Welcome to the last Mercury Retrograde of the year! I know most folks aren’t likely to find this to be an awesome time but I am one of few who appreciates what it can bring without having mercury retrograde in my own birth chart.

Today, October 4th, the retrograde period actually begins. The planet of the lower mind, communication, language, short travels, transportation, siblings, and logic appears to backtrack through the sky and cause chaos on earth. Computers will crash. Planes will fall out of the sky. The world will devolve into a lawless place where logic and reason are no more!!!

Not really. Yes, there is potential for screw ups but that is mainly because we go completely against the grain of what the planet is showing us. If the planet of communication slowed down and revisited where it has traveled over the last 2 weeks then we should too. Retrograde periods are made for reviewing, refining, and reevaluating. Take a page from the planet and do the same. Of course the sign that Mercury is traveling through means something as well and this period will see it through the beginning of Scorpio and almost halfway in Libra.

Mercury in Scorpio is inquisitive but in an intense way. It tends to just know things but this is the result of a keen instinct and detailed observation. Scorpio confers a bluntness and directness of speech to Mercury along with a passion that can be off putting or inspiring depending on the audience. When mercury is in Scorpio, as a whole, we tend to look to the occult and the darker things in life. We begin to plan our strategies for next year and look to the resources that we have at our disposal.

Mercury in Libra wants to speak fairly and diplomatically but has a tendency to do so from a cold distance. There is a instinct to measure and compare in order to find the value or logic in things and that can cause indecision if there is a lot of data to use. Not one to try to ruffle feathers, mercury in Libra will communicate in a tactful manner until it sees no other choice. As a whole, when mercury is in Libra we tend to evaluate ourselves in relation to the world around us. We think about what types of relationships and partnerships would add to our cache and seek them out. We charm and quietly dazzle to make the connections we want so that we can continue on in our all around fulfilment.

When Mercury back tracks through Scorpio, it’s time to review the observations that we have made recently, especially in our intimate partnerships.
     ~Did we focus too much on the bad or skipped it all together?
     ~Did our emotional quest to get to the bottom of things cause us to manipulate the people we care about?

When Mercury returns to Libra, revisiting where we may have caused imbalance in our lives can be crucial.
     ~Did we give up too much to others in order to receive validation in a relationship?
     ~Did we overlook where we could have asked for more in order to not rock the boat?

All of this is great information to start off with, along with the usual tips- try not to sign new contracts or make big purchases, reread everything before you send it out, back up all electronics, and make back up plans for delays in travel. Where these problems could affect you mostly depends on what planets Mercury touches and which houses it traverses all in your birth chart. Pull up your chart if you have it and if it looks like scribbles and swirls, then schedule a consultation with me and I’ll help you decipher it.

Don't just stare at NGT. Schedule your consultation already

The important thing is to do what you can to go back mentally before moving forward. Mercury retrograde doesn’t have to be chaos and craziness. It can be a useful time to figure things out as well.