Mercury Retrograde

This literate new understanding of one of the most intriguing and widely talked about concepts in astrology shows how Mercury retrograde can help rather than hinder us.

In the same way that people who are not interested in astrology know what their "sun sign" is, Mercury retrograde -the thrice yearly cycle when the planet Mercury appears to run backward in its orbit-has migrated out of the astrological ghetto to become an expression in everyday life. According to the astrological interpretation, this is a time when everything associated with the Greek god Mercury-contracts, travel, communication, and commerce-seems to run backward with the planet. The Internet crashes. Cars break down. Words can wound or are misunderstood. It is considered an especially poor time to make large new purchases or enter into new agreements.

In Mercury Retrograde, spiritual journalist Pythia Peay unveils the period's deeper meanings. By working with the slower pace of Mercury retrograde, rather than going against it, we can allow ourselves to step outside the narrow framework of our ordinary lives. Rather than push forward, it is a time to retreat, if possible, from the usual harried, hurried way of doing things.

In a book that includes a Mercury ephemeris and an astrological glossary, Peay traces the history of this powerful concept and illustrates its mythological underpinnings. She offers a practical, incisive analysis of how Mercury retrograde can be a tool for growth and insight into our fast-paced contemporary existence.

Pythia Peay is a journalist on spiritual topics who has written for Utne Reader, Washingtonian, and Common Boundary. As a contributor to the Religion News Service, she writes columns that appear in newspapers around the country, and is the author of Soul Sisters: The Five Sacred Qualities of a Woman's Soul.