Sep.04 – Mercury enters the Retrograde Shadow (until Oct.31) Mercury now enters the area of Zodiac where it will later go retrograde (Sep.24 to Oct.15). During its retrograde cycle, Mercury travels through the same span of the Zodiac three times (called the Shadow). The first time through, it is going in direct motion (moving forward), then retrograde (looks like it’s going backwards), and then direct again. This means there is a more involved process of development and change involved with things that Mercury influences—ideas, thoughts, frame of mind and mental focus.

It also concerns the collection, exchange, analysis and organisation of information. All forms of communication are also affected—email and snail mail, the Internet, the media in general, books and magazines, as well as public transit (buses, trains, etc.) and neighbourhoods. The situations developing over the next 2 weeks (leading up to when Mercury actually goes retrograde) will likely require further research, deeper consideration and adjustments to unexpected discoveries over the next couple of months. Expect changes in your plans, increasingly disrupted communication, and new information coming to light that may not fit conveniently into your plans. It’s wise to leave lots of extra time to do things, plan future projects and get to wherever you’re going. If you must make important decisions during this time, try to build some flexibility into your plans to allow for later changes—or if possible, you may want to delay final or irrevocable decisions until well after Mercury goes direct (Oct.15).

Mercury makes aspects to a number of different planets during this retrograde cycle. It squares Jupiter 3 times, conjoins Mars 3 times, and trines Chiron and Neptune each 3 times. It also conjoins Venus once. The net effect could challenge you to reassess decisions and judgments to see if you are seeing things as clearly as you thought. It’s possible your decisions might be challenged, which could require you to defend them or reconsider if you should change your mind. It might be necessary in the end to take things on faith and accept less than perfect—yet workable—solutions, although this could require some rethinking about what that faith is based on.

more here on each individual aspect http://www.evolvingdoor.ca/lowdown/current/lowdowncurrent.htm

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