Communication planet, trickster, thief, general prankster Mercury turns direct tomorrow, Monday 25th January.
I know a lot of people will be shouting out a silent hoorah to mark the occasion.
New information gets the go-ahead and you can begin to communicate effectively, hear back from people who’ve gone awol and start to lead a more orderly life. Any messes or muddles begin to make sense after a potentially chaotic start to the year. That’s the theory at least. The reality may be that smooth communication will take a while longer than usual this time around.
If you’re a fan of the shadow phase of Mercury retrograde, then note February 14th in your diary. It’s not only Valentines Day but the day when Mercury moves back to 0/1 Aquarius, the degree of the zodiac where it turned retrograde on January 5th 2016.
Mercury & the Uranus/Pluto Square
I tend not to pay too much attention to the shadow phases personally as three weeks of communication chaos is enough for me. However, what’s important right now is that Mercury turns direct at 14 Capricorn 56 which means that it’s clashing with the planets Uranus and Pluto as it stops and then begins to pick up speed. Here’s the run of important planetary aspects:
- January 20 2016: Mercury Capricorn (retrograde) square Uranus Aries
- January 22: 2016 Mercury Capricorn (retrograde) conjunct Pluto Capricorn
- January 25 2016: Mercury turns direct
- January 30 2016: Mercury Capricorn conjunct Pluto Capricorn
- February 1 2016: Mercury Capricorn square Uranus Aries
Together Uranus and Pluto are the harbingers of change, ready or not, and these are some of the things to think about as Mercury clashes with them. Mercury/Uranus represents a clash of words, speaking out of turn, challenging others’ opinions, being outspoken. Mercury/Pluto represents intense conversation, ultimatums, final words, cruel words, introspection. So a time when communication will be more challenging and extreme than usual.
Even though Mercury is back up to speed from tomorrow, it is events next weekend which could prove crucial for this particular Mercury retrograde phase. Plus, look back to December 19th-21st 2015 when Mercury first clashed with the power duo, Uranus & Pluto. What took place back then may be relevant for what’s unravelling at speed right now.
Mercury retrograde: A personal story
One friend of mine, Judith Morgan, will be more than happy to see the back of a difficult Mercury phase. Judith is a brilliant business coach and I have her to thank as my own online astrology business continues to flourish.
This week she wrote in her weekly newsletter about the fun and games that have been going on in her own life. Here’s an excerpt from her newsletter about 3 distinct Mercury retrograde events. My favourite is the imposter who pretended to be her (!):
That’s Judith’s story and no doubt some of you will have your own. In conclusion, normal service resumes to some extent from tomorrow, January 25th. It’s certainly worth following up anyone who’s not got back to you and trying again where you didn’t succeed during Mercury’s retrograde phase. Send off texts, emails and make important phone calls.
Then at the weekend bring a personal story/chapter to a close. It’s time to write the ending, whether it’s a happy one or not. Once you’ve wiped the slate clean, then you can start over.
Judith’s website is www.judithmorgan.com.