The First Mercury Retrograde Of 2018

Sara Hawthorne

Oh boy, here we go again. Mercury is about to go Retrograde from March 23rd, 2018 until April 15th, 2018.
Everyone run and hide! Or better yet, education yourself on how the planets actually work and stop FREAKING OUT!
I’m not trying to deny you your right to “Blame it all on Mercury.” I will even admit that there can be trouble during this particular Mercury Retrograde period. However, I won’t let you think that it’s just because Mercury is Retrograde that everything is “sucking.”
RETROGRADE PLANETS
“This is only a visionary phenomenon as it occurs due to different speeds of the planets in relation to the earth. The effects on a natal chart are due to the fixed angular position of planets with reference to a particular place on the earth for a particular time, natal or transit.”
THIS RIGHT HERE IS WHY YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE FUNCTIONAL NATURE OF MERCURY IN YOUR BIRTH CHART BEFORE YOU CAN “BLAME IT ALL ON MERCURY!”
Though the classical as well as some of the modern commentators have ascribed different views for the results of retrograde planets, my professor from India (Professor V.K. Choudhry) who developed the Systems’ Approach to Interpreting Horoscopes is of the firm view that retrograde planets are to be treated in a normal way as per their longitudes, so far as the natal influences are concerned. However, the transit influences of a planet appearing to be in retrograde motion and then direct motion are prolonged on a specified degree(s).
“To understand the impact of a transit retrograde planet it is necessary that one learns predictive techniques and methodology for reading the triple transit influences.”
I do want to mention that during this particular Mercury Retrograde Period, Mercury will be in its debilitation sign of Pisces. Okay, now you can go run and hide.
DEBILITATION: The planets are in the state of debilitation in particular signs, and therefore weak, failing to fully protect/promote their general and particular significations.
The debilitation signs of various planets are as follows:

PLANET DEBILITATION SIGN
SUN LIBRA
MOON SCORPIO
MARS CANCER
MERCURY PISCES
JUPITER CAPRICORN
VENUS VIRGO
SATURN ARIES
RAHU SCORPIO
KETU TAURUS

Mercury when debilitated can indicate issues with stocks, business, communications, and health and computer viruses. Be delicate with your skin, nervous system, decision making, and respiratory canal during this time. Try to stay away from pollutants, use natural products on your skin, and think twice about your decisions before you leap!
For the Aries rising sign natives Mercury will be debilitated, retrograde, and transiting their twelfth house of losses, expenses, separations, and hospitalizations until May 9th, 2018. This can connect their health and finances with losses, expenses, and hospitalizations as well as bring losses, expenses, and separations to the above mentioned Mercury significations (stocks, business, communications, skin, nervous system, and respiratory canal, etc). The remedy for this is to help students on Wednesdays and don’t wear green or emeralds.
For the Leo rising sign natives Mercury will be debilitated, retrograde, and transiting their eighth house of setbacks, accidents, obstructions, vulnerability, transformations, and death like experiences until May 9th, 2018. This can connect their wealth, status, and continuation of family life with setbacks, accidents, obstructions, vulnerability, transformations, and death like experiences. It can also bring setbacks and obstructions to the above mentioned Mercury significations (stocks, business, communications, skin, nervous system, and respiratory canal, etc.) The remedy for this is to wear lots of green clothing and use lots of green decorations in your home. You can put green cellophane over a window in your home and let the green light in. You can buy green tinted sunglasses or a green tinted water picture and cups. Emerald is a safe and favorable gemstone for your chart.
For the Libra rising sign natives Mercury will be debilitated, retrograde, and transiting their sixth house of conflicts, debts, disputes, and health issues until May 9th, 2018. This can bring conflicts, debts, disputes, and health issues to those living away from their birth place, it is not a good time to travel abroad, and there can be separate sleeping arrangements from spouse/partner, insomnia, conflicts surrounding intimacy, sleeping, and isolation. It can also bring health, financial issues, and conflicts to the above mentioned Mercury significations (stocks, business, communications, skin, nervous system, and respiratory canal.) The remedy for this is to help students on Wednesdays and don’t wear green or emeralds.
For the Aquarius rising sign natives Mercury will be debilitated, retrograde, and transiting their second house until May 9th, 2018. This can cause accidents, obstructions, setbacks, and delays relative to wealth, status, and continuation of family life especially when Mercury is close to the rising sign degree of the natives chart.
Mercury will be under the 9th aspect of Rahu until April 6th so one must be extra vigilant with stocks, business, communications, and health and computer viruses until this transit lets up as well.
Below is a video I have made to illustrate how important it is to look at each chart specifically to find the impact of Retrograde planets. Not everyone will benefit from the so called “Massive Energy Shifts” other astrologers claim happen during retrograde moments. At the same time, not everyone will suffer from the ever so present and widely accepted attitude that “Mercury is always f***ing S**t up!”
If you are a serious astrologer or serious about astrology you must look at the functional nature of Mercury in each specific chart. I cannot stress this enough!
For the Aries, Libra, and Aquarius rising signs Mercury becomes a functional malefic planet and can cause harm in their charts. The remedy for this is to:

  • Help students on Wednesdays
  • Don’t wear green
  • Don’t wear Emeralds
  • Listen to chants for Goddess Durga on Wednesdays

For the Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Pisces rising signs Mercury becomes a functional benefic planet and will not cause harm, but can become weak by transit or affliction. You can strengthen Mercury in your chart to protect against weakness by:

  • Wearing lots of green clothing
  • Using lots of green decorations in your home
  • You can put green cellophane over a window in your home and let the green light in
  • You can buy green tinted sunglasses or a green tinted water pitcher and cups
  • Emerald is a safe and favorable gemstone for your chart 

The remedies are easy and effective!

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG7jWWCVdHc[/embedyt]

Happy (or not so happy) Mercury Retrograde to you!