Making the Most of Retrograde Mercury

Mention the phrase "Retrograde Mercury" to anyone who has progressed beyond the sun sign columns of the newspaper and you will likely hear a groan of pain.

Three times a year (or thereabouts) for around three weeks Mercury appears to be moving backwards in the sky due to an optical illusion similar to one train overtaking another train travelling at a similar speed.

Mercury rules all forms of communication and works better when it is moving forwards rather than backwards so communications are liable suffer - letters (and emails) get lost, transport workers go on strike and we become more than usually prone to misunderstanding one another.

Ways to minimise the problems?

Double check all documents, pause before speaking and indulge in non-Mercury activities.

If you are intent in staying in front of the screen then it's a great time for editing and reviewing old work and in the both the physical and virtual worlds it's the best opportunity for clearing out old files - just be careful you know exactly what you are discarding.

It's also a good time for reconnecting with old friends and colleagues and we may find people turning up who we haven't seen for ages.

Taking the initiative with troublesome planetary aspects is always preferable than doing nothing - we are going to experience these planetary energies so it's better to do in on our own terms than let them dictate to us.

While we may notice the effects of retrograde Mercury around us we are not bound to be affected - the stars incline but do not compel and I have completed transatlantic journeys when Mercury has been retrograde without a hitch.

One other effect of retrograde Mercury which does seem to be the case more often than not is that bright ideas originating at this time seldom come to fruition especially business ideas - so if you think you have dreamed up the best invention don't get too excited...

So when is this happening? Strictly speaking between 26 February and 20 March but the disruption often begins a few days before the actual change in direction and lasts for a few days after Mercury turns direct so be prepared from around Sunday 22 February until 25 March.