Mercury Retrograde and relationships

I have a question about Mercury Retrograde and relationships.

After reading about the subject online, it seems like some astrologers advice you to reconnect with old friends during a retrograde, while others stress the fact of postponing confrontations and advise you to refrain from beginning new relationships until the retrograde has passed.

So, my specific question is; If a romantic relationship ended during a Mercury Retrograde, is it then a wise thing to try to reconnect during another period of MR, or is it better to wait until the retrograde is over?

I appreciate any input I can get!

Embla said:

After reading about the subject online, it seems like some astrologers advice you to reconnect with old friends during a retrograde, while others stress the fact of postponing confrontations and advise you to refrain from beginning new relationships until the retrograde has passed.

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That's modern Astrologers for you Or rather Astrologers who don't really know much about Astrology. Your essential question is:

'Is this a good time to repair the relationship?'

Now let's suppose that you go ahead and make an attempt - it fails. You go home and cast a chart for that moment you tried and find that Saturn is sitting on the Ascendant, rules the eighth house and squares your significator which is combust and the Moon's slow and void of course. Now such a chart doesn't promise any success for the action, whether Mercury is retrograde or not.

Alternatively, suppose your attempt is successful and all is well. You go home and cast the chart for the moment of success. You find That Jupiter is on your Ascendant, and rules the fifth House of Romance. It trines your significator which is which is in exaltation and conjunct Venus in Tarus. The Moon is waxing and fast. Whether or not Mercury is retrograde, this chart promises success in any endeavour.

Now in the past (and still with quite a few Astrologers) the approach to the question would have been to try and time the attempt at repairing the relationship so that the second chart was the chart for that moment, not the first (or at least minimise the chance of getting that first chart by avoiding that time).

What we are talking about here is 'Electional Astrology' - electing or choosing to do something at a propitious time. Within a propitious chart Mercury's retrogradation MAY be a minor consideration, but other factors (and there's more than one of them) will be more important.

Mercury is retrograde more often than any other planet, and so the chances of something happening during such a period are higher than for any other retrograde but retrogradation is NOT disastrous and indeed it's not as important as some Astrologers seem to think (though the only seem to bother about Mercury Rx). Retrogradation is but one of many factors which determine the strength or weakness of a planet.

However if you want to think about Astrology aided decision making, then you need to look at the whole picture - that is you have to look for a moment that has a chart strongly favouring you and the desired outcome.

Hi minderwiz, thank you so much for an informed and detailed reply! I have no knowledge of astrology whatsoever and I learned quite a lot from your post. What a resource this forum is.

Thank you for rephrasing my question, and for clarifying what electional astrology is. I realize that my knowledge of astrology is much to humble to even start taking things like Mercury Retrograde into consideration when dealing with relationship issues. I will just go with my common sense and gut feeling instead

Hi Embla,

To be honest, I don't bother with Mercury Rx in every day life. If there's something very important (and your issue is to you) then I'd think about an electional chart. The main problem with elections is that whilst the chart might be 'right', the 'moment' might not be - trying to restart the relationship at 4 am, when your chart says things will be best, might not impress your intended, especially if you've got them out of bed to answer the door bell LOL.

So in practice, we have to balance the desired chart against the practicalities of the situation. I'm sure a mixture of common sense and intuition will enable you to get the time right and I really hope you get the answer you desire

Perhaps . . .

Perhaps it might be helpful to start your considerations about "retrograde" meanings in astrology based on the following:

** For the most part, planets tend to move forward through the zodiac signs.
** Before turning retrograde in motion, the planet slows down and seems to briefly halt. We call this a "station."
** After making a station (or reaching a stopping point) the planet appears to move backward within the zodiac. This is its retrograde phase.
** The retrograding planet will, at some point, slow in its retrograde motion and then briefly stop. This is another station point.
** The planet will resume forward motion, gathering speed.
** At one point, while going forward, it will pass over the point where it had last stopped and turned "retrograde". It will continue past this point as it moves ahead until its next retrograde point.

Now, there is a lot more to retrograde cycles and interpretive considerations then just the few points made above. But, starting with these points, one can start to gain an understanding on how to deal with retrogrades.

When a planet reaches its first station point we can see that place and time as a pause point where something important needs to be considered.

As the planet, Mercury in this case, slides backward it is re-covering space (and experiences) that has already been covered. What might we learn from again "reviewing" this period? Do we need to re-do something? Perhaps not, we might just need to think about what has recently passed through our life.

At the next station (where retrogradation ends) we reach another pause point. What might we learn here, now? What planets now aspect this point? What planets aspected this point when we turned retrograde at the other station point?

We now find the planet, Mercury, moving faster and faster forward, still covering ground/space that the Sun has already traversed. Does this mean that we are learning from the "world" and what it has done in the past many days without our direct guidance?

Mercury continues forward, passing its turning-retrograde station point and still trying to catch up with the Sun. As it hurries past the first station point what will it remember, what problems will it have solved or resolved to address. Mercury conjoins the Sun and is re-infused with energy and inspiration. As it rushes ahead of the Sun, it eagerly gathers its own experience in its temporary leadership role. How will it act now?

This simple series of views and questions will lead one into a better understanding of just what a retrograde mercury might mean, in my opinion. Dave