Mercury in Scorpio enhances intelligence, ambition, wit, and sharpness, with a tendency towards biting sarcasm. The influence of Mercury in Scorpio can make one secretive and guarded. Astrologers have access to the innermost parts of a person's soul through their birth data. When Mercury is in Scorpio, it is unlikely for astrologers to believe explanations, instead, they may dismiss astrology as a whole. The Sun in Scorpio highlights positive traits and adds a touch of mystical love, but Mars counteracts this with a more worldly view. When Mercury is retrograde and in its "fall" sign of Scorpio, its influence is more subtle and dishonesty may be a factor. The moon's position in Taurus, its exaltation sign, further strengthens the influence of Mercury in Scorpio. In the book "Astro-Diagnosis," written by Max Heindel and Augusta Foss Heindel, the effects of a retrograde Jupiter, Neptune, and the new moon phase are explored in-depth.