All retrogrades have a positive side.
Second only to solar eclipses, perhaps, Mercury retrograde stands out as the one astrological phenomenon that even people unfamiliar with astrology think they know something about.
Enjoying the “Re” in Mercury Retrograde
Heck, even astronomers think they know what most astrologers think about Mercury retrograde. In this little video Joss Fong does a beautiful job showing you the astronomical (or mechanical) illusion of the retrograde. Joss zings the hyperbolic work of sensationalist astrologers, and deservedly so. Unfortunately, it's a baby with the bath water dig.
Before I give my $.02 on how to approach not only Mercury retrograde, but other retrogrades as well, I need to do a little foundation work, first.
As I've mentioned often, every planetary placement and aspect has both a positive and a negative charge. The manifestation of energy — any energy — must be dualistic in our materialistic realm. You cannot have darkness unless you have light, cold unless you have heat, and so on. Additionally, it is important to keep in mind that positive does not mean good, and negative does not mean bad. We interpret things as good or bad, and since every person has a sliding scale of what is acceptable or desirable, we see how everyone has wildly varying tolerances and desires.
Additionally, your Mercury is very likely tied to other planets in your chart by aspect. Plus, your Mercury probably isn’t transiting the same house in your chart as it is in your boss' chart, or that of your co-worker, or your partner… Never succumb to the temptation to interpret one planet’s shenanigans irrespective of the whole of your chart.
So why call Mercury retrograde “bad?”
In my experience observing the way many react to Mercury retrograde, it comes down to two factors:
A disruption of normal rhythm
The discomfort of introspection
With the exception of the movement of the True Node and the South Node, all planetary movement is counterclockwise in our charts. Not only that, but the movement is so precise, that we can navigate by it. In other words, we get into a rhythm. It’s a beat we use: the moon, and the rest of the planets all working in tandem with our own environment and bodily functions to help us along.
Then come retrogrades. The normal planetary movement slows, stops, appears to go backward, slows again, stops, and then regains normal motion. In our highly regimented lives, this is upsetting, to say the least.
But here's the thing: as the animation I shared earlier demonstrates, retrograde motion is an illusion; the planets are always moving in the same direction.
Perception, acted upon, is reality.
It would be erroneous, however, to say that this illusory motion does not have a direct effect on our lives.
Have you ever sat in your car, perhaps checking your smartphone, and then the car parked next to you shifts into reverse and backs out? Have you ever felt for a split second that your car is rolling forward? This is not unlike what we experience during a retrograde. Your car, of course, isn't going anywhere. But for a moment you would swear that it is.
Perception, acted upon, is reality. When it comes to retrogrades, however, perception goes deeper than conscious awareness; your very DNA is connected to the rhythms and patterns of the universe.
When Carl Sagan said, “You are star-stuff,” he wasn’t kidding. And when Alan Watts described how a flower is inseparable from the sun and the earth that gives it life, that indeed it is one organism, he wasn’t kidding, either.
Meditation is not easy
Now, we have an opportunity; here comes the “re” in “retrograde,” where we review or go over the same ground again. If you're the sort of person who doesn't like to repeat what you saying more than once, experiencing the same energies again relatively quickly can be frustrating. Add to the fact that you will be experiencing it after you go over that territory in reverse, then you can really be thrown off you're path for a bit.
Retrograde periods for all of the personal planets should be seen as an opportunity for reflection. (There is another ”re” word, again.)
Every astrologer looks to past experiences and tries to learn about their client's perceptions from those past experiences in order to give good advice for the future when that pattern reappears.
Retrogrades are concentrated little versions of that. When Mercury is involved, communication, ideas, travel — and our perceptions of those experiences — can be re-examined more closely. The universe asks us to take our time and to be considerate about agreements and the way we present ourselves. When Venus goes retrograde, we are asked to consider how healthy our relationships are, as well as how we view our possessions and our finances. When Mars appears to slip backward, we are asked to slow down and decide what actions are truly in our best interests.
The Christian apologist C.S. Lewis used to compare little illnesses — like colds and the flu — to small vacations. As twisted as that sounds, you would have agreed with him when you were in elementary school.
If you're forced to stay home for a day or two as an adult, examining your life and thinking about your motivations is a natural byproduct. When Mercury retrograde (or other personal planets from Venus to Jupiter) occurs, the same invitation to self-review is offered. If we attempt to plow forward with the same intensity and pace, it's no wonder that we experience challenges.
Accept the invitation
When you see a retrograde approaching in your forecast, put it to good use. Plan time to examine what that planet (and the house through which it is passing) invites you to review. Chill. Slow down. Be a little more careful. And for goodness sakes, don't blow it out of proportion. As with everything in human existence, you get to choose how you will react. See if you can react from a place of understanding that you are inseparable from all of this; everything is as it should be.
Summary
Mercury has an effect on our communications, our travel, the way we go about generating ideas, and making plans
Although Mercury isn’t going backward in the sky, it appears to; and that apparent motion has a synchronous affect
Mercury is just one of a zillion other factors in your chart, regardless of the apparent motion it seems to be making
Think of any retrograde period as a time to “go back over,” a time of reconsideration. Reflection doesn't have to be painful. In fact, it should be quietly joyous