On Monday April 1, 2024 at 3:14 PM PDT (CA time), Mercury is turning retrograde at 27º10' Aries until April 25th (5:54 AM PDT) when it will have reached 16º00 Aries. Its shadow period will last until May 13.

Of course, the planet Mercury does not all of a sudden go crazy and starts going backwards, but against the background of the stars from our perspective on Earth, it appears that way. Despite it being an optical illusion created by the respective velocities of the Earth and Mercury, it affects us personally and collectively in major ways. This is the first of three 3 weeks periods in 2024, all in Fire signs known for their passion and intensity.

Mercury retrograde is normally blamed for everything in the realm of communications going wrong, and usually with reason: people change their mind, contracts fall through, misunderstandings occur, letters get lost, e-mails are erased before being read, documents are nowhere to be found, appointments are forgotten, schedules get mixed up, keys are misplaced, flights are missed, electronics break down... and I could go on and on. The list is long.

But if you have known me for a while, you are aware of how much I love Mercury retrograde periods. Despite all those annoying situations, it also brings a lot of exciting surprises: we remember projects that had been collecting dust on a shelf, people we hadn't heard from in a while show up, we are brought back to places we had forgotten about, items that had been lost reappear, we complete studies we had abandoned, and as a general rule, the rhythm of life slows down enabling us to go within and reconnect with aspects of ourselves we had overlooked.

This particular Retrogradation in Aries could bring very sudden, impulsive, unexpected changes in the course of world affairs. I wouldn't be surprised if we returned to at least one peace negotiation, especially since the April 8th Solar Eclipse also in Aries will be happening during this very same period. More on this next week. Minds will be spoken forcefully. Quarrels could erupt. Heated debates will occur. Ideas will be expressed in such a way as to mold the public's opinion, yet suspicions will run so high that the people will leave no stone unturned in their need to dig through the lies to reveal the truth, exposing previously hidden facts and covert manipulations in a glaring light. Thoughts could become obsessive. Communications will be intense, passionate, and abrupt, even in some cases caustic and cruel. Major ultimatums will be issued. Conclusions will be reached quickly. Sharp decisions will be made on the spot.

During the next 3 weeks, knowledge is definitely power. Even if some of our plans are frustrated, and some cherished concepts, challenged, it is advised to not lash out before having all the information necessary to fully grasp the whole situation.

Remaining silent, laying low, and keeping our own counsel so that we may sharpen our awareness and gain deeper insights into the situations at hand would be a wiser use of this retrogradation, but because it is in Aries, this might not be east. Cutting-edge ideas will seem more appealing than old ones, we may be too impatient for details, and in our haste cause misunderstandings, but all in all, a strong need to disrupt the status quo and impulsively move forward will open the door to long awaited resolutions and powerful new beginnings.

Wishing you a happy Easter week-end!

In loving Light.

Michelle Karén, M.A., D.F.Astrol.S. 
Astrologer, Shaman, International Conference Speaker 
Author of the best selling, revolutionary book: 
Astrology for Enlightenment (Atria Books, Simon & Schuster, NY) 
and the Attuning with the Quantum Oracle deck. 
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