First Retrograde of Mercury in 2007

The First Retrograde of Mercury in 2007

Tim Rubald, C.A. NCGR, C.A.P. ISAR

Times are given for the Eastern Zone and reflect Daylight Time changes

Rx = retrograde

January
15 425 AM Mercury enters Aquarius
30 518 AM Mercury enters Rx Zone, 25° 25’ Aquarius [15]
February
2 420 AM Mercury enters Pisces
7 1102 AM Mercury Maximum Elongation East
13 1138 PM Mercury Rx, 10° 14’ Pisces
22 1143 PM Mercury 0° Sun, 4° 11’ Pisces, Inferior Conjunction
26 1001 PM MercuryRx into Aquarius
March
7 1145 PM Mercury Direct, 25° 25’ Aquarius
18 535 AM Mercury enters Pisces
21 653 PM Mercury Maximum Elongation West
28 102 AM Mercury leaves Rx Zone, 10° 14’ Pisces [19]
April
10 707 PM Mercury enters Aries
27 316 AM Mercury enters Taurus
May
3 1203 AM Mercury 0° Sun, 12° 22’ Taurus, Superior Conjunction

The blanket statements you find about Mercury Retrograde are so broad as to be useless. See my article in STARTALK,“Mercury Retrograde Hooey & Twaddle.” Not every Mercury Retrograde period is the same in intensity or in range of what is affected. The table above shows what I work with most in terms of the entire cycle. There is work on “classical” (Hellenistic, Chaldean-Babylonian, Egyptian) astrological techniques being done these days that includes heliacal rising and setting of Mercury but I do not currently work with those except in limited, primarily research, situations.

Using the information from the points listed above we get information we can use to understand this unique retrograde period. While a cycle continues in circular fashion, there are points in the cycle we can use for beginnings and endings.

The Mercury cycle can be compared with the lunation cycle by taking the retrograde conjunction of Mercury with the Sun as like the New Moon "seed moment," the elongations east and west like the Quarter Moons, and the Superior Conjunction when Mercury is on the other side of the Sun from Earth as analogous to the Full Moon. Some very good astrologers continue to study and offer opinions about the cycle and include other points such as the heliacal ones.

I use my own observation to support what work I do in astrology. We understand that the observer influences results (Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle in physics). Still I prefer first hand observation to unquestioning acceptance of what my astrologer predecessors state as gospel.  I have observed Mercury retrograde periods from my subjective viewpoint for something like forty years now. I can't pretend that I gave them the same attention forty years ago that I do now, or that I am as influenced by “experts” as I was then. I see that as a good thing.

This first of three Mercury retrogrades in 2007 shows, on January 30, Mercury cross into the arc of its retrograde at the point it will turn direct on March 7. We can see Mercury will cover the last about 4.5 degrees of Aquarius, and begin to retrograde at 10+ degrees into Pisces.

That lets us know that rational, mental, dispassion, will delve into and explore the intuitive and emotional; focus there to see what may be learned, and come back from feeling to reason, and then return to feeling once again. It is as if the Universe has made a pause for us to examine our beliefs in a dispassionate way, in order to help us increase our understanding, to take the challenge to apply rational mind to gut feelings and emotional responses.

Further, by noticing that Mercury in aspect to Mars on January 29 is repeated with Mercury Rx on February 17 we see particular times of action and perhaps confrontation that enhance and highlight the rational vs. gut questions.

The principle planetary interaction involving Mercury is a three times aspect of productivity with Pluto. Pluto is also about depth and emotion but is less gentle than Pisces and more final. We may delve deep into the roots of how we think about things and react from feeling and/or a rational, mental place. The Pluto “hit” occurs January 31, February 28, and March 16. This gives another insight into the meaning and significance of this retrograde period. In this case the Universe acts like a psychotherapist to have us examine the source of feeling responses that influence mental beliefs in order to understand them and grow from the understanding. Matters of birth, death, basic survival, and sharing, may have social and scientific relevance in this period. Pluto’s position in philosophical and belief oriented Sagittarius brings religious understanding into the picture, linking by retrograde, Aquarius and Pisces; the rational social mind with feeling and emotional responsiveness.

Another, perhaps less significant, part of the January-March Mercury retrograde effect involves Venus and Mars. On February 13 a Venus-Mars aspect (sextile) is followed closely by aspects from Venus and Mars to Saturn the following morning. The aspect formation is called a Yod and acts to focalize the “relational” theme of Venus and Mars with the structural idea of Saturn. Time to actualize “getting along” with the reality of social structure.

Mercury’s involvement comes by way of the aspects to Mars mentioned earlier and aspects to Venus February 23, March 2, and March 16. This Mercury intersolar period is also about working on relationship matters. Mercury with Mars suggests standing up for personal ideas and beliefs while Mercury with Venus cautions and teaches and explores “getting along.” There may be some adjustment requiring a balance between expressing independent thinking and sensitive listening (thinking and listening are Mercury functions).

The first Mercury Retrograde of 2007 is not justabout Murphy’s Law.

Excerpt from STARTALK ~
Original text © 2007 Tim Rubald
Tim Rubald, C.A. NCGR, C.A.P. ISAR
Life cycles and success timing for people in transition.
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