There was a big hubbub in the astrology blogosphere over the past few days as NASA prepared to launch the Discovery during the days before a Mercury retrograde period, called the “stationary retrograde” period because the motion of the planet slows down to a standstill before turning. “Bad time for a launch,” we all muttered, “NASA needs an astrologer.” When the launch went off smoothly, I did some research and found that during the launch of the Discovery last July 26, when problems caused NASA to postpone further launches, sure enough Mercury was retrograde.

This example shows the way retrograde Mercury works, and why with all of astrology it’s important to view the larger context. Events that are disrupted during one Mercury retrograde period are completed during another retrograde period. The retrograde periods are great times for going back over something that needs more work. For redesigning your website, reviewing your goals and plans. We may find them frustrating, but they are essential to balance periods of growth and change. They help to deepen our understanding, and give us a greater sense of depth and balance.