News | Planetary Cycles | Void of Course Moon | Mercury Retrograde

The VOC Moon signals time-out periods. This is a time when you should NOT take action. The Universe provides us with indicators; times when we can happily move forward, and short intervals when we should take things easy. Routine jobs and activities work well, however anything important started during a VOC Moon may not produce the desired results, or there may be unexpected difficulties. Your judgement may be impaired or you may not have all the facts - so it is always best to plan around these times. Catch up on mundane tasks that you have been putting off.

There is a distinct change in energy during the VOC Moon. These periods occur when the Moon changes sign every 2.5 days, and they last anywhere from a few minutes to many hours, even in some cases a day or more. These are great times to meditate or do your yoga class. Also, use this time to review and revise, do your to-do lists, and clean out your clutter. It is during these times that you are better equipped to handle such activities.

Examples of things to avoid; a job interview, starting a new job, a first date, making arrangements to meet new people, buying, selling or auctioning your property, starting a new business, and an absolute no-no is to purchase any high ticket items. Even that new dress you bought at a sale may not see the light of day after you get it home!

Another useful tip would be to pay attention to the VOC Moon when considering an option, making a decision to do something, or wondering if an activity or task would be beneficial. Look to the VOC Moon table for a second opinion. If you find that the Moon is VOC at this time, it is worthwhile reconsidering your plan. The VOC Moon may serve as an indication from the Universe that alerts us to possible problems if we proceed.

The last aspect the Moon makes before it goes Void of Course often indicates the outcome of an action. Trines, Sextiles and some Conjunctions (depending on the planets involved) indicate a positive outcome, however Squares and Oppositions and some Conjunctions may suggest problems.

Finally, when the Moon goes Void of Course in the signs of Taurus, Libra and Pisces, the outcome may not be impacted adversely, as these signs are rule by "benefics" i.e. Venus and Jupiter are considered favourable, therefore may diminish any unfortunate issues.

How to read the VOC table below:

Refer to the date and time in "Void Begins" columns, and then scan across the table to see when it ends in the "Void Ends" column. Pay particular attention to the date in both the begin and end line, because some VOC periods extend beyond just one day.

The "Sign" column shows the change in Moon sign which starts at the moment the void ends.

The "Last Aspect" column shows the last aspect the Moon makes before becoming Void of Course, and sometimes indicates how the matter will end.

Example : Review February 2012 chart below.

The table below has been created using Australian Eastern Daylight Time.

An example of how to read the table; the Void of Course Moon starts at 6:06 am on 2nd February and ends at 6:15 am on the same day, with the Moon moving into the sign of Gemini. The time between this start and end phase, the Moon is said to be Void of Course, and whatever is undertaken may not prosper or work out as planned. Use these VOC Moon periods to take time-out; rest, re-couperate, meditate or any other activity that soothes the soul. Day-to-day shopping and general tasks need not be avoided, just don't make any make any major decisions until the Moon moves into the next sign.

Mercury Retrograde
November 24, 2011 | December 14, 2011

Mercury Retrogrades 3-4 times per year for approximately 3 weeks. Mercury takes just 88 days to orbit the Sun compared to the 365 days it takes Earth to travel the same distance. Mercury appears to move backwards when viewed from earth during these periods.

The planet Mercury rules communication, computers, travel, contracts, the written word and cars. When Mercury is retrograde, there is confusion. People forget things. There are delays, frustrations and miscommunications - whatever can go wrong in these areas seems to if you are not careful. Gemini's and Virgo's may be more prone to complications because Mercury rules both of these signs. The author is a Gemini, and can speak from experience!

This is a time when you should be careful when signing contracts, and if you have to, make sure you read ALL the fine print TWICE. Buy your computer or accessories before or after the Retrograde period. Computers and technology in general seem to experience hiccups. Messages conveyed via mobiles and answering machines are often garbled, overwritten, ignored or overlooked - or the device itself breaks down. Your lunch date may not turn up, with you waiting at the restaurant, or your business meeting has been rescheduled without anyone telling you about it. And, please, don't buy a car during a Mercury Retrograde period; you may end up with a lemon at worst, or a car that does not suit your needs after the retrograde period is over.

Starting a new job is also fraught with potential difficulties. The job never ends up being what you expected, and is certainly not the role you think you applied for. Don't make any plans for your holidays in 12 months time, because you probably won't still be there.

Mercury Retrograde is not a good time to start anything new, but a great time to finish any unresolved matters. Any new project started, often has to be re-done. Which leads into all the things you CAN DO during these times though. Re-view, re-vise, re-schedule, re-think. The best advice is to take time-out; think of Mercury Retrograde as your time for a quarterly re-view and to handle unfinished tasks. Re-assess your financial position, re-do your budget, re-organise yourself, re-duce clutter in your home, workspace or any area of your life that needs attention. If a "re" fits onto the beginning of any activity you want to do, go ahead, and good luck.

For those more technical or experienced with Mercury Retrograde cycles, you will notice in the table below that Mercury moves into the Retrograde zone approximately 3 weeks before the actual Retrograde. The period either side of the Mercury Retrograde is classified as the shadow, and is said to be worthy of consideration. Some people, especially Sun in Gemini and Virgo (both signs ruled by Mercury), may experience some earlier or residual effects covering this entire cycle, so worth paying attention. Also, electrical equipment has an uncanny predisposition to breaking just prior to Mercury going retrograde (in the Shadow period). My set-top-box which was not being used at the time, just went bang for no reason, and is now at the bottom of the rubbish bin! This happened in the Shadow period before the last Mercury retrograde on 3rd August, 2011.

The inserted tables below has been taken from the Matrix Day Watch Stations Report and is based on Australian Eastern Daylight Time.

If you would like to know what area of your life (shown by the house position) is being affected most by Mercury Retrograde, you can purchase your own personal Stations Report which highlights all Retrograde Planetary cycles for 2011.

Mercury Retrograde 2th November - 14th December 2011