If you’re interested in astrology, spiritual development, or even gardening, you’ve likely heard about Mercury Retrograde in recent years.
The term has been around for thousands of years and grew out of the observation that the planet Mercury appears to move backward at certain times of the year.
With the help of telescopes and other technologies, though, we know today that planets in retrograde aren’t actually moving backward, but that doesn’t change the fact that certain planetary shifts and aspects affect the earth, just like the moon affects the tides.
Given the surge in popularity about all things Mercury Retrograde in recent years, I wanted to take a moment to put some thoughts together about it and share them with you.
What do you need to know when Mercury Retrogrades?
Great question.
Like all the other planets in our solar system, Mercury is in charge of certain things – namely communication (between people, between businesses and people, contracts, etc.), travel (flying, driving, cars, boats, etc.), and technology (computers, cell phones, etc.) The reason this is important is that when it goes retrograde, Mercury is essentially asleep, meaning the leader of these aspects of life – communication, travel, and tech – isn’t around. Not a big deal at first glance, but when you consider that this is similar to having a classroom with no teacher present, you can see how things can get out of hand.
While there isn’t any way to “get around” Mercury (or any other planet) being retrograde, there are certain things many experts on the subject recommend. Here they are, in no particular order:
- An attitude of awareness regarding communication – by others to you or from you to them – because communication can be misconstrued during this period. Someone may take something you say too personally or vice versa, or a text you intended for one person could end up in the hands of someone else, so just be careful with your words. Many experts also recommend not signing contracts during a Mercury Retrograde period, largely because there is so much fine print and many areas to misconstrue or gloss over important things.
- An attitude of awareness and caution about travel. If you choose to travel during a Mercury Retrograde period, be prepared that you may experience mix-ups or delays, such as missed flights, wrong seat assignments, etc. I’ve heard horror stories about this, but I’ve also traveled many times during a retrograde and not experienced any problems.
- An attitude of awareness about technological glitches, such as websites, cell phones or televisions shutting down for no apparent reason; e-tickets or reservations being lost; or emails not going through. This is the one I’ve experienced the most and it’s been minimal. I once co-hosted a class on a platform called GoToMeeting – a service we’d used many times before – that encountered numerous problems during a Mercury Retrograde including lag time, loss of audio, etc. Fortunately, we knew about the possibility of the retrograde, gave it our best shot, and ultimately chose to reschedule the class for another time, post-retrograde.
Please know Mercury Retrograde is a naturally-occurring period that all planets except Earth experience, and nothing bad will happen to you.
I do not recommend drastically altering your life or going to extremes because a planet is in retrograde. I do, however, recommend doing what you can to avoid possible catastrophes and learning to laugh if you experience a snafu at the hands of Mercury in Retrograde.
So what exactly can you do during a Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury Retrograde is a GREAT time to review things you already have going.
I once heard author-Doreen Virtue say anything that begins with the prefix “re-” is a fantastic thing to do during this period.
Examples include:
Revising
Redecorating
Redoing
Reviewing
Revisiting
For this reason, you may notice old projects, old dreams, or former things you thought were dead and gone coming back to life during Mercury Retrograde. An old book you started writing but never finished, a dream career you once considered, or a wound from your past may surface – or you may choose to look further into current projects at this time. You may also be at the place in a project where you are reviewing it or editing it, and this, too, is a thumbs-up during a Mercury Retrograde period.
By now, you’re probably wondering when the next Mercury Retrograde is.
Mercury normally retrogrades 3-4 times a year. In 2018, it happens three times. Here are the dates:
March 22, 2018 – April 15, 2018
July 26 – August 18, 2018
November 16 – December 6
Yes, we are in a Mercury Retrograde period right now.
But, before you freak out due to Spring Break travel plans or the contract you’re supposed to sign, keep in mind what I said before: you don’t need to alter your life for Mercury Retrograde.
Also, remember this: you attract what you think about, so if you spend your time worrying about Mercury Retrograde, you’re likely to attract … more things to worry about. When it comes down to it, worry really isn’t helpful. It causes stress and anxiety and keeps people out of the present moment, which is where all the good and fun of life is located. So sit back, relax, and try to chill out these next few weeks.
But, before you do, I’d love to know:
Did you learn anything about Mercury Retrograde today?
Click here and let me know.
I love hearing from you!
XO
Jaime