Let’s talk about Mercury retrograde!
Mercury retrograde begins on 4/1. Mercury will be retrograde in Aries from 4/1-4/25. When Mercury goes retrograde, communication, technology, and plans tend to go awry. Stay grounded, move slowly, and triple check everything.
Just like eclipses, Mercury retrograde gets a lot of shade thrown at it. I’m a firm believer that there is always a way to work with the energy that is available, so here’s my take on working with a retrograde…
Mercury retrograde happens 3- 4 times a year for about 3 weeks, so it’s not exactly a rare occurrence. I think if something happens almost seasonally, we should figure out how to make the best of it, don’t you?
When we say Mercury is retrograde, it doesn’t mean Mercury is actually moving backwards. It simply appears that way from our vantage point on Earth. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, so when Mercury passes Earth in its orbit, it appears to stop and them move backward for a few weeks, and then appears to stop again before stationing direct.
Before Mercury moves retrograde, the planet appears to stop and we call this the pre-retrograde shadow period and before Mercury stations direct, we call the post-retrograde shadow period. The shadow periods last about two weeks each, so overall, we spend quite a few weeks with Mercury causing mayhem.
Mercury is the planet of communication and Mercury is ruled by both Gemini and Virgo. Through the energy of Gemini, Mercury affects our communication, thoughts, and the gathering of information. Through the energy of Virgo, Mercury affects our daily routines and sense of order.When Mercury goes retrograde, things seem to go off kilter. Communication gets murky, technology goes haywire, and plans seem to have a way of not working the way we think they should. Since disruption doesn’t usually bring people joy, it’s easy to get irritable and frustrated during a Mercury retrograde.
Mercury is currently in the fiery sign of Aries. Mercury in Aries wants communication to be blunt, fast, and to the point, so when Mercury is retrograde in Aries and there are hold-ups and delays, the feelings of frustration and irritation can be magnified. As an Aries ☀️, I will be the first to admit… patience is not an Aries virtue.
#thinkbeforeyouspeak
To utilize the energy of Mercury retrograde, it’s helpful to think about it as a time to review, revisit, and refocus. If we know that energetically things are likely to feel unstable, then we can work with this energy by SLOWING DOWN. And, with this Mercury retrograde in the middle of eclipse season, let’s just say it may feel a bit extra…
So if we know things have a tendency to go haywire, I think the best choice is to move slowly, triple check everything, pause before you respond, make sure that text or email is going to the person you intend it for, and schedule in buffer time.
Use this time to review and reflect on your day to day routines and systems.
How can you simplify your life? What can you cut out? What is working for you and what isn't? Where can you utilize your time more efficiently? How can you open your mind to trying something new? What would make your life flow more smoothly?
As someone with a tendency to over schedule and push right to burn out, I like to use Mercury retrogrades to check in and notice how I can implement systems in my life that better serve me. My offering for you over this retrograde is to schedule in some space to review and revisit how you are communicating and what your daily routines and habits are.
What would bring more peace and balance into your life?
🧹 Witchy Tips for this week:
🗓 Make a date with your planner- Are you setting a schedule that is reasonable or are you trying to do more than is actually possible? Can you schedule in some buffer time?
⚔️ What can you clear out- Whether it’s limiting your time on social media or saying “no” to a social engagement, where can you cultivate some quiet time to reflect and recenter?
✍🏾 Review your daily routines- What is working for you and what isn’t? Are you doing something each day to balance your energy?
🧘🏻♀️ Meditate- Add in five minutes of meditation a day and notice how that shifts things.
💻 Back up your files- A little extra file back-up never hurt anyone…
