Saturday February 23rd at 4:41 am EST/ 1:41 am PST will usher in a Mercury Retrograde in Pisces. The unique feature of this retrograde is that it will encompass much of the Sun’s Transit in the house of Pisces, making for a long retrograde (the retrograde ends on March 17 4:03pm EDT/1:03pm PDT) . Retrogrades, by their natures, urge or encourage a review of issues relevant to the sign or area(s) of the chart that Mercury travels through (in astrology we call this a transit). So wherever you have Pisces in your chart there'll be a need for some reflection and review.
For those with their Sun in the sign of Pisces it may bring up memories you'd do well to explore and highlight important issues that you’ve either overlooked or need to re-habilitated in some way. With Mercury and many of the what we in astrology call the personal planets(Sun, Moon, Venus, Mars) creating direct connection to your Sun, these next few weeks may be very busy for you. For the opposite sign, Virgo, you can expect some form of conflict that may require you to rethink past commitments or positions as you’ll contend with the same personal planets as Pisces opposing your Sun. Retrogrades ask one to reconcile previous thinking in light of current observations. And as this Retrograde is heavily influenced by the planet Neptune (Pisces Ruler), dream, fantasies and beliefs will play a vital role. As with all Neptune's transits, subtlety and mystery are watchwords at this time. Mercury retrograde in Pisces often does it’s works behind the scenes, revealing it’s changes once the transit is over. Given the elusive nature of this retrograde, how can one make best use of this of it’s energy? Invest your time in purging or clearing out useless items and clutter, both material and mental. You’ll get a jump on spring cleaning and develop a fresh perspective at the same time. Given that the Vernal equinox(March 20th) will occur almost immediately after the retrograde, you’ll have been well served by these activities. Any rituals geared toward purification, restoration and healing will be in line with Pisces native energies. With Neptune playing a major role in this transit, acts of sacrifice and charity may provide enlightenment and useful insights. Wherever you place your faith, be guided by it and the intuitive voices that accompany it. The three “R” of this period should be renew, restore,and resurrect.
The study for this transit is an inward one meant to put you in touch with what you place your faith in. Why do you believe in what you believe and how well are you served by it? In what direction do your beliefs guide you and is it true to your life path? One of the best parts of this internal scrutiny is Mercury Retrograde’s ability to delay and postpone our day to day efforts, allowing for better observation of these questions. Remember, the time to make those changes are once the Retrograde is over not during. The transit’s job is to highlight the concerns in anticipation of resolution.
About this time I discuss the more theatrical elements of Mercury retrograde. Because it is the reversal of course of the planet that symbolizes communication, thoughts and planning, it can alter such efforts, postponing and delaying them . Because it affects spoken communications, written text, email messages, etc expect challenges when sharing information. Mercury, which also governs short range travel, may throw you a few curves in terms of journeys and trips, so you are advised to be patience with any travel setbacks. In fact, patience and humor are often the best way to negotiate any retrograde. Spend time in spiritual practices and creative endeavors during this period. Any creative project involving music should go very well as Neptune has an affinity for such activities.
The power to reform our lives and invigorate our beliefs is the opportunity this retrograde affords us. With faith, persistence and dedication you’ll align yourself with those things you truly believe in.
