What Is This “Mercury Retrograde” I Keep Hearing About?

January 5, 2022 5:10 pm

Mercury retrograde? Gatorade? Renegade? Lemonade? What is that thing everyone keeps saying? You’ve probably heard it at least once- a lightbulb blows out, a text doesn’t send, your car won’t start.. “Mercury retrograde!” Your weird new-agey friend says… but what does that even mean? What is this dreaded thing everybody keeps talking about?

Let’s keep it simple.. Mercury is a planet, of course- in astrology and mythology, Mercury represents communication. In ancient Rome, Mercury was the messenger- think of him as a postal worker. Basically, he was supposed to deliver the Gods’ messages, either to humans or to other deities. When we look at the planet Mercury, it has that same role. In astrology, whatever the planets are doing affects us in some way. So, naturally, if Mercury is acting weird… we’re gonna start acting weird too.

Planets go retrograde all the time- due to the way planets move, they sometimes appear to orbit backwards. Fun fact, with modern technology we’ve learned it’s just an optical illusion based on our own horizon line here on earth- but none the less, there is still a slight change in that planet’s speed and direction. All planets have a retrograde period- some once every few years, or like our friend mercury, about three times a year. Mercury’s retrograde usually lasts about 2-3 weeks, and happens every few months. Depending which planet is in retrograde, you will be affected in different ways… for example, Venus rules love, romance, beauty, and comfort. Mars rules war, arguments, and battles. Neptune rules dreams and intuition… you get the point. Oh, and yes; They can all be in retrograde at the same time if it lines up right!

So what makes Mercury such a pain? Traditionally, when in retrograde, we experience issues with:
-communication

-technology

-data

-travel

Things like electronics busting, texts not sending, emails missing, 404 errors, words coming out wrong… all those fun little inconveniences, you have Mercury to thank! Sure, they happen all the time, but the frequency is really what makes retrograde such an arduous time. Once you know what to look for, you’ll notice it all the time. Those days where everything seems off, things keep going wrong.. isn’t it funny when it lines up with things going on in the sky? Some people follow these transits so closely that they won’t sign contracts, have medical procedures, move, or do anything important during these periods. While you don’t need to live that strictly with the stars, it always helps to prepare yourself mentally for these periods. Double check train times. Send that email twice. Save the tracking number on that package you sent. Always have a plan B when entering a retrograde period!

Mercury Retrograde isn’t this horrible, dreaded thing to be feared like it is by some people. It’s actually a great reminder for us to be present, prepared, and OK with whatever happens. You can’t plan everything in life- and if you try to, Mercury will dampen your mood real quick. This is a great period to practice giving up control and learning to go with the flow when things go wrong! The more accepting you are, the easier it is. There’s also a few things you can do to ease the journey-

1) Carry Hematite

A well loved stone by anybody who’s into crystals- Hematite is perfect for balancing, grounding, and keeping you in the moment. It’s also a great protection stone. Carrying a piece of hematite will help you accept obstacles, and then clear them away.

2) Bless Your Space

You can’t always control what goes on in the world… but you can make your home a safe haven for you to come back to everyday! This is a great time to bless your home, clear out any negativity stuck to you from the day, and give yourself a nice relaxing place to unwind in. You can sage your house, then burn or spray palo santo to invite the good energy back in. You can also put a couple drops of any essential oil in your bathwater or oil warmer, we recommend lavender! (please practice caution when burning herbs or using essential oils and consult a medical professional for advice specific to you)

3) Look Deeper!

When we feel fuzzy or lost, it’s a great time to try and reflect from within. Spend some time

with yourself, journal, talk to yourself, paint, whatever you have to do to get everything out. We always reach for our cards in times of turmoil! Try picking up a tarot or oracle deck! You don’t have to know everything about them, or even how to read. It can be as easy as asking your deck a question, picking a card, and googling what it means! What does the picture look like to you? What is the universe trying to tell you in this period? ( and yes… you can buy your own deck… i’ve been collecting for ten years 😉 )

Just remember, the fear of retrograde is worse than the retrograde itself! Stay grounded… you got this!!!

Categorised in: Crystals