Clarification about Mercury Retrograde
Does the world stop when Mercury is retrograde? should we paralyze our activities as far as Mercury themes are concerned? NO, definitely not.
First of all, not all people are affected each time Mercury turns retrograde, as it depends on meaningful contacts between transiting Mercury and the birth chart positions (for example, John could have felt its effects when Mercury turned retrograde the first time this year, but he may not be affected during this upcoming Mercury retrograde). In addition, the specific effects of Mercury retrograde vary from one person to another.
The same way seasons regulate natural processes, our lives go through different cycles to facilitate/motivate our learning and evolution. The lapse when Mercury is retrograde is a special cycle which has been arranged to motivate us to meditate, to think over themes ruled by this planet ... God, the Universe, the Great Architect, whatever the name each of us uses to call that Higher Being/Energy, grants us a time when we can reconsider our plans and actions related to Mercury subjects, specially for those who are not recognizing the signs or those who are acting thoughtlessly.
People who are more in tune with their Higher Self can recognize a Mercury retrograde period as a wonderful lapse to focus on mercurial activities which require a lot of reflection and attention, as well as a cycle to prepare the way for projects, opportunities and actions to be taken when Mercury is direct again. In this way, there is activity, but it is preparatory or slow, as there is a tendency to review everything a lot and there may be doubts as well as the need to reconsider until the objective is achieved satisfactorily. Mercury retrograde can be a good time to put all the pieces of the puzzle in their place.
Some other people, those who are a bit distracted, unaware or in "automatic pilot" mode, may find that Mercury retrograde is a period when they experience obstacles, delays or complications which have a specific purpose: to motivate the person to review the situation intently, because there is something that needs to be modified, taken care of, internalized ... the problem comes to make the person stop and see the situation with open eyes, instead of maintaining the daily routine. Sometimes these difficulties are blessings in disguise, as they may prevent the person to take false steps or force him/her to look for alternatives that can be best. In other cases, if the person insists stubbornly and tries to force the circumstances, he/she may create complications because of his/her refusal to listen to Mercury's retrograde message.
In general terms, it is usually recommended to avoid certain activities when Mercury is retrograde, because it is not the ideal cycle for them, as they will not flow easily, specially if the person is facing other complex or critical activations in his/her life. However, it is going to be necessary to tackle mercurial tasks under many circumstances while Mercury is retrograde if the person must develop or put to the test his/her capabilities to reflect, reconsider or change direction ... the more aware we are about this, the better the chance to get advantage of this cycle, instead of being afraid of it or become paranoid about it.
Another important point refers to assume our responsibilities. Regretfully, many people have made Mercury retrograde the scapegoat for their mistakes, problems or the situations they do not want to face. They prefer to put the blame on Mercury retrograde, instead of reviewing themselves, seeing the real circumstances (not the superficial or apparent ones), assuming their responsibilities or understanding their roles to act accordingly (by rectifying, waiting, changing their course of action, etc.). If you have been part of this group so far, I ask you to reflect about the content of this message and take the evolutionary path.
Communication (at all levels), travel (moves, trips, etc.), commercial activities, all things related to contracts and manual tasks are the activities most affected by Mercury retrograde. What happens with these activities? you can see some examples below:
* Should we stop exchanging information during Mercury retrograde? no, you just need to be more careful with what you say and pay more attention to what others tell you, especially if you are going to give a conference or teaching a class.
* Should public transport stop running? Should maritime, air and rail transport be avoided? should we all stay at home? no, but please check your reservations/travel plans carefully and try to take advantage of any delay you may encounter.
* Should we avoid buying anything with Mercury retrograde? of course not, just pay attention if you need to buy something important, especially if there are contracts associated in order to avoid misunderstandings.
* If you are a notary, should you close the office while Mercury is retrograde? not at all, just be patient, review all information very carefully and clarify all processes/data to all people involved.
* And if you are an artisan ... should you stop working with Mercury retrograde? no, of course not, it is just that if Mercury retrograde is affecting your birth chart, it is possible that you need to reconsider your designs or the way you do your craft.
It is usually convenient that certain activities or decisions are postponed when Mercury is retrograde. This delay can help us to reconsider our course of action, to revalue our priorities or simply be more aware of our current circumstances. Mercury retrograde can bring obstacles or deferrals, but its objective is to impose some sort of brake that compels us to revalue whatever has been obstructed. Thanks to this reconsideration, we can prepare ourselves better, rectify if necessary, change our plans to act in a more productive way when Mercury is direct again or simply focus our energies on other activities that need a higher priority that the one we have conceded them so far.
As the rune Nauthiz teaches us, "when fishermen cannot go to the sea, they repair their nets".