Every time Mercury goes Retrograde, I feel like more and more people are posting about it, or are aware of its existence. This is great, but let’s not add fuel to the fire.
Let’s first get into what Mercury Retrograde actually is:
It’s a time when the planet Mercury “appears” to be moving backwards across the sky. “Appears” being the operative word here, because it’s actually all an illusion to the human eye. But this illusion “might” cause a bit of drama. “Might” being the operative word here too.
This is a great explanation:
According to Dr. Hammergren, it’s just a trick of perspective. “Same thing if you were passing a car on a highway, maybe going a little bit faster than they are,” he says. “They’re not really going backwards, they just appear to be going backwards relative to your motion.”
So now that we have some science out of the way, let’s get into the “woo” of it all. It’s been long debated that during Mercury Retrograde, miscommunications, technology failures, delays, errors, and other etc. dramas are extra. Extra meaning, you feel like you are on a roller coaster that has a mind of its own.
While I do notice that things get hairier during Mercury Retrograde, I also stop and ask myself, “Well, what was the excuse for all that nonsense last month when Mercury was direct?” Do we just notice shit hitting the fan more during a retrograde period?
This is totally fun to debate, but instead of getting no where, I do have some tips for not letting Mercury Retrograde get into your head. I also pulled some tarot cards that suggest some areas we can all work on during this time.
Mercury Retrograde is from March 22/23 – April 14/15.
Retrograde, in my world, means REGROUP.
Since Mercury rules communication, what “regrouping” can you do during a retrograde period?
CONTEXT
Context is key during this time. Take a breath before you respond to something, and really ask yourself if you have the whole story. We tend to interpret a person’s attitude by the words that they use in an email or text, but they’re not always accurate. Make sure you are being super clear when communicating, and on the flip side, make sure you have the whole story before you let someone have it! 😉 Also know that if you are as clear as day, dense people still won’t understand you. As a very logic driven person, my communications sound very direct, and perhaps intimidating/too know it all. In reality, I just want the job done well, and I want to call out discrepancies so that the next go-around is more balanced and seamless for everyone. It’s nothing personal (unless it’s personal).
CONTRACTS
Many believe that signing a contract is a BIG NO NO during retrograde. Honestly, sometimes we can’t get around that. We might miss the opportunity of a lifetime if we put too much weight on this. The best way to go about it in this case, is to let Mercury Retrograde be a reminder to check all of the fine print and really double check your work. Analyze every detail. Cover every base. Get second opinions.
CREATION
Many of us have just as many personal projects as we do in our careers. Retrograde is a great time to take a look at everything and see where you can adjust. Maybe there are some tasks that are holding you back, or ones that you need to get done to move forward. Perhaps your website needs a refresh, or your social media handles need some love in the content department. Take this time to explore new ways that you can hit the ground running once we are out of this period. Now’s the time to make sure your foundations are solid.
And now, for the fun part. My Mercury Retrograde Tarot Reading.
For this reading, I am using the cards as inspiration for specific things in our lives that need a refresh/regroup. One may apply to you, or a few, or all. That’s up to you.
THE HIEROPHANT -reversed
This card is rebellious. It symbolizes a person who wants to challenge the status quo. During retrograde, I would put some pause on your efforts for a few weeks. Only if you can. Regroup, and make sure your plan is full proof. You want your voice to be heard, so make sure your timing and approach is as close to perfect as you can get it. But remember, perfect does not exist on any scale.
THE MAGICIAN
This card is actually associated with Mercury! A true power card, this card suggests that you have everything you need to manifest your desires. That being said, there is a message that you need to remove all distractions so that you can focus on said desire. Use this retrograde period to spot the things that do not serve you and that will distract you. You might have to do some deep cleaning, you might have to postpone meetings, or remove tasks in your day-to-day that don’t do you any favors.
FOUR OF WANDS
This card represents the home. A harmonious one at that. So, are there repairs that need to get done? Do you need new appliances? Use this time to create an actionable plan for reinventing your space. Don’t start buying shit now, but search for the best deals, test paint colors, get quotes from different contractors, etc. This is experiment time!
THREE OF SWORDS (reversed)
If there was a recent end of a relationship, or even a loss of a friend or family member, this cards suggests that you have more healing to do before you can move on. It might not be the best time to jump into a new relationship. Or, the grief you are dealing with is still too strong. You are still in the weeds, so taking on new things might not be to your benefit. You could have a breakdown or burnout. Grief counseling, hanging out with friends, therapy, new self-care routines, relaxing, watching funny movies; all of things are chill ways, and effective ways, to get out of your funk once retrograde is over.
FOUR OF SWORDS (reversed)
Remember when I said above that you could have a breakdown or burnout if you don’t rest this one out? Well, here’s another warning regarding that. If you are the type of person that needs to get everything done at once (hi, have we met?), now is the time to take that metaphorical “chill pill”. While our minds are racing to get it all done, our bodies are like, “Yo, slow your roll!” Eventually, our mind catches up and then we feel that hit. Lack of progress is very frustrating, but so is completely losing your mind. Find a balance between the two.
Overall, it is going to feel very difficult to slow down and reassess during this retrograde period. This is because we are also at the very start of the zodiac calendar with Aries, Aries is the first horse out of the gate (I hate horse racing btw, but I couldn’t think of another metaphor). This mentality of “I got this, let’s do this” is butted up against Mercury Retrograde and “slow down people, chill.” Oh the conundrum. Enjoy the balancing act that you are about to perform. Make it look good!
