Mercury Retrograde in Taurus 2016 – Fundamental

Shadowy Mercury has been relatively quiet for me. Whilst retrograde Mars tinkers with my cooker and hot water boiler, Mercury’s build up to this current retrograde period has been notable by its absence. The only suggestion so far has been sitting tapping my fingers as the train that was meant to be going somewhere sat stubbornly on the tracks going nowhere and apparently the driver had forgotten that he had an intercom to notify passengers of what on earth was going on. Twenty minutes later we started to edge towards our destination with me wondering whether I was going to be late for my chiropractic appointment. Still, the snarl up did give me the opportunity to witness a glorious dog fox, clearly in his prime, sauntering along the grass verge beside the train where I was sitting. He wasn’t in a hurry so why should I be?

Taurus by its nature likes to do this slowly – whether it’s making love, making dinner or working, Taurus will take its own sweet time. So take this to the nth degree and you have the feel of this retrograde. Couple this with the fact that Mercury will be the 5th planet to partake in some backward action joining Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto, there are some serious invitations to a 70’s retro party going on here. Never mind throwback Thursday, every day of the week for a little while will be casting a look back over your shoulder to the past. At times it may feel like walking through thick mud but if you can relinquish any desire to rush, you might start to enjoy mother nature and have time to smell the roses.

Taurus is the first of the Earth signs and it needs to see tangible results. During this retrograde period, it may be necessary to re-consider what you’re creating. Look at what you have manifested in your life so far and think about how your thoughts help or hinder this process. Projects that you have been working on may inevitably hit the brakes but this action could help you to get a handle on whether the seeds you’re sprouting will feed you or whether your life’s garden has become somewhat over-run with weeds.

Stability, money, survival and practical issues all come up for review as Mercury flies backwards. You may find yourself looking back to when you had more or less, comparing and contrasting. Don’t allow yourself to get into comparing your chickens to your neighbour’s. Taurus has a tendency to covet as having makes it feel secure. Don’t dismiss what you already have or lament what you don’t. This is a prime time to simply revamp your plan and apply yourself with determination. Taurus, never, ever gives up!

On an inner level, this is also a period to review your sense of self esteem and reflect upon whether you truly value the skills you have learned and the resources you have at your disposal. Sometimes, we can have a tendency to dismiss aspects of ourselves that seem unimportant – especially when it comes to natural talents. Mercury retrograde in this common sense but creative sign will gently prod you to assess what you have available to use.

This is also a perfect time to look at your relationship to money and to re-evaluate the possessions you own. How we feel about money can often be a reflection of how we feel about ourselves. The items you own also reflect aspects of your personality. Whilst Taurus likes things that are functional, it also tends towards investing in possessions that it loves and that increase in value over time. Take a look around your home and consider whether the objects you own reflect the person you are now. Do they give you pleasure? Do you love them? De-clutter if necessary.

I look around my room as I type. Whilst my carpet is old and my walls need a lick of paint, my eye softly rests on an owl ornament given to me by a dear friend who passed away, a card sent to me by an fellow astrologer, a crystal ball given to me by a long-ago ex, a book gifted by my Grandparents in childhood. All these these objects have a little piece of love wrapped up in them.

Mercury stations retrograde on the Sabian symbol :-

An Indian Warrior Riding Fiercely, Human Scalps Hanging From His Belt

This warrior symbol may allude to the Taurus tendency towards possessiveness. The warrior is fiercely defending his territory. Taurus doesn’t like to share. ‘What’s mine is mine’ says Taurus. At the start of this retrograde period, we may be strongly focused on keeping what we have. The problem with this is that sometimes, the more we fight to keep what we have, the less we are open to the potential for the universe to bring something better. If our hands are full, there is no space to accept other gifts.

In the station retrograde chart however, whilst some of us may be feeling like tearing our hair out in frustration, Mercury’s sextile to Chiron and trines to the North Node, Pluto and the Moon suggest that there is transformative, healing potential available.

Whilst many tend to dread the retrograde periods, this particular retrograde has a hidden gem in its midst, namely a Grand Earth Trine that will be in effect from the 7th May – 4th June so this covers almost the entire retrograde period. There is a chance to learn, to gain a better understanding of your relationship to the material world and eliminate what isn’t necessary to make way for other opportunities. This Grand Earth Trine is fertile and ripe for the picking. Taurus is known for playing it safe yet this period suggests that inner reflection allows for slow but potent growth.

Mercury’s inferior conjunct to the Sun occurs on the 9th May and represents the moment when the cosmic messenger returns to source to gain spiritual instruction before continuing on his journey.

The Sabian symbol of the Sun-Mercury conjunction is :-

Wisps Of Winglike Clouds Streaming Across The Sky

It’s possible that around this time, you may feel somewhat ungrounded, especially if you have released those things that normally make you feel secure or events have caused a delay in these areas. This will be the time to check in with what grounds you on the inside. What makes you feel connected to Mother Earth? What makes you feel really here? What will it take to be real and present in this moment?

The 13th May is the next big date in the retrograde period as Mercury perfects its trine to Pluto and also conjuncts Venus on the same day. This is your chance to dive deep into the truth and to know that the truth is what will keep you safe. There is a sense of profound understanding followed by a flow of love and appreciation. On a more simple level, these aspects could help to unearth shadow material connected to your sense of self worth and attachments to money issues.

Mercury stations direct on the 22nd May and once again the chart feels peaceful, utterly in keeping with the placid Taurus vibe. Whilst we can’t get away from that Jupiter-Neptune-Saturn t-square for a while yet and of course Mars retrograde has his own agenda, Mercury is quietly continuing to support through the Grand Trine and also sextile to Neptune. So not only do we have a potential to learn a great deal about ourselves, we also have an opportunity to use our imagination to mould and shape our lives into a thing of beauty after some reflection.

The Sabian symbol of the station direct is :-

Head Covered With A Rakish Silk Hat, Muffled Against The Cold, A Man Braves A Storm

At first this symbol seems harsh but what it says is that when you have inner poise, when you feel secure on the inside, you don’t need anything else. Although the Rakish silk hat doesn’t necessarily give much protection against the storm, it shows that this character has not given up on his core values, nor indeed his personal style. When you know what makes you strong on the inside, you can withstand whatever life throws at you.

If you can, take a walk out in nature during this Mercury retrograde. Deliberately slow your thoughts down. Take time to regard a single flower, watch the birds or inhale the delicate scent of apple blossom. Take off your shoes and feel the grass beneath your feet. Taurus delights in simple physical sensation. Remember that you are a fundamental part of this living planet.
Mercury Retrograde in Taurus 2016 – Major Aspects

14th April Mercury enters shadow zone
28th April Mercury stations retrograde at 23°Ta36′ R
8th May Mercury trine the North Node
9th May Sun conjunct Mercury at 19°Ta25′ D
13th May Mercury trine Pluto
13th May Mercury conjunct Venus
22nd May Mercury stations direct at 14°Ta20′ D
7th June Mercury exits shadow zone

You may find the following post helpful.

Mercury Retrograde Through the Houses

Painting – ‘Young Woman with a bouquet of roses’ by Francois Boucher