Mercury, the Great Trickster

Have you ever questioned why it sometimes seems everything is going wrong? How no matter what you do—or how hard you try—strange, daily mishaps seem to mount?

As if the mercury climbing isn't bad enough, the planet Mercury is turning up the heat with some strong energy! So, batten down the hatches, as a planetary 'Murphy's Law' is upon us (as of Aug. 3) as Mercury goes into retrograde. For those of you that don't know what a retrograde is: it's an astrological phenomena that has a planet appear to travel slowly in reverse, instead of traveling forward. It's almost an optical illusion—but make no mistake, this illusion creates havoc.

Each planet spends some time in retrograde at different times and for various lengths of time, but Mercury seems to be the most "popular" of all the retrogrades. Mercury retrograde occurs three, sometimes four times a year and lasts for approximately 21 days. The good news is this retrograde will end on Aug 26. Until then, learning what to expect and what to avoid will help you glide through the impasse problem free—well, as problem free as one can be during a retrograde.

First, let's learn a bit more about the planetary aspects of Mercury, Messenger of the Gods. Mercury rules communication, so all that goes along with communications will be effected—phone calls will be  missed, e-mails accidentally deleted, mail lost or returned. Cell phones, computers and almost anything electronic can go haywire; make sure you back up all computer files. Auto-mechanics love a retrograde, as engines and motors are affected, too.

Mercury rules thought, perception, education and transportation, and those that work in those fields will have the hardest time. Mercury retrograde is famous for producing misunderstandings and miscommunications. Since Mercury rules speech, bite your tongue and hold back—and remember people may not mean what they say.

This retrograde is in the sign of Virgo, so people born under or with this sign in their charts will find themselves pensive and reflective. Virgo will be most affected by this retrograde. You wouldn't want to begin anything new or sign contracts during this cycle, and please pay close attention to all details! Knowing when we are entering Mercury retrograde is one way of powering up in order to use the cycle to work for not against you.

I have given you many negative aspects of Mercury retrograde, but as with all of natures there are positives, as well. This is a perfect time to reflect back over the past few months (or further) to see what areas of your life need a tune-up. It's a great time to clean out closets, desks and even that internal closet. I have always used the "re" in retrograde as a guide—review, renew, reflect, rethink, reconnect.

During a retrograde we may also experience heightened self-awareness, so it's a good time to journal and reorganize your thoughts; concentrate on fixing that which is broken. Another positive is breaks in mechanical or personal communication can actually lead us to find new ways to entertain ourselves. In personal relationships use patience with those you love. If you and your partner should have an argument during the retrograde, just know it's probably because of miscommunication rather than irreconcilable differences. A time out until after the retrograde goes direct is best before you try a reconciliation.

A first date wouldn't be a good idea during this cycle as again, communication is difficult—and don't forget plans never go as planned, so that movie or concert may be sold out or traffic jams could lead to delays. For those in a relationship. during this period you may have the tendency to reflect on heart vs. head. So, make this retrograde work for you and take comfort in knowing Mercury won't go retrograde again until Nov. 23.

It's really interesting to discover how the planets affect and can help our day to day lives, even when they are not in retrograde. I'll leave you with the planetary aspects of each week day. Use the influences as a magical aide in attaining your dreams.

• Sunday - Ruled by the Sun - Spirituality, healing, protection
• Monday - Ruled by the Moon - peace, psychic awareness, purification
• Tuesday - Ruled by Mars - Courage, aggression, passion (good for legal matters)
• Wednesday - Ruled by Mercury- Conscious mind, study, travel
• Thursday - Ruled by Jupiter - Expansion, money, prosperity
• Friday - Ruled by Venus - Love, fertility, friendship, beauty
• Saturday - Ruled by Saturn - Real estate, home, endings. Also, the best day to buy your lottery tickets. (And always take the ticket with your left hand!)

Until next time, remember—magic happens!