Mercury Retrograde: Communication, Travel and Sex

I know the phase of the moon, the sign’s of the moon and sun and the next major holyday right off the top of my head. Regardless of how many calendars I keep, I can never remember Mercury retrograde until I’m in it, and frustrated, frazzled and fed up!

Mercury will be in retrograde until May 11th, although it’s shadow period extends until May 28th. Mercury is in retrograde four times this year, which is a bit unusual, and this particular retrograde affects any Walpurgis Night, May Day or Bealtaine/Beltane celebrations you have planned.

Mars retrograde I kind of love. I feel more alive, more vibrant and feel like I can accomplish more, be more. Mercury retrograde makes me feel like I’m falling apart at the seams. Everyone seems to have an irritable tone to their speech, people speak past each other and miscommunication is more probable. If your vocation involves communication, travel or sleight of hand then you are probably feeling the mercurial effects in your work.

Mercury as an element is liquid metal: shifting, flowing. Alchemists once believed mercury was the key to creating any metal from base metals, and they strove to transmute lead into gold. It is not a stable metal, it has no fixed form and, like water, will flow into every crack, crevice and flaw it finds.

The Roman God Mercury was a messenger, a mediator and God of trade, travel, speed and sex. Folks tend to forget that last part, but it’s true. He’s often seen accompanied by a young rooster and ram, both signs of fertility. Originally from Greece, where he was known as Hermes, Mercury’s head would adorn sculptures called hermae: squared off pillars with a bust of Hermes head on top and male genitals adorning the front of the pillar. The genital adornment would be anointed with oil or rubbed for good luck and fertility.

The association with sex makes sense if you think about it. You convey love through words and what relationship can survive without good communication? Every relationship needs a little mediation now and then. Sex is a huge part of commerce, from prostitution to Victoria’s Secret telling you their products will make you a sex goddess. Travel? I think we’ve all made journeys for love at some point in our lives.

So while you’re groaning over mis-sent e-mails, misleading tones of speech and not being able to get out of the UK because Iceland turned into Mordor overnight (pesky hobbits better destroy that ring soon) take some time to consider how Mercury retrograde affects your sex life. Look at a calendar and consider what was happening in your sex life during past retrogrades. You might be surprised.