Book excerpt: The Sunday Times bestselling author of Moonology Mercury retrograde doesn't have to be a time of stress and misfortune. Discover how to embrace the cycle and work with it for harmony and freedom. You may have heard people blaming their misfortunes on the stars and maybe even complained about Mercury retrograde yourself... but do you actually know what it is, why it happens and how to take advantage of the opportunities this tricky period can present? Mercury retrograde occurs when Mercury, the planet of communications, appears to start moving in reverse as viewed from Earth. This astrological phenomenon occurs 3-4 times a year, and people like to blame their miscommunications, technological breakdowns and forgotten deadlines on it. Yasmin Boland is here to flip these beliefs on their head with practical tools and definitive interpretations to help you get creative with the commotion. She explains that: · Mercury retrograde is actually not a time of bad luck, but a time of second chances and an opportunity to rethink, revisit, revise and revamp · if you can understand the cycle and how it affects you depending on which sign Mercury is retrograding in, you can turn it to your advantage · how to place the retrogrades in your personal astrological chart and work out the effect of the retrograde on your elemental and zodiac sign In dispelling the myths around this astrological event, Yasmin shows us that there is no need to fear the retrograde but every reason to embrace it and work with it to revolutionize and refresh our lives.