Copyright 2006 Eileen Nauman
All Rights Reserved

Email: docbones@gotsky.com
Website: http://www.medicinegarden.com
Permission for individuals to send to friends.
Websites: must email me to post on their website first.

Planning a vacation? Generally, I would wince if you said you were traveling anywhere in the month of July of this year. However, we have an interesting dance going on up in the sky and while Mercury, who rules travel, is going retrograde, stalwart protector and jovial Jupiter is going direct less than 2 days later. So, your vacation may go awry... but follow your nose and see what kinds of interesting adventures you get into because it could turn out to be very positive in the long run. I would say: go on vacation knowing that some things are not going to work out--but what does not, you'll get an upgrade and be quite satisfied, regardless. So, go have fun so long as you are flexible and adaptable.

WHOSE AFFECTED??

Mercury goes retrograde at 1 Leo 21 on July 4, 2006 at 12:34 p.m., PDT. It will remain retrograde until July 28, 2006, when it swings direct at 21 Cancer. The retrograde will affect Leos and Cancers and by opposite signs, Aquarian and Capricorn people, the most. In your natal chart if you have ANY planets or your ascendant or Midheaven cusp between the following degrees: between 28, 29 Cancer/Capricorn and 0, 1, 2 and 3 degrees Leo/Aquarius, you will feel the brunt of this retrograde, as well. The most affected people
will be 1 Leo (and 1 Aquarius) however.

BIRTHDAY OF THOSE WHO ARE AFFECTED

Whose most affected when it goes retrograde on July 4, 2006? We have four signs involved this time, instead of two. In the conjunction phase they will be Cancer and Leo people.

For Cancer sun sign people, those born between July 21st and 22nd and for Leo people, August 23 through August 26th. The most important date August 24th, will be the most directly affected by this retrograde.

By opposite sign, Capricorn sun sign people, those born between January 18th and 19th will feel this retrograde. Also, Aquarians born between February 8th through the 12th, with the most important date, February 10th, are most directly affected by this retrograde.

MERCURY'S SHADOW

Of course, we begin to operate under the seven-day "shadow" energy of Mercury before it turns retrograde. That means from June 27th through July 3,2006, we are in the shadow. 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. So does Mercury (and Mercury's orbit, because it is closest to the Sun, is shorter or smaller in circumference than 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 passed past 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?

Mercury is the ruler of communication. I would strongly urge all of you to: http://medicinegarden.com/astrology/cw_mercury.html and read Carol B. Willis' article on MERCURY and she has given a wonderfully full meaning symbolically, to this planet. Download it and keep it--you'll be looking at it three times a year to see what can 'back up' or go 'reverse' in your life during the Mercury Retrograde periods during our year!

MERCURY RETROGRADE WITH A 'TWIST'

As if Mercury going in reverse on July 4th, USA independence day isn't enough, two days later, Jupiter goes direct on July 6, 2006. These two together can create quite an interesting shock wave and therein lies the 'twist' to this period. July is a month of
opportunities and changes. We have Mercury going retrograde first, then Jupiter direct. In many ways, this Mercury is going to be blunted, somewhat, by beneficial, magnanimous, positive Jupiter going direct and that's pretty good news!

Jupiter rules abundance, attorneys and lawyers, blood pressure, high cholesterol, church, church authorities, religious matter in general, exaggeration, expansion, the stock market,
judgment (government/politics/high courts/supreme court/police/state and federal official), professors and one's education, prosperity, our money (or our lack of money), publishing and foreigners and overseas travel, to name just a few items under its list of rulership
items.

But this is prime time for vacations, too. For sure, airline travel is going to be in a major snarl but with Jupiter in the throes of going direct, these snarls may just unkink in rather miraculous ways...so go ahead and travel knowing you are going to have a guardian angel sitting next to you to help you figure out what Plan B is. Expect airline delays or unusual weather patterns for about ten days before Jupiter goes direct on July 6, 2006. (Note: A separate article on Jupiter going direct is available. You should know that the 'shadow' period of Jupiter is three weeks before it turns direct. That means this guardian angel affect begins June 15, 2006 through July 5, 2006, and this is also very good news! Travel may end up being 'interesting' in July because of Mercury, but Big Brother Jupiter is sitting in the seat next to squirrely Mercury, so I don't see horrific delays or airline crashes that can occur under a Mercury retrograde transit. One thing I would strongly advise is: get
FLIGHT INSURANCE. It may pay off well for you if you do.

Jupiter, on it's least positive expression, rules "too much of something" (such as too much anger, too much depression, too much emotional drama, an extreme reaction to something that is way out of proportion to the event), puts people in a stressful state of fretting and anxiety; it amps up our already wired nervous system which is ruled by Mercury. With Jupiter sitting there on a coming Full Moon (that takes place July 10 at 18 Capricorn) the emotional tides of our body running at hide tide and people may be more likely to pop their corks, literally and figuratively speaking.

The up side of Jupiter's wonderful expression is for people to just let the drama go and get on with business because they are in an upbeat, positive frame of mind. That's wonderful! People may want to compromise more than usual because their frame of mind is very positive, thanks to this benefic planet. Just be more alert than usual with disgruntled or belligerent people and remember, a SMILE or a KINDNESS can complete defuse and disarm them. Carry plenty of both and watch the blessings come back to you in many ways
during this time frame. And your vacation may go awry but with Jupiter in the mix here, it WILL have a happy ending. Your part in this deal is to remain open minded and flexible and adaptable. Then, you might even have FUN during this period!

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I LOOK FOR?

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. Rosemarie Brown, is our core faculty astrologer and you can "hire" her to do this for you. Just contact her at: starrose@sedona.net.

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 Retrograde 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 Retrograde. "SAVE" your stuff you're working on every 5 minutes during a Mercury Retrograde 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 Retrograde 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 three week period. Pay attention! Don't be driving and have your mind go 'elsewhere' because you're an accident waiting to happen. About seven 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. 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 three 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 Pisces and Virgo 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 24/7. 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 three-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!

Virgo's (the other sign ruled by Mercury) tend to get more upset over Mercury R periods because they're such picky perfectionists and they really do expect their lives to go like clockwork and God forbid they be late for an appointment--HORRORS!! For them, it's a major crisis if that occurs. For them, Mercury R periods are discombobulating because they can't strive for that near-perfection they seek for three weeks, three to four times a year. If they can 'get over' this need to be perfect or always on-time, then it's not such a stressful period for them.

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 this energy 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 Rosemarie Brown is a natal counselor. Just contact her at: starrose@sedona.net

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

MERCURY RETROGRADE
by Linda Anderson

Copyright 2000-2006 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!