The Do's and Don'ts of Mercury Retrograde

I’d like to talk with you about Mercury in retrograde.  Perhaps you’ve heard of it, and perhaps not.  It’s one of the more pervasive astrological terms that’s working its way into popular cultural, and creating a path for us to use more of nature’s cycles!

This particular cycle goes from April 28^th, 2016 to May 22^nd.

You may be finding yourself feeling like everything is taking longer than expected right now.  Perhaps you notice you’re stuck behind slow cars when you’re in a hurry, or you’re just not able to make deadlines or make it to appointments in time.  All these are signs of Mercury retrograde.

Mercury is appearing from the earth to move backward during a retrograde cycle.  It’s similar to being in a fast car while passing a slow train – the train would appear to move backwards.  This cycle happens three times each year.

That’s because Mercury is the planet that represents the energies associated with transportation and communication.  Also represented are all types of communications and all details.  It’s all of these issues that are front and center in our lives right now.

What this means is that we have a higher chance of miscommunication, of automobiles breaking down or needing repair, and a higher chance of malfunctioning cell phones, computers, or anything else electronic.

Now “Why?” you ask, “would the Universe include a cycle that does this?”  It’s actually a very special cycle, as the Universe is asking us to slow down.  It’s trying to allow us to find mistakes, to catch up, to learn something new.

Another great aspect of this cycle is that we may be compelled to reconnect with friends and family that we haven’t seen for a while, or perhaps old customers who have fallen out of touch.

It’s also a perfect time for cleaning!  Go through your closets and possessions, and clear them out – donate or sell whatever it is you don’t need.

The problem we face (in America in particular), is that we don’t believe there is no time to slow down.  We’re all driving a hundred miles an hour down the road of life, believing that we must continue at this pace.

If we don’t slow down, however, during Mercury retrograde, the truth is that we’re much more likely to experience the challenges this cycle can bring – the breaking down, the lateness, the missing critical mistakes.  If we can, in fact, slow down and pay close attention to the details right now, research deeply, and rethink our ideas, it will definitely pay off.

One of the big “don’t’s” of this time is signing contracts or introducing new products.  The reason being that we (and everyone else) really don’t know what our needs are right now.

This cycle of Mercury retrograde happens to be in the sign of Taurus, meaning that we will most likely consider our plans and actions more slowly than usual, in a more down-to-earth, practical way.  It also means we may have a tendency to be more inflexible in our thinking right now. 

Pluto also comes into play during this cycle, as it will be trining Mercury.   This will be the perfect time to be speaking with a powerful or important person who can help you out in some way.

Research is another one of the keys to this cycle – it’s a perfect time to consider your long-term plans, and dig into the details.

The other planet that will be affected during this Mercury retrograde is Jupiter, as it will almost trine Mercury.  It makes for an excellent time to learn and teach, and possibly travel…as long as are not in a rush.

Finally, just because it’s not a great time to introduce something new doesn’t mean that you can’t promote current products!  There are some good dates for promotions coming up.  The best days are May 9^th and 10^th, as well as May 14^th and 15^th.  May 22^nd will also be a good day for promotions.

So slow down and check your details – the Universe will reward you!

As always, abundant blessings.

Madeline Gerwick
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Veteran business astrologer, Madeline Gerwick, has been practicing business astrology for over 20 years.  She is also an accomplished consultant and author.  She founded Polaris Business Guides, which guides organizations and individuals to create more prosperity by working in harmony with the Universe.

Subscribe to the Polaris Business Guides Facebook Page
Check out Madeline's YouTube Channel

Increase your chances of success -  incorporate business astrology the easy way!  The Good Timing Guide is a color-coded calendar that lets you use Universal cycles to your advantage at a glance, including Mercury in retrograde and Void of Course Moon.  Get in the flow!

 

How Mars Retrograde Affects You

I’d like to introduce the concept of Mars retrograde to you, and how it affects you and your business (if you have one).  It’s a very timely topic, as Mars retrograde starts April 17^th, 2016, and continues until June 29^th, 2016. 

If you are planning on starting a company, a new project, launching a website or any projects during the next ten weeks….please think again!  There is a natural energy that will make these activities difficult or impossible to accomplish successfully right now.  This is because it is a time of strategic planning, both for yourself and your business, for your game plan over the next two years.

This cycle of Mars retrograde is the most important cycle this year because it not only impacts the next ten and a half weeks, but also the following two years!

If you use this Mars retrograde cycle well, you’ll have a lot of momentum for big accomplishments.  If you use this cycle incorrectly, you’ll probably feel like you’re treading water for the following two years.

The cycle often makes us feel like we’re at sea without a compass.  Or it could lead us to find ourselves angry about a situation that has only been bothersome in the past.  But now you feel like you’re boiling over!  These situations are both quite normal for the Mars retrograde cycle.

There are a few key questions I’d like to suggest over the next ten weeks.  Please take the time to answer them, as they’ll help launch your success.

Question 1: Which activities do I most enjoy doing, and how can I do more of these in the next few years?

Question 2: Which activities do I just plain not want to do?  Another way to think of this is – which activities lower my energy?  Then, how can I do less of these activities?

Question 3: Which activities would give my life more purpose and meaning?

This last question is important because this cycle of Mars retrograde begins in the sign of Sagittarius, and we will all be asked to choose activities and actions that give us more purpose and meaning in our lives.

Everyone on the planet is here at this particular moment for a particular purpose or mission.  Everyone has a role in the major changes occurring on the planet.

So what is your role?  This is a very important piece of this particular Mars retrograde cycle.

How about the other situation noted at the beginning of this article, where you’re finding yourself very angry about something?  The funny thing about being angry is that usually when we’re angry at someone, we’re really angry at ourselves.  Either through a lack of setting boundaries or other action we did or did not take, we feel as though something has been done to us.  The key is to remember that we’re just as responsible as the other party for the situation.

Here, the first thing to do is forgive yourself.

Secondly, I would highly suggest the book, Nonviolent Communication by Marshall Rosenberg.  This book helps you to learn how to have those difficult conversations with the other person using techniques that will keep the other person’s heart chakra open.  You have a much better change of getting the particular response you really want by doing this.

Remember – no major new starts until early July!

Also, I urge you to do your personal and business strategic planning for the next two years now!

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Madeline Gerwick is a business astrologer, business consultant, and author with over 20 years of experience.  She is the founder of Polaris Business Guides, which guides organizations and individuals to create more prosperity by working in harmony with the Universe.

Subscribe to the Polaris Business Guides Facebook Page
Check out Madeline's YouTube Channel

Increase your chances of success by incorporating business astrology into your business the easy way!  The Good Timing Guide is a color-coded calendar that lets you use Universal cycles to your advantage at a glance, including Mars in Retrograde and Moon Void of Course.  Get in the flow!