Mercury is in retrograde for those of you who don’t know. It started on April 9th and lasts until May 3rd (2017). Its effects are not date-specific and may begin earlier or last slightly longer.
When it comes to your online business, the divide between the stars is the same.
If you are an astrology aficionado or a mercury retrograde follower, this explains everything. If you are in the camp of logic, control and the destiny of hard work, any disaster at this time is bad luck or the fault of someone or something else.
Early in my career, I lived in lower Manhattan in a small building. One tenant was an astrologer, and more Wall Street “suits” came through the door than us few tenants. It made me wonder about the relevancy of their statistical analysis and were they hedging their forecasting bets with a visit to the lady upstairs.
Alas, it was career path not chosen. Nevertheless, the interest by the businessmen at that time was not lost on me. From time to time during my business career when things went wrong, the quintessential explanation was whispered “mercury’s in retrograde”, end of discussion.
How much should you pay attention to a mercury retrograde? Click To Tweet
How Much Should You Pay Attention to a Mercury Retrograde?
That depends.
If you view your business as a product of your sole commitment and responsibility, then go no further. Whatever happens during a mercury retrograde is yours alone to fix.
If you want to hedge your bet of something going kerflooey at these significant points in time, my story may be of help.
On March 29th my website was hacked for the first time. I was away for a few days and only realized what happened on April 3rd.
At the same time, I was aware WordPress was increasingly being targeted by hackers. My naivete rested on believing I’m safe for two reasons
– I have advanced security in place and strong passwords
– Who would want to bother with my website?
Needless to say, you really wake up to reality, when a security email notifies you that your strong password has been co-opted.
My hosting company was great and got me back up in six hours and sent a list of must-dos to improve security.
As I was progressing through the list, I was hacked again on April 19th by someone new. (Apparently, good news travels fast among hackers.)
– Back to hosting company
– Same process
– Back up and running
Now, I’m having a running dialogue with the support staff, and we finally agreed things are secure.
Then, …yes, there’s another. On April 25th, I’m sitting at the computer when I notice the browser WordPress tab title changing to “hacked by …” Now, feeling like a pro, I jump into action. The support guy knows my voice and exactly what I’m about to say.
One of the things I learned along the way is that there are different levels of support people who are assigned to your problem. You may get a level 3 when you really need a level 2 or 1 support expert. By the third hack, I demanded a level 1. Did I get one? I don’t know. But, I did get un-hacked along with the same recommendations to upgrade security. Arghhhhhhhhhhh!
Personal Recommendations Based On My Hacking Experience
- Seek out and develop a contact list of people/resources experienced in proactive security and hacking.
- Subscribe to at least one security news site and stay up-to-date about different hacking attempts.
- Accept that online security will be one of your life-long learning experiences.
- Know what actions steps to take as soon as you see “You’ve been Hacked.”
- Anticipate this will not be a cheap repair.
- If your hosting package does offer hack repair services, it may only remove the malware, not implement the security changes.
- You probably will need someone separate with hacker security skills.
- Don’t put it off. Take responsibility and make sure hacker prevention suggestions are in place.
- Don’t take comfort when you’re back in business after a hack.
- Make a point of trying to identify your vulnerability points.
- Use this information to prevent any similar or potential problems on other websites you manage or plan to set-up.
- Know that your hacker will probably be back to prove once more how good they are and how dumb you are.
I’m disappointed my hosting company never provided specifics of how my hacks occurred. Their security recommendations obviously didn’t save me from hack #2 or #3.
I will admit in their defense they were timely in getting me back up and running. There was also one nice sentence of how a support team member had deactivated two plugins (which may or may not have been a hack entry.) Who knows? At least, I’m now more aware that all my plugins conform when WordPress updates.
What Has All This To Do With a Mercury Retrograde?
How could the planet mercury or any of the other the planets in their direct and retrograde orbit millions of miles away affect your business? The simplest understanding is that consciously we are becoming more aware of the energetic interconnectedness of all things.
Does this mean you should run your life and business by transient planetary orbits? Rather, it’s wiser to think of it as cycles of energy tendencies and probabilities. Perhaps, not much different from the already acknowledged effect of other cycles from the natural world.
“The stock market similarly reflects the degree to which life is destroyed, and also displays a cycle. Sunspots have a cycle of 9.15 years, which is “exactly the length of the dominant cycle in the stock market.” Furthermore, when other cycles around this same length are examined the majority of biological, industrial and economic cycles peak first, then solar, and finally, biological, social-unrest and geophysical cycles [are] affected by the solar cycles.”
What makes a mercury retrograde worth paying attention to is that …”Computers, high-tech items, appliances, automobiles, and other machines and electronics are highly susceptible to Mercury in a retrograde period.”
Now, some might see all of this a mere coincidence. Let me explain further.
My story is not only a computer story; it’s also a car story. What can I say? Mercury retrograde and I are having a double whammy month together.
The car’s AC started to go again, I’m not worried since everything is under warranty. When the shop tells you it will be few hours but they’re not done at the end of the day, you start to think bad things. “Oh, don’t worry, will have it ready for you tomorrow morning. We’re giving you a complete new condenser system and there will only be a labor charge.”
Next morning’s update. “Oh, sorry when we turned the AC on it blew out the evaporator core and flushed dirt into the system. Will get you a rental car for the day. Very sorry, we have to charge you labor and parts.” I swear I never saw hard earned savings depart so fast by the hands of the winged god Mercury.
And, if you think I exaggerate, let me confirm that I drive a Mercury Marquis. Yes, I really do.
Fortunately, someone offered wise advice as my brain cells are exploding. “Change your hosting company.” (duh!)
Found someone in my resource file I haven’t talked to in a while. She was ready to work it through and hold my hand.
In case, you haven’t sympathized nor empathized enough, know in the process, I went into delirium for three days with a stomach virus. Definitely, due to lack of sleep, gargantuan stress and re-activated anger issues directed at hacker miscreants.
You don’t have to be a mercury retrograde believer. However, as the old saying goes, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Take my word for it.
Because …
The next two mercury retrograde cycles in 2017 are August 12th – Sept. 5th and December 3rd – December 22nd.
How a Mercury Retrograde Might Affect Your Business
To find out how a mercury retrograde might affect your business, click on these two links. Then, you decide, if it’s worth hedging your bet.
Everything You Need to Know About Mercury Retrograde by Susan Miller
https://www.astrologyzone.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-mercury-retrograde/
Mercury Retrograde: How to Survive a 3-Week Communication Crisis
http://astrostyle.com/mercury-retrograde/
My Final Recommendation
If you ever find yourself in need, I recommend Toolie (Jocelyn) Garner. She’s able to do the advanced work of cleaning up hacks, moving websites, finding missing posts in unintelligible text files and the rest of the techie stuff you don’t want to know about. She’s super nice, and she really does hold your hand through it all. email: toolie@toolie.com; Mobile: 1-425-830-0740; LinkedIn http://linkedin.com/in/toolie
Your online business depends on you for your productivity and your protection. You depend on it for your profitability. May you never be hacked, but if you are I hope this helps.
Resources:
http://www.livingcosmos.com/cycles.htm#Intro
https://www.astrologyzone.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-mercury-retrograde/
http://astrostyle.com/mercury-retrograde/
Images: CC0 Pixabay 1375449; Commons.wikimedia.org backlit keyboard; Flickr.com Alden Jewell 2005 Mercury Marquis Two-one Edition
You Can Find Me At -
Oh no! Not again! I now understand why I could not access your website last week. It is sad. I faced the same situation last year and had since had my site under control with a WordPress security agent ( on a monthly fee)
Peace of mind is worth the price. If we had a b2b business, we wouldn’t think twice about paying for good security. When it come to websites most people don’t consider it until it’s too late.
Wow Joyce. You had a crazy month and mercury retrograde. On one hand, I believe in mercury retrograde and the challenges that can happen. On the other hand, I believe we create our experiences. I think the truth is probably somewhere in between. I’ve experienced energetic shifts during and after retrograde and the technological challenges I’ve been known to have I can directly attribute to this.
You clearly had a rough patch here. I hope that you are all set now and that the car and website issues are all better now!
Tandy, I hate to admit it. While going through everything was not fun, once everything was fixed things are running better than ever. I just wish the universe and myself can coordinate things out a little better in the future. Having to deal with all this energy at one time is a challenge and a learning experience.
I didn’t know you had been hacked, how awful! I think we always think we’re safe, but who really is online these days? Scary stuff!
Sonya, no one was more surprised than me when it continued to happen. But, had to face the music and place tough security measures in place. It’s something we all need to do because it not about you. It’s about hackers scanning the internet and finding the holes you haven’t plugged.
Crazy, crazy stuff huh Joyce? I do believe in the retrograde too – and “been there.” I won’t focus on it with you now as you are good and rising up by improving what needs to be done. That in itself is a good thing. I hope you can find some humor in all this real soon and let it give you some much deserved good energy.
I think the best lesson has been to take nothing for granted. As technology offers us more options, it also means we have to take more precautions. The second and third hacks were reminders, there still was work to be done.
While I shy away from most things to do with astrology, I am a believer in the effects of mercury in retrograde. This time around the gremlins focused on my computer with the biggest issue being that I had to special order a new keyboard. The ordering and installing were pretty painless, but considering how much I write each day waiting for nearly a week for it to arrive was painful. Still, as you’ve shared, there could have been so many other issues and I’m happy to have it behind us.
I think we all get caught up in wanting to believe that technology will solve our problems. Then comes the rude awakening that it comes with its own imperfections and problems. Even keyboards are not exempt! Hope you new keyboard brings you peace of mind for the trouble you’ve gone through.
This is fascinating Joyce, although i am not big on mercury retrograde . I read about it , it is not something I worry about, although conscious of it as I read around the web. I suppose i am more of we attract what we put out for, what we think and what we speak.
Great advice on protecting your website though. Having been hacked once we now have better controls , Also we are looking at having a dedicated server that will help too Thanks for sharing
Suzie, having a dedicated server is a great move to increasing your security. It seems the timing was right to expose my vulnerabilities and motivate me to act. I was planning to get around to updating my security. This forced me to move to a dedicated server as well. Now it’s done and there’s one less thing to worry about.
Hi Joyce – I think I am really feeling this one – all my Paint Yourself Into the Picture Youtube videos uploaded to someone else’s Youtube channel AND my main email account hacked!!! Plus feeling so darn PMS-y without just cause. What’s a Mercury-ruled Gemini to do!
So sorry, Reba. I sending you a big hug of support. I’m still feeling the stress of all this. The thought of losing everything I wrote scared me enough to print out a hard copy of all my posts. I now make sure everything is backed-up and Toolie helped me moved things to a dedicated server. My best advice as a mercury-ruled Gemini is to take nothing for granted, take lots of deep breaths, let go of what doesn’t come back to you, and repeat “everything is in divine order.”
Mercury Retrograde for me is like summer. I don’t expect as much out of myself. I allow myself to slow down and focus on foundations. I am sorry about your hack Joyce.
I was caught up in the Revolution Slider virus a couple years ago, I put Wordfence on my site. I love it. I get the updates, blogs, etc. It never occurred to me to contact my host. They have not been helpful in the past. I hired Sucuri to clean up my site, but didn’t like them at all. Putting a captcha on the opt-in helps inauthentic sign ups.
Well, a mercury retrograde is certainly good for making you pay attention to the critical things. And, it’s also a great reminder to slow down and let things digest and not be pressured to make plans for the future. Since I missed out on the digesting and planning stage, I’m taking this post-retrograde period to adjust. Better late than never, as we say.
WOW what a series of trauma! So glad you are up and running after such a scare. This is a great reminder to be sensitive to the cycles and also to keep our cyber walls strong. Thank you for your insight, Joyce.
Your welcome, Cathy. Hate, to say that it’s part of the new reality. But, if we are going to invest our time and effort with online endeavors, then we need to be super protective as well.
Joyce,
Glad your back and up and running. There are so many new hijacks I never heard of on the computer. It sad because we are all here trying to run a business and help others, too. Glad you made it through the retrograde. (:
So true, Lori. It’s hard when we are committed to serving our people and then to get hijacked by some total stranger. I think these guys are doing this as a way to sharpen their hijacking skills. They are probably after the glory of being able to hijack one of the big fish someday. So, defense wall up and stay alert.
What a horrible ordeal to go through, Joyce. I knew you’d been hacked, but three times! And then all the business with the car. No wonder you got sick. I’m going to take your advice re preparing just in case I get hacked.
I’m happy to hear you’re taking the initiative to prepare ahead of time. Just another website life lesson to learn on my part!
You really have had a very real and frustrating experience with the trickster Mercury, Joyce! I absolutely am a believer in Mercury retrograde and rarely start new projects, sign contracts etc. As Mercury was retrograde when I was born, it often isn’t as challenging a time for me, although I find those around me a bit flaky when it comes to time, appointments, technology etc.
Come to think of it, my new iPhone has been doing weird things, like draining the battery when it is plugged in to recharge and turned off. Hmm. No concrete answer from the Apple Care people, so I might wait a week or so and see if the issue sorts itself out now that Mercury is going direct again.
Loved this post, although I am sorry you have been so stressed by Mercury and how it has played with you, your website and your car. I’ve also heard that when Mercury is retrograde it is a good time to become introspective and reassess life. Food for thought, considering all that has happened to you from the outside in.
I usually try to power-down during a mercury retrograde. This time I got caught by surprise and found myself pushing against the energy. I think the stomach virus was a means to finally get me off my feet and into bed. Watch a good bit of Agatha Christie videos on YouTube, which was comforting. That’s a good observation about your iPhone. I’m curious is if Mercury likes iPhones too.
As soon as I saw the title of this, I gasped, Joyce! Mercury Retrograde tends to bite me. Lol. I should have known! The last month has been insanity central for me with all things technological. The good news is it’s over today! Yeah!
I also went through a website hack a couple of years ago–a week before my last novel launched. Oh, man . . . But my hosting company was great too, and got it back up and running. And yep–Mercury was in retrograde . . .
It’s nice to blame everything of a Mercury Retrograde. Because, damn if we don’t try hard to keep the world in order.