From August 12 until September 5, Mercury will be in retrograde. Three or four times a year, you probably see “brace yourself” or “blame it on Mercury Retrograde” posts pop up in your social media feeds, warning you of the dreaded phenomenon that is Mercury in retrograde. But what is it exactly?
What is Mercury Retrograde?
A planet is in retrograde when it appears to be moving backward. Because all of the planets have a different orbit around the sun, their orbit speeds can appear to change based on our perspective here on Earth.
Think of traveling in a car on the highway. A car in the next lane traveling faster than you will appear to be moving forward. As you catch up to that car and travel at the same speed, both cars appear to be still in comparison to each other. But as your car picks up speed, the other car appears to be moving backward.
In Mercury Retrograde, Mercury appears to be moving in reverse as its orbital speed slows in comparison to the Earth’s.
How does Mercury Retrograde Affect Us?
Mercury is the planet of communication. In Astrology, Mercury is the messenger, and rules connections and coordination, travel and technology. When Mercury is in retrograde, shit can get a little crazy in these areas of your life. Traffic jams, canceled or delayed flights, computer crashes, petty arguments between coworkers – blame it on Mercury Retrograde. (Unless, of course, these things are happening when Mercury is not in retrograde…in that case, you’re on your own.)
Oh, and in case three weeks of this bullshit isn’t enough, there’s also what’s called a “shadow period”, so you can feel the effects of the retrograde a few weeks before and after it happens.
So how do you get through Mercury Retrograde without losing your shit?
Mercury in retrograde may test your patience. It’s recommended that you don’t start anything new during this time. Postpone signing contracts or launching a new project (if possible).
This is a great time to tie up loose ends and finish old business, as well as getting organized to prepare for a fresh start when Mercury begins to move ahead again.
Back up any important data, calendars, computers. Plan ahead and leave early when traveling. Double-check any written forms of communication before sending, and pause and think before speaking. Prepare to be misunderstood, or potentially misunderstand others.
Embrace Mercury Retrograde as a period to reflect, reorganize, and practice forgiveness. Clear any physical or emotional clutter that can be weighing you down, and be extra gentle with yourself and others during this time.
