Tag: astrology

Home > ArchivesTag: astrology

Oh Mercury Retrograde, Are You Here Again? by Connie Vines

September 13, 2016 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as #Rodeo Romance #the writing process, astrology, Connie Vines, Here Today Zombie Tomorrow, Mercury Retrograde, OCC Blog

Oh, Mercury retrograde. You are here, AGAIN. You have arrived on our collective doorsteps in all your messy glory.

If you have no idea what Iâ€™m talking about, here we go. The planets are swinging around at all times, and their movements affect us all in different ways. All planets go retrograde, but Mercuryâ€™s journey seems to impact people much more than any other. (Even people who â€œdonâ€™t believe in astrologyâ€ often â€œbelieveâ€ in the crazy aftershocks of Mercury retrograde!)

Why is that? Itâ€™s because Mercury rules communication, clear thinking, truth and travel, so when the planet goes retrograde â€” which means that it looks like itâ€™s going backwards in the sky â€” all those things go backwards. They start to get ugly and tangle up. Mercury isnâ€™t really going backwards, itâ€™s just hanging out by the sun, but from Earth, that makes it look like itâ€™s in reverse. It typically runs for a couple of weeks, a few times a year.

Check out these dates below and put them in your calendar!

In 2016, Mercury is retrograde fromâ€¦
January 5th to January 25th
April 28th to May 22nd
August 30th to September 22nd
December 19th to January 28th (2017)

Note: We sometimes start to feel the effects of Mercury retrograde a few days early. Itâ€™s nice to give yourself a bit of leeway on either side of the prescribed dates!

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MERCURY GOES RETROGRADE?

All sorts of things! Itâ€™s like everyone you know has suddenly gone mad! You might find yourself getting into bizarre arguments about nothing at all, being unable to finish sentences or barely even able to form a coherent thought. Your computer and other electronic equipment is more likely to go on the fritz. You could experience travel delays, too. Double-check your flights and take a book with you to keep you occupied while you wait for the train! We donâ€™t tend to get all the information we need at this time, so it can be hard to make big decisions and itâ€™s not always the best time to sign a contract, either.

Expect to hear super-loud complaining from your friends who are Gemini (me!) or Virgo, since both are ruled by Mercury! Mercury also rules a lot of industries like publishing, writing, editing, advertising, sales, public relations and anything to do with transport, like airlines, the post office and cabs! This means it can be particularly rough for Gemini train conductors and Virgo magazine editors, so be kind to any you know!

I often find that Mercury retrograde makes me want to go into hermit mode. I feel like half my brain is missing so Iâ€™m really not that interested in interacting with anyone, plus every conversation seems to go in an unusual, confusing direction. I feel much more irritable and frustrated and things just donâ€™t seem to go how I want them to.

So thatâ€™s the bad news. Mercury retrograde can be a total kick in the teeth for those of us who normally pride ourselves on having our karmic shit together! The GOOD news is that Mercury retrograde provides us with lots of beautiful opportunities if we can just tilt our head and squint.

Mercury retrograde wants us to move back spiritually. It is providing us with a chance to re-examine various areas of our life which may need a little more work, so that we can move forward to a bright new dawn. Now, more than ever, the time is right to look at things with clear eyes.

Itâ€™s also a terrific period in which to tie up loose ends. So many of us have unfinished projectsâ€¦ Maybe that door just needs another lick of paint, or youâ€™ll decide to put away your ex-boyfriendâ€™s love letters once and for all.

One of the best ways to cope with it â€” as with anything, really â€” is to just â€œgo with the flowâ€. When you fight Mercury retrograde, thatâ€™s when life gets really ugly. Just take some time, go slowly, be careful, donâ€™t freak yourself out by expecting to be uber-productive-perfect right now. Be good to yourself and the people around you, now more than ever!

A QUICK GUIDE TO

SURVIVING MERCURY RETROGRADE!

Be sure not to take things too personally. People will often say offensive things they didnâ€™t mean around this time, because their thinking is clouded and their communication skills are on pause! If your best friend suddenly became the most insensitive person in the world, give her the benefit of the doubt.

Back up your data!

Donâ€™t purchase any big ticket items, because they will often have flaws or issues that you werenâ€™t aware of! Of course, life doesnâ€™t stop just because of wacky planetary movement, so if you absolutely have to get that car, computer or iPhone, TRIPLE-check all the paperwork, and make sure you have a warranty!

Take things with a grain of salt. Everyone is a bit confused, and people are much more inclined to change their mind once Mercury goes direct. Mercury can be a bit of a trickster â€” could it be that the next few weeks are a big karmic joke?

Read the small print on any contracts. Ask lots of questions. Again, you canâ€™t put your life on hold just because of some silly planet, but adapt your lifestyle a bit so that things run more smoothly. Communication can be a mess right now, but do your best to get as much information as you can.

Finish things you started a while ago. Home improvement projects? Wardrobe re-organization? Short stories? Love affairs?! This is an excellent time to tie up loose ends and file things away forever.

Get together with old friends, reminisce and laugh!

Double-check any information youâ€™re given, especially as relates to travel arrangements! During one particularly formidable Mercury retrograde, I actually caught a cab to the wrong airport! Check times, delays, baggage allowances, reservationsâ€¦ everything!

Allow Mercury to nudge you in unusual directions. If you seem to find yourself â€œback to the futureâ€, donâ€™t just try to wriggle out of it â€” look at what the universe is trying to show you. What can you learn from this situation? This is a fantastic time to re-examine, accept and move on.

Use the things youâ€™ve discovered in the past to create a dazzling new vision so that youâ€™re ready to blast ahead when Mercury goes direct!

Happy Writing,
Connie

Click HERE all my books are on FREE on the Kindle Count Down!!

0 0 Read more

e-maginings: Aries New Moon

April 16, 2010 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as Aries, astrology, e-maginings, Linda McLaughlin, new moon, writng

Before I started writing, back in the Dark Ages (before the Internet), I used to study astrology and I still find it interesting. Wednesday April 14 was the Aries New Moon, the first one of the astrological year. (Aries is the first sign of the Zodiac and starts with the Vernal Equinox. It’s also my Sun Sign.)

A New Moon occurs when the Sun and Moon line up astronomically so that the moon is between the Earth and the Sun, and thsu not visible anywhere on earth. In astrological terms, Moon and Sun are in conjunction. A new moon occurs at least once a month, and sometimes twice, known as a Blue Moon.

According to a recent email I received from Astrology.com, the Aries new moon is:

…the most vibrant and inspirational of all new Moons of the year… a time when it is vital to get your head (Sun) and your heart (Moon) — together. This is the only way you can get wholeheartedly behind whatever emotional changes or projects take root at this time.

New Moons are only slivers of light in the sky, so this will not be a spectacular even by any chance. But this is the time to sow the seeds, nurture them carefully and watch them grow. You need a vision — which is the idea; you need a plan — which is the realistic way of moving towards your cherished goal. Then you need patience — which isn’t the same as doing nothing — it is all about helping along what wants to happen…

Since this particular Aries New Moon is in easy aspect to Neptune, being creative or being spiritual will be all the more important. Listen to that inner voice, and you will know which dream is being awakened from its slumbers. And remember the old saying: ‘The dreamers of the day act with their eyes open and make it happen.’

Sounds good to me. I’ve been in a dry spell, writing-wise, but maybe this will be a good time to start a new project, something I’ve been taking baby steps toward doing. Now if I can just get some words on the page…

Wish me luck!

Linda McLaughlin
w/a Lyndi Lamont

0 0 Read more