Spring Cleaning

We are in the thick of the Mercury retrograde forest. Now is the time to do a little spring cleaning, literally and metaphorically. To use this transit productively, ask yourself, what needs to be cleaned up in your life?

Mercury goes retrograde 3 times per year. We are now midway through the first retrograde cycle of 2018. This distinguishes a time where the logic of Mercury that is bestowed upon us is confused, and maybe short-fused. Mercury is also burned within the rays of the Sun from the Sun-Mercury conjunction in Pisces, where Mercury is debilitated. Sounds bad, right? Maybe, Not necessarily.

Mercury retrograde has become a popular cultural colloquialism, and seems to receive a bad reputation. Is it all bad? No. Is it all good? No. Is it deserving of this bad reputation? Yes and no. Everything that happens in life under the sun is neutral, and depends on whether it is productive for what you are trying to accomplish on a personal, soul-level. Not everyone is trying to accomplish the same thing. If we are using the type of planetary energy for our benefit that is available to us at this moment, we become the co-creators. If we are not using the planetary energy available to us at this passing moment in time, we become a victim of circumstance. Everything is either productive or not productive to our larger goal, and it’s not to be judged as “good or bad”. It depends on awareness from understanding. When people are knowledgeable of the astrological energies at play, they have the opportunity to use it productively, instead of be used by it and complain accordingly.

Yes, there are inconveniences birthed from miscommunications, but it is not the end of the world when Mercury goes retrograde. Some classic “negative” mercury retrograde definitions are : mis-take, mis-understanding, mis-communication, mis-information and mis-interpretations. “Negative” transits are anything which is unproductive, which is why Mercury retrograde is seen as “bad”. I understand. Who wants to do something over and over that could’ve been done once, correctly? That's annoying.

Seasoned astrologers dismiss this transit, because it is not cataclysmic. However, playing devil’s advocate, we are in the age of technology, so “minor inconveniences” can be major game-changers. One, it depends to what degree a person relies on modern convenience of technology. And two, it depends to what degree a person has faith of “what is truly in my best interest, shall be”. So how much do you rely on your cell phone? Your bank card? Your computer? Transportation? Going to the extreme scenario, if you didn’t have these things in our modern age, would you be able to house yourself? Feed yourself? There doesn’t seem to be another alternative system in place – such as sending a messenger on horseback to deliver a hand-written letter instead of an email or text... Or having the skill to make your own shoes to trade for someone else’s bundle of produce. Just food for thought. We do rely on modern convenience and technology. The disruption of communication and inter-exchange will give Mercury retrograde a stigma to receive groans and eye-rolls when the term is uttered. But it raises bigger questions of, “How resourceful are you? How easy going can you be? How much patience do you have? How much faith do you have that everything will work out when it is supposed to, and if it doesn’t, then it wasn’t for your highest good?”

There is irony however, in that productivity can arise from unproductive circumstances. As such, we now have more awareness on what needs to be worked on, or avoided. Mercury retrograde can produce things that are amiss. On the other hand, Mercury retrograde is also a time of anything to do with “RE”. Re-establish, renew, revise, revisit, rewind, refresh, return, re-create, re-enact, reverse, retrieve, and remember.

On the 15th of April, Mercury stations direct at 10 degrees in its debilitated position within Pisces at 2:21am PST. This is the point where Mercury changes directions, and the energy begins to normalize as it begins forward motion. Until then, what to do? Mercury doesn’t think logically in Pisces, because it is an abstract sign. It especially doesn’t think logically in retrograde. And even moreso, it doesn’t think logically when in exact conjunction with the Sun (on Easter Sunday, the 1st of April, 2018). The solution is to do things that don’t require too much concentrated thinking. Reflection is key. Curved, rather than linear lines. Pictures and images, rather than words. There are now fertile grounds for imagination, fantasy and creativity. Instead of speaking and talking, listen. Instead of assuming or filling in blanks, ask, “did you mean?...”. Less talk, more action. Less thought, more feeling.

Other more-embodied activities could be to exercise, build something or do manual labor, make art, music, dance etc. You can check off your “to-do” list, because you can now accomplish a lot when it comes to pre-existing or pending projects that will produce tangible results and completion at this time. What are the things that need culmination and clearing in your life? Out with the old. People, places, things, feelings and attachments from the past taking up precious real-estate in your mind, heart, or physical space need to go. Let’s not wait for closure that may or may not come. Instead, create your own closure and complete whatever needs to find resolution.

For many of us, this particular mercury retrograde will allow for clearing out the old clutter as we have just emerged from the Winter season into Spring. Simplify your space for better functioning internally and externally. Rolling up your sleeves and doing a little Spring cleaning may be a perfect way to use this mercury retrograde.

Namaste _/\_

SunGoddess Ashley