Mercury apparently moves backwards in the sky three times a year, for about 22 days at a time. During these retrograde phases, miscommunication and delays are par for the course, as this planet rules the transmission of messages, as well as local travel. (I've written about Mercury retrograde -- Valentine's Day style -- at AOL Horoscopes.) This particular retrograde is more relationship-oriented than others, because Mercury is traveling through the two signs of the zodiac that have the most to do with intimate partnership: Libra and Scorpio.

The retrograde started on October 11/12 (depending on your time zone) at 9 Scorpio. It enters Libra on October 23, stations direct (meaning that it apparently stops in the sky to move forward again) on November 1 at 23 Libra, and re-enters Scorpio on November 11.

The styles of Mercury's expression in these two signs could not be more different: gracious and charming versus secretive and probing. However, both Libra and Scorpio are relationship signs: Libra concerns equality in a partnership, and Scorpio governs sexual/emotional intimacy and shared financial resources.

How will this Mercury retrograde affect you?

There is much more to predictive astrology than Sun signs, but that's all I know about you. If you know your rising sign, look to that sign instead of your Sun sign, as these "horoscopes" are based on the solar chart, in which your Sun sign IS the First House. (By 8th, I mean "8th House" and so on.)

(My apologies to the early signs. I got more outrageous as the zodiac progressed, and I'm afraid you got shafted!)

Aries - You have Scorpio on your 8th and Libra on your 7th. In the 8th, expect communication difficulties regarding joint finances and sex. In the 7th, you may misread your partner's expression of their needs in the relationship.

Taurus - You have Scorpio on your 7th and Libra on your 6th. In the 7th, intense discussions about the relationship may dredge up the past. In the 6th, you may try to be gracious with a co-worker but end up inadvertently offending them anyway.

Gemini - You have Scorpio on your 6th and Libra on your 5th. In the 6th, a coworker may bring up past wrongs which lead to a power struggle. In the 5th, your attempts to meet your kids halfway backfires.

Cancer - You have Scorpio on your 5th and Libra on your 4th. In the 5th, all of your kids' resentments come up to the surface and past grievances are expressed. In the 4th, your attempts at peacekeeping on the home front fail miserably.

Leo - You have Scorpio on your 4th and Libra on your 3rd. In the 4th, you dig up child abuse memories and let your mom have it. In the 3rd, you try to make peace with your little sister, and end up only making matters worse.

Virgo - You have Scorpio on your 3rd and Libra on your 2nd. In the 3rd, you and your brother fight over the money your aunt left in her will. In the 2nd, you try to balance your checkbook, but lose all of your Quicken data.

Libra - You have Scorpio on your 2nd and Libra on your 1st. In the 2nd, your talent for intuiting people's secrets mysteriously disappears, and you lose your job as a psychic. In the 1st, your usual charming persona is shattered, as every word that comes out your mouth ends up offending someone.

Scorpio - You have Scorpio on your 1st and Libra on your 12th. In the 1st, your attempt to appear deep and mysterious fails, as you can't even coherently express a negative sentiment. In the 12th, you wake up after a dream of having written the perfect symphony -- and you know it was brilliant! -- but after much scrambling you cannot find a pen, and by the time you do, all is forgotten.

Sagittarius - You have Scorpio on the 12th and Libra on the 11th. 12th: We all know about that secret love affair, but I'm afraid the word is out. You better start packing your bags before you spouse packs them for you. In the 11th, your every attempt to moderate a discussion at the PTA meeting backfires, and all the parents now think you're the bad guy.

Capricorn - You have Scorpio on your 11th and Libra on your 10th. In the 11th, your attempts to become the #1 Mean Girl in your high school clique backfires, thus leaving you eating lunch with the dorks. In the 10th, your kiss-ass behavior at work does not endear you to the boss. In fact, she only loses respect for you.

Aquarius - You have Scorpio on your 10th and Libra on your 9th. In the 10th, your killing spree to become CEO of your company has hit a few snags -- back to the drawing board! In the 9th, you graciously host a foreign exchange student, but end up offending him when you inadvertently insult his mother.

Pisces - You have Scorpio on your 9th and Libra on your 8th. In the 9th, your affair with your dissertation advisor is exposed, and you realize that you can't screw your way to a PhD, after all. 8th: You state you want to share money equally with your spouse, but then he finds an old credit card statement showing you bought $500 shoes. Ouch!

Labels: astrology, mercury, retrograde

Mercury in Scorpio went retrograde today, and I've noticed -- looking back at recent advice questions -- that it's really hard for people to just trust one another at face value. I'm not naive -- I know humans lie and deceive, cheat and manipulate -- but does it serve us to be so self-protective? Nobody wants to be burned, but the fear of being hurt keeps us so isolated!

The planet of communication has been in the sign of secretiveness and power plays since September 27. Mistrust is in the air, and we are all looking at each other with suspicion, wondering about ulterior motives. The danger in this approach is that we overlook the essential goodness and kindness in human beings. We are not only base creatures focused on survival, employing a kill-or-be-killed strategy in finding the perfect mate. There is love in the world.

As Mercury apparently moves backwards in the sky, we can use this opportunity to reflect on past betrayals, and see how the armor we've adorned to shield ourselves also keeps us at arm's length from others. And be sure to remember the positive aspects of Mercury in Scorpio: deep, probing conversations that facilitate a strong emotional bond; the revelation of personal information to help transform ourselves and others.

Sometimes when someone says, "I love you," it means just that.

Labels: astrology, mercury, retrograde, scorpio

The following post is by an astrology writer I've long admired, April Elliott Kent. Below, she offers insight into the impact of the current Venus retrograde on readers with their natal Venus in early Virgo or late Leo. (However, the retrograde's lessons will be valuable to everyone.) I will be back on Friday. -- Jeff

Warm thanks to Jeff for inviting me over to tap dance for the troops while he’s away, and greetings to you all! I love what you’ve all done with the place – it’s full of sprightly, civilized conversation about a subject near and dear to all our hearts.

Venus conjunct your natal Venus, of course, is not that big a deal – it happens every year, in fact. We call it a Venus “return”: Venus returns to the same part of the sky that it occupied the moment you first greeted the world with a glad cry. It marks the beginning of a new one-year cycle of relationships, finance, and self-worth. Yes, once a year you get the chance to do a hard refresh of your Venusian browser and get cracking with some hot new Google searches of the heart.

But Venus retrograde conjunct your natal Venus – ah, that’s another kettle of proverbial fish. I don’t know whether your natal Venus is in Virgo or Leo – Venus will retrograde through both signs in the weeks ahead. But I do know that Venus retrogrades through the same sign every eight years, and that the last time Venus retrograde conjuncted your natal Venus was (drum roll, please):

July 30, 1999 (retrograde at 5 Virgo) to September 10, 1999 (direct at 19 Leo)

That corresponds neatly with the current retrograde period: Venus turns retrograde at 3 Virgo (on July 27) and direct at 17 Leo (September 8).

Venus retrograde asks for a reevaluation and contemplation of your attitudes about relationship, money, and values, so take some time in the coming weeks to examine that time in your life. Who were the people that meant the most to you? What was the state of your personal balance sheet? How was your health? The memories may surface slowly, a little reluctantly - Venus Retrograde was square Pluto back in 1999, after all, which means it was probably square (or just finished squaring) your natal Venus [Pluto was at 7 Sag -- ed.]. This is not a formula for happy times and golden memories, even if the ultimate result was profound personal growth. With Pluto out of the picture this time around, though, Venus retrograde conjunct your natal Venus should not be nearly so difficult for you.

Eight years is a long time - long enough to have learned a thing or two about love, money, and what’s really important. But not nearly long enough to have learned everything there is to learn. So over the next six weeks, you’re scheduled for a refresher course on your relationship with the world. Set aside time to be alone with yourself, so you can listen to your body and spirit and really hear the messages that they whisper to you. Be restrained in your spending; before making a purchase, ask yourself if what you’re buying is worth the hours of your life you traded to earn the cash. Clean up your diet, especially if you suffer from touchy digestion or kidney problems.

It’s all too easy to fall into the habit of pursuing what we think we should want, instead of what would truly bring us happiness. The purpose of Venus’ retrograde period is not to punish you by taking away your romance, bling, or nosh; rather, it’s to help you remember what’s right for you – and to help you find your way to the people and things that will make your personal Venus sing.

April Elliott Kent is an astrologer and writer living in San Diego, California. She has published her website, bigskyastrology.com, since 1999, and her astrological writing has also appeared in The Mountain Astrologer, Llewellyn’s Moon Sign Book, and on Mooncircles.com, Beliefnet.com, and AOL Horoscopes. Her book, Star Guide to Weddings, will be published by Llewellyn in February 2008.

Labels: astrology, retrograde, venus