mercury in retrograde

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Do you believe in astrology at all? Specifically, do you believe there are planetary conditions that put the population at large in a bad mood?

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2000

Answers

Nope, don't think there's anything more complicated than how our moods color our perception. We start to see bad things everywhere when we are having a tough time.

The last couple of weeks have been a doozy for me. The company I work for is going out of business, everyone I know is having either expensive car repair trouble or expensive home repair trouble or expensive pet repair trouble (or, like me, all three!). No one has a free moment to spare and everyone's scrambling for cash.

Now, I know the whole world isn't going down the toilet, but when I feel rushed and pressured that's all I can see around me.

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2000


Could the bad moods be more of a function of heat? It's roasting around here and that makes people cranky.

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2000

I would love to know what my horoscope would have said for Friday, when I actually won that money. I also got a free t-shirt I was pretty sure I was never going to get that day.

I don't know enough about the other stuff to even guess about it, but I think the heat definitely affects people.

Cops (the tv show) always has the best arrests in the summertime.

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2000


I don't believe in astrology and have to clarify that one of my hobbies is astronomy, like with a telescope ('cause people go, oh cool, what's your sign?). That said, I do wonder about the moon's gravitational effects. Look at the moon's effect on tides. Most of our body's composition is water. Also, the old saying, "must be a full moon", is not without some merit. Hang around an ER or police station during a full moon and things do tend to pick up. I don't believe any other heavenly bodies are close enough to exert a gravitational pull.

-- Anonymous, August 28, 2000

I don't give much credence to astrology. At the same time, I feel certain that the moon influences us. Why else would the menstrual cycle match up with it? I've heard so many different things about the full moon's alleged affects that I'm not sure what to think anymore. I guess I believe that the full moon does lure out the crazies, but only because it *feels* true to me. I wish I had some empirical evidence conrfirming it though.

-- Anonymous, August 29, 2000


My first response to the topic title was: ah man, Mercury isn't in retrograde again, is it? So yeah, I do believe in it somewhat.

-- Anonymous, August 29, 2000

Hey Jill, in my Criminology class in college, the instructor told us that crime rates actually do go up on nights with a full moon. I don't remember the specifics. I do remember they couldn't agree on a good reason. But at least you're not going crazy :)

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2000

I have to say, after working in bars for 10 years, crowds get whackier when there's a full moon. I swear.

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2000

I worked for a domestic violence shelter, assisting individuals in getting restraining orders. We always got hammered whenever there was a full moon. You could even track it with our statistics, so there might be something to it.

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2000

I'm a skeptic to the bone, but I've noted some startling accuracy with some astrological stuff. At first it was just idle fun, but sometimes something will happen that's uncanny and it makes you wonder. I'm softening up on the subject the older I get. I don't believe that there are twelve basic persomality types, for one. But I'm a Libra, and a more stereotypical Libran you probably could not find. (Thing is, I discovered that I have several planets in Libra &/or complimentary signs.) I do notice some scary correlation between moon phases (what sign the moon is in at the time) and people's behavior. I find that many of my closest friends' birthdays tend to be clustered predominately under certain signs.

Actually, I have a group of friends online and we all piss and moan and start asking if Mercury is retrograde when we're going through a collective rough patch...because, inevitably, we note afterwards that yes, Mercury is acting up.

I read horoscopes but do not believe in them. The closest I've found is "Real Astrology" by Rob Breszny (sp?), precisely because he doesn't predict specifics, he comments about trends and possibilities (and does so intelligently and entertainingly). No "tall dark strangers" or "expect a letter" crap, there.

I also believe that humans love coincidences and try to find meaning in them.

-- Anonymous, August 30, 2000



Well folks, it's time to come out of the closet: I am a bona fide, professional, money-charging astrologer. But without taking too defensive a posture, let me take this opportunity to say: there are astrologers, and then there are astrologers.

Unfortunately, while most everyone has been exposed to "sun sign" astrology (like newspapers columns which, for the sake of simplicity, assume 12 basic personality types), relatively few have been exposed to interesting, intelligent, imaginative, *real* astrology. So there's this enormous disconnect between what many astrologers would like to do for people (i.e., help them explore their personal mythology) and what people expect astrologers to do for them (i.e., "Tell me what's going to happen to me."). Consequently, it's a weird--and usually unsatisfying--job.

More to the point of Gwen's original question: I do find the population at large tends to be a bit stirred up a week either side of an eclipse. Mercury retrograde periods can flip people out, I think, because its message--slow down, think twice, wait a while--is not one that is easy for the modern urban dweller to get in synch with.

I would encourage anyone with a casual curiosity about astrology to read anything by Steven Forrest, a thoughtful, user-friendly astrologer and writer-- "The Night Speaks" and "The Inner Sky" in particular. Also, Caroline Casey's "Making the Gods Works for You" is swell.

-- Anonymous, August 31, 2000


Is the Mercury in retrograde period over yet? If not, when will it be finished?

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2000

Mercury is retrograde for about three weeks at a time, several times a year. It is not currently retrograde. Next retrograde period is October 18 - November 7. Other retrograde periods this year were Feb. 21 - March 14 and June 23 - July 17.

-- Anonymous, September 11, 2000

Ok, but what is it supposed to mean when Mercury is in retrograde??!?

-- Anonymous, September 12, 2000

Traditional thought says Mercury retrograde augers three weeks of miscommunication, technological snafus, losing your car keys, and general frustration.

On a deeper level, Mercury retrograde periods symbolize a time for "retracing one's steps"-- a good time for doing things that begin with a "re-"...such as reflecting, reorganizing, reinventing, renovating, recreation. Sort of a "time out" to go back and untangle old knots, clean up old messes and the like.

My personal observation is that the lost car keys, communication snafu, hard drive crash things tend to happen most when you're trying too hard to force things and refuse to take time out to decompress. When my life is in a mellow holding pattern, I barely notice Mercury retrograde periods.

-- Anonymous, September 13, 2000



Hmmm, intersting...thanks, April. :)

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2000

So what's going on with the heavenly bodies right now, April? I really wanna know. And which online astrologists do you trust -- if any?

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2000

Ummm... the full moon last night was pretty spectacular, wasn't it? New and full moons are the highlight of *any* month! If you're interested, here's an article I wrote about the recent new moon: http://www.mooncircles.com/currentmonth.html

Mars will enter a new sign on Saturday, so the next couple of days will probably find us all a bit...*testier* than usual!

The autumnal equinox is on the 22nd; I'll have some seasonal essays posted on my website on or around that day: http://www.bigskyastrology.com

Gwen, in terms of online astrologers... I find stariq.com has some great articles, and they give a general description of the "cosmic weather" under their "planet iq" section. Some people like Rob Brezsny's weekly column: http://www.realastrology.com/ Richard Nolle has some forecasts at: http://www.astropro.com

Hopefully those will get you started!

-- Anonymous, September 14, 2000


I dabble, so I'm no expert like April. But I wanted to share something amusing.

I don't do well during times when the moon is in water or earth signs. Doesn't matter whether it has anything to do with astrology or not, and I don't anticipate problems, I just note, afterwards, if I feel motivated to check, that the moon was indeed in signs of those particular elements. Libra is an air sign.

Case in point: was feeling weepy and overly emotional the past few days. Roommate and I banter about astrology on occasion, so she asked what the moon was in. I muttered something like "Probably Pisces. I love them personally, but I hate it when the moon is in Pisces. I get way too touchy and emotional."

She looks it up*.

Full Moon in Pisces.

Color us both unsurprised and amused.

P.S. We have at least three sources to refer to in the house, April. :) And I hope you don't think I was insulting you in any way when I still say I'm a skeptical person at heart, or that I don't believe in horoscopes. It has nothing to do with how valid or not valid I think something is. Whatever works, works. Hey, I personally own more Tarot (and similar) decks than anyone else I know, save bookstores and professional readers.

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2000


Oh Milla, that's really sweet of you! But please, don't give it another thought; how could I feel attacked simply by someone sharing his/her opinion? You'd have to get a lot more insulting than that to offend me!--and believe me, people do. Which I find a little puzzling, actually. I'm not quite sure why they get so worked up on the subject.

Anyway. For me, it's Scorpio moons--like clockwork, I manifest all the signs of PMS even if my period is nowhere in sight! For my husband, it's Aries moons.

Go figure. ;D

-- Anonymous, September 15, 2000


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