Retrograde Mercury -- delays in speech?

elumen

Well-known member
I'm interested in interpretation of Mercury Retrograde. Does it indicate difficulty or delays in speech development? Does it indicate that the native learns in a different way than the majority of other people? My son has his Mercury R and in Cancer, he is two but he does not speak much. Prior to having him I never came across someone with Mercury R or Mercury in Cancer, not even among my clients, at least I do not remember it. It is a new placement for me and I wonder how to read it and what other people's experiences with it are. I'm asking for a general interpretation of Mercury R or Mercury in Cancer R. Thank you!
 

katydid

Well-known member
I think speech delays are more a matter of afflictions by the outers or by sign and house placement , than by retro or direct.
Mercury in Cancer would be reflective and shy perhaps, but that would not necessarily show up at age 2. The main thing imo, is not whether he is quiet, but if he is interacting in other ways, and if he understands things. Like reaches for things he wants, 'asks' for things by body language etc.
Smiles at little 'jokes' and mimics things. These are important mercury principles at this age as well.
 

aquarius7000

Well-known member
Yes, Elumen, please post the chart., if you like.... It would give lots more info for us to be able to give you info in return;).

The main thing imo, is not whether he is quiet, but if he is interacting in other ways, and if he understands things.
I would have said the same thing as in the quote. Speech delays, otherwise, may have to do with Saturn-Merc asepcts, perhaps even Chiron-Merc.

I don't really give too much weight to Merc rx (at least not alone), as many have it )Merc goes rx about three times in a yr). Me, too, has a combust & rx Merc, but I started blabbering pretty early.

:)AQ7
 
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I don't really give too much weight to Merc rx (at least not alone), as many have it )Merc goes rx about three times in a yr). Me, too, has a combust & rx Merc, but I started blabbering pretty early.

Elumen, all depends on how the mercury is aspected. I have merc retx and was quite shy, introverted until age 19ish when it went direct. What I feel happens is communications, thoughts have to be internalised--- before coming out. Perhaps not openly expressive, more observational, espec in childhood, just taking everything in.

Mine is in taurus whichi is slow to learn anyway and I had a private tutor for extra help with school matters. Also to this day, I hate arguing, it simply doesn't 'trip off the tongue' like it does with others, it has to be thought through first... like why I'm upset, who said what and why. I have very well aspected mercury, conj venus close trine to jupiter. But if you son has squares to Saturn or any of the biggies, their could be additional problems.
 

wilsontc

Staff member
retrograde Mercury and progressions, to elumen

elumen,

You said:
I'm interested in interpretation of Mercury Retrograde. Does it indicate difficulty or delays in speech development?


Any retrograde planet (planet moving backward from its normal movement) in the birth chart has its energy "held back". With retrograde :mercury: (thinking, also talking), the thinking and talking ability can be "held back" in some way. However, planets are always "evolving" by progression (a system of looking at the "inner energy" of a planet), so once Mercury becomes direct (starts moving forward) the person often finds the "thinking/talking problem" has "solved itself." If you are interested in "studying up" on retrograde plants, there is a great book by Erin Sullivan on retrograde planets at the bottom of this page:
http://wilsontc.stormloader.com/Author_list.htm#continue

Moving forward,

Tim
 

elumen

Well-known member
Re: retrograde Mercury and progressions, to elumen

Thank you, everyone for your input. It makes sense to me intuitively that Retro motion should be introverted, inner directed so to speak. I myself have 4 planets Rx , but not Mercury. I'm attaching my son's chart here. his Mercury is angular, not afflicted and in mutual reception with the Moon.
astrologer50, thank you for sharing your experience. it always helps me to understand astrological symbolism better. btw, i have mercury in taurus too (not Rx though) and in trine with the Moon in Virgo, and I'm SUPER fast in thinking, talking and learning. I always wondered about the "slowness" of Taurus which I have not experienced. Perhaps, the mutual reception with the Moon in Virgo and a tight trine between two bodies helps.
 

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Re: retrograde Mercury and progressions, to elumen

His mercury is only has very wide orb sext to moon, but quincunx to Jupiter and Asc which will make communications more difficult. It helps being angular cos 7th 'other people' is where he wants to communicate, espec about emotions (cancer) and sext to moon (women) Merc Trine to N Node (pisces) suggests that his Lessons and about communications will be connected to emotions and the right people will cross his path in neighbourhood to help and assist him on his journey.

Also merc is conj 8th house and is said to have more effect there, again scorpio's house, does not want to communicate on anything trivial, but deep and meaningful and wants these communications to be transformative. Again it's all water and emotions. His chart lacks the element of air and only 2planets in air house ie:7th which is naturally libran ruled, but Gemini/Merc in his case. Trouble with these two are they are restless, procrastinating and indecisive. Does he show these traits?

At what age will mercury go direct? Spiritually I believe we are all here to learn certain Lessons with certain people at certain times, doesn't matter whether we are in primary school, secondary, college or university. We are all on this upward learning spiral.
 

elumen

Well-known member
Re: retrograde Mercury and progressions, to elumen

My son is very sensitive and affectionate. He definitely needs to engage in different activities but when interested he engages in the activity for a long time. I do not yet observe restlessness or procrastination but he is only 2 year old. :) I know it is a common trait for Gemini (and I know a lot of Geminis) but he also have Jupiter rising which makes him strong, intuitive and possibly opinionated. :) He is very intelligent and understands a lot but does not have much expressive language skills yet. I think it is OK that he does not speak yet, a lot of boys I know start speaking between 2 and 3 years of age, but in the US, where I live, it is made into a problem, "speech delay," as pediatricians call it. Although, when he was born and I looked at his horoscope that very day, right in the hospital, Mercury Rx seemed significant to me. I felt it would indicate a somewhat non-traditional way of learning but given his high intelligence and an indication towards strong intrest in academics/teaching/studying (Jupiter in Sag on Asc in Sag), I wonder how that would play together.
I do not know when his Mercury will go direct yet, but I imagine it will be in a few years so he will start speaking before than even if delayed.
 
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gesso

Well-known member
If you have solar fire, or some similar program, try looking at mercury's speed. I have seen proof in a few charts that a slower mercury(closer to stationing) can = slower thought process or speech problems.
 
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