Astrology is not one of my specialties, and even I know how Mercury Retrograde can bring new meaning to Murphy's Law... "What can go wrong will go wrong." . Here is what's going on the best way I know how to explain it in my own words.

From Earth's perspective, Mercury sometimes appears as though its going backwards or retrograde. It's like how we say that the sun rises and sets. The Sun isn't actually moving, Earth is moving, but to us it looks like the sun is moving. So, when Mercury looks like it's moving backwards its energy can bring about miscommunications of all kinds.

Mercury goes retrograde about 3 times a year and lasts about three weeks.. It's during these times that we need to re-check, re-do, re-think and then re-check everything one more time.

If you're planning a trip, check those plane tickets one more time, and then one more time before you actually get on the plane. When ordering food in a restaurant, you may end up with eggs over easy when you wanted them scrambled. Don't even bother arguing with people about who said what, because it just doesn't matter.

Mercury Retrograde seems to short out our brains, and zap our hearing and our speaking.

There are some books about it, and you can do a search on Mercury Retrograde and see what others are saying about it.

At the bottom of the page I've created a table to keep you updated on when the next one is coming. Then, when you discover that you need a little help handling it, that's when you can give us a call or send an email and request your Mercury Retrograde Shield.

What will the shield do?

It can take the sharp edges off your life during this confusing time. In general, it can give you a sense of a bit more control in your interactions with others. We have been using them for ourselves and have noticed our lives moving more smoothly through the retrograde periods then we had experienced in the past.

Is a shield good for anything that happens during Mercury Retrograde?

It seems that a basic shield geared for Mercury Retrograde is just that, basic. If you are needing to travel, sign papers or work with others on projects, then I've found that the more detailed you can get, the better I can build your shield and the better it will work for you.

Would I need to renew the shield each time?

I can tell you that, in my opinion, Mercury Retrograde is one of the most powerful astrological influences we deal with here on Earth. Yes, if you are going on a trip one week and then signing a contract a week later, then you would need to protect each situation. The situation is what needs protecting, not whether or not they happen in the same week or even the same day.

Will my shield also cover the "Shadow Days" before and after the Mercury Retrograde? 

Yes.  The calendar below shows how for several days before and after Mercury goes retrograde, there can also be troublesome effects.  Your shield will automatically include those days.

How does my shield affect others?

Here's an analogy. When you have this shield while those around you don't, it is like carrying an umbrella.

Imagine you are out on a city street and it's raining. You are one of a very few on the street who is carrying an umbrella. Those around you are getting wet, frustrated and maybe even angry. You are mostly dry under your protection. You may get a little damp when someone bumps you, or a car drives by and you get splashed. However, for the most part you are quite dry and content.

I believe that you having a shield helps you to stay conscious of re-checking things that involve others. When others are unaware of how they are being influenced by Mercury Retrograde, they will still have a tendency to run into miscommunications. This interaction with others is what makes this energy so difficult to prepare for on a daily basis.

The shield helps you to stay alert, adds grounding to your awareness, and helps you to laugh when things get crazy. Those around you may get frustrated and angry which increases the likelihood of miscommunications.

Because we are communicating even with THINGS at a cellular level, I've noticed that THINGS can also act up during this time. Your shield may be able to help minimize accidents and hassles such as:

• Alarm clocks set for PM instead of AM
• Dropping things
• Tripping on rugs or door sills
• Slamming your fingers in a door

Do I need to ask for my shield by phone or by email?

Email is the way to go here, especially if you are wanting a basic Mercury Retrograde Shield. If you are already having a phone session with me, then we can add a shield into your session at no extra charge. If you are planning a very active month and it's happening during Mercury Retrograde, then you may want to organize your notes and we'll spend a phone session just working on being sure to protect you in all the various situations.

Are there various ways to shield myself during a Mercury Retrograde?

Yes, we have three types of shielding that you can choose from, each is $39.00 by email. You can choose any of these and combine them any way you like.

Life Long Protection: You can get one shield to give you protection from all Mercury Retrogrades from the time you get it and on for the the rest of your life. This should help take the edge off the hassle factor. To re-energize it yourself, simply focus your attention on your shield, know or feel its presence and empower yourself and knowing that your Free Will, when consciously applied, is more powerful than any other energy attepting to influence you.

Protection Per Cycle:

Get a new shield for each time Mercury goes Retrograde. Each Mercury Retrograde has a different feel to it. Some are very strong, while others are less noticeable. My understanding is that these variations are due to the influences of the planets involved. Getting a shield that is specifically for the period you are concerned about will be a better fit, thus greater protection.

Specific Situation Protection: While you are living in a Mercury Retrograde life still goes on. If you find that you do need to sign important documents or begin building a house or something like this, then you will want this kind of protection.

Can I get a shield any time or do I have to wait for the next Mercury Retrograde?

You can get your shield any time you like, just be sure to let us know for which cycle you are wanting your shield. Even if we are in the middle of a cycle, your shield will take effect immediately.

What if I want to have a shield for the whole year, and I want it to be for each Mercury Retrograde specifically?

That's a great idea! You can order them all at once, there are usually three cycles a year, so that would fit great with our 3 for $90.00 special.

I want to get a shield for a specific situation, but I don't have any kind of Mercury Retrograde shield yet, what is the best way to order?

It really depends on what you want. If you are just concerned about that specific project going as smoothly as possible, then you could just order the shield for a specific situation. Once that project is complete, then your shield is gone. If you want to be protected before and after your project is done then you would want both the shield for that Mercury Retrograde and a shield for that specific project.

I have an important project that's coming up and it isn't in a Mercury Retrograde cycle, would a shield help the project go smoother?

As we so often say, we don't like to make promises about anything, there's just too many variables. However, the basic answer is "Yes". Shielding any project, vacation, situation, business trip, document signing, job interview and so on, can usually go much smoother when it's protected by a shield.

When is the next one?

The table below is a simple guideline.  If you want to know more details and learn about the few days before and after, which can be troublesome, then go to Astro Profile.