Sandy Bryan’s Cosmic Weather Report

Mercury Retrograde

 I and many other astrologers have been writing about some major planetary configurations in the past couple of years and more.  The Uranus-Pluto square (or squares – those two planets were exactly 90 degrees apart seven times, the last time being March 16, 2015)  has been in the forefront of astrologers’ perspective through this time.  We were predicting chaos and upheaval and rebellion long before these planets came into exact square, and I must say things have been crazier than I dared imagine.

But enough about that.  We’ve all been through a lot of changes, and I hope these are bringing us to good places in our lives, to liberation and unexpected developments  that are resulting in our being more fully ourselves.

I’d like now to focus on a couple of day-to-day astrological influences that are not quite so striking or amazing as these major planetary alignments.  I’m thinking of Mercury retrograde. Mercury is retrograde now. For years I have been inserting some endnotes in my forecasts, explaining some common concepts of astrological “weather.”  These endnotes have included this about Mercury retrograde:

Mercury takes a little three-week retrograde cycle approximately every four months.  Our daily affairs slow down and get complicated.  Communications get tangled, computers flake out, automobiles break down and travel arrangements fall into disarray, a comedy of scheduling mishaps occurs, and things pretty much slow to a crawl.  It’s really a great time to slow down and regroup, to finish projects and catch up on unfinished business.  Just try not to launch your big project, or sign on the dotted line for a new contract, job, car, or whatever unless you really need to.  Try to get those things moving before the retrograde, and shepherd things patiently along during the retro cycle, knowing that some things may not completely come together until Mercury turns direct.  If you are making significant moves during the Mercury retrograde period, just know that some things will have to be straightened out after the direct.

Mercury turned retrograde the evening of May 18, and it will turn direct on June 11. I am hearing of all sorts of breakdowns and complications and delays from people around me.  This particular Mercury retrograde cycle may be a little more challenging than some.  I think I’m cruising along okay, but that may be because I’ve spontaneously decided not to try to make my daily activities unfold on a schedule.  Each day I have a list of things I might hope to accomplish, and then I just jump in and whatever happens, happens.   It never goes according to the agenda I created, but I have faith that it will all get done somehow.  My sympathy goes out to all those who have tight schedules and structured plans, because Mercury will have its way.

So, how to navigate the Mercury retrograde cycle, this Mercury retrograde cycle?  There’s a little more to the cycle than the simple explanation given above.  There is not only a retrograde but a “prograde” that astrologers pay attention to.  It’s great when Mercury turns direct and affairs start to move forward again.  However, we don’t consider things to be fully back on track until Mercury regains  lost ground and again is at the position it occupied when it was stationary, turning retrograde.

Let’s look at the current retrograde cycle.  Mercury turned retrograde on May 18, when it was at 13 degrees Gemini.  When Mercury is retrograde it is moving through the part of its orbit on the side of the Sun closer to the earth.  Midway through the retrograde Mercury will be aligned with the Sun as seen from the earth.  I find that we are often able at this point to gain some information or insight that is helpful in navigating the retrograde period.  This alignment or conjunction of Mercury and the Sun is called the inferior conjunction, not because it is less good but because it is lower or closer to earth, in contrast to the superior  conjunction when Mercury is on the far side of the Sun.

Anyway, the  inferior conjunction of the Sun and Mercury is coming up this Saturday morning, May 30.  Just by coincidence, it happens that a business agreement  that other parties and I  both desire has run into complications and remains unresolved, but I believe a solution may be evolving, and the timeline seems to be pointing to Saturday.   Are there any tangled situations resulting from this Mercury retrograde that you are aware of?  Can you foresee an opportunity for resolution opening up in the next three or four days?  Be on the lookout for it.

Mercury will continue to retrograde for a few more days after the inferior conjunction with the Sun and will at last turn direct on the afternoon of June 11.  You may notice the fog beginning to clear as we approach June 11, and things will continue to pick up.  However, we will not be in the clear until Mercury “completes its prograde” and is back at 13 Gemini, where it turned retrograde.  That will come on June 26.  Watch it and see what you think.

Mercury was retrograde at the beginning of 2015, from January 21 to February 11. The current retrograde period runs from May 18 to June 11. The third and final Mercury retrograde period of 2015 will run from September 17 to October 9.

Mercury turns retrograde about every four months, and I’ve noticed it’s been working out that Mercury will stay in the same element for three or four retrogrades. This year all the retrogrades occur when Mercury is in air signs – Aquarius, then Gemini, then Libra. Last year each Mercury retrograde cycle began with Mercury in a water sign, whence it backtracked into the air sign preceding it.   In 2013 Mercury turned retrograde in each of the water signs and remained in water throughout the retrograde.

In 2016 Mercury will spend its retrogrades in the earth signs, a possible indication that practical and business and mundane matters will go through tangles and delays to an unusual degree.

And that, dear reader, is enough said about Mercury retrograde.

FULL MOON  June 2, 2015

I want to pique your interest with one other astrological tidbit. Everyone knows that Full Moons are high points in the lunar cycle that can bring matters to culmination, and they are often associated with striking developments, that “something’s got to give” moment.

The coming Full Moon looks to be pretty dynamic. This lunar cycle began with a New Moon on May 18. At the New Moon the Sun and Moon were aligned with the fixed star Algol, which is sometimes associated with violence and atrocious behavior. Now comes the Full Moon, which is the high point of the cycle, on Tuesday, June 2. The chart is a volatile one. The Sun and Moon will be opposite one another, as that’s what makes a Full Moon. The Sun will be bracketed by Mercury on one side, still in retrograde, and Mars, planet of impulsiveness, temper and aggression, as well as healthy assertiveness, on the other. These bodies will be squared by Neptune, planet of inspiration, imagination and illusion.

The next few days, culminating on June 2, are likely to be fraught with upsets, impulsive actions and overreactions, accidents and rifts resulting from those impulsive words and deeds, and an unusual amount of drama or violence in the news.

This is a suggestion to proceed with care, knowing that even when we are grounded, many people will not be. Drive with care. Be aware of the dynamic energies of this Full Moon period and try to put it to good use.  Give yourself and others some slack. Some of us will likely be channeling this energy into breakthroughs in our lives.