Mercury's Proverbial Moonwalk...

Ah, the power and beauty of Retrograde. A period when confusion and frustration run amok and people rip their hair out at random. Yep, it's that time of year again! Whenever Mercury Retrograde rolls around, people freak out. 

Why? 

Because Retrograde is evil and causes major problems! 

My hair dryer blows up and I have to drive to work with wet hair!

Traffic is abysmal!

My boss didn't get my email and now I'm fired!

I told my boyfriend I liked his new haircut and he thought I said, "Your hair looks like a mole's butt..." 

Everything goes to shit during Retrograde!  

It's evil I tell you!  

EVIL!!

(I imagine this is what Mercury looks like while he's Retrogradin'...)

So...why does all of this happen? What exactly is Retrograde, anyway? Well, during Retrograde, the planet Mercury allegedly starts moving backwards in its orbit around the Sun. As you may or may not know, Mercury was named for the Roman Messenger of the Gods, so when the planet appears to move in "retrograde", or reverse, it makes sense that communication on Earth would get all screwy, right? Since the God in charge of messages and correspondence the Universe over is in the middle of an eight-week-long Moonwalk we can expect communication (including the way machines talk to each other) to go completely haywire. People begin to labor under grave misapprehension, contract terms are misinterpreted, and the general cacophony of the masses sounds more like a giant herd of cows groaning in the distance than a group of well-mannered individuals asking for help. 

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

Here's the real deal: Mercury Retrograde is all an illusion. Mercury doesn't really move backwards, it just appears that way because of the Earth's positioning at that time of year. This is the first key to understanding how to operate during Retrograde. It is OUR perspective, or vantage point, that brings messy, chaotic energy into our lives.  We believe in the Retrograde and so the Retrograde affects us. Funny enough, the last Retrograde was one of the most successful and manifestation-heavy periods of my life.  I had no miscommunication problems or issues whatsoever, but I was also PREPARED for it. I knew it was coming and that allowed me to streamline my perspective going in. This go round, I was not prepared, and so I have suffered because I failed to shield and streamline before it began.  This is very important.  We are surrounded by people who may be heavily affected by Retrograde (whether they know it or not), and if we do not shield from these individuals and the energy they create, we will ultimately allow their energy to infiltrate our space. Even though we may be completely confident and ready to make magic, our failure to prepare can ultimately bite us in the ass.  It's the same as jumping into waters infested with ill-tempered sharks.  You could have every intention of not getting bit, but if you don't assert yourself and take action to prevent it, you will end up the main course at their dinner party.

So how exactly do we take action now that we've immersed ourselves in Retrograde energy? Simple: get out of the water, cleanse, re-clothe, and jump back in! Mercury is on your side, even if a whole buttload of other people think otherwise. In retrospect, we deal with this kind of issue everyday. Lots of people don't agree with our methodologies or the way we approach life, but that doesn't stop us from being us. Hell, tons of folks can be cranky, or even violent, but it doesn't box us into an adverse cycle of thought or emotion. We each have the natural ability to claim and maintain our space and we can employ this talent to defeat the superstition of Retrograde.

You might wonder how this will help alleviate mechanical difficulties. The answer is this: the less static we produce, the less static will get in the way of our devices. We all give off an energy field. If that field is fraught with tension and white noise, it can interrupt the flow of other energetic systems. Sounds kinda wacky, but we essentially turn ourselves into human flares. This phenomenon arises from point of view. The more we stress over stuff, the more it stresses our machines and devices, and often times, the people in our lives. Maintaining a simple and concise pattern during this time will not only kill the buzz, but it can help us approach life from an easy place. Complexities have a way of burning energy, so try to remember to be as transparent as possible at this time. 

This will also help us work the magic of manifestation on other people's behalf, especially those plagued by Retrograde. If they cannot see through the haze of illusion, how can we expect to cultivate prosperous relationships, whether business or personal? Clear the lines of communication. Work diligently to identify your needs and don't be afraid to offer assistance. A clear vista is not difficult to find, especially if you rise above the flimflam. Remember, you can't control how others view you, but you can lend them a hand and offer to pull them up to your level of consciousness. During Retrograde, Mercury, as Ruler of Communication, teaches us to work prayers and affirmations in a clean, practical manner. He shows us how to cut through the bull by way of easy communication. He also teaches us to listen. This is a huge part of communicating. If we aren't sure what a person is trying to say, the best thing to do is ask them what they mean. Don't assume. Don't jump to conclusions. Remember that language is linear and that means the straighter and BOLDER the line, the easier it is for us to follow and understand. When we muck up our affirmations with vague and disjointed linguistics, we fail to make our needs and desires evident.  

The Universe cannot provide the right answer if we fail to ask the right question.