Mercury retrograde was finally over on October 25th, ending three weeks when the world seemed to have gone a bit haywire. For many people it was a time when weird things happened, and their life was filled with out-of-the ordinary, communication problems, and equipment breakdowns of all types. How were you affected? Were you retrograded?
retrograded
verb\re-tro-grad-ed
1. To have an upsetting experience (during the retrograde) such as a major miscommunication, inordinate delay, lost item, bad purchase, computer crash, car breakdown, or equipment failure.
2. To frustrate oneself by taking action or making a decision during the confused mental state of the world created by the planet Mercury being Retrograde.
If you recall during Mercury retrograde, people don't think clearly and are mistake-prone. Normal communications are thrown off kilter and become unreliable, filled with misinformation where important data is missing or misunderstood. The passage of information from one person to the other seems to be unintentionally cloudy or confused in some way. After all, Mercury does rule the mind, mental clarity, talking, self-expression and overall communication. In a more public sense, it rules commerce, computers, telephones, transportation and air travel. During the Retrograde period, a person's intellectual, communication and mental processes are less acute. The results are that problems and breakdowns of all kinds occur far more frequently than usual.
Proof For Skeptics
There are many people who realize that their life is strangely affected during the three weeks of Mercury retrograde. Then, there are others who are in denial (or totally unconscious) of how they've been affected. So, here is an empirical test to help everyone determine, to what extent, they've been affected by Mercury retrograde.
Understandably, nothing will satisfy a skeptic of astrology or the retrograde. Such cynics aren't open to considering that we mortals are affected by planetary influences or that the practical application of astrology can improve the quality of their lives.
These disbelievers will settle for nothing less than a sign from GOD, perhaps a "burning bush," or a personal message from her announcing that Mercury retrograde is a real phenomenon. ("Yes, Moses, here are the 10 Commandants. And...oh, by the way, as you wander for 40 years to the promised land, tell all the tribes that, henceforth, 3 times a year, you shall face the challenges of Mercury Retrograde.")
But for the rest of us, this Mercury Retrograde test is an objective way to ascertain the ways you've been affected by it. Hopefully, it will be a thoughtful and illuminating exercise to better prepare you for future retrogrades and help you avoid being "retrograded."
Mercury Retrograde Test
Of course, communication problems, snafus and breakdowns occur throughout the year. It's just that so many more of them occur, with great predictability, right during Mercury retrograde. Here's a list of 25 of the typical problems you may have experienced during these past three weeks from October 4-25.
To take this test: write Yes or No, next to each situation, below.
1.You had many more arguments and miscommunications than usual with co-workers, loved ones or children.
2.You accepted a promotion or took a new job and it's not what you thought it would be.
3.You bought a car and it's a "lemon."
4.Even though you're normally careful, you had a serious accident.
5.Even thought you're normally healthy, you got sick.
6.Your computer crashed or computer networks went down more than usual.
7.There was a glitch in your software when you installed it.
8.Your phones suddenly stopped working properly.
9.You unexpectedly had equipment breakdowns (car, office equipment, home appliances).
10.You had major delays and headaches in your travels.
11.Your vacation was filled with delays, miscommunications and problems that you don't normally encounter in a vacation.
12.You lost your luggage.
13.You lost something valuable.
14.You bought clothing that you now realize you don't like or doesn't fit.
15.Merchandise you ordered was lost.
16.You changed your appearance and now you hate it (wardrobe, hairstyle, hair-color, make-up).
17.You had cosmetic surgery that didn't come out the way you thought it would.
18.You selected a new roommate who is different than you imagined.
19.You signed an agreement or document and now realize that you missed some important details.
20.An unusual number of the work requests you made were misunderstood or "botched."
21.The new project you introduced failed to work or win the approval of others.
22.You changed accounts or suppliers and have had problems with since.
23.You changed professional advisors (doctor, lawyer, accountant) and wish you didn't.
24.Someone you expected to do business with, surprisingly changed his/her mind.
25.You bought a home or moved to a new residence and discovered something you wished you had known before you made this decision.
Analyzing Test Results
If you scored less than 25%, you got off lucky. Perhaps you took precautions because you've been through other retrograde periods.
If you scored 50% or more, you were significantly affected. Make sure to be better prepared for the next retrograde.
If you scored 70% or more, you were definitely "retrograded," and clearly had a tough three weeks! It's time to get some friends to help you prepare for the next retrograde and bring down your score.
How to Use Your Results
Make mental note of the communication problems or breakdowns you've just had. Mark your calendar with the dates of the next Mercury retrograde, which will be from January 21 to February 11, 2015. By being conscious and prepared, you're less likely to be retrograded.
If you want to know if you were born with Mercury Retrograde; and, where your personal transits are - to see if they are affecting you, go to the Free Transit Calculator and enter your birth date. Then, read about how each transit is affecting your life in other Huffington Post articles by Larry Schwimmer. Also, order a Report on Your Future in 2015.
Larry Schwimmer is an astrologer in private practice. For private consultations contact him at: Larry@astrodecision.com or go to www.AstroDecision.com
Read Larry Schwimmer's latest books, What the Hell is Going On in My Life? Using Your Birthdate to Find Answers About Relationships, Career, Money, Sex & Health;and How To Ask For A Raise Without Getting Fired - And 24 Other Techniques For Resolving Conflicts At Work & In Life; and Winning Your Next Promotion In One Year (Or Less!).
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Larry Schwimmer is president of Astrodecision.com, a San Francisco-based consulting company. The firm uses planetary cycles analysis to counsel individual and corporate clients on picking the "best dates" to make successful decisions of all types: personal, marketing, financial, and political. The firm currently advises a diverse client base that includes politicians, presidents of major corporations and an MLB baseball team. Schwimmer is an internationally known business consultant, life coach and astrologer (with a Fortune 500 M&A background). Visit his website: www.astrodecision.com