Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio: I am present to what I feel and it will rebirth me
This Mercury retrograde cycle brings intensity, our shadow, our relationship to trust. Hidden patterns will be brought into our conscious awareness for the purpose of our transformation. We are no longer the old self but not quite in the new chapter; we are dancing with Alchemy. There is opportunity to breathe in consciousness into an outdated pattern and do it differently. Can you slow down and be present to what is awakening within you? There is strength in our vulnerability and we are redefining our relationship to power. The shadow you see in others also lies within you. Can you make space and accept all the parts of you?
What is Mercury Retrograde
About three or four times a year, Mercury passes by Earth, and that is when we experience a Mercury Retrograde period. Because Mercury is the planet positioned closest to the Sun, its orbit is much shorter than Earth’s. Mercury appears to move backward as it speeds by Earth. It isn’t actually traveling backward, but that is our perception as we are viewing it from Earth- an optical Illusion. This illusion is called a retrograde. For example, if you were driving in a car on the highway and another car passed you, there is a moment from your perspective that the other car appears to be going backward as it passes you.
The Mercury retrograde phase is just one part of the Mercury retrograde cycle. The whole cycle includes: Mercury going direct, retrograde, and direct again over the same degrees, or the retrograde or shadow zone. After three-and-a-half-weeks, the planet will reverse itself and move “forward” again. Going back to the example of the passing car, as Mercury goes direct it speeds by with great force thrusting you forward and back on course. Metaphorically, this cycle is a time of self-reflection, self inventory and then to boldly take action from a more congruent place.
Why learn about Mercury Retrograde?
Committing to the changes that are being intuitively asked of you during or after the retrograde is over can greatly connect you to the hidden potential of this influence. By reflecting on the archetypal themes and doing self inventory, one can create a more solid and congruent foundation to build upon. Intuitive insight and inspiration are amped up at this time. Working with the themes of the Mercury Retrograde can give you more clarity about what isn’t working and where you need to go, awaken ideas and provide inspiration to move forward. Learn to consciously connect to yourself and be led from within.
The real work of the retrograde often comes after Mercury goes direct. It is then time to take action and implement these new changes. Don’t think that because Mercury has gone direct, you are off the hook. It’s now time to take this work to the streets of your life and find ways to integrate it. The retrograde is “over” when the changes have been implemented. It is only then that you are you utilizing the power of this cycle.
Mercury Retrograde current cycle
- -Mercury Retrograde is from October 31, 2019 – November 19, 2019
- -The Set Up Phase: Begins at October 11, 2019 at (11o 35″) degrees Scorpio at 6:49 pm EDT, 3:49 pm PDT.
- -Mercury goes Retrograde in Scorpio (27o 38″) on October 31, 2019 at 11:41 am EDT and 8:41 am PDT.
- -The Direct Station occurs in Scorpio (16o 06″) on November 20, 2019 at 7:12 pm UT, 2:12 pm EST and 11:12 am PST.
- -Mercury Leaves Retrograde Zone on December 7, 2019 at 12:55 pm EST and 9:55 am PST.
Astrology in medieval times
Mercury rules communication, travel, contracts, and automobiles. Our Mercury in a natal chart can reveal information about our learning style, how we perceive reality, how we think, how we pay attention to details and how we communicate.
When astrology originated it was during medieval times when people really believed that there were gods or sky Deities presiding over the elements of sky, light, and heavens and causing things to happen here on earth. That was the consciousness at that medieval time, and as we evolved since then we no longer believe that same consciousness. Viewing life from that perspective is an outdated paradigm that encourages one to look through the lens with a victim consciousness which isn’t helpful to you or your growth.
My perception and how I use Astrology is that the cycles are mirrors to inner shifts that are happening. Tuning into these cycles can help you get better connect with yourself and what is currently being asked of you to re-evaluate, shift, end, grow and mature from a deeper soul level.
Working with “Trickster” archetype
An archetype is an impression or an imprinting on the psyche at birth which forms a pattern. You’ll see archetypes in literature, stories, movies, history and can be people or situations. Examples of common archetypes are The Hero, The Mother, The Athlete, The Healer, The Guru, and The Teacher.
One archetype of Mercury is the “Trickster”. The Trickster is deceptive or illusionary in some way. He or she will pull off elaborate schemes to teach a moral lesson. Life presents synchronistic events to meet the trickster where we are resisting, in order to wake up to change. We often meet the trickster when we are in life transitions. In Native American stories we see the trickster show up in the form of the coyote. He is earthbound, like man, but is constantly trying to transcend this fate.
Mercury Retrograde was traditionally associated with confusions, delay, communication issues and frustration. People often get really superstitious about what this means. You can’t sign a contract or make a purchase, that technology is bound to fail, that communication will be misunderstood. If you feel the whole world is against you and you need to go and hide under a rock until the retrograde is over, you are not understanding what is really going on and what it means.
A more conscious way to work with the cycle is tune into archetypal themes, intuitive hunches, and unconscious parts that want to be revealed to you. When we resist working with these themes and the intuitive hunches. To slow down, we invoke the “Trickster” archetype and see more of the superstitious and seemingly fated side of Mercury playing out. If things like communication or technology breakdown it’s often a signal for us to slow down, tune in, get in touch and connect in a different way. I had a friend once who was building and creating three separate businesses at once. She was working 60 hours a week, she was very intuitive and was getting the guidance over and over to slow down and do things in a different way. She was a minor car accident during a Mercury Retrograde that forced her to get quiet and do things in a different way, and give her self a whole different level of self care, quiet, and nourishment that she wasn’t allowing at hectic pace that she was going before. The less conscious or connected you are, the more dramatic the signal to get your attention becomes.
Archetypal themes of this Mercury Retrograde
All Mercury Retrogrades this year have been working with the elements of water or water and fire. This retrograde period, Mercury is in the sign of Scorpio. Scorpio is ruled by the planet Pluto, which brings us the themes of control vs trust, regeneration, death and rebirth. The last Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio occurred in October 2014. Look back at your life for some similar events and life themes from that period.
As an alchemist, Scorpio dives deep into the underworld to understand human nature. Scorpio is interested in what lies behind the surface. It is the curiosity upon meeting someone that will ask, “I wonder what they are not saying. I wonder what their shadow is like”. Scorpio is calling out the unseen part in us to be looked at. Scorpio is often associated with the Scapegoat Archetype. As calling out the unseen or unknown parts of us is very uncomfortable and not always welcomed, they often get blamed and scapegoated. Once provoked or challenged the sting of the Scorpion can pang, the bluntness and power struggle can ignite.
A evolutionary theme for the Archetype of Scorpio is to become master of your emotional terrain. Scorpio feels life so intensely, that at times tuning into that emotional landscape feels like getting hit by a hurricane. There is too much intensity to these waves that it feels as though it could easily take you out. There is much vulnerability in feeling this much that it is easier to check out in order to avoid feeling. Look for ways that you may check out to avoid being with the feeling, (examples: binge watching Netflix, sugar, online shopping, alcohol).
This cycle can throw logic and reasoning aside. One may have a knee jerk reaction that is based more of survival based fear and project your emotions onto others. Although you may feel quite perceptive, you find yourself more suspicious, insecure and reactive than normal. This may negatively color your view of the situation. You may be rather harsh with your words, lashing out at an unsuspecting audience. Once provoked or challenged the sting can zap, the bluntness and power struggle can ignite.
To truly step into the Mastery level of Scorpio you must learn to be present and make space for all the range of feelings. Learning to be present with all that you feel is important part of working with an empowered Scorpio energy. We are meant to have a range of feelings here on Earth School. Part of being alive is to feel. How you can get present and curious about what you are feeling instead of judging or reacting? It is in the presence and making space for all the range we can discover what the hidden motivator is protecting us and learn what we truly need.
At this state there is a transcendence beyond power struggles and going into battle after battle for the need to be right to truly having the clarity to know where can be of highest service. You are present with your feelings and observing your reactions. You dive deep to truly transform.
A big theme is fear of loss and control. There is a tendency to want to control everything rather than trust the process of life unfolding. The more you are in fear the biggest the inner control freak comes out to try to manage and navigate life around you.
Look for ways that you are trying to control and manipulate circumstances and people in your life because you are not trusting. This is a false sense of security that will never truly get you to where your guidance is directing.
Empowered Scorpio Mantras
- “I am present to what I feel and it rebirths me.”
- “I trust my inner guidance to bring me to the other side.”
- “My power is in my vulnerability”
When is it over?
People often ask me when the Mercury Retrograde cycle is over. Revealed in that question is that you are viewing this period with fear and are just wanting to survive. Often we start to get intuitive hunches and signs during the retrograde but we don’t really start to take action until after Mercury is direct and things are in forward motion again. Although many of us can feel the energies of these cycles happen, (sometimes to the day) there isn’t necessarily a date when it’s over, we are in the clear and will make it to the finish line. I wouldn’t recommend viewing Mercury Retrograde in this way.
It is not about just surviving a chaotic time. It is a time to slow down, go deeply into reflection on the past three months. Look at what we have accomplished and where we want to go. In our culture, (where I live in America) of Just Do It, go go go, competition, achieving and multitasking, we don’t really have a good model or practice of going within, resting and reflecting. We often push against it even if it’s what we feel we need. To be a conscious co-creator with universe is to become this model that is present to the the cycles that are going on, pausing to reflect how this applies to our life and showing up with a shame-free discipline to clean up the areas where we need to grow. Astrology is perfect tool to accompany this work. I invite you to become this model. The world needs you present, awake and aware now more than ever.