What does it “mean” for us when Mercury is in Retrograde?
If you are regularly exposed to metaphysical conversation — such as you might find here, as well as on the blogs of my friends, colleagues, and peers (I refer to us collectively, affectionately, and only slightly disparagingly as the Unicorn People) — chances are great that you have heard some poor Chicken Little guru priest/ess lamenting about Mercury’s being in Retrograde.
Mercury Retrograde is known for throwing an energetic wrench into the spokes of communication and information technology. In the current age, when our entire lives are collectively hyper-connected to communication tech, this astrological phenomenon is especially noticeable, frustrating, and often super-annoying.
- Computers behave erratically
- Cell phone calls drop more often
- Emails get lost in the In Between
- People change their minds on us, flake out, space out
- Our words and intentions are more likely to be misunderstood, misconstrued, misinterpreted
- Wires get crossed — physically and metaphorically
How Best to Use Mercury in Retrograde
While it’s nice to be able to dismiss a bit of the Haywire and blame it on Mercury, three weeks is a long time to lie in wait, avoiding action until the stars align again, creating a more helpful environment.
Have a relatively negative situation that repeats in your life, a pattern you’d like to break?
Take another look at those frustrating circumstances that you’ve pretty much given up on.
New solutions to old problems are likely to reveal themselves at this time.
Activities that Work Well with Mercury Retrograde:
- Take a Vacation or a Stay-cation — if you are blessed to have a situation that will allow it, now is a great time to just not work at all.
- If you choose to (have to) work, then perform all the little tasks you normally put off — filing paperwork, catching up on bills or correspondence, tying up loose ends, finishing projects that are lingering close to the finish line but need a final push
- Repair things that need to be fixed
- Take time to relax, refuel, and replenish
- Release yourself from routines as often as possible
- Make spontaneous decisions
- Try something you’ve never done before just for fun
- Talk to people you don’t normally speak to
- Get in touch with friends you haven’t talked to in awhile, especially if they’ve been on your mind and you’ve been meaning to check in
- Attend a reunion or social gathering — parties are great; just keep in mind that you’re more likely to meet Mr. or Ms. Right Now as opposed to Mr. or Ms. Right
Things that Starts with Re-
With the exception of reacting, if you’re trying to think of ways to work with Mercury Retrograde energy, generally, words in the English language that start with re- are usually good bets:
…redecorate, renovate, reevaluate, replenish, relax, release, reconsider, rejuvenate, renew, rejoin, reevaluate, renegotiate…
The mind is more oriented inward and backward at this time:
- Engage in contemplation, introspection, reflection, and re-evaluation
- Stop, pull back and take a Big Picture view of the path you’re currently on
- See if you’ve strayed off-course or if you might need to adjust your plans
Even if you have little concern for astrology, don’t you find these types of activities valuable? Consider this a friendly message from the Universe or just a practical, timely reminder.
What are you going to do during Mercury Retrograde?
image credit webbj74 via Creative Commons on Flickr
Love this post Slade. Does ‘writing and editing an ebook’ come under acceptable activites? I guess I’m editing it. if I call it re-writing?
what does this mean?…
….just keep in mind that you’re more likely to meet Mr. or Ms. Right Now as opposed to Mr. or Ms. Right
Michelle,
I would consider Editing a form of re-writing, absolutely. Here’s my thought process: the “launch” or beginning of a writing project would include actions like brainstorming, outlining, banging out an initial draft… Editing, polishing, re-viewing for mistakes, etc. Sounds like a good phase to me.
Clarification about Relationships: During Mercury Retrograde, new people you meet have a tendency to be temporary acquaintances, and/or they pop back up during future Merc Retro’s. Rather than meeting the Man you’ll want to marry, you’re more likely to hook-up for a brief, torrid fling.
Yuh, with me it’s been people pullin’ out in front of me, and slow drivers in front of me. OK, I get it…slow down, ’cause there ain’t no way to get around it. Enjoy the ride best you can.
Also some miscommunication and misunderstanding goin’ on. Big deal, huh?
Thanks, good words.
Just wondering how the first day of school is going to shake out with this retrograde in effect. LOL – we will see on Monday how teenagers handle it.
Hi Slade,
Mercury retrograde mistakes are legendary.
A good thing to do is to be careful to put stamps on bills you mail.
Many years ago during a merc retro I sent my first rent check to my new landlord only to have it come back because I’d forgotten to put a stamp on it~!
If you bank on line – be careful not to accidentally pay the wrong amounts on bills, or pay the wrong creditor.
Because Mercury is not on its full game – our thinking may be clouded – so it’s easier for us to make mistakes at this time. Check -and RE-check!
Mercury Retro is also a good time to re-apply for something
Re-turn to something from the past that you might have put down
Re-establish a relationship from the past
Re-visit a situation that needs some course correction.
Thank you so much for this wonderful post Slade!
Wonderful article on Merc Retro, thanks!
Hi Slade
You had me laughing at to “re” words. When I was a kid I’d read the dictionary like a book and my favorite section was the “re” words. I’m not sure why, but maybe it was Mecury Retrograde when I finally got to the R’s. Of course the value of so many re words, used consciously or not, seems to be best during MR. I feel that’s where my alphabetic word preferences really shines, both in and out of activity.
Hope you are well,
Barbara
Hello from one of the Unicorn People,
(I can almost type that without squirming…) I find at my dayjob, which is very linear, the first few days of a Mercury retrograde are very hard for me. I have alot of trouble concentrating, and feel like I have a mattress wrapped around my mind, preventing me from thinking clearly in a linear fashion.
So at work, I find this energy very good for finishing up unfinished projects, particularly those that take big chunks of time. It almost seems like it takes less time to get them finished, probably because the energy is favourable.
I try not to start anything which requires me to think very “logically”, but delve into unfinished emotional work in my personal life. During this retrograde I’m trying to observe if readings I do during this time are “better” or “deeper” or somehow different from at other times….
Thanks for the post!
Kara
I’ve been looking for a new job for over a year and i’m finding this to be a great time to re-do my resume and practice or review my interviewing skills and approach to talking with employers as well as re-evaluating the type of position I need to go after to get into some of the companies I really want to work for. It’s also a perfect time of year to do this because business tend to slow down and not be hiring over the holidays so I don’t feel like i;m missing out any opportunities.