Mercury Retrograde

With Mercury currently in retrograde, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about it on this week's blog. I go through what a retrograde planet is, some of the myths around Mercury and how to work with this energy in your life.

Mercury is the planet of communication. This isn’t just how you talk, it’s also how you listen, how you read and write, and how you learn. Mercury also governs travel and commerce and is the trickster planet. As the quickest moving and the closest planet, Mercury goes retrograde 3 to 4 times a year.

When a planet goes retrograde it appears to move backwards through the sky. Of course, this isn’t actually the case, none of the planets change direction. But from our perspective, with the Earth as the centre rather than the Sun, at various points, the planets appear to move backwards.

Mercury retrograde is the most strongly interpreted astrological movement, and Mercury is often blamed for everything that goes wrong during the three weeks it is retrograde. The thing is, if you are the sort of person who regularly loses their keys, sends emails without attachments or has issues with technology, that isn’t Mercury, that’s just who you are.

When any planet goes retrograde, it is a chance for us to look back over things. The themes associated with that planet slow down and we can investigate them deeper. So with Mercury, this is things like communication, travel, technology and trade. Some people are so scared of things going wrong during Mercury Retrograde that they will try and put their whole life on hold for three weeks. Which isn’t practical, or necessary.

So how can we work with this retrograde energy? First, don’t assume that everything is going to go wrong. If you expect problems, then you will get problems. Be aware that old, unresolved issues may come to the surface. This is your chance to finally resolve them!! Because Mercury rules communication, watch out for misunderstandings with other people. Don’t assume they know what you are talking about, or that they are deliberately trying to pick a fight with you. 

I would advise against starting anything new during the retrograde period, but it is a great time for finishing projects, working on anything previously started or researching new ideas.

Remember that Mercury Retrograde is a second chance at something. We have been here before and now we get to try again. Personally, I passed my driving test during a Mercury Retrograde. It was my third attempt and the only time I survived for longer than 5 minutes in the car with the examiner!!

Just like the moon is flavoured by the zodiac sign it passes through, so is Mercury. This gives us a different theme and area of our life to work on with each retrograde period. The current Mercury Retrograde is from 21st April until 15th May, in the sign of Taurus.

There are things to bear in mind with all Mercury Retrogrades, and then there are the extra bits added in with the sign. You can also take your own birth chart into account to see how the Retrograde might affect you personally.

With all retrogrades it is a good time to review what is going on in your life. Reflect on where you are now and where you want to go next. Research on things of interest. For example, research a new car or phone now, and then purchase it when Mercury goes direct. You might want to revisit places and people. Repair and reorganise things around the house. The most important thing to do during Mercury Retrograde is to double-check everything!! And back up your computer!!

This Mercury Retrograde in Taurus will have a more down-to-earth energy. This makes it a great time to go outside. You may find that more practical matters require attention and that you need more organisation and structure in your life. It’s also a really good time to re-evaluate your goals. 

Taurus is the sign associated with money and values, comfort, habits and our home environment. Are you living according to your values? What is most important to you? Think about what’s not working and what you need to bring more of into your life. Look at your finances, are your over-spending? We can use this time to review and reflect on what we do and don’t want in our lives. It’s also a good idea to make sure your own needs are being met, and to slow down and smell the roses!!

Mercury Retrograde isn’t something to be feared. It’s a great opportunity to look at what is actually important to you and to realign yourself with your dreams and goals. 

I hope you have found this week's blog helpful, and if you would like some further guidance then why not take advantage of my half-price Tarot Readings? You can find them all using the button below and pick the one that most suits you.