Mercury retrogrades in the fixed water sign Scorpio from 19° – 3°, 21st October – 11th November 2013 AEDT
Mercury turns retrograde 3 or 4 times a year – it’s when the Earth is ahead of Mercury such that Mercury appears to be moving backwards – and this is the 3rd and final time Mercury is retrograde this year. Mercury rules communication, connections and networks so during this time we experience delays, computer problems, misunderstandings, miscommunications and broken promises. In this technological age we commonly find that computers and phones malfunction, emails go astray, and SMS end up in the wrong hands. Not only that but the car breaks down, you miss a connecting flight and important parcels arrive weeks later. It seems like we are moving more slowly than normal. Mercury demands we take stock of things and reflect, review, reconsider, reassess, realign, rebuild, reciprocate, reconcile, recover, reaquaint etc … Avoid starting anything new and instead focus on completing or revising existing projects and connections.
More specifically, while Mercury retrogrades through Scorpio (renewal, research, compulsions) there is undercover work to do; it’s time to get in touch with the ‘dark’ side. This is the time for inner work and soul searching to dig through the ‘shit’ to uncover buried treasure. Somewhere buried deep in the psyche are inner truths that now need to brought to the surface to be consciously assessed and either reintegrated or discarded. Look to the house in your chart containing 3° – 19°. This is the arena where deep psychological work is done, where you are most notably passionate, intense and often keep secrets. So any misadventures during next three weeks will prompt some soul-searching that brings us closer to the truth.
Note that this period of review isn’t fully over until Mercury passes 19° Scorpio on 27th November.
Thanks Nikki for such a straightforward explanation of Mercury retrograde in Scorpio. It certainly applies to my life!
Will the Uranus square Pluto aspect on 1 Nov add intensity to the retrograde period (given that Mercury is in the sign that Pluto rules)?
Fiona the Uranus-Pluto square is filled with tension and anxiety and affects everyone because they are transpersonal planets. It’s even more intense if Pluto or Uranus falls on a personal planet, and this square lasts all November. Pluto is co-ruler of Scorpio, Mars is the traditional ruler. During Mercury’s retrograde phase there is a sextile to Pluto and Mars, which intensifies Mercury’s effect. And the purging effect of Pluto and Scorpio is super-concentrated with an eclipse in Scorpio 3rd November. Time to let go of anything and everything not serving you.
Note that Mercury passes 19° Scorpio on 27th November, not 18th December. I have amended the post.