Mercury Retrograde in Pisces - Feeling Slippery

Written by: Janet (Sparrow) Moon
Published on: January 6, 2013
Category: Astrology

Mercury Retrograde - February and March 2013

When Mercury is in Pisces, he stimulates our imaginations, and emotional events can be burned into our memories. But, reality can escape us. Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac and rules the arts, psychic intuition, creative processes, and psychology. This Mercury retrograde may not be a good time to make any life changing decisions, but it will be an excellent time to finish up that book you were writing.

When Mercury is in retrograde, he comes between the Earth and the Sun, passing us on our solar racetrack. Mercury doesn't actually reverse directions, he just appears that way against the backdrop of the universe. All of the planets in the solar system, except the Sun and the Moon, turn retrograde on occasion. In fact, some of the slow outer planets are in retrograde almost as much as they are moving forward. Mercury's retrograde gets more attention than the others, because he turns retrograde 3 or 4 times a year. And, even though Mercury is a very small planet, he is a very dense planet, so he has a strong gravitational influence on the Earth.

Mercury is the ruler of communication, transportation, neighbors, and short trips. A typical Mercury retrograde is known for causing computer problems, travel delays, internet and banking errors, and misunderstandings in general. Mercury retrograde is often a time for going into the past, and it is not uncommon for old friends (and ex lovers) to contact us during this time. Many find themselves cleaning out closets, file cabinets, and digital files during a Mercury retrograde. Its an excellent time to take stock of your goals, to see how far you've come and where you want to go. The most difficult part of Mercury's (or any planet's) retrograde is when he's at his stations. The stations are the points where Mercury turns from direct to retrograde (Retrograde Station), and again when he's turning from retrograde to direct (Direct Station).

As I mentioned above, Mercury crosses between us and the Sun during any retrograde. But, this time Mercury will also be crossing between us and Mars, between us and Venus, and between us and Neptune. That's a lot of gravitational pull coming our way. All of these planets will be traveling through Pisces, and they very well may end up taking us on a "magic carpet ride." The negative side of Pisces can bring up delusions and addictions, so to keep this ride on the positive side, it may be best to keep our expectations low and our commitments light. Mercury is going to be stimulating our creative and romantic sides. It would be an excellent time to take a vacation, especially to some place that you've visited before. You will probably see it in a whole new light.

This Mercury retrograde (our first retrograde of 2013) will begin on February 23rd at 4:41 AM EST (Retrograde Station), two days before the Virgo full Moon. We may be dealing with personal problems around that time, and we may also find our creative energies are a bit bound up. But, our artistic "constipation" should dissipate by the time Mercury crosses Mars on February 26th. We may be ready to kick-start a new project, or an old one we found in the back of a drawer. Mercury will cross the Sun on March 4th and cross Venus on March 6th, and the planets will be singing in full a capella behind him. Jupiter will be singing Mercury's demise on March 9th (the day before Daylight Saving Time begins), and this could cause a short set-back. But, the rest of Mercury's retrograde will be smooth sailing. He will be next to Neptune as he turns direct (Direct Station) on March 17th at 4:03 PM EDT (St. Patrick's Day). Neptune will help to soften the usual Direct Station communication and travel problems, and many may even be oblivious to the change. If you have any creative projects on your "To Do" list, be sure to pencil them in for this Mercury retrograde.

Mercury's retrograde will travel from 19 degrees 52 minutes, Pisces, to 5 degrees 38 minutes, Pisces. Check your natal charts and see if Mercury will be crossing any of your natal planets or power points. Also check to see what house or houses he will be transiting. This will tell you how this Mercury retrograde will affect you. If you're still not sure, contact your favorite astrologer. They can usually clarify it quickly.

Janet (Sparrow) Moon is a professional psychic and astrologer. You can visit her web site for more articles about upcoming events in astrology, and to read her daily astrology general tendencies forecast. (This article can be reprinted freely online, as long as the entire article and this bio are included.) http://www.sparrowmoon.com/