Mercury turns retrograde in 2008 during the following periods:

Mercury, the closest planet to and the fastest planet around the Sun, governs the following: the mind, contracts, communications and tele-communications equipment (telephones, internet, the postal system, etc.) travel (especially air travel), weather conditions, when retrograde, may forestall, delay or completely interact to prevent these types of things from occurring as speedily and efficiently as they do when Mercury is direct. Part of this is due to the apparent reverse motion of Mercury from our vantage point on earth, and part is due to the very slow speed of Mercury when retrograde, compared to the lightning fast speed it moves when direct. During Mercury retrograde, the collective mind is spacier and more chaotic. Life goes on but there is a higher chance of things being overlooked, which is why transactions must be looked at very carefully to be sure all agreements are clearly stated and understood on all sides.

Mercury is known as the trickster element of the solar system. There are numerous stories from mythology that lend weight to that characterization, especially the one about Hermes walking backwards with the stolen cattle of Apollo, so as to trick any would-be investigator. Similarly, during Mercury retrograde, the planet is walking backwards, adding to the trickster element as perceived in daily life.

Adding to the double-talk and possible confusion this year is that Mercury retrogrades all 3 times in air (communication) signs. The first period, particularly, is one to watch, since many of the primaries to nominate the next president will be held during the Mercury retrograde period. Candidates: be careful what you say, how you say it and why you say it!

Keep in mind that the best possible use of Mercury retrograde is to stay open to the world of dreams as the messages that travel with Mercury from the underworld to the upper world or the unconscious to the conscious. Paying attention to dreams during these periods may actually help the communication process, with a truer and more accurate type of message visiting you in your dreams than what you might be observing or interpreting in the waking life. Mercury may also help facilitate the transformational type of energy that is more easily accessed during these periods.

When Mercury is retrograde (Rx) the prescription is to slow down and look back to the past 3 to 4 months to see what needs completion or elimination. The conscious mind is taking a rest while simultaneously reviewing what it's already processed, going through things more carefully the second time around, resolving and concluding. . You could say it's a time not to be developing many new things - rather, a time to be careful with words and thoughts - what is expressed and how it is communicated being the crucial elements at this time.