Copyright 2005 Eileen Nauman
All Rights Reserved
WHOSE AFFECTED??
Spring is going to seemingly pop up and turn into unexpected fireworks . March comes in like Lion, as they say, and goes out like a lamb. Well....maybe not THIS year! There are three planets deciding to dance around in the heavens this month, so things are, indeed, going to be chaotic. Much more so than usual. So, if you think you've got a handle on your plans in March--you'd best read the three articles I've written: the first here, is on Mercury going retrograde on March 19, 2005. The second article will be on Saturn going direct on March 21, 2005. The third article will be on Pluto going retrograde on March 26th.
We have two huge behemoths in a tug-of-war in the sky in March. Saturn, our karma/dharma, is going to go direct and those who are affected will get the verdict by judge and jury at that time. Saturn goes direct on March 21st, with Pluto, the take-no-prisoners planet of ultra transformation going retrograde on March 26th. Talk about whiplash! Whew! People are going to feel like March isn't a lion; rather a 10 on the Richter scale of earthquakes, I think. Further, backed up by the judge, Saturn, some of us are going to feel like our lives were either handed back to us, or torn away from us. Add to this, the confusion of Mercury going retrograde; so it's as if we have been crossing a street in a crosswalk and getting sideswiped by a car we never saw coming. Such is the energy of March. In like an earthquake and out like an earthquake. Major, major changes globally will take place as well; and terrorism will unfortunately, be a player in this, as well as possible assassination attempts of leaders of notable countries. March is not for wimps. So, get your helmet, don your flak jacket and strap in!
Mercury goes retrograde at 14 Aries on March 19, 2005. It will remain retrograde until April 12, 2005, when it swings direct at 2 Aries. It will affect Aries (Libra by opposite sign) with ANY planets or their ascendant or Midheaven cusp between the following degrees: Anything between 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 degrees Aries (or Libra). The most affected will be 14 Aries (and 14 Libra).
ANY planets or their ascendant or Midheaven in either of these signs between the following degrees: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 degrees Aries (or Libra), will be most affected. The emphasis will be on 14 degrees Aries (and opposite sign, Libra), however.
BIRTHDAY OF THOSE WHO ARE AFFECTED
Whose most affected when it goes retrograde on March 19, 2005? For Aries sun sign people: those born between March 31st through April 5th, with the emphasis on April 3rd. For Libra sun sign people, those born between October 3rd through the 8th with the most important date October 6th, are most affected by this retrograde.
MERCURY'S SHADOW
Of course, we will be operating under the seven-day "shadow" energy of Mercury before it turns retrograde as of March 12, 2004. Things are going to start falling apart on you about this time, so just set your attitude and be flexible. Remember: this too will pass.
WHAT DOES RETROGRADE MEAN?
What does 'retrograde' mean? It means "backwards movement". The Earth has an orbit around the Sun and so does Mercury. Because Mercury's orbit is closest to the Sun, it is shorter or smaller in circumference than the Earth's.
At certain times each year, usually three of them, Mercury, because it has a shorter orbit than Earth, goes whizzing by Earth. As it's moving 'away' from Earth, to an observer standing on Mars, it looks like Earth is moving 'backward' as this is happening. Mercury is surging ahead and Earth is left behind. This is 'retrograde motion'.
Another way to explore this is: most of you have probably ridden in a motor boat. When the engines are in 'forward' position, you zoom around. When you want to 'back up' the boat, you put the throttle in "reverse" position. Have you ever watched the surge and turbulence of water beneath the engine, at the rear of the boat when it's put into reverse to back up? That's 'retrograde' motion. All turbulence, frothing, bubbling and boiling as water, which is flowing nice and smooth one way, suddenly has this engine and motor come and stir it all up as it reverses motion!
Take Mercury and Earth in the same analogy: Mercury is the speedboat. Earth is the water in which it floats. As Mercury 'passes' Earth due to its shorter orbit around the Sun, this "turbulence" energetically is created between the two planets for a brief (3 weeks) amount of time. And I know Earth is not in 'reverse' motion--the concept I'm trying to visually give you is that as Mercury passes Earth as it zooms around on it's shorter circumference orbit, creates invisible 'waves' of energy. And this 'energy' is translated into 'retrograde motion'.
Another way to state this visually is: You're on a lake and in a boat. You zoom past another boat that is anchored and the gal is fishing in one spot. You watch the waves your boat makes impact that other boat. That other boat will bob and move around as the current of the lake water, set into motion by your speeding boat, strikes it. The waves pass, and the boat that is anchored, becomes still once more.
Even though we can't see the energy and turbulence as a faster moving planet in orbit affects a slower moving planet in its orbit, the 'turbulence' is still the same. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean it isn't there and isn't happening--because it is.
Astrologers, from 5,000 years ago, noted that when a planet passed us--or we passed another slower moving planet (like Mars, outward--all their orbits are longer around the Sun than the Earth's is), they noted that certain events seem to occur. Not to everyone, but a part of their population. Today, that is so, too.
Mercury, typically on a given year, passes Earth three times because of a smaller, orbit around the Sun because it is the closest to that star. And during these speedy passes past the Earth, these times are called 'retrograde'. Usually, a retrograde Mercury influence lasts 3 weeks. As the turbulence subsides from this pass and the 'water' is smooth again, Mercury is then said to be 'direct'. Actually, it is taking Mercury three weeks to approach earth in a parallel orbit (side by side like a team of horses) and as it nudges past earth with its planet body, and moves ahead, that is when it is said to be "direct" once again. When direct, all the Mercury Retrograde 'things' stop happening to people around the globe. Many breathe a sigh of relief :-).
HOW DOES A RETROGRADE MERCURY AFFECT ME?
If you are buying big appliances, computers or other expensive items March 19, 2005 and thereafter, be SURE to get extra insurance on them and keep the receipt--they may not work. If you can wait until after April 20, 2005, to make such a purchase; you'll be in much better energy and the item will work and the person for whom you are gifting it too, will love it, instead.
Here's a list of some of the things you can expect from a Mercury Retrograde. Keep in mind that they won't all happen to you! Just one or two, usually. However, if you have a natal Mercury in conjunction with the transiting (daily motion of a planet) Mercury, then your life is going to be strongly affected by that retrograde!! The only way you can find this out is to contact an astrologer and have them look at your transits to determine this. Carol B. Willis is our core faculty astrologer and you can "hire" her to do this for you. Just contact her at: cbwillis@lightlink.com.
Most important to those of us on the Net:
VERY IMPORTANT: Back up your hard drives, folks! Crashes CAN and WILL occur!
TRAVEL DELAYS POSSIBLE
Under the present circumstances of travel delays aboard any transportation vehicle (especially airliners) then, expect delays, confusion and problems. Sometimes, under a retrograde, travel snafus miraculously sort themselves out and you might find yourself with an upgrade!
CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE
1. Expect indecision on your part--or the part of others. People who usually are cut/dried, can make decisions quickly and cleanly, will muddle around, hesitate, won't be sure. And, if they do make a decision during a Mercury. R transit--whatever they decided to do will CHANGE. It will NOT remain as the person decided at all. You think men and women can't communicate with each other now, wait until the Mercury. R period hits. One is speaking Chinese and the other, French!! Partners have to really work at saying what they really mean because assumptions abound during this time and worse, what you say is heard differently than how you meant it!!!! Watch for big-time communications snafus--they will complicate your life on a personal and professional level. Nothing is immune from our foot-in-mouth disease as in a Mercury. R period!!!
2. Don't EVER sign a contract, agree to something, buy a car/boat/house/animal or start up a new project under a Mercury. Writers should never sign a contract under this aspect. Publishers shouldn't be giving out contracts during it. Either way, the contract and negotiations and agreement will not be conducive....writers may feel cheated. Publishers won't see the book they expected or have it come in on time. It's a prescription for disaster from both angles and who needs that? Better to wait to offer contracts and negotiate after Mercury is out of Retrograde!! Do do contracts during it: well, THAT's is a prescription for disaster! The contract won't be honored by one party or the other. The car you bought will turn out to be a lemon!! The boat will have problems, structural or otherwise. The house you bought will be a "money pit" and the owner did not reveal all the problems the house had--but you inherited them!! The animal you bought (dog/cat/horse or whatever) will turn out to have some real 'hidden' problems that you could not see upon first perusal or inspection. They usually aren't happy things you find out--for example, I bought a St. Bernard puppy under a Mercury. R (and I knew better!) and I directly asked the breeder: Does this dog or his parents or anybody in his pedigree have hip dysplasia? The owner said no. Six months later, the puppy couldn't move because his hip dysplasia was so severe! The breeder lied to me.
Projects begun during this time (baaaaadddd choice) will inevitably develop differently than agreed-upon or expected. The only way you can avoid disappointment about it is to expect the project will change!! And if you aren't prepared for those little surprises,then don't start something new at this time frame--just wait... be patient...
3. Do NOT buy any mechanical things, appliances, computers, software or anything else like that during this period--they will not work right! You may have to get another to replace it (providing its under warranty--and IF you have to buy something like a refrigerator, stove, radio or whatever, make SURE that warranty is in force because 9 times out of 10, you're gonna be glad you have it because you'll be using it.....). Hold off until Mercury goes 'direct' to buy anything new.
I might add that this a time when mechanical failures happen. DISK CRASHES are common placed and I strongly recommend to Netters to back up the stuff on their hard disk BEFORE a Mercury R transit occurs--do it at least a week in advance. Believe me,you will thank me for this little piece of advice over and over again--because crashes are common. Another Net problem is that the Net will slow down, be sluggish, blocked or break down. There are more telephone lines cut and dug up during this transit than you have fingers and toes to count on! Telephones/telephone lines/cables/electrical cables are all affected badly by Mercury. R. "SAVE" your stuff you're working on every 5 minutes during a Mercury. R or you'll lose it--believe me :-). I wouldn't be installing new software systems or trying to learn them under this transit, either--you'll be tearing hair and end up bald in the long run!
4. Try not to travel long-distance during a Mercury R because Mercury is the ruler of travel by any conveyance. If you do, there will be delays, equipment (like a plane or car) will break down during this period. Travel will try your patience during this period--so be smart and don't travel to save yourself a lot of hectic, stressful times/moments. Equipment failure is at its peak during this transit. ANY type of equipment--not just computers. It can be that your trash compactor explodes on you. Your knife sharpener quits working. Your telephone goes on the fritz. Your fax dies on you and you gotta replace it. You name the communications device or travel device (cars/planes/boats) and it will fail.
5. Mercury rules our thinking processes. Believe me, folks, we aren't thinking clearly or as coherently as we'd like to think we are during a Mercury. R!!!!! We become forgetful. Yesterday, we knew that person's name, and today... well... pfffftttttt... out the window it goes and you can't recall that person's name for love nor money! Or you get lost in traffic, lost in a shopping center, you can't remember where you put something. Things get LOST and MISPLACED big time. You won't find it until after Mercury goes direct or you won't find it until the next Mercury retrograde period!!! Our orderly thinking dissolves. Our minds may race. Insomnia may affect a few.
6. Delays--on everything! You're late for an appointment. Or, they lost your appointment! The company promised it would be there on a certain day--wrooonnnnggggg! Under a Mercury. R, it can get lost (permanently or temporarily) and it will never arrive on time! No one shows up at the right time. So forget it, let the punctual schedule go and just sit back and relax. You'll never be on time--there can be an unexpected delay on the freeway/turnpike, or the other person is delayed. Detours pop up out of nowhere. Accidents delay you for hours on a freeway. The appointment will never occur on time during a Mercury. R.
7. Your mind is somewhere else rather on the nuts and bolts of everyday life/demands/things you gotta do. Where it's gone is still a mystery. We just know you aren't functioning like you normally do :-). It requires a lot more energy and intense concentration to do your daily job right (and not lose or misplace things) than normal during this 3 week period. Pay attention! Don't be driving and have your mind go 'elsewhere' because you're an accident waiting to happen. About 5 days before Mercury goes retrograde--be especially watchful and more alert about your own driving--and drive very defensively--because other drivers who aren't in touch with what is happening in the heaven are already spacy and somewhere else and they are NOT paying full attention to their driving. The day that Mercury goes retrograde is the most dangerous of all for driving a car. PLEASE, pay attention!!! I usually opt NOT to be driving anywhere on that day--I stay home and clean up a bunch of unfinished projects instead.
8. Do not try to send out a new PR news release or any kind of media-blitz to newspapers, internet, television or any other medium; it will not "takeoff" and produce the "buzz" you want from it; it will be circular filed in the nearest waste basket and forgotten about! Your money spent on a hard working PR consultant will have been in vain. It will be circular filed with a giant sucking sound and disappear! Better to wait AFTER Mercury goes direct to start any campaign....then, it WILL take off like everyone hopes that it will!
9. Don't open up a new web site, either. It will not receive the notoriety, the 'hits' and it will die on the vine. Better to wait until Mercury goes direct if you want it to flourish, get notoriety, and have good word-of-mouth 'buzz' about your up and coming .com.
10. Terrorism can abound during this period because terrorist like to use a 'feint' of starting an event "over here" and then go "over there" and do even more damage. Our government agencies are overwhelmed right now; and mistakes are going to abound in this period. If you must TRAVEL during this period under the present circumstances, keep your eyes open and your guard up. Any vacations or unnecessary travel should be avoided IF your birth date is mentioned at the start of this article.
11. There is so much garbage, lies, FRAUD and deceit on the Internet, that it's sad. People MUST look the gift horse in the mouth. Do not buy anything for your personal safety until you look at it and get confirmed, reliable sources, science trials or whatever it takes, to prove that this "thing" will work as the sales people are saying. Beware of fraud...
12. Having any kind of an operation performed under a Mercury retrograde automatically means it will be done AGAIN, later. Misdiagnosis, bad surgery, abound, with this aspect. Invitro fertilization will also fail. This is the misdiagnosis and medical malpractice central when Mercury is retrograde. If you can avoid medical procedures/surgery under this, do it. Otherwise, you are doomed to repeat it later--and who needs pain and discomfort twice? Also, cosmetic surgery will not make you happy with the outcome, either. Avoid it at all costs or be stuck with a nose, lips or eye wrinkles that will have to be worked on AGAIN, to straighten out--IF it can be straightened out at all.
IS THERE ANY GOOD NEWS ABOUT MERCURY RETROGRADE?
Yes, indeedee! Let's look at this another way. We lead very stress-filled, super busy lives, right? Which one of us, voluntarily, is gonna say: "Hey, I'm gonna have a 'time-out' for 3 weeks, kick back, relax, and just take it easy and let my poor mind and body rest up from the punishment I give it." I don't see any hands raised. :-) That's right, Mercury retrograde is our 'time out' from stress and the humdrum orderly life we lead. The phones quiet down, the email demands diminish, the faxes stop making your floor look like white rolls of paper. Your mind goes 'elsewhere' and you just wanna daydream, or just stop thinking altogether. It feels good to 'unplug' and rest.
Yes, Mercury retrograde is our time out to rest. And if you won't voluntarily do it--it will do it for us to some degree or another. For Sagittarius and Gemini folks who are most affected by this retrograde. So for them, they are usually strongly affected by these retrogrades--more so than any of the ten other zodiac signs. Life can turn to chaos or sh-- (depending upon their attitude toward these 'time-outs' in their life) or it can mean exquisite relief from all the powerful mental/mind stuff they do constantly 25 hours a day, 8 days a week. Speaking only for myself, being a Gemini, I look FORWARD to Mercury retrograde because my phone stops ringing, demands of Email, faxes diminish to a huge extent and I get to 'rest'! Boy, do I look forward to these time-outs!! And I get to 'catch-up' on all the stuff that hasn't been attended to because of so many phone calls, faxes and Email demands! :-). I love Mercury R!!! I get a 3-week 'breather' three times a year and with my mental schedule, if I didn't have these, I'm sure I'd have permanent brain burn out ! However, with this terrorist event, I'm not sure I'm gonna get that time out I was hoping for!
1. If, however, you want to finish up on something--Mercury R is a wonderful time to wrap up projects, attend to details, and yes, clean up your messy desk, reorganize things, the telephone stops ringing, email flow reduces, faxes are fewer, and generally, a period of quiet so you can "catch up" on a bunch of projects you had started earlier, can be finished up very nicely during this period. This is a wonderful time to take something you wanted to do--but just didn't have the time to complete or finish up--and get it done.
2. If you have a project that has lain around a long time and you just never got around to it--now is the time to look at it more closely and decide if its worth your investment in time and energy--if it isn't, during this time, you'll more than likely drop it permanently--or get serious about resurrecting it or completing it--successfully!
3. Lies, deceit, cheating and sneaky actions by others or yourself, will come to light during a Mercury R period. It's the the long arm of Karma unveiling such negative things. If you think you duped someone--wait--during this period is when it will come to light and boy, will you be caught 'red handed'!!! Or, if someone said something behind your back--it will get back to you during this time frame. Or, if you were in some way cheated, duped or lied to, you will find out about it now.
4. Your daily routine is no more--so, "go with the flow" and don't fight it. You'll be more day-dreamy, more spacy, more....of 'something'--so just go 'there.' This is a great time for "inny" not "outy" experiences. It's wonderful for doing internal work--either with a therapist, or digging more deeply into your psyche via meditation or other spiritual experiences--and it will produce a lot of 'aha's' during this time frame.
5. This is a great time to clean up anything you haven't already completed! Wash the windows! Paint that cabinet! Finish off that project that has been there silently asking for completion. Dust that room! Take down the spider webs! You'll have the time to do it now :-).
6. REmember Mercury REtrograde this way: REturns, REvise, REthink, REdo, REgroup....well, you get the idea...any "RE" is usually applicable to a retrograde. Do these things, and they will turn out just fine!
HELP TO MAKE THIS TRANSFORMATION PAINLESS--WELL, ALMOST PAINLESS...
I don't believe we have to SUFFER endlessly through change. The people below are, in my opinion, the best in their particular business and are skillful catalysts to help people to help themselves. Utilize Mercury in the BEST and most healthy of ways... check out this group and choose which tools resonate most strongly with you and contact them. You won't be sorry you did!
ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELORS:
You can engaged the services of the medicinegarden.com's professional astrologer and find out. Our own Carol B. Willis is a natal counselor. Just contact her at: cbwillis@lightlink.com
If you are wanting to move and aren't sure where or you have a place in mind, but aren't sure if it's "right" for you, Gail and Michael have locale information available. If health is your consideration, both are trained medical astrologers. To contact them: Gail Carswell at rockdoc@mindspring.com or Michael Foltz at solardoc@mindspring.com. Better yet, visit their website: http://www.owlswebnest.com, for more information on all the services they provide.
I'm sure one of these three professionals will be able to shed considerable light in what is going on in your life and the many choices you have available to you to institute and use.
UN-CONFUSE YOURSELF DURING THIS RETROGRADE:
NEED A "Coach", some serious therapy that gets to the "heart" of your angst or what you're wrestling with? We recommend Rosemarie Brown. Please contact her at: http://www.rosemariebrown.com or by email at: starrose@sedona.net
VOICE ANALYSIS--THE MISSING NOTE:
I've had my voice analyzed by Ani Williams and I can tell you from personal experience that we all have a "missing note" in our life. So what? Well, consider this. Without this missing note back in our life, we aren't working off of 8 cylinders. We're working on 6--or less! Please go to Ani's website for more information. This is a life-changing "tool" that you should include in your personal Mercury transformation kit. http://www.aniwilliams.com or contact her via email at: songaia@earthlink.net
SPIRITUAL UPKEEP RENOVATION: NEED A SHAMAN?
Gail Carswell, Michael Foltz, Grace Verte (grace@graceverte.com) and Rosemarie Brown are all trained shamanic facilitators who can help you through your spiritual transformation.
FOR CARE OF BODY, MIND AND SPIRIT: HOMEOPATHY
Our favorite classically trained homeopath is Yolande Grill of Cave Creek, Arizona. She does long-distance case taking by phone and I consider her one of the best we've got in the USA. So, don't delay! She is also a shamanic facilitator, as well. Get a hold of Yolande at: y.grill@att.net
TIMES MERCURY IS RETROGRADE
Here's a table of the time periods Mercury goes retrograde in 2005:
March 19, 2005 - April 12, 2005
July 22, 2005 - August 14, 2005
November 13, 2005 - December 2, 2005
MERCURY RETROGRADE
by Linda Anderson
Copyright 2000 Linda Anderson
All Rights Reserved
Email: el1936@webtv.net (everett anderson)
When the telephone rings, but nobody's there,
It's Mercury Retrograde in the air!
When you're stuck at the airport, your flight's been delayed,
You're waiting with Mercury Retrograde!
When you can't communicate, everyone's in a trance,
That's Mercury Retrograde doing its dance!
When you can't get on-line to talk or to trade,
You're dealing with Mercury Retrograde!
When the folks you work with can't get along,
That's Mercury Retrograde singing its song!
When the TV's on and the screen starts to fade,
Just remember it's Mercury Retrograde!
But, when you're late for a meeting, you don't need to fret,
With Mercury Retrograde, no one's there yet!
When the mail doesn't come, there's no bills to be paid,
Shout hooray for Mercury Retrograde!
When the car keys get lost, you can't go anywhere,
Just stay home and read in your plush easy chair.
Eat lots of cookies, and drink lemonade,
And toast your friend Mercury Retrograde!
There's no point in striving to keep up the pace
When Mercury Retrograde gets in the race.
Take time to relax, and your nerves won't be frayed
These three weeks when Mercury goes Retrograde!
