Mercury Retrograde
The Opportunity To Re-Imagine What You Know and Want to Share
I thought to create an evergreen piece about Mercury Retrograde, which you can refer to at any time that the planet of communication is doing its backward dance in the sky. While each time Mercury Retrograde occurs, there is a slightly different invitation given the realm of the zodiac in which it is taking place, here’s some insights into the general gestalt of what it encourages.
Planetary retrograde periods are always times for reflection and heightened inner awareness. Since Mercury symbolizes communication, transport, the way we learn, our siblings, and our neighborhood, this period can yield great insights in these related areas of our life. Mercury Retrograde lasts about three weeks and occurs three to four times per year.
Any planetary retrograde reflects a period where the energy is focused more internally. Reflecting that, Mercury Retrograde periods offer us a wonderful time to turn communication inward to seek insights and understanding. Meditation, journaling, nondominant handwriting, and using oracle cards are especially great activities to do during this period to help you access puzzle pieces and wisdom teachings that you seek.
When you think of how to approach this period, just remember the first two letters of the word retrograde—“re”—and apply it to the activities you undertake. As such, Mercury Retrograde periods are a great time to reassess, review, reanalyze, revisit, rethink, re-edit, and recommunicate. Looking at it through this lens, you will begin to see how this time period can actually yield great benefit as you can discover things that you may not have previously seen, steps that have been skipped, and things that allow you to refine the integrity of your creativity and communications.
While inner reflection is heightened, external communication may be stressed during Mercury Retrograde. Therefore, try to avoid misunderstandings by being extra diligent about the words you use, while also making sure to listen even more attentively than usual. Whether it be with writing, speaking, or design, put a little extra effort into dotting your I’s and crossing your T’s.
Be especially aware of this if you have to sign any contracts or make binding agreements during Mercury Retrograde, as oftentimes all of the information we need in order to make a decision isn’t readily available or especially clear; ask questions if doubts arise, sussing out details to uncover facts that may be shielded on the surface from view. If you do make an agreement during Mercury Retrograde, just consider that things may turn out differently than anticipated, remembering that different isn't necessarily bad, but rather just distinct from what expectations may have been.
As Mercury represents the bridges and channels that allow us to connect varied pieces of information in order to synthesize them into the whole of understanding, during its retrograde phase inherent weaknesses of these conduits may be revealed. This can help us to bolster their foundations in order to recraft approaches that will eventually yield more efficiency and effectiveness. That said, while this may give us opportunities to fortify their connectivity, it also may result in this period being one in which we experience the breakdown of tools that help us to share information (such as phones, computers, and printers).
Therefore, do what you can to make sure that those under your purview are in good working order; also be aware of the possible need of having a contingency plan for getting your message across should there be challenges in the systems that you rely upon for communicating. Sometimes the experience of finding other ways to share thoughts and ideas, distinct from our go-to ones, actually becomes the treasure of this time, pointing us not only to our ability to be adaptable but also to new ways of offering insights and propelling things forward.
Given that transportation is also a conduit, as it assists people and things in moving from place to place, we could find that means of travel could be challenged or disrupted. As such, pay attention to personal transport vehicles—whether it be your car, bike, skateboard, etc.—making sure they have what they need to function efficiently. (And if you’ve been putting off getting them looked at by a professional, consider scheduling an appointment over this period.) Double-checking airplane departure times, leaving ample time during transit for potential (and unforeseen) traffic, and reading the fine print of rental car contracts are some examples of good transportation strategies to follow during Mercury Retrograde.
The following are the Mercury Retrograde periods for 2023 and 2024, as well as the zodiacal sphere where they occur:
December 29, 2022 - January 18, 2023 (25 Capricorn - 8 Capricorn)
April 21, 2023 - May 14, 2023 (16 Taurus - 5 Taurus)
August 23, 2023 - September 15, 2023 (22 Virgo - 8 Virgo)
December 13, 2023 - January 1, 2024 (9 Capricorn - 22 Sagittarius)
April 1 - 25, 2024 (27 Aries - 15 Aries)
August 5 - 28, 2024 (4 Virgo - 21 Leo)
November 25 - December 15, 2024 (22 Sagittarius - 6 Sagittarius)
Importantly, remember that Mercury Retrograde periods are not bad. Rather, through going slow, reconsidering your stance, looking to the past for treasures, and reevaluating the containers of communication you employ and the style in which you do so, you may find that it’s a time frame in which you’re able to uncover valuable knowledge that fortifies your ability to understand yourself and the world around you.
Photos: Jorge Bermudez, CDD20, and Alex Sheldon, via Unsplash
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