copy all your contacts down, in writing, into your datebook, or diary, or even just a slip of paper in your glove box. At some point, you will need this, and you will thank yourself. Write down your work schedule, your vacations, your doctor’s appointments, and your meetings with friends and family. It will make for a lot less cancelations and double-bookings. Do it for everyone else, if not for yourself. No one likes cancelled plans, and people are likely to be sensitive about that now. During a Mercury Retrograde, it’s somewhat likely that your phone battery will die at a crucial time, or you’ll drop your phone in a toilet, or forget your new pass code. Don’t change your pass code. Don’t buy a new gadget under the Mercury Retrograde transit. Because I was born under a Mercury Retrograde, I’ve had to bring at least four different new cell phones back to the Verizon store because they had glitches in them that were undetectable at the time that I bought them. Sometimes two of the same model in the same month. I have never dropped a phone in the toilet, but that’s because I don’t even bring my phone into the bathroom, unless it’s inside my purse.
If you’re a techie, back up your hard-drive. If you are preparing for a presentation, put your PowerPoint on a flash drive, just incase your computer isn’t compatible with someone else’s projector, or printer.
Surely by now, you’ve thought to yourself, isn’t this overkill? One of the things that Mercury retrograde people are told often is, “Don’t over think it.” In transit, the underlying message to all people is, “Don’t under-think it.” Don’t under-think it! And don’t under-say it. Bring communication to your awareness. Bring your modes of transportation to your awareness. That’s what this is really about, at base level. It’s an urge to realize, that everything that you think goes without saying, actually needs to be said!
How to Deal BONUS suggestions
If you lean on the spiritual side, this a great time to practice the Law of Attraction. Recognize that your thoughts have power, so make them good thoughts! Take some time to practice mindfulness meditation. What is awareness, exactly? What is mind? What happens when we clear all our thoughts? What then, are we aware of? Are you your thoughts, or are you more than your thoughts, or do you exist somewhere in the in-between? Question everything!
Mercury rules Gemini, which lies on the ecliptic directly across from Sagittarius. They are partners/rivals. We can’t really isolate our ideas of Gemini, from our principles of Sagittarius. Gemini exemplifies our facts, conversation topics, tidbits, and tangents, from which we may take an objective standpoint. In contrast, Sag rules our attitudes toward an idea, our higher, more refined viewpoints and our scholarly opinions and expertise. The illumination of this axis is indicating an importance to re-evaluate the difference between a fact and an opinion. Ask yourself: Do I believe in a theory, which lacks factual clarity? Am I so devoted to the tangents of a story that I missed the point? Am I so devoted to a cause that I forgot to do my own research? Try to detect bias from others, and yourself.
Don’t let a little Mercury Retrograde keep you in hiding. While there are a lot of should-nots, there are a few things that are actually more fun under this transit. It’s a good time to attend or throw a last-minute party. Go with zero expectations. If you can listen in on some conversations, you may hear some wildly entertaining things.
