The Golden Snitch - Mercury Retrograde

Little Mercury moves retrograde today, so we once again end the year with this little planet spinning backwards creating all sorts of thoughts and ideas within each of us. Like the Golden Snitch in Harry Potter’s Quidditch (thanks Jacqueline!), Mercury is a speedy little fellow, and so his influence can sometimes be so fleeting, that we miss him and fail to realise his importance.

Mercury gives each of us an opportunity to focus on our thoughts, and in particular to explore how we think. It is all too natural for most of us to think in terms of negatives - ‘I can’t’, ‘yeah, but’, ‘life is hard’, ‘nothing is easy’, ‘I am fat/skinny/poor’ etc.

The irony is that these thoughts of lack create more of the same in our lives. Like attracts like, so by thinking in a negative or restrictive way, we create that dynamic in our lives and keep it there. So, in some ways this is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Of course, changing the thinking to something more positive is not always that easy. When life is hard, it can be hard to see above the parapet and even contemplate a thought process that can start to change the dynamic. Yet, until we start to think more creatively, it is often the case that we cannot change the dynamic.

So, in some ways, we are caught between the devil and the deep blue sea...

Retrograde phases of any planet internalises its energy; and by taking it within we can start to understand ourselves better. We have had the opportunity this year to be true to ourselves, and to start thinking in terms of abundance, joy, love and harmony.

Mercury wants us to find fulfilment from within – to think about our lives, the world, and the way in which we live. Mercury wants us to see that ‘having it all’, and keeping up with consumerist trends is really not that fulfilling. Buying a new TV just because it’s the latest version, even when the old one is perfectly functional does not give us lasting joy. That joy comes from within, and it is now up to each of us to find it, experience it and to spread the word.

Mercury Retrograde can cause chaos with communications, contracts and other administrative issues – but try not to get too wrapped up in these – try to see the bigger picture instead. In any challenge or obstacle, look for a positive. Find things to be grateful for everyday. Very often that delay happens for a reason, it makes us stop or pause, re-think or reconsider our choices. So, welcome Mercury, embrace his blessing.

Of course, Mercury goes retrograde a lot, so we should all be used to the little games that he plays, yet at the same time we are often thrown into a state of disarray when things don’t go quite as planned. So, calm down, and breathe deeply.

Mercury looks set to give each of us a much needed kick up the posterior to stop thinking in negative ways. He wants us to see the power that such thinking has in our lives. It is time to start thinking positively and creatively to affect change in our lives.

At the same time, there is a need to live consciously, to see the bigger picture. It is the perfect time to de-clutter the mind (space is good, even in the mind!!). We need to be quiet, to still the mind and allow the really important thoughts to float up to the surface for us to work with. It is time to let all that mental flotsam and jetsam go, and to focus on what’s truly important now...

There is a strong need to be both pragmatic and philosophical over the next few weeks. Maybe, just maybe Mercury is being our best friend by causing well-timed delays to allow us a little more thinking time?

So, try to see the positive. And by taking a more philosophical approach to obstacles and hiccups, hopefully we can each reach the end of this retrograde phase stronger than ever before.

Mercury moves direct on the 30th December, just in time to utilise all of this positive thinking and make some powerful affirmations for the New Year...