It’s just like me to launch a new website in the shadow of Mercury retrograde, but that’s life. Retrogrades happen, but we still have to do what we have to do. Mercury goes retrograde 3x a year, although this year, the planet will begin a fourth retrograde just before the year ends. The coming retrograde officially begins on September 9 and ends on October 2, although we’ll be in its shadow phase until October 17. When planets are in retrograde, they don’t actually move backwards. It’s only appears that way from Earth. The disasters that are attributed to Mercury in retrograde vary from the silly to the absurd. Mercury, whether direct or retrograde impacts the things that fall within its domain. Mercury governs communication of all sorts, mail, messages, deliveries, buying and selling, short trips, the daily commute, conveyance (the action or process of transporting someone or something from one place to another, also the action of making an idea, feeling, or impression known or understandable to someone), thoughts and opinions, thieves and trickery. Because of Mercury retrograde, I’ll undoubtedly forget to add items to this list, but I digress.
All the planets (excluding the luminaries - the sun and moon) have retrograde periods. It’s an opportunity to retread old ground, dive deeper into recent experiences, and embrace the redo. In the case of Mercury, it’s an opportune time to review and revise documents, contracts, and written projects. You’ll undoubtedly discover an important detail that may have previously escaped your attention. Revisiting old conversations and reconnecting with people from your past can fill in some blanks. Admittedly, it can be a horrendous period for deliveries and travel. Things (and people) get lost, and routes and schedules can be changed without notice. It’s a poor time to purchase electronics, cell phones, vehicles, and anything that contains intricate parts. If someone says the check is in the mail (or payment has been sent electronically), they’re probably being truthful (or are they?), but there’s no telling when you’ll receive it.
Mercury begins its retrograde at 9 Libra. Where you find 9 degrees of Libra in your natal chart denotes the area where this mental fuckery will begin. On September 23, Mercury will retrograde into Virgo (a sign it rules), making minor mischief there before stationing direct on October 2. There’s no avoiding retrogrades. Life goes on. Make the most of it by embracing the redo in the areas of your natal chart impacted by this retrograde.