Pacific Zone dates:
Mars Cycle Sep 3, 2022 to March 16, 2023, Retrograde Oct 30 to Jan 12
Mercury Cycle Dec 12, 2022 to Feb 7, 2023, Retrograde Dec 29 to Jan 18
Double Retrograde Dec 29, 2022 to Jan 12, 2023
The Fall/Winter Mars/Mercury Double Retrograde background context…
- Aug 20 Mars enters Gemini the same day Mercury in Virgo starts his retrograde cycle! Gemini and Virgo are both Mercury signs! Gemini gathers the data; Virgo organizes it and puts it to work! Mars is mentally quite frisky in Gemini, will be stirring our thinking into whirlwinds of thought; our attention will be on high alert scanning for what’s new, on the cutting edge! Gemini is Mercury’s first sign, and Mars hands all the new information to Mercury in Virgo, Mercury’s second sign for processing and applying! He teases Virgo with the very latest updated information! Virgo is the Queen of adapting and shifting the system, and she wants the best, so it is quickly incorporated and put to good use post haste! Looks like this will be an especially lively Mercury retrograde cycle! Virgo will have her hands full!
-
Mercury’s cycle started Aug 20, retrogrades Sep 9. Mars in Gemini starts his retrograde Cycle Sep 3, just before Mercury’s 8 day retrograde station Sep 6 – 13 at 8 Libra 55! Already Mars action is being documented. Mercury will be noting and assessing special relationship points, potentially artistic pivotal energy, that in a flourish will move things forward quickly. The dance is on! The seeds have been planted.
- Mars turns Direct, forward, Jan 12 at 8 Gemini 7. That 1 degree station will be Dec 31, New Year Eve, to Jan 25, well into 2023. For 26 days it will favorably trine the Sep Mercury station in Libra. What Mercury was thinking about then, Mars may have in strong focus now, feel the time is right, put it into action! Mercury has moved on, but Mars often prefers working alone without interference. What a fine surprise! Plant your seeds. They will come alive at the right time.
- Jan 18 Mercury turns Direct, forward, at 8 Capricorn 8! He will be reminiscing, wondering now about both September’s offerings and Mars’ Jan 12 actions. More grounded in Capricorn, he will focus in his own 8 day station Jan 14 to 22 in hopes to build the best of both. He may put Mars to work to complete additional ideas he sees will be useful.
- All three of the retrograde cycles have 8 and 24-26 degree stations! There is a strong resonance with those SIX stations repeatedly formed. Mercury stations in Earth signs Virgo and Capricorn, are both working hard, especially in their 8 days of focus at Oct 2 and Dec 29. Virgo wants that quality and perfection and Capricorn wants to make his mark! Mars retrogrades at 25 Gemini Oct 30. He will think of creative first time ventures. Virgo will have assessed their feasibility; Capricorn will look for timing and location, sources at reasonable prices.
Those of you with chart factors at 8 and 24/25 degrees may have similar matters come up again each time those degrees are activated when the planets are holding in stations at those points. Since they will be in different signs, there will be new ways of applying solutions each time. The Virgo/Libra Mercury Rx will think things over Aug-Oct. preparing for what’s to come. The Dec – Feb Capricorn Mercury Rx will build on Mercury in Virgo’s previous arrangements, and will think on what Mars actions have been already been taken. Retrograding at the same time, revisions and more new action will be taken. Cautious and practical Mercury in Capricorn will be guiding as best as possible, hoping to save time and get it done! He will also be making templates and models for further work.
- Super strongly connected, these three retrogrades are components leading up to the Pluto into Aquarius 248 year transformation! The Mars cycle has special significance this time. His cycle doesn’t end until March 16, 2023, only SEVEN days before Pluto enters Aquarius March 23, 2023. Mars will be in Gemini setting our thinking into action mode, trying out every facet of our thoughts to see what works best right now. And that will keep on changing. Our thoughts will be quite loosened as we are excited to find which ones work best! Some actions will fail, not necessarily because they are bad ideas, but it isn’t their time yet. Put it on your calendar to try again later on.
Note that the 24/25 degrees stations are linked with Pluto until he passes the 27/28th degree, and Fixed Star Algol at 26 Taurus the whole time. And Algol is in lock step with the Galactic Center 27 Sagittarius! What activates one automatically activates the others.
Mars Rx in Gemini has the most important role of awakening minds and getting them to walk their talk! Let go of the old; get used to the new. Pluto will be in Aquarius 21 years and stopping for nobody! Many, whether they know of Pluto changing signs or not, will feel urgency. Their words and action will be crucial to getting this change off to a successful start. Things are going to change more quickly and we will need to keep up. Old ideas will need to be sloughed so we won’t be blocked or slowed down by the burden of them! Start practicing now!
Outer Planet timetable at the end of the Mars Rx cycle when Pluto enters Aquarius!
3 07.23 Saturn Pisces
3 11 Jupiter conjunct Chiron in Aries
3 16 Mars finishes complete Rx cycle
3 23 Pluto Aquarius! (while Mars is still in Gemini)
3 25 Mars into Cancer! Emphasis on putting feelings into action! Knowing the problems of the past guides to potent better solutions now!
Saturn is back in Pisces, fearful of failure or making mistakes, addictions, or skillfully harnessing and building Pisces dreams. Jupiter is expanding Chiron’s wounded quality or giving new perspective to healing and business/relationship skills, lucky actions taken ASAP! These perusals lead to altering Pluto’s stance while newly taking the reins of humanitarian Aquarian networks!
There will be no missing this 2022 /23 intensity for those of you activated!
This Fall/Winter double retrograde cycle includes Mars in Gemini and Mercury in Capricorn. When I say cycle, I mean they start into the degrees they will cover, that they will go back over when retrograde. The third part of the cycle is when they go forward over the same degrees the third time. Many course changes will be made, skills improved, equipment updated, relationships will be let go or improved as new goals and priorities become apparent. Time will be saved when all is said and done. Production increases for less cost.
Mars in Gemini!
Mars will be prepping the information resources to present, keep up with, the new changes happening so quickly. Pluto in Aquarius will be fast once it gets used to its new shoes in literally lightning fast genius Aquarius! Connections will be made at blitz speed, there will be little going back. Even retrogrades will seem faster than usual! Aquarius may be speeding by plane, but Pluto, who enjoys personal extremes, is on his fastest motorcycle skimming the mountain tops he got used to in Capricorn or high topping the waves in his speedboat!!! Intense will seem a minor word any more. New slang will arrive to name the new phenomena.
Mars in Gemini speaks up, has split second perception! Studies go quickly, broadened by extensive rapid internet searches. There are new ideas and work that need to be advocated, new jobs open in a heartbeat! Pay attention! In retrograde it can be quick to reform, replace old thinking. It often lacks patience and can make a whirlwind of ideas even going quickly back and forth amongst them and bring a perfect consternation, storm of confusion. Know that is a sign of life and growth! You may smell smoke from the burning passionate points of view, or, mmm, enjoy complete intimate agreement, LOL! Hang onto your skirts, ladies! If in competition, it will be fierce, records broken, surprise young winners due to certain clever new strategies! Check up on your lungs; yogic style, get that oxygen to your brain! But, remember, no matter how wild, entertaining and fun it may be, it won’t turn out as expected. No matter how you want to leap forward, wait until the Mars direct station is done, things are somewhat settled. Or don’t! Rattle the cages and keep them shaking, make adjustments as you go! Have the maximum experience in every direction! (Don’t tell your Mother I said that.)
Then, if you wait it out, in the third phase, after the waiting period after Mars turns forward out of Rx Jan 12, on Jan 25, get your advertising out, pick up those pending sales, publish your newsletters, update your blogs, add lots of links, go shake hands! Let your astrologer help you pick the very best dates!!!
Mercury in Capricorn
In double retrograde with Mars, sober Mercury will hold the Mars in Gemini horses on task! Mars will scatter search the area for all the needed information while others are hemming and hawing over what to do. Gemini is Mercury’s base sign, so has an affinity here and Mercury is quick to anticipate Mars’ distractions! Capricorn can be a tad conservative, so Mercury may be resistant or demanding, but Mars will definitely help get things done swiftly! Mercury blinks when Mars tells him it is done already, but never too slow, Mercury gives him his next set of instructions. Don’t forget to thank and praise that amazing Mars!
Mercury may offer some tips that make his work more efficient. Thanks, and off he goes! Capricorn is the fastest Earth sign, and loves production, so, if in line with the cause, is quick to guide and gather what Mars discovers and send Mars on another challenging mission! Sometimes Capricorn is not in the mood for peppery rebuttals, but, if he’s open spirited, he stays on his feet as Mars whirs by, and takes action to support the next exciting encounter! It simply won’t work to try to stop Mars. Mars will forget, revert to his natural instincts. You may have to appoint an additional helper to handle all the incoming! Retrograde keeps on changing, so don’t get stuck, just keep moving with the news! Things will simmer down a bit after the Mercury 4 day direct station finishes Jan 22/23 and Mars’s station finishes Jan 25. If you met a good looker sweet person in this time, you were probably too busy and tired to do much about it. Now that the double retro time is passed, go find that person and see if you still feel the same way…
Important Retrograde Direct Stations!
Mars retrogrades at 25 Gemini 36 and directs at 8 Gemini 7.
Mercury retrogrades at 24 Capricorn and directs at 8 Capricorn 8!
Neither are making any aspects with outer planets at their stations, but they are certainly aspecting each other’s stations, and in the mix with fixed stars!
In this case, Gemini and Capricorn are just not cruising along randomly, but are synced up by their same degree stations, both stations, retrograde and direct!
Gemini is perhaps the lead sign since the Mars Retrograde is considerably longer. Capricorn is ‘older,’ but each plays a necessary part. Gemini rules our very breath, a vital sign, and holds the word of Spirit as his task. All things are translated into the realm of importance to our Soul’s purpose. Capricorn builds the places to make this possible, both in societal structures and homes, places of business, temples. He takes responsibility that all are heard, weighs the timing and necessities by immediate and long term importance. At the daily level, Gemini provides a plethora of informations giving a rich assemblage to choose from. Capricorn takes it in, asks for information for the next project!
At times Gemini just needs to be on his own time, free to be. Capricorn sometimes needs to take a break and Gemini sparks his interest with things Cap has never heard of! Gemini at times needs to be gathered to roost, stabilize by hearing the needs of the plan, refocus so he can be useful at the moment. Capricorn has the time frame mapped out, so Gemini knows what to do when, how much, and get back to headquarters! He knows the Chief changes things often when he comes in with the latest. Too good to pass up!
Gemini gets the word out! If Capricorn needs the word out on the street, or to advertise, make connections, Gemini is the one who can do it and does it well. Sometimes it’s the news, a blog, advertising, chatting people up socially! Capricorn carefully crafts the notices, publishing dates, events to cover. They are a great team, pros from international levels right down to marriage planning! They can do all kinds of ventures together. If Capricorn is on the leading edge, Gemini will love the juicy new things to do, adapts the systems quickly! Great consultant!
FIXED STARS Stations
At their Retrograde Stations, 24 Cap and 25 Gemini, Mercury and Mars will be contacting three fixed stars, Pollux, 23 Cancer, the Gemini constellation mighty Immortal Twin, and the two most fortunate stars in the sky, lucky Spica and the great protector Arcturus 23, 24 Libra. Jamie at Astrology King says: While Spica is sweet and innocent, Arcturus is more apt at dealing with the darker aspects of life on earth. Read more at his site and see how your own chart connects with the Fixed Stars!
Mars in Gemini is in fine trine, best aspect, with Spica and Arcturus in Libra, is neighbor to Pollux.
Capricorn Mercury is square the Libra stars, challenging opinions all around. He may have to stand his ground against some odds. And he’s opposite Pollux in Cancer, who may seem like a bully, but who knows? They could find common ground along the home and career axis.
These stations are square – difficult, and sextile – opportunities, to the April 12 166 year Jupiter Conjunct Neptune 23 Pisces 58! Some of you may remember that profound time. It is being revisited by Mars, who is curiously prodding around to find any unfinished news or business. Could bring up sensitivities, unsung heroes. Mercury retrograde in Capricorn can be a skeptical analyst or one who finds almost an immortal twist of fate that heals some old pains. He wants to know the facts! Did it prove out as promised?! Have the possibilities been integrated, tested? As it happens, Neptune has retrograded back to 24 Pisces, so Mercury can ask him in person right at the table! They can exchange and Neptune can share some of his inspiring dreams for Mercury to put into play! Mercury is logical, while Neptune is mystical and can be confusing. No worry. Stations focus, contemplate, anchor the keeper thoughts. Don’t worry if your thoughts change a 1000 times! That’s a healthy perusal of the possibilities! Stay with it! Sift through them for the gems.
The 8 degree Direct Stations are tied with previous 2022 Rx/D Mercury stations and ones to come in 2023, all in Earth signs. 8 is a powerful spiritual number of Infinity, your options are limitless! It acts as a bridge between the material and spiritual realms.
8s Connect with three impressive fixed stars, Antares, Aldebaran, Vindemiatrix!
- Antares 9 Scorpio is the fiery red and emerald green star in the Heart of the Scorpio constellation! What a beauty! As one of the 15 Behenian Fixed Stars, its image is a man armed with a coat of mail, or a scorpion. It gives understanding and memory, help against evil spirits, and the power of driving them away and binding them. With Mercury, uh oh, it is suspicious, wrongfully accuses friends, unpopular, uses ecclesiastic influence in business, money obtained slowly and with much difficulty, danger of sickness to the native and his family, and death of a relative at home or away. More!
- Aldebaran 9 Gemini is the alpha star of constellation Taurus. It stands completely differently than Vindemiatrix! With Mercury it affects the health and domestic affairs, prominence through mercurial matters, material gain, and has many learned friends. V may make a dramatic problem, but Aldebaran is there to catch it before it hits the ground! More!
- Vindemiatrix 9 Libra has a bad, bad rep, like Algol. It is called the WidowMaker, shudder. Per Jamie at Astrology King, it figures strongly and regularly in deaths which are in some way dramatic, newsworthy or are resented in much more than the usual degree by those left behind (assassinations, common criminal murders, executions, airline disasters etc.). In the constellation (not sign) Virgo, it indicates an abundance in harvest and a fruitfulness of agriculture in general. Go figure. Much more!
Mars in Gemini is good with Aldebaran and trouble maker Vindemiatrix, but could get in deep trouble standing up to Antares. Better have his running shoes on for that one!
Mercury in Capricorn can stand his ground sensibly with Antares depending on circumstances… Not so good with those air signs, and is downright challengingly square bad Vindemiatrix. Might delegate that one or bring a lot of respect and your shield!
Special REPEAT ASPECTS!
► Please check the complete Timeline below to see the event dates in context.
Mars forms two aspects during his 3 part retrograde cycle.
Mars in Gemini trines Saturn Aquarius and gets the job done in record time! His words and actions are precise, the tools are at hand. He thinks clearly both here in the moment and how it’s in context of times and people to come. He may surprisingly find himself working with a like minded group, as if they are all doing the same job at the same time, totally in sync! The work is well done, honorable, for a great cause, can be award winning. People will be impressed, change is evident. Perfect template; others will be able to repeat the process. Let as many people as possible know you are coming so many other leaders can be there too. Healing each other and the planet is happening.
Mars squares Neptune in Pisces and isn’t sure he did it right. He’s easily distracted by Neptune’s unpredictable everything, is fascinated by the multitudes of directions and possibilities! If he could wait, maybe something extraordinarily better could turn up in an instant! But what to do?! Time is time and Mars never could sit still, especially in Gemini! There are things to do, places to go, people to see! Neptune may or may not know himself! He would like to help but in his world things are morphing and melding so fast it’s an endless puzzle. Yet, however, there are moments things are unmistakably clear and totally visionary. Alas, they too are unpredictable… But Mars has his own insights by his own body’s action. His body is as ‘psychic’ as Neptune in Pisces, just differently done. If he stands still for a moment then just lets go, moves without question, he often is in the right place at the right time! It’s like he materializes where he’s supposed to be. Teleportation currently exists, I swear!
Mercury in Capricorn forms two aspects also!
Mercury trines Uranus in Taurus! They are both in Earth signs and both are mind related planets! Capricorn works masterminding, and Taurus works the Earth, environmental matters! They both build! Taurus uses soil and rocks, timber, while Cap is the steel girders and glass – stained windows to skylights person. They can do dams, fences, lodges, housing, skyscrapers with a view of heaven! Uranus rules such multiple dwellings, apartments, specialty living communities per age or purpose, emergency rescue settlements, governmental buildings – from capitols to police accommodations, financial institutions, international to villages to single dwelling tiny homes in a row.
Mercury has a million motives, Uranus is wired to the Universe, has genius concepts, rules computers and the internet! Capricorn and Taurus ground them both. Capricorn looks at necessities, age, rules, time, how things are intricately dependent. Mercury rules our breath, spreads the Word. Uranus is our inventive higher mind. Capricorn, the Builder, governs and takes responsibility. Taurus is steady in the Light, patient and kind, watches and waits, is strong. This group can accomplish more than anyone expected. Most of it will be done quietly without fanfare, but it will happen.
Mercury sextiles Neptune in Pisces… Mercury may be super logical in Capricorn, a go by the book, is a 4X4 strong sign, but Capricorn always wants to do the best and be understood appreciatively. Neptune knows who he is and sees his dreams. Neptune knows how to be with Mercury even though Mercury doesn’t trust him at first. Neptune is truly unpredictable, but Mercury has a monkey mind no matter what sign he is in, and is intrigued in spite of himself! Neptune is the dreamer and has spontaneous ideas out of nowhere! They can be genius insights that prove their value more than we would have believed! Capricorn is quick to see how to use them, convert them, put them into play in a good way. Pisces is delighted! Mercury is not only adaptable, but spreads the word and they are all in business! Pisces prefers they will help people or the planet in some special way. The money doesn’t matter so much to Pisces, generally, but it certainly can fund his causes! Their work together may be artistic in some way – could be music and concerts! Videos and films of fairy tales with depth, delight and meaning, a fun as Harry Potter!
The first and second sextiles are Christmas Eve then New Year 2023! From the Dec 23, 2022 New Moon to New Year, Mercury and Neptune will be closely sextile in less than 3.5° of each other! They are sensitive lead ins, make us more aware of the subtleties of the goodness abroad, the good things we will be doing, helping each other, in the year to come! These are special togetherness times! The third aspect is Feb 6, a checkpoint, how are we doing? Still spreading the good word?
Mars Gemini, Mercury Capricorn Double Retrograde Timeline – Pacific Zone
The Timeline includes the Mercury Virgo-Libra Retrograde aspects as well so you have the entire context. The double cycle takes SIX months!
September
03 Mars starts retrograde Cycle
02 Mercury Libra opposite Jupiter – 1
06 8 day Rx Station starts
09 Mercury Retrograde 8 Libra 55
10 Full Moon 17 Pisces/Virgo 41
13 Rx Station ends
18 Opposite Jupiter -2
22 Sun Libra, FALL EQUINOX!
23 Mercury returns to Virgo
25 New Moon 2 Libra 49
27 trines Pluto – 2, Mars trine Saturn – 1
28 8 day Direct Station starts
October
02 Mercury Direct 24 Virgo 11
05 8 day Direct Station ends
06 trine Pluto – 3
09 Full Moon 6 Aries/Libra 3
10 Mercury in Libra
11 Mars square Neptune – 1
12 Opposite Jupiter – 3
17 Mercury Virgo-Libra Cycle ends!
18 Mars Rx Station begins
25 Solar Eclipse New Moon 2 Scorpio 00
27 Jupiter Rx back into PISCES
30 Mars Retrograde
November
08 16 Taurus-Scorpio 01 Lunar Eclipse Full Beaver Moon
11 Mars Rx Station ends
19 Mars square Neptune – 2
22 Happy Sagittarius!
23 1 Sagittarius 08 New Moon
24 Happy ThanksGiving!
28 Mars trine Saturn – 2
December
07 Mars opposite Sun, 16 Gemini-Sagittarius 02 Full Cold Moon
12 Mercury Capricorn Retrograde Cycle starts
17 Mercury trine Uranus 1
20 Jupiter ARIES
21 Happy Capricorn Winter Solstice/Yule!
23 1 Capricorn 33 New Super Moon
24 Mercury sextile Neptune 1
25 Happy Holidays! Mercury Rx Station starts
29 Mercury Retrograde
31 Mars Direct Station begins
January 2023
01 Happy New Year! Mercury Rx Station ends, Mercury Rx sextile Neptune 2
06 16 Cancer-Capricorn 22 Full Wolf Moon
08 Mercury Rx trine Uranus 2
12 Mars Direct
14 Mercury Direct Station starts
18 Mercury Direct
20 Happy Aquarius!
21 Mercury Direct Station ends, 1 Aquarius 33 New Super Moon
25 Mars Direct Station ends
29 Mercury trine Uranus 3
February
05 16 Leo-Aquarius 41 Full Snow Moon
06 Mercury sextile Neptune 3
07 Mercury Cycle ends!
18 Happy Pisces!
19/20 1 Pisces 22 New Moon
March
07 16 Virgo-Pisces 40 Full Worm Moon, Saturn Pisces
11 Jupiter conjunct Chiron in Aries
14 Mars square Neptune – 3
16 Mars Cycle ends!
20 Happy Aries, Spring Equinox/Ostara!
21 March 21 First Aries of TWO New Moons, a Super Moon 5 Planets Aries Stellium!
23 Pluto Aquarius! (While Mars is still in Gemini)
25 Mars into Cancer!
30 Mars trine Saturn in new signs – 3
ALL ABOUT RETROGRADES! Some of you are old hands. Others have never heard of Retrograde before. New lingo: Retrograde, Direct, Station and more…
Retrogrades are fascinatingly complex! The wild dynamics of retrograde cycles are, as viewed from Earth, it happens when a faster planet passes a slower planet. Mercury is faster than Earth, while Earth is slower than Mars. The planet appears to go forward, backward, then forward over the same ground three times, and if outer planets sometimes five times in two years! Of course that doesn’t happen in reality. It is visual because of the perspective from Earth. During that time, all the other planets are moving too, so even when a retrograde planet is going ‘backward’ over the same degrees, they are ALL going forward, even the retrograde planet! It’s ‘illogical,’ but that’s what happens.
Venus retrogrades about every 19 months for only about 40 days. Only 7–8% of the population has it in their natal chart. Mercury retrogrades 3 times a year, once every 6 years it’s 4 times that year. Mercury actually spends little time retrograde. Mars retrogrades every 25/26 months for 60-80 days.
Retrogrades in the sky are passing periods. Retrogrades in a birth chart are life long, a living entity. As a place that is reprocessed over and over, fantastic skills are developed per planet and sign, along with the other chart factors that may be linked to it. Many top world businesses have many retrogrades in their charts! They have super expertise and it is still growing with the times! Retrogrades keep us mindful and present. In humans about 25% of the population has Mercury Retrograde, and that includes celebrities, LOL! Fun read: 5 Fascinating Facts About Being Born During Mercury Retrograde
The type of special communication skills of Mercury retrograde depend on which sign, house and planets Mercury connects with in your chart and what type of connections are made. Check out the planets of your own chart, your besties, and track the charts of babies born during retrogrades! Take advantage of these retrograde linkages, learn how to make transitions well for optimum results. Not a time to be nervous and hold back. Stay aboard! Like on a ship at sea, get your sea legs! Flex with the flow. It may seem like a mess, but the magic will happen. Guaranteed!
We hear about Mercury Retrograde the most because it retrogrades 3 to 4 times a year, 3 to 4 weeks a time.
Mercury is the planet of the Mind, thinking, our attention, our breath and lungs, how we learn to learn, communication skills, gathering data, paperwork, signing contracts, a hand shake, the laying on of hands. All of these are essential.
Mercury is heady, there is little that isn’t interesting and little escapes its attention. Air sign Gemini is Mercury’s first sign, and Earthy Virgo is Mercury’s second sign that focuses on details, looks for perfection, expertly organizes and applies the data Gemini secures, is semi grounded! Both are known to be ultra busy! Gemini listens fast, often replies while you are still speaking! Virgo writes the book, organizes the finances, won’t go home, just has one more detail to finesse, worries about her and your health. They are quite different, you see.
Mercury Rx is don’t sign those papers about issues of the sign(s) Mercury is retrograde in! Or, do everything to make it possible so it doesn’t fall through. Escrows can fall through. Use experienced brokers who can get it done no matter what. People don’t return your calls. The dog ate it. Your computer has a snit. Or you do, LOL! You lose your cell. You get lost, turned around. Rule is be sure purchases are from reputable firms that have been around, have a good track record, have reliable returns/guarantees/warranties. Be sure the company is legitimate before you deal. Date and sign any contract changes and make sure they do too. Get/make copies, save and backup. Generally, you avoid making significant purchases/decisions especially of matters specific to the sign/s involved. If possible, don’t move or change or start jobs until you wait 4 days after Mercury turns Direct/forward.
The house/s where Mercury falls in your chart while it is retrograde is the area of your life that will be specially affected. Briefly: If it is in your 4th, it is home and family matters, your Mother. If in your 2nd or 8th, financial adjustments will be made. 6th can be work environment, skills, coworkers, your health regime. 5/7/8 houses can be important relationships. 3/9 is educational, class requirements may shift. 9 is long term plans, travels. 10 may be career, father, 11 career associations/associates, friendships. 12 may be your spiritual beliefs, perceptions. So for example, if in your 10th, be cautious about signing professional documents. If in your 4th, you may opt to wait to buy the new refrigerator – a better deal or fridge may come along. In the 1st or 3rd you might wait to purchase a new vehicle. In 2 or 7, wait for the face lift. If you need help with this, see your astrologer!
Inner planet – Mercury, Venus, Mars – retrogrades have three phase cycles. Sometimes outer planets have five and take 3 years! Sun and Moon have none. Astrologers use different names for the 3 phases. Basically they are:
- Covering the initial ground, degrees that the retrograde will go back over when the planet ‘turns’ retrograde.
- Retrograde covers the same degrees as Phase 1, only in the reverse direction, so your perspective takes a 180 shift while other planets continue on in their own patterns, many of them moving forward. While retrograde the planet checks on previous actions, improving on, updating choices made as it goes back.
- The planet turns ‘forward,’ and goes over the same degrees a third time, adds finishing touches, makes experienced final adjustments before it moves on.
Stations bring special emphasis! A Station is when a planet literally appears to stand still in the sky at the retrograde and direct, forward turning points. Stations help us slow down. A Mercury station holds consciousness at a certain point for 8 days. They are a pause when we are able to be still to receive, focus, take time to think, steep in our thinking. We make things the best we can, anchor important ideas we want to keep. The longer the station the more its strength. Mercury sometimes likes to think things over, draw as much from a valuable experience as possible, or get to know a special person more deeply. More often, it is likely to go crazy waiting for more things to happen and wants to be the first to deliver the news! They may need to rest at the station because a lot has been changing. It can be a relief to take a breather from the rigors of speeding here and there so they don’t miss a morsel!
Planets at different speeds hold station different lengths of time. Mercury stations are about 8 days – four days before and four days after the turns. Prepare for retrogrades as best you can before the Retrograde Station starts! When Mercury turns forward, wait for the Direct Station to finish before turning yourself loose to go ahead.
Every Retrograde is unique by sign, aspects, and where it happens in your chart! As time goes on the planetary backdrop changes. Context shifts. Retrogrades, like any other astro phenomena, evolve. Each planet has its own matters. The sign(s) it is in while in retrograde, are how those matters are applied, what matters are processed.
In retrogrades we may be at another stage or encounter an addition to something already going on in our personal chart. Also, the degrees of this retrograde have to be in connection with your personal chart or it will have little to no effect. There can be a turning away from things we are done with that we never thought we would change about, yet here it happens…old ideas are simply abandoned. Just done.
Sometimes retrogrades cross Portals, where sign changes happen! As they go forward, retrograde, then recross forward, we learn how to make that particular crossing. Gradually we see how those two signs are linked, work together, support each other. We see the contribution of each sign, how they each are part of the Zodiacal Great Circle. Be mindful of your own talent, offer it. Be mindful of what others have to offer, be grateful. You may not like them, but we can’t do without their part of the divine tapestry, the Light they hold at that crossroads.
What a journey! When you are traveling, what amazing beauty lies around each new bend. Different directions, different views. Maybe what’s behind is out of sight, a memory; what’s ahead is a mystery! Inward turns, like retrograde, give us time to pause, hold steady, slow down. Outward bends like turning forward/Direct, extend our vision of potentials. Each turn, that Station, gives us time to think, recalibrate, prepare for the next stretch. It’s important that there are changes, reversals, old ideas that clogged things up are left behind, revelations have room to occur, new ideas are teased into action! Potential is remembered and we are rededicated.
Clearly life doesn’t stop during retrogrades, and not all people’s charts are connected to all retrogrades. If your chart is connected to any given one, you will need to do your best and what you can. You can’t explain this astrological stuff to all people, maybe not your boss or even a good friend. Astrology? You’re nuts! Ok, so there are times to find ways to stall or not connect, delay. You can estimate the possibilities of others not bringing certain papers to the meeting and bring them yourself, save the day! You can ask for a review of the current decisions 4 days or more after Mercury goes Direct/forward. If there are important must do meetings, Dr and Veterinarian appts, call in advance to verify that the date and right time are on their calendars AND yours! Verify that part you ordered IS ordered, being sent to the correct address, the expected arrival date! Know that it might be late. Keep track of keys, wallets/purses, phones.
Document your work and events daily, save ALL emails and backup safely off the premises. No giving your passwords or copies of keys to anyone. If all goes well, fine. If not, all the pertinent information you need is available.
If you have other favorable prevailing aspects, especially with outer planets, it is likely changes will ultimately be to your benefit. Do check with your astrologer for your good dates and times of day to make the best of it! And pray their chart isn’t affected by the retrograde, LOL!
With a transiting Retrograde, if you have factors in your chart at or very close to those degrees, especially at the station degrees, you will be activated. Check in with your astrologer if you have significant plans at those times. Plan ahead for what you want to get done, as much as possible, well before those times, and line up what you can do during those times!
Classically, marriages are not scheduled during retrogrades. Basically they are simply unstable – good for creativity, not always so good for marriage. Mars in Gemini can be flirty and that especially doesn’t go well with Mercury in Capricorn wanting/needing loyalty and a honorable reputation. Depending on the situation, Mars in Gemini is already given leeway because he is smart and quick, but that may not be the comfort Mercury needs in a personal relationship. Though Mercury is in Capricorn, he may not be as loyal as usual during a retrograde. Age may be an issue. Gemini is more ingénue, while Capricorn is fatherly, the last thing Mars in Gemini wants! Capricorn wants a staunch reputation and Mars may simply not care as much, prefers making it on his own merits! These factors are just between them. Other signs will have different connections and may find these qualities to be just fine or not, depending on how their charts interact as a whole! Some relationships are matters of the Soul’s growth and will happen no matter what for better or worse.
Check with your astrologer. First be sure your basic compatibility is in especially good order. If that is good, be very careful with those wedding plans. Look ahead for timing that may be better for you. Be wise and wait if possible. A marriage chart is like a birth chart; it is with you the rest of your marriage.
This RETROGRADE emphasizes Mars initiation to new thinking, taking action in its behalf, and Mercury in Capricorn’s dedication, building and completion!
Gather your information, select the top three choices. Take long term responsibility for your share! Spread the Word effectively!
Updated 12.10.22
Be up on the latest! SUBSCRIBE to the Newsletter!
♦♦ Here are your 2022 and 2023 AstroLogical Annual Planning Special Edition Newsletters! These infos will contribute to making all your plans potent, well timed, successful! With your calendar in hand…. See your astrologer for how they do or don’t connect with your personal chart! May it go very well with you….
x
These precious cycles happen for men too, though commonly they are not named as such. We call them young men, Fathers, old men – without particular reverence. The 
Cerena Childress, Astrologer! 