... An Astrological Nasty ...
(c) Atham Z 2000-2010

The planet Mercury governs communications for humanity. During periods of Mercury retrograde the planet Mercury appears to be moving backwards in the sky from our perspective here on earth.

This astrological configuration makes all things governed by the planet Mercury, for all astrological signs, foul up to a certain extent. Being as Mercury governs communications, that means that all communications are problematic, in relationships, electronically, via post, computers, telephones etc. Even things like cheques en route to us in the mail end up delayed or miscalculated when they finally do arrive.

Often major events in our lives happen in retrograde periods, such as accidents or relationship break ups. As people endure this confusion their tempers shorten and they become irritable and unreasonable. This astrological configuration also seems to affect electro mechanical items. You can count on an appliance or vehicle that you have been nursing along to give up the ghost and die at the most inconvenient time during these times.

Mercury retrograde is days of frustration and the best way to endure it is to remember that it will pass and to lay low and compensate for it in whatever fashion you can manage. Schedule unfamiliar traveling, important contract negotiations and decisions, and any difficult confrontations to periods when this astrological alignment is not in place.

It seems for me that either the start or ending dates of these periods usually accompanies noticeable retrograde related events. I hope that understanding this phenomena will help! Forewarned is forearmed in the case of this astrological configuration.

Courtesy of Bewitched Astrology:

Mercury will be going retrograde from Dec. 10 - 30th, so we will have another Mercury retrograde Christmas. Prepare yourselves for more useless gifts, unexpected snafus, or to hear from people you have not heard from in ages.

Mercury goes retrograde 3 times in 2011 starting from Mar. 30 - Apr. 23rd, Aug. 3 - 26th, and Nov. 24 - Dec. 14th.