Mercury Retrograde is Coming
The chances are high that you've heard about Mercury Retrograde.
Two words that strike fear into those who look to the stars and make those that don't scoff and roll their eyes. This planetary phenomenon occurs multiple times a year and the next one is just around the corner! So buckle up because from October 14 until November 3 Mercury will be in retrograde. But what exactly is Mercury Retrograde and is there anything we can do to abate its’ effects?
Retrograde is a fascinating part of astronomy and astrology. It occurs when planets appear to be going backwards. This is actually an illusion caused by how the Earth's orbit interacts with other planets orbits. It’s similar to driving on the highway. When car speeds change it can cause the illusion that cars beside you are moving backwards but that of course is not the case. The same things happen when orbit speeds change of the planets in our solar system. Strange things tend to happen in retrogrades so even though the planetary motion may seem to be a trick of the eye, it's effects are very real. No retrograde is more infamous than Mercury's.
In order to understand what makes this Retrograde so intense we first have to know what Mercury rules in regard to the world around us as well as inside ourselves. In Roman mythology Mercury is the messenger of the gods which makes so much sense when you realize that when you boil it down to it's most basic function Mercury is responsible for communication. To a lesser extent but still vastly important, especially when understanding Retrograde, is it's ruling over technology, contracts, and travel. Finally, another strong aspect of this planet’s personality, so to speak, is Mercury's curious nature that loves to dismantle just to rebuild again. For these reasons when Mercury goes into Retrograde there is a collapse of everything that Mercury stands for, making our lives filled with everything from minor annoyances all the way to explosive failures.
Now that we know Mercury better it's a lot easier to see why certain things go haywire during it's retrograde. Communication breaks down at just about every level. Misunderstandings and even difficulty speaking are high possibilities. When you mix these problems with Mercury's technology aspects it's clear that in the 21st century this can be catastrophic; especially with Covid and so many people still working from home. Because we are relying on Zoom, email, and technology in general to communicate and get work done, Mercury Retrograde is bound to wreak absolute havoc!
One of the best ways to prepare for this is to have the right mindset. Things will go wrong but expecting them can help make them less disastrous. Some general tips for survival of Mercury Retrograde: Back up your technology like your phone, computer, gaming systems, etc. Triple check emails before you send them to make sure you are saying exactly what you mean. Don't enter into new contracts or sign anything new unless you review it thoroughly. Be prepared to repeat yourself or rephrase for better comprehension. Along with that be ready to be met with frustration and anger because when communication breaks down it causes high stress and emotion. If traveling, be prepared for delays or issues and give yourself buffer time!
Here are some crystals you can utilize to help get you through! Labradorite is excellent for helping you discover and understand underlying lessons that Mercury retrograde brings you. Remember Mercury loves to tear things down and rebuild, bringing many things to your attention! Hematite is great to help you stay grounded. You can keep a piece in each pocket for added effect. Black tourmaline is also a great grounding stone as well as helpful for making travel go smoothly. Lapis lazuli is one of the best throat chakra stones so of course it is a tremendous aid to communication. Lastly, Shungite is so so helpful for tech issues! Put this crystal on your computer and it will help keep it on track.