Surviving and Thriving During the Mercury Retrograde

As I scroll through my social media I start to see the warning of the cosmic frustration that we are about to endure — Mercury is about to go retrograde (cue the panicked preparation). Now, take a deep breath in, because what I’m about to tell you might shock you — this time can actually serve you and work for you, if you just let it. Okay, exhale. Let me explain the basics and benefits of Mercury’s travels.

Mercury is the messenger of the gods, ruling over Gemini and Virgo, the two best communicators in the zodiac. In fact, the Roman god Mercury is directly associated with Hermes, the Greek messenger god. Mercury aids in enhancing curiosity, logic, reasoning, creativity, and thought processes. When Mercury goes retrograde, the planet moves differently. It gives an illusion that it is moving backward, and when the planet shifts, the energy of the planet shifts. Since the illusion of it moving backwards is just our perspective, so is the illusion that this cosmic time is negative.

Since Mercury aids in the magic of communication, the way we think, speak, and interpret things gets easily confused. Electronics seem to break, brain fog can cloud you, and little tiffs and inconveniences can happen in relationships and at work. It is a time when everything seems to go wrong. It is by far the most famous planetary time, and for good reason! When we can’t communicate or process our thoughts, feelings, and emotions properly, things are bound to go wonky.

However, this is opportunity in disguise. You can harness this energy to get really clear on what is for you, and what you should shed and leave behind. Mercury retrograde seems to do the heavy lifting for us, it breaks off whatever is in the way of your path. Take some space for yourself and go inward. Notice what comes up for you. Maybe your travel plans went awry, or your hard drive wiped out, or there was a massive miscommunication at work. Take space and reflect on these situations. The trick here is to go with this divine flow. Mercury retrograde gives an opportunity to test your faith, get really clear about what you want, and puts you in situations where you can see new perspectives and gain new magic.

During this time, wait to start new endeavors and think about things carefully. Reflect on things you have set into motion or prioritize unfinished business. It's an ideal time to analyze what you may have overlooked or want to do differently.

This is a time where you can feel overwhelmed or anxious, since Mercury rules the nervous system. This doesn’t help with the already strained communication. You may also notice people from your past coming out of the woodwork, which can lead to old feelings coming up. This is an opportunity to heal things from the past, practice being present and grounding in the now, and process all that is happening in your life.

Let your mantra during Mercury retrograde be “flow over friction.” If you feel like you are holding on to ideas, outcomes, relationships, contracts, and things of the like too strongly, let it go and see how Mercury is helping you out. If you are noticing friction come up for you, that is Mercury holding your hand and guiding you to your truth. Take a step back and look — this is a gift.

Mercury retrograde is a time to own yourself. You have nothing to worry about, simply honor your thoughts, words, and deeds, and have them come from a place of integrity and love.  So, breathe deeply and don’t buy into the drama around this time. Let it be a helping hand to being fully you.

The intense dread we feel when we hear a planet is about to turn its energy inward, is a direct reflection of how we see the art of surrendering. These reactions highlight our wounding. Retrogrades are very yin, they change up the energy to an inward experience. In a world where all we want to do is produce, can we do as the cosmos do and take a necessary turn inward? We are made of stardust, after all. ⠀⠀⠀