Mercury Turns Retrograde: Trouble Maker

mercury retrograde

Communication planet, Mercury, is up to its tricks this week as it turns tail on March 23rd and hot-foots it back through the zodiac. Mercury is back-pedalling fast as it moves from 16 degrees Aries to 4 degrees Aries, before it turns direct on April 15th.

Usual Mercury retrograde themes are misunderstandings, communication chaos and plans unravelling. Discussions break down or important correspondence goes missing and it’s wise to play a waiting game. What Mercury retrograde is helpful for is going back over old ground, reworking your ideas and reconnecting with people from your past.

Traditionally, it’s not the ideal time to finalise arrangements, make big decisions or invest your time or money. This is because facts may be hidden from you or something better awaits you around the corner. New information often comes to light once Mercury’s back up to speed.

Mercury Aries – Shout Louder

The usual Mercury retrograde advice is to take the pace slow, wait patiently and give other people the benefit of the doubt. When Mercury reverses in the speediest star sign of the zodiac, Aries, however, this is unlikely to happen. Mercury in Aries is the fast-talker, the quick mover, the trouble maker.

In fact, you might discover you need to shout louder in order to be heard, while Mercury’s in retreat in Aries. Throw your toys out of the pram in true toddler tantrum style and, you never know, this could bring results faster than keeping quiet and staying unnoticed.

This is a feisty retrograde Mercury, although potentially frustrating too as Aries represents passion and anger. Channel any overload of energy intentionally to let off steam.

Who’s Challenging Whom?

As tough and supremely confident as Mercury is in Aries, the talk planet is up against it at the moment as it has an array of tough planetary square aspects to negotiate. Here’s Mercury’s whole planetary sequence while in Aries from March 6 – May 13 2018:

  • Mercury Aries square Saturn Capricorn – March 11 2018
  • Mercury conjunct Venus Aries – March 20 2018
  • Mercury turns retrograde [16 Aries 54]March 23 2018 (00:19 GMT)
  • Sun conjunct Mercury R Aries – April 1 2018
  • Mercury R Aries square Mars Capricorn – April 4 2018
  • Mercury R Aries square Saturn Capricorn – April 5 2018
  • Mercury turns direct [4 Aries 47]April 15 2018 (09:21 GMT)
  • Mercury Aries square Saturn R Capricorn – April 25 2018
  • Mercury Aries square Pluto Capricorn – May 7 2018
  • Mercury Aries square Mars Capricorn – May 12 2018
  • Mercury conjunct Uranus Aries – May 13 2018

This is lively astrology. Venus lends a helping hand on March 20th, a good date to note who’s on your side, the Sun in Aries is a welcome ally on April 1st and Uranus promises a breakthrough on May 13th. All the other planetary aspects, however, are squares, meaning challenge or conflict and Saturn is the main player.

Saturn in Capricorn is the ruler, the authority figure, strong and dominant. Saturn tries to ‘shut Mercury up’, lays down the law, puts boundaries or obstacles in its way.

Saturn favours quiet and solitude rather than noise. Saturn is the elder, the father figure, while Mercury is the youth, the student.

Plus, Saturn has some powerful friends in Mars and Pluto, also in Capricorn. If you’re up against a bully or an formidable opponent, it might be prudent to back off. You have to discern whether being a trouble maker will create the results you want or not.

While Mercury’s retrograde or on go slow, it’s wise to retreat and regroup, change tactics and get ready to launch a fresh attack or initiative once Mercury turns direct. Mercury’s strengths are cunning and wily ways so use your mind, your brain power to outwit your opponent. It’s going to be an intriguing Mercury retrograde phase, so ensure you have a few tricks up your sleeve.

Here’s a quick guide to the areas of your life in which Mercury is in retreat. Read both your Sun sign and Ascendant:

  • Aries: image & body, reputation & appearance, personal goals
  • Taurus: retreat, solitude, quiet time, sacrifice, inner work
  • Gemini: friends, groups, wider society, politics
  • Cancer: career, reputation & status, future goals
  • Leo: travel, education, philosophy & beliefs
  • Virgo: joint finances & shared resources, all that’s hidden & taboo
  • Libra: relationships, personal & professional, your 1-to-1 negotiations
  • Scorpio: work & routine, health & lifestyle, your well-being
  • Sagittarius: your ‘fun’ sector: love affairs, children & pregnancy, creative projects, entertainment
  • Capricorn: home & family, your past & ancestry
  • Aquarius: communication, local community, transport
  • Pisces: personal money sector, possessions, values

Wrapping It Up

Mercury in Aries can talk non-stop and doesn’t always listen. Sometimes, however, the world needs trouble makers to shake things up, initiate action and get things done. Use the timing of Mercury in Aries to know when to act and when to pull back. If you realise that no matter how loud you shout, no-one hears you, stop and find a new way to grab attention.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *