We are in Mercury retrograde season (February 17-March 10, 2020). I’m sure you are seeing a lot of posts about this event which happens three times per year. Basically, it is when the planet Mercury, appears to move backwards in relation to the Zodiac. This is an optical illusion of course, which is why this phenomenon is referred to as “apparent retrograde movement”.
Mercury is the planet of all forms of communication (both honest and dishonest), logic, reasoning, messages, quick thinking, ideas, opinions, perceptions, the mind, focus, and short distance travel.
The tarot card which represents Mercury is The Magician. Since Mercury is in retrograde, let’s take a look at this card in it’s reversed position. This will give us some insights regarding the general baseline energies that we should pay attention to when Mercury goes retrograde.
Now there are many other factors to consider when assessing the particulars of each Mercury retrograde cycle, such as what sign and house Mercury is in at the time of the retrograde, the other planetary alignments, individual natal chart planetary placements, etc. If you are thinking of making a big decision during a Mercury retrograde, plug in the date to an astrological chart and compare it’s alignments to those of your personal transitory chart. This may clue you in on some potential pitfalls so you can take the necessary steps to avoid them. There are many sites online where you can obtain free astrological charts, or you may want to contact a professional astrologer.
As we move on, take a moment to study the upright image on this card.
This card is the conscious “masculine” aspect of the mind. The Magician is the “architect” that channels (aka communicates) with the universal energies of the divine and combines them with his will to create. He has all the elements he needs in front of him to manifest his desires. On the table, we see a pentacle (earth), a wand (fire), a chalice (water), and the sword (air). The Magician himself is the channel for “spirit” which is the catalyst that ties all the elements together to create life. He is balanced mentally and physically as he is shown with one hand holding a wand up to the divine for inspiration, and the other pointed down, grounded to the earth. When I look at this card, the first three absolute Universal Laws comes to mind: The Law of Mentalism, the Law of Correspondence, and The Law of Vibration.
A few key words associated with The Magician are potential, focus, manifestation, magick, the conscious “masculine” side of our minds, willpower, the phrase “you have all the tools you need to make it happen”, divine timing, confidence, balance, alchemy, competent, transformation, purpose.
Remember, when I said that Mercury in retrograde was an optical illusion? When we reverse The Magician, the positive aspects of this card are reversed as well. The Magician is no longer a conscious creator, he is an illusionist. His positive attributes are skewed. He uses slight of hand to distract his audience. He entertains us with one hand, while deceiving us with the other.
Since he is no longer using his powers to create, the tools in this position are falling off the table. And look at The Magician’s hands. Still pointing, but now the dominant hand with the wand is no longer channeling the divine, but is pointing down at the earth. Also note that the lemniscate is now reversed as well. This symbol, which corresponds to infinite creation and potential, as well as spiritual and material balance, is no longer the energy between the divine realm and The Magician. It is now the energy between the earth realm and The Magician.
This indicates that instead of receiving his guidance and inspiration from the divine, he receives it from the material, earth plane. And I think we all know what happens when people misuse their power for material gain.
Reversed, this card also indicates that the diving timing is “off”, and communications will have a tendency to be misconstrued. This is exactly what many experience during Mercury retrogrades. Some may experience technical issues with their computers and phones during this time as well.
There is also a potential for “slight of hand” tactics. In the form of communication, some examples of this are fine print in contracts, fast talking sales pitches and misleading advertising. The timing is off for interpersonal communications as well. I am seeing a lot of people right now that are not “getting” each other when communicating. A sideways look, or a misread word results in an immediate disagreement.
Not everyone is energetically affected by the movements and aspects of the planets on a conscious level. But for those who are, Mercury retrograde is a message that now is not the time for moving forward with a major decision or project.
This is a time for rest. Take care of yourself. Focus on calming the mind and body. And as The Magicians tools at this time are in disarray, this is a good reminder to clean up your surroundings. Get a jump on spring cleaning! It is a fact that a clear physical space, clears the mind as well.
Mercury retrograde also reminds us that this is a good time to take stock of your finances. Examine future purchases carefully. For example, at this time, many people are just now recovering from the holiday season. If you have some extra cash, it may be a good idea to put it in your savings instead of splurging on unnecessary material goods. Putting money in your savings is not flashy and fun, but you’ll be glad it’s there later on should an unexpected expense come up. And during a Mercury retrograde, this could happen!
Mercury in retrograde is an introspective energy. Take the time to consider all your options and to research thoroughly before committing to something. Making quick decisions during Mercury retrograde is not conducive to a successful outcome. Don’t fall for those “buy it today” deals. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The Magician’s slight of hand can make your money disappear quickly if you are not careful.
As for personal relationships, Mercury in retrograde can bring up issues from the past that need to be addressed or healed. You may see challenges arise that will test to see if you have truly absorbed the life lessons from the original situation. Emotions may be raw because of this. Mercury in retrograde gives us the gift of time, to regress for a little while, to give us time to once and for all, put the baggage behind us so we can move forward.
As I touched on before, choose your words carefully when you speak or write. Communications during a Mercury retrograde can be misinterpreted easily. This can trigger people emotionally as it brings up unhealed wounds they may have. Keep your communications short and to the point. Be positive as much as you can. Keep that ego in check! You may find that it’s not worth it to argue with someone to prove your point. Especially online where the shadow side of people likes to make it’s appearance behind the anonymity of the keyboard. People with mental illnesses can be especially triggered during this time. Best just to hide/block the comment instead of reacting. You’ll be glad you did!
Mercury moves out of retrograde on March 11th which is right before the spring equinox! This will bring an influx of renewed energies and perspectives just in time, to merge with the spring season. It will be like taking a breathe of crisp, clean, fresh air!
Personally, I think Mercury retrogrades are a reminder to take a pause to regroup ourselves. Everything that we need to be mindful of during a retrograde are things that we should always be aware of. Mercury retrograde is just a signal for us to pay closer attention to how we treat ourselves and others.