Virgo - Mercury Retrograde (August 20 - September 12)

Yes, it's that time of the year again, another Mercury Retrograde is around the corner. (A planet is described as retrograde when it appears to be moving backwards through the zodiac.)
This time she comes in the sign of Virgo.

Mercury feels at home in the earthy service oriented sign of Virgo as we contemplate our connection to the Earth, the land, environment, and ecology. Leave no details undone, or at least get as much completed as possible from your end. Reflect on how much of a footprint you leave upon the Earth. This can include how much trash you create and dump out, to if you recycle and possibly even how much energy you waste. Since Virgo governs over efficiency and streamlining, this is a grand opportunity to review and make changes in your daily life. It starts with creating a simple schedule which includes everything that is a priority.
Pay close attention to what you say and communicate in general, particularly around the days of Mercury's stations (August 29th and September 12th). If you are itching to argue with someone, especially, or if you are planning on "signing on the dotted line", try to hold off. It is likely that you will have a change of mind once the station passes, and you can do some damage in the meantime.


Mercury Retrograde Overview

As the planet of communication, Mercury retrograde tends to breed a certain level of confusion. Mercury rules our "lower" mind--how we perceive and interpret information that we receive from our environment, and how we relay that information to others. Mercury has rulership over such things as speaking, negotiating, buying and selling, listening, formal contracts, documents, travel, the mail and shipping, and so forth. All of these areas of life are affected when Mercury is functioning in a sluggish state.

Decision-making is challenged during Mercury retrograde. Needless to say, it is not advised to sign contracts, engage in important decision-making, or launch a new business. Delays and challenges are more probable with Mercury retrograde. It's a time when being careless with money, our personal information, or paperwork can be costly.

There is a positive side to Mercury Retrograde. This period is best used for re-organizing and reflecting. We look at the world a little differently--through different filters--and can come up with some very important inner revelations. It may be difficult to communicate them under this influence, but not everything needs to be rationalized. Mercury retrograde periods can be times of heightened inner awareness, when meditation, benefiting from keeping a journal, reworking old plans, and reviewing past work are favored. Minor breaks in the mechanical aspects of communication can actually re-connect us to other means of communication, such as when there is an unexpected power outage and we're forced off the computer and television, finding different and often satisfying ways to entertain ourselves.

It is important to note that there is absolutely no reason to suspend projects or anything of the sort during the Mercury Retrograde cycle. It's not an ideal time to start new ones or to sign contracts, simply because a change of mind is very possible once Mercury turns direct. However, it's a fabulous time to do some "outside of the box" thinking. Acting on our ideas, however, might be best left for a Mercury Direct period.

http://www.cafeastrology.com/mercuryretrograde.html
http://celestialspace.wordpress.com/2010/07/31/mercury-retrograde-in-virgo-on-august-20th-2010/

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