Hi there and welcome to Mercury Retrograde (Mercury Rx). Let’s start at square one:
What is Mercury Retrograde?
In a nutshell, because all orbits are not the same, there are several times a year where, when you look up into the sky and map the stars out, Mercury appears to go backwards in it’s orbit for about 3 weeks. However, this is only an illusion – Mercury is just out there doing it’s normal thing and because the difference in orbits, it is an optical illusion. There! Just like that!
What’s the Big Deal Then?
Well, ancient peoples were pretty amazing, but they weren’t perfect. Even though they had spotted Mercury and could track it and, thus, observe the seeming reversal or it’s orbit, they could quite confirm that this was an illusion. And, if you believe in Astrology, and a lot of people do, then those planetary movements make a big difference – and a planet heading back the wrong way is a big deal!
During Mercury Retrograde, people believe that things go “all to hell.” To be more specific, since Mercury, in astrology, rules over communication and technology, you can expect your computer to go on the fritz, your car to break down, and people to have trouble communicating what they are thinking and feeling, despite an increased desire to do so. In short, you should turn off the lights, lock your door, and stay inside for three weeks.
Yuck! It Sounds Like You’re Not Into This – So Why Are You Bringing It Up?
Great question!!!!
So there’s a whole lot of ideas out there about systems of energy, magic, superstitions, religious beliefs and other stuff. Being Ecclectic, I’m acutely aware of how people pick and choose what they want to believe. In calling myself an “ecclectic” Pagan, I’m putting it right out there that I pick and choose what I want to believe, but the rest of us do it, too, we just don’t realize. That’s nice an abstract, but what does it mean?
Well, that means that people who believe in the power of curses are susceptible to cursing. It means that people who believe in applied energy experience success that way (also known as magic). People who believe in prayers, benefit from prayers. People who believe in the Law of Attraction, benefit (and suffer) by way of the Law of Attraction.
Simple, yes?
BUT!!!!!
The trick here is the word “believe” – it’s a very sticky word. You might THINK curses are ineffective – your intellectual/logical brain might decide that curses are silly and for ghost stories alone, but if you’re subconscious still believes, then that door is still open. That is the hard part.
But, if you need to convince yourself of something. The unconscious brain requires experiences to confirm what you’re telling it. So just start collecting the evidence. “True stories of curses” is a fun Google Search. “why law attraction doesn’t work” is another one. Go for it!
Okay, But You Mentioned Free Will?
Yes! I am a HUGE believer in free will! All the above is saying that you can choose if you want to believe in Mercury Retrograde – if you want to, if it explains things for you and if working around it tends to benefit you, go for it. I’m not going to say anything about it. But if you don’t, that’s cool too.
My brake line (I think) went out today on my car. Mercury Retrograde!!!! ARG!!! Or… things have been going wrong on my car all year so this is just one more on a long list. No big deal, it happens, right?
Yeah, so there you are. Free will, baby – you’re ticket to anywhere!!!
