February 16, 7:55 PM, EST --- March 9th 11:49 PM, EST, 2020 12/13 degrees Pisces - 28 degrees Aquarius
It’s Mercury Retrograde time again. It’s a time when words and intentions get misinterpreted. When technology fritz’s out for no apparent reason. When travel plans, or any plans for that matter, have to get rescheduled. There’s no easy way around it. We have to prepare for the worst (backup those electronics!), accept the moment to moment changes and do our best to communicate clearly, ask for clarification, and hold our tongue in the right moments.
Mercury Retrogrades are generally times for reviewing, reworking, reconnecting, relaxing, and releasing in all areas of our life. It’s typically not the best time to start anything new unless you already know it’s going to be a temporary situation, and/or accept that circumstances and perspectives may change once Mercury goes direct.
This Mercury Retrograde will last 3 weeks and will mostly take place in Pisces with a 6-day visit in Aquarius. It will stay in Aquarius for another 6 days after turning direct before it moves back into Pisces. It stations retrograde at 12 degrees Pisces and stations direct at 28 degrees Aquarius. Anyone with planets or points at between 12 degrees Pisces and 28 degrees Aquarius especially in Mutable signs of Gemini, Sagittarius, and Virgo, and Fixed signs of Scorpio, Taurus, and Leo, will be feeling Mercury Retrograde most.
Mercury in Pisces makes us all a little sleepy, internal, and may even bring some physical challenges like a cold or flu to slow us down and relax. Mercury in Pisces also gives us a chance to find creative inspiration, spiritual connection, and a return to our center as we rediscover the need to come back home, the internal point of focus that keeps us stable.
This may also be a time when we are experiencing more emotions than usual. Pisces reminds us that our emotions are important aspects of our experience that need attention, acceptance, and care during challenging moments. Allowing yourself to feel while not getting swallowed up by grief, anger, disillusionment, or disappointment, which can lead to paralysis and depression.
Those are some of the shadow aspects of Pisces and when we fall victim, another Pisces theme, to illusion, deception, and addiction, we have a much more difficult time escaping their grips. Avoidance can come in many forms, sometimes masking as love, work, and play. Codependency/relationships, drug addiction, social media/technology addiction, work addiction, and even spiritual bypassing, are all habits to be aware during this retrograde.
Channel your energy into something creative that feeds your soul instead of something that takes you into darkness. Pisces reminds us that we are connected to something larger than this physical body and world. And yet the mundane physical reality holds beauty and miracles when we can open our narrow perspective and see the mystery in everything in life.
As Mercury moves from Pisces back into Aquarius and turns direct, expect new information to surface that may shake your foundation and force you to shift perspectives on some areas of your life. With the Sun also in Pisces during this entire retrograde, we’ll have to stay focused on our center and creating a solid foundation within ourselves. However, Aquarius reminds us that community can help be our foundation when we are lost in grief or depression.
Aquarius also highlights technology, communication, and innovation. Any business ideas you’ve been considering can be worked on and transformed during this retrograde time. Wait until Mercury has moved into Aries in mid-April to really push things forward.
Pisces also deals with health issues and we may see continued struggles with Coronovirous during this retrograde. Hopefully by the end of the retrograde, with the Aquarius focus, new technology and community support will help bring things under control and into recovery. Our Global community and connection are more apparent now than ever as we see countries around the world dealing with cases of this virus.
Overall this Mercury retrograde in Pisces/Aquarius reminds us to rest and connect to our spiritual and creative side, use our inspiration and faith to transmute challenging emotions and situations, and see all life as an interconnected global community.