A lot gets said about — and blamed on — Mercury in retrograde. It’s become something of a catch-all for unexplained phenomena and chaos that completely absolves a person from any culpability. “I lost my job, I got a flat tire, and I got in a fight with my sister! Mercury must be in retrograde again!”
And while, yes, it’s convenient to blame your troubles on the seemingly mysterious movements of a far-away celestial body, I’ve got some bad news. It’s not Mercury. It’s you.
All Planets Retrograde
First, let’s talk about what a retrograde is and why it’s not all that mysterious or uncommon. Every planet retrogrades. Save the two luminaries (the sun and the moon), every celestial body in your birth chart seems to move backward in the sky from time to time.
So why do we hear so much about Mercury retrograde? Because it happens a lot more frequently than other planets. Mercury moonwalks across the sky about three or four times a year, for a few weeks at a time. Compare that to, say, Pluto, which retrogrades once a year for around five or six months.
But unlike Pluto, which is an outer planet and doesn’t have too much impact on our day-to-day lives, Mercury is what we call a personal planet, and it impacts us on the daily. Mercury rules communication, how we interpret information, technology, short-term travel, and our relationships with siblings and cousins.
So yes, when the planet goes into a backspin, we’ll probably feel it in those areas of our lives. But it’s not the life-altering event some folks make it out to be, and it certainly doesn’t leave us completely helpless or hopeless.
It’s Not All Chaos for Chaos’ Sake
When a planet goes retrograde, it’s not really going backward. Instead, there are periods of time where Earth will “lap” another planet during their respective orbits, causing the optical illusion of that planet moving backward from our perspective.
And that’s a key takeaway here — perspective. Every retrograde gives us an opportunity to shift our perspectives on the areas of our lives that those planets influence.
When talking about retrogrades we often refer to other “re” words — revise, revisit, review, redo, redirect, replace, etc. Retrogrades give us the chance to reexamine our current path and make adjustments where we need them. And during Mercury retrograde, we’re given insight into the areas of our lives that the planet rules — like how we gather information, how we communicate, how we use technology, and how we travel.
What to Look Out For
We are more prone to experience mishaps with technology and travel during this period of time. But the good news is you can get out in front of it if you’re keeping up with the astrological weather.
Make sure your car is up to date on its oil changes and service, don’t let your gas tank get too empty, and check your tires. If you use public transit, make sure to set out for the bus or train on the early side. Triple-check all hotel reservations. And don’t push your luck getting to the airport last minute.
Back up your work on your computer, and then back up your backup. Triple check that email or text before you hit send, and don’t leave anything open for negative interpretation. Keep your phone charged, and return missed calls right away.
And don’t be shocked if people re-appear in your life during this time. Sometimes a visit from a long-lost friend is a wonderful occurrence, but be wary of exes who come crawling out of the woodwork. You wouldn’t be the first person to rekindle something only to realize it was all a huge mistake once Mercury stations direct again.
So there you have it. Is Mercury retrograde for real? Yes, it is. Is it going to cause chaos? Quite possibly. But now that you know what to expect, it’s time to stop blaming it for everything that goes wrong in your life. Because when it comes down to it, Mercury’s just holding up a magnifying glass to your day-to-day actions. If you’re careless, you’re gonna get called out on it. And that’s not Mercury’s fault.
