Mercury in Retrograde

Hold onto your hats! Mercury will be in Retrograde 4 times this year!

The dates are as follows:

2016

January 5 - January 25, 2016 in Aquarius, ends in earth-sign Capricorn

April 28 - May 22, 2016 in earth-sign Taurus

August 30 - September 22, 2016 in earth-sign Virgo

Dec 19 2016 - Jan 8, 2017 in earth-sign Capricorn, ends in fire-sign Sagittarius

Areas of Life Mercury Rules

Mercury rules all types of communication, including listening, speaking, learning, reading, editing, researching, negotiating, selling, and buying. Mercury also rules all formal contracts and agreements, as well as important documents such as book manuscripts or term papers, agreements, deeds, contracts, leases, wills, etc.

Computers/Technology, as well as transportation, shipping, and travel. When this planet retrogrades, these areas tend to get scrambled or spin out of control. Computers and Technology tend to go "Out of Whack" types

Try not to make any important moves when Mercury is retrograde. Nothing will be settled successfully for the future during these periods  and you will find it nearly impossible to nail down a plan. During a retrograde period, it is hard to get decisions from others. Even if a decision is made, it will be subject to change, either just after Mercury turns to direct motion or much later.

Mercury retrograde periods would not be good times to do anything involving communications, such as launch a website, a project or an advertising or publicity campaign.

When Mercury is in Retrograde poor times to launch any new endeavors, even if they are not related to the communications industries.

The retrograde period is not a good time to sign any contracts or even to shake hands on any new agreements. Do not close on a house during this time nor sign a lease. Verbal agreements are considered the same as written ones. The environment will be quite fluid and changeable, no matter what you are told or what you think.

Do Not Have Plastic Surgery or Other Elective Surgery When Mercury, Venus, and Mars Are Retrograde UNLESS IT's An EMERGENCY!

At other times in life, we do have a choice about when to schedule an operation or procedure. In those cases, such as having plastic surgery, it is best to avoid Mercury retrograde periods. These are periods where mistakes are more prone to happen than at other times, or when judgment is off. Your surgeon is under the same conditions as you, so I would suggest waiting.

I would also strongly suggest that you avoid plastic surgery when Venus retrogrades, because Venus rules beauty, and the whole purpose of the surgery is to improve your looks.

Mars rules the whole area of surgery, so you would ideally want Mars to be in the best possible form, too. It is said not to have an operation on the part of the body that the sign Mars is moving through rules. For example, if Mars happens to be in Capricorn, it would not be the best time for a knee operation because Capricorn rules the knees. It is said that Mars will increase pain and swelling. A full moon at the time of the surgery will increase bleeding. We do the best we can.

Let me reiterate, if you have an emergency, don't worry about any of these rules - have your surgery.