Eric writes: This week we're about to experience the infamous beginning of Mercury retrograde, which has become a true cult of astrology in recent years (thanks largely to the extraordinarily mercurial internet). The best hard-won advice I can offer you is: don't solve problems that don't exist. The retrograde is famous for making things look wrong that are actually fine. If you lose your keys, look in your purse. If your computer is acting weird, try doing nothing, or have a nice talk with it. Patience is definitely a virtue under the current astrology.

Eric writes: One discussion point of the upcoming Mercury retrograde occurs at the intersection where tradition meets innovation. Mercury going retrograde in Capricorn would tell this to any well-schooled astrologer; Chiron, the maverick's presence, in Capricorn adds the emphasis of a modern symbol. Mercury retrograde often exposes problems that were long hidden. Chances are that a careful mix of unconventional and the time-honoured methods will get the situation cleared up. But remember the Yiddish expression that "If it doesn't have a solution, it's not really a problem." Most of the time, it's okay to do nothing, at least for a while.

Eric writes: Retrogrades highlight the past; they point us backwards in the illusion of time. Today, Mercury changes to retrograde movement. Normally we think of this as an inconvenience, but really the transit bestows power to review and revise our decisions and commitments. Retrograde in Capricorn specifically says reconsider the supposed wisdom of the past. True, occasionally we learn from the past. But we've also had a lot of expectations heaped on us based on the way things were supposed to be, and which, as it works out, they are not.

Eric writes: Retrograde planets create interesting effects. One of my newsgroups recently noted that the first six U.S. states were founded with Mars retrograde in Cancer (Mars retrograde in Pisces dominated 2003's astrology). There's the quality of wanting to be an initiator, but also of obsessing over safety and fearing vulnerability. It seems that so many of the political movements on the U.S. side of the pond are headed by those determined to bring back their illusion of the past, and feed the belief that constant war is going to make us safe. Fortunately, beliefs can change.

On Rupert Sheldrake's page today, he looks at the bond between children and their parents.

Eric writes: After the weekend, a New Moon arrives on the heels of Capricorn Solstice. The season turns at a lunation, one of those cosmic double entendres that thunders louder than words. Change is in the air so plainly that next week nobody will need an astrology chart. Except of course to spot the details. For the next few days, Venus, Sun and Uranus are at the edge of their respective signs. Mercury is retrograde in Capricorn, and Mars has just left Pisces after six long months. When everything happens at once, we get an expanded moment when anything is possible. As this week's news has shown, some very strange things are indeed probable.