merc retro read it please

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 7/26/00 1:07:24 PM Eastern Daylight Time,

rhodes10 writes:

 

<< MERCURY RETROGRADE---ARGHHHHHHH!!!!

 

by Nauman, DHM(UK), EMT

 

1997 Nauman

>>

 

Nauman is a respected western astrologer. That said, her explanation

of the physics/astronomy of a retrograde is wrong. If you skip over that

third of the message, the rest is consistent with mainstream western views of

Mercury retrograde. I'd like to hear some of the jyotish teachers comment.

 

Lalia

[Guest guest]

MERCURY RETROGRADE---ARGHHHHHHH!!!!

 

by Nauman, DHM(UK), EMT

 

1997 Nauman

 

 

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 observor 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 communciation. I would

strongly urge all of you to go the

www.medicinegarden.com and find 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!

 

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 (C. B. Willis).

 

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 Merc. 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 Merc.

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 Merc. 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 Merc. R!! THAT is a prescription for disaster!

The contract won't be honored. 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 Merc. 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 suprises,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 commonplaced 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 Merc. R. "SAVE" your stuff you're working on every

5 minutes during a Merc. R or you'll lose it--believe

me :-).

 

4. Try not to travel long-distance during a Mercury R

because Mercury is the ruler of travel by any

conveyance. 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 sharpner

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 Merc. 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 traffice, 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 Merc. 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/turnkpike, or the

other person is delayed. The appointment will never

occur on time during a Merc. 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.

 

 

 

IS THERE ANY GOOD NEWS ABOUT MERCURY RETROGADE?

 

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 Gemini's (those born

May 21-June 20) and Virgo (those born August 23 to

September 22) folks are ruled by Mercury--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

(May 24), I look FORWARD to Merc. R 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

!

 

Virgo's 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 be perfect or strive for that

near-perfection for 3 weeks, three 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--Merc 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--nows 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 ressurecting 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 cabinent! 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 :-).

 

 

 

TIMES MERCURY IS RETROGRADE in 1998:

 

Here's a table of the time periods Mercury goes

retrograde:

 

1998:

 

Mar 27-April 19

 

Aug 2-Aug 23

 

Nov 21-Dec 11

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!

/

 

 

[Guest guest]

Lalia, I find her comments about mercury retrograde transits generally on

target,but a bit exaggerated.What interests me more is the difference east

and west between natal retrogrades.Clearly the function of the planet is

altered when retrograde.One thing I have found with mercury retrograde is

that these people do not like to talk about themselves in a personal way,but

may be quite fluent when discussing impersonal matters.They do tend to think

in a more contemplative style,analyze and reflect on knowledge a long time

before it is applied. I speak from my own personal experience here.