Mercury Retrograding in Progressed Chart

[misskitty]

I am really focusing on trying to understand progressions and predictive astrology. I found something that gave me chills and just wanted to be sure I am understanding it correctly.

I've heard the best way to learn is to use someone else's chart besides our own, because we are too close to our own to be objective. So I am working on my on again-off again boyfriend's chart, who is a Virgo Sun/Gemini Moon and Asc.

I progressed his chart to exactly 40 years, his age today, and saw that he has Mercury in Retrograde conjunct natal Venus in his 5th. The progressed rx ends January 2009. I looked up how long Mercury was in retrogade for his progressed birth time, and after doing the calculations, I figured that this retrograde lasted "21 years" in the day to a year method. So it started when he was 19 and will end this January.

What happened to him 21 years ago? He was entering his first marriage, to a woman that would later cheat on him with several of their friends behind his back! He was devestated. The marriage ended as soon as he found out about it, but he has not been happy or content in the home and romance arena since. He went on to marry again, too quickly (as Virgos are said to do) and that was an unhappy marriage that recently ended after a year of seperation.

So now that his progressed Mercury has retrograded all the way back to his Venus in the 5th, and will go direct in his prog chart on January 26 2009(directly over his Venus), I am hoping that this will mean he will finally get some closure on the romantic issues he has experienced. Mercury conj Venus in your progressed chart is supposed to mean that you finally figure out what you want and need in a lover (or so I've read). So maybe that will bring a culmination to the darkness and confusion he has experienced in relationships, and be a new beginning of sorts for him.

Am I interpreting this correctly? I am just going on the assumption that retrogrades in the progressed chart operate the same as a regular chart, but just take a little longer.

Now I need to try to do my own!

[astrologer50]

Mercury is to do with communications and when retrograde natally suggests introspection, things have to be thought about and analysed deeply before they can come out.

Mercury, venus in 5th house of love affairs, romance, children etc. Natally might suggest beautification of words, art in writing, creativity, gentalness, needs to communicate in a venusian manner....

Going direct might suggest clearer thoughts and communcations regarding these matters, not necessarily closure or new beginnings.

For relatinship breakdowns, look at transits, especially T Saturn, Uranus.
Venus/Uranus are the divorce aspects, as is Uranus in 7th house, perhaps even square moon and/or sun.

[waybread]

Mercury retrograde is sort of the bugaboo of astrologers worried about break-downs in communications, schedules going awry, and plans generally going into a snafu.

I (and many others) have mercury retrograde conjunct venus natally in my chart, and I think it has made me both introspective, and a great believer in Murphy's Law (if something can go wrong, it will.) Consequently, I just try to give myself lots of extra time and preparation, and have a Plan B in case Plan A goes awry. If it's any consolation, therefore, your BF will experience what I go through my entire life. Which has not been a serious problem!

But where marriage is involved, I would look at his 7th house and the ruler of his 7th, as well as aspects to his natal Venus (what he looks for in a woman) and Mars (his masculinity).

[misskitty]

Thanks astrologer50 and waybread. He is going through his midlife transits right now, with Saturn conjunct his Sun and Uranus opposed his natal Uranus. BUT tr Pluto has been in his 7th, squaring his Sun in the 4th. The beginnings of this aspect was when he seperated, and I watched him make dramatic changes when Pluto recently went direct in his 7th.

So a better interpretation for pr Mercury going direct over natal Venus in the 5th might be that he will feel better able to communicate his feelings in 5th house matters?