Mercury Retrograde has been around for centuries, but you may be hearing the term more frequently now than ever. Whispers of its impending arrival? Hearing people blame Retrograde for forgetting a nicely brewed travel mug of coffee on the counter on their way to work, *Que dramatic instrumental music and camera angle* “RETROOOGRADEEE” That’s right, we’ve all been there. It seems Retrograde has been gaining more and more awareness and has even become trendy in a way. But what does it mean? And why do people hate it?
The term “retrograde” was created to describe the backwards movement of a planet. Of course, the planet is not actually moving backwards but from the Earth it appears to be moving further away. When it does this, it is referred to as retrograde. This is a time where the planet is almost “resting” or not in full action.
When a planet is in retrograde it cannot fully express its energy, it almost like it has shut down or gone to sleep and when we try to go against this energy, we feel like we are fighting the rhythm of the Universe. All planets retrograde, however Mercury retrograde is often the one that is noticed most harshly because Mercury controls communication and technology.
In astrology Mercury is known as the messenger. The planet is ruled by the Greek God Hermes. Hermes was the messenger of the Gods as well as a trickster God. He loved to stir up conflicts, thrived in miscommunications and is the type of guy to grab some popcorn to watch his handy work unfold. Gemini’s tend to feel Mercury Retrograde bitterly due to the fact that they are born of Mercury’s energy.
However, when Mercury is in retrograde, we can ALL often experience technical difficulties, not just with our technology but also with how we communicate. Because Mercury also rules over social relationships, these relationships are often tested during the retrogrades duration. We find ourselves being stuck in delays, confusions and miscommunications.
So, what can you do to get over the Retrograde Blues?
Mercury retrograde is not all bad, in fact the purpose of mercury retrograde is to go back and re-visit what you are already working on rather than starting anything new.
Mercury retrograde is also a wonderful time to connect with old friends and lovers. It’s a time to go back to old projects or goals that were perhaps left by the wayside. Having this “communication breakdown” allows us a wonderful period of downtime to focus on looking within and reflecting on situations that we may have been too involved in to begin with.
Overall, Mercury Retrograde can be quite the hassle and frustrating experience, but rather than focusing on the challenges it brings, look inwards and reflect on your own energies to see where there needs to be growth or where your energy is getting stuck.
My advice, rather than punching your computer for not sending that email…pick up that old book you’ve read the first chapter of 3 times because you just can’t find the time to finish the whole thing.
Stay Magical
-D