Can ANYBODY tell me anything
good about Mercury Retrograde? 
= new reply since forum marked as read
computer and car purchases that you are not making.
It's been good that all the sales are happening right now. I have been foolish before and purchased goods in those categories during this period.
I hope to say I am wiser now as they have never worked out.
It has been a particularly difficult Merc retrograde. I am resting a lot and looking forward to its passage. Just last night I was singing that old 70's song Que Sera, Sera... 
It's a good exercise in contentment regardless of situation.
I swear it's like a little evil genie went in and changed the ad (or whatever in the given instance) after the fact. 
It goes forward in 2-3 days 
It reminds us that what counts is not who we are when things are going our way, but who we are when they aren't. In other words, a character builder. 
is that when things go ker-flooey, it seems easier to step back and breathe and take a moment to let go of the urgency. That is always a good thing. Not that I only need Mercury to be retrograde to do that, but it kind of helps to remind..also, it feels a lot different this time. Set backs are not nearly as frustrating. In fact it is kind of fun to just shrug and say.. "Mercury is retrograde" without an emotional charge. I think the preparations for Dec 21 are making a difference in perception, at least in mine.
Yep, I agree.. it is a character builder <---(edited to add this)
I think the character building comes with one's response to delay, irritation and breaking things you know.. the myriad set backs. Perhaps Mercury doesn't mean to deal with character. But it is a good thing to learn patience and how to let go of petty irritations from any teacher.
Just my guess
to look over lessons we should have learned the first time around?
A second chance at something we were supposed to duly note, or something we missed?
influences us to discover and communicate. Since its orbit around the sun is 9 mos compared to ours, every 3 months, Merc goes rx or travel backwards, just like it appears on a spinning hubcap.
Mercury is light, it's not much for "inner work"; being the ruler of Gemini, it's about "how the mind learn" and communicates. That's what obsesses all Geminis: how the mind works. It most important what sign it is in. That tells us how your mind works and the types of things you think of. All Mercurys are in the same sign as the Sun or next door.
I see no purpose when Mercury goes Rx. The reason I fight this is because: the old books talk heavily about planets being malefic or benefic. Mistakenly, people grossly overestimate Jupiter as a Great Benefit, when in fact there is a great downside to it - like economic collapse. Likewise, Saturn is unfairly classified as the Great Malefic, when nothing could be further from the truth. The truth with Saturn is that LIFE WILL FORM IN THE SHAPE (Since Saturn is the crystalizer) OF WHAT YOU OBSESS ABOUT MENTALLY. And most of us send many negative thoughts "out into the universe."
Therefore, I can see no positive purpose to Mercury Rx. Yet, I'm reluctant to see it, of all planets, as malific.
So, I keep researching.
without it there's too much vibration overload to differentiate anything.
hope the analogy helps.
I started my new job today. I was trifle worried all weekend and all the way in because I had a verbal offer with full time training schedule on my answering machine, and had completed the online security form that constituted accepting the offer, but I hadn't received a start package with written confirmation yet. So big sigh of relief when I made it through security and reached the training room where there was a seat with my name assigned.
We got out early, so I had time to get to the post office and there was my start package.
The start letter had the wrong training schedule in it. if I'd gotten the package on Friday on my way to work, or on Saturday, I would not have shown up to my orientation!!!!!
On the one hand, I can see them getting confused, since I'm hired part time to work evening shift, but was put in the full time, daytime training schedule while they are concurrently running a part time evening training session!
On the other hand, the last time I worked there they changed the training schedule between the time of my interview and when we started, from 4/hours day for 6 weeks to 6 hours/day for 4 weeks -- and left the new schedule out of my letter and one other new employee's letter. This had a major negative impact for *both* of us and since the start letters were identical, there was no ready excuse for how a paragraph simply disappeared without someone having removed it. 
Anyway, this time around mercury's retrograde prevented me from receiving my start package in time to miss my 1st day of training! So if somebody was trying to sabotage me, she was the one by mercury, not me! 
Too W.E.I.R.D.!
Venus goes backwards and I know why
Mars "
Jupiter "
Saturn "
Neptune "
Pluto "
I have NO idea WHY it goes backwards, it's not just a coincidence.
It's not so I can change my way of thinking (Mercury)
It's not so I can change my mental machine (Mercury)
I just don't know why.
Yes, everyone here wants to make the best of it while it does so, which is understandable and mature, but it tells me little
about why it does. All the planets have distinct purposes behind their "movements".
Guess I'll just keep on rubbing my chin.
I guess I'm just a "why" kinda guy.
People kid me about it all the time- and as you know, I'm Aries/Pisces.
I don't think Gemini is that much of a mystery. They are playful, there is no telling which personality you are talking to at any given time. It's a youthful, discovering, exploring energy. The mind which it rules is a crazy and self deluding sometimes runaway energy until discipline is imposed and then the mind can become a discriminating tool. Gemini is that incarnate.
Where does the mystery lie in Gemini from your perspective?
I was married to a Gemini, engaged to another one, and have a dear friend w/ Gemini rising AND a new woman friend who is Gemini! I totally dig them. I don't recall ever hearing one say, "that's interesting". Although, the two I was intimate with were daring. They would do ANYTHING for fun. Also, right up my ally. I'm sort of a 'wild child', even at this age. ahem They also never met a stranger. The spotlight doesn't faze them. They are so much fun, no one can take offense. The friend w/ Gemini rising does something like this ... it's almost a true twin scenario. The one twin blames the other twin when it 'gets in trouble'. IOW, he is never really responsible for anything. It's the OTHER ONE! Really quite humorous.
intuitive insight, I would never have been able to adjust living with my Sis as well as I have.
It's so very true they are The Toddler of The Zodiac. To deal with a Gemini, is to deal with a child, on certain levels, and I mean nothing offensive, please you gotta know, I love you all!
The twins are all about the new, the fun, the sparkling things they must see, and about telling as many as they can all about it! This is the good and sunny side.
This discussion is interesting about the interesting part! HAHA!
I'm not an expert, but I just think that with 2(twins), Gems might be doubly super thirsty for knowledge of any kind.
No subject is really off limits, either, notice that?
They LOVE to talk!
but why?
Think about it, it fits, but why does it fit? I'm still only about 90% sure of that one and that's
because the answer is probably too simple.
I've never read a satisfactory answer from anyone.
For instance, why is common for ANY SIGN to have the sign of Gemini on the midheaven (job line) and they'll
invariably have 2 jobs?
It's the archetype I'm talking about.
Most Geminis agree about this, but don't know why.
I have to know why, because I wrote the book about why the signs are the way they are.
Of course!It's actually the other way around! The constellations are/were named FOR/AFTER the mythologies.
Or did they? Did the first star gazers make up myths to go with constellations or did they chose and name the stars after the archetypal myths? This is a different approach to the thinking process on this. I'll have to let it stew, and take another look at Campbell and Jung.
I agree the archetypes are what it's all about. Michael Tsarion's videos about Tarot got me the closer to understanding archetypes than any other teacher or discipline has.
Especially since Mercury rules Gemini and the mind
In yogic thought, you have the positive and negative mind. The other mind is the neutral mind that one must train one's self to come from. The positive mind talks you into things.It is the salesman. The negative mind says no to stuff to keep you safe. The neutral mind takes in both types of info, and acts from a non reactive place.
Seems like a long time ago, I read an astrology book that characterized Gemini as the teenager. Having almost finished raising a couple, it certainly seems true to me. Teenagers are all about the development of the mind. If I can just survive this last one until her 20's... 
Plenty of cultural twin stories. One of my favorites is the explanation of life by the left and righted handed twins who are perfectly matched.
http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TheCreationStory-Iroquois.html
The story of the tai chi symbol is another version of this.
http://www.the-mixed-martial-arts-of-mma.com/Tai-Chi-Symbol.html
Any of this help?
sort of what I think too
It eventually ends!!!! Is there a prize? 
I read somewhere, that Mercury retrograde goes well with activities that begin with re:
Rethink, redesign, redecorate, reduce (think clutter), recycle, etc.
Maybe when Mercury is moving forward, we just are moving so fast that we don't think projects/ideas/actions all the way through?
The Retrograde cycle is the repair and rest cycle, necessary for true progress and balance?
Noting that repair and rest both start with re.
I never seem to endure the extremely negative effects from this period that most do. I use this as a time to slow down & pay attention to what shows up & use that to analyze areas that need more work or attention on my part. You know making lemonade out of lemons.
Or, maybe I'm just used to negative Merc energy since it is conjunct my Saturn & Ascendent. Who knows?
--and realized I bought my travel trailer during Mercury Retrograde. I know that there is advice not to do business during this time, but it was TIME for me to do this. There were a lot of delays and unexpected developments, but I sort of went with the flow of events. I had to stay at friends while it was being worked on, but in the end I was rewarded for my patience.
When you think about it, most of the complaints about Mercury retrograde have to do with machines, ego conflicts, and our expectations and our plans taking an unexpected turn--so I wonder if the retrograde period is about learning how to let go of control. Just a question.
To me retrogrades are the yin cycle of planets--the energy of that planet is not available to help us as much in the world, but is shifted to assist us in contemplation, meditation, dreams and inner work (I cannot remember whether or not I learned this from reading Stephen Arroyo... ). Yin energy to me is about letting go to the void, the unknown and potential of the All.
I think there are ways to harmonize with even harsh planetary aspects, they are opportunities to learn. At least this is what I keep telling myself!!
I like thinking about retrogrades as a yin phase. Plenty to muse on here.
We revisit our beliefs. Toodles!