Your Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide
You’ve heard of it. You love it. And now, you need to know how to survive it. If you’re wondering what that “it” is, then let me introduce you to your new friend and mine… Mercury Retrograde.
If you’ve ever heard a brown-haired hipster with a Bon Appétit tote bag begrudgingly proclaim, “Mercury is in Gatorade, again,” then you’ve felt the weight of Mercury Retrograde. This infamous transit is probably the most well-known star of the astrology world, gracing its way across stages, viral memes, and yes, even tote bags. Although Mercury is the planetary ruler of both Gemini and Virgo, if Mercury Retrograde had a sun sign, I would bet that it would be Leo.
But while there is so much buzz (and also stress) surrounding Mercury Retrograde, there is little out there on what Mercury Retrograde **actually** is. So, I am here to break it down for you in a no-frills, no-bullshit kind of way, because that’s how we do astrology here.
Buckle up, back up your technology (and if you haven’t already - what are you doing?!), and get ready to take notes. Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide.
Who is Mercury?
The planet of communication, technology, travel, and the "logical" mind, Mercury roots us in a sense of knowing and gives us comfort within the coziness of our minds. As the planetary ruler of both Gemini and Virgo, Mercury is airy and free, yet within its own confines. In other words, Mercury loves to be free to explore new realms, but within the context of what it can prove to be true.
Unlike Jupiter, the ruler of Sagittarius (and Gemini's polar), who seeks to explore the consciousness and spirituality beyond what we can see, Mercury grounds us in the tangible. Think: science, data, computers, mathematics, and more. With this, it’s no surprise that Mercury also rules over the chest, nervous system, face, and arms.
If Mercury was a person, I would describe him as a tall, slender man with unruly hair and nerdy glasses, and unusually-muscular arms. Perhaps he works in data science, at a big tech company in New York or San Francisco, and spends his free time reading Hemingway with his cat. In other words, Mercurial energy is truly one-of-a-kind.
So, What is Mercury Retrograde?
Before we get into what exactly Mercury Retrograde means, let's get one thing straight - ANY planet can have a retrograde. So while Mercury Retrograde tends to take center stage, we can (and also do) experience Venus Retrogrades, Jupiter Retrogrades, and recently, we got out of a Saturn Retrograde. All Retrogrades have their own unique qualities to them, but for some reason, Mercury Retrograde has become the most well-known.
A Retrograde happen when a planet appears to be spinning backwards on its orbit - although scientifically, this is merely an optical illusion. The planet isn’t actually spinning backwards; that is impossible. Rather, from our vantage point here on Earth, it appears as if it’s moving backwards. To me, this signifies the ultimate lesson of planetary Retrogrades: they represent a shift in perception.
Because Mercury rules over technology, Mercury Retrogrades have become synonymous for technology breaking, files getting lost, cars failing, etc. And while this is true, and does happen (I know from experience), I like to encourage people to view this as an opportunity to shift THEIR perspective. Instead of dwelling over what's gone wrong, and asking “why did this happen to me?” flip the script and ask yourself, "What is this here to teach me?"
This is a lesson that is applicable in all areas of life, but is particularly imperative when it comes to Retrogrades. When we can understand the lessons, we can learn to make peace with these transits, and see them as a catalyst for our personal growth, rather than hating them whenever they come around.
During a Mercury Retrograde, you may find yourself feeling brain-foggy, or experiencing hiccups with technology or your communication with others. These are all normal occurrences, and now matter how prepared you are for Mercury Retrograde, they are still likely to happen. That is okay, just remember: by reading this post now, you will be prepared for it, and will be able to recognize the lesson before the major freakout comes.
What Should I do During a Mercury Retrograde?
The first thing you should do during a Mercury Retrograde is — don’t panic! I know it’s easier said than done, but panicking is the antithesis of recognizing the lesson. And trust me, trying to see the silver lining in a situation is way better than freaking out.
I’ll give a personal example of this. For me, nothing causes me more anxiety than when something goes wrong with my car. I don’t know why, but whenever I have car problems, my immediate instinct is to freak the fuck out.
For YEARS, every time Mercury Retrograde rolled around, something would go wrong with my car. My battery would die, my tire would pop, or something would malfunction. And time after time, even if I knew it was coming, I would still freak out.
It wasn’t until recently that I made the conscious decision to shift my perspective around this. I chose to see these obstacles as “detours in the right direction,” as spiritual coach Gabby Bernstein says. And sure enough, when the first day of this Mercury Retrograde hit and my car battery died again, I chose to see it as an opportunity to change my plans for the day. Instead of going out and spending money I didn’t need to spend, I cleaned my apartment, painted, and spent quality time with my boyfriend and cat. And guess what? It was so much better.
This isn’t to say that shifting out of this mindset is easy, because it’s not. But the more you practice it, the easier it gets. You can’t control how or when a Mercury Retrograde (or any planetary transit) manifests. But you can control how you react and respond to it.
Now, if you’re looking for specific actions to take during time, I hate to disappoint, but there really aren’t any. Rather, I want to focus on what you can (and should, if it feels aligned) do before Mercury Retrograde, and what you should not do during a Mercury Retrograde.
What Should I do Before a Mercury Retrograde?
The first piece of advice I want to give you, when preparing for a Mercury Retrograde, is to BACK UP YOUR FILES!
With Mercury being the planet that rules over technology, I have seen way too many instances of files getting lost, deleted, or corrupted suddenly, thanks to Mercury Retrograde. So when you know that Mercury is about to station retrograde, make sure that you back up all of your files.
I’m talking in a cloud AND on an external hard drive. You can never be too safe, especially when they’re files that you can’t get back. And if that’s the case, then you should have them backed up regardless, Mercury Retrograde or not. But that is another story.
I also recommend signing any contracts or agreeing to any partnerships prior to Mercury Retrograde. Since Mercury is also the planet of communication, there is the potential for any contracts signed during this time to include funky clauses that you may accidentally look over. Save yourself the legal troubles and just sign them ahead of time, or delay the signing for just a few weeks. It won’t hurt you, I promise!
In addition to this, if you know that you need to have a potentially-difficult conversation with someone and you’ve been avoiding it, this is a good time to just have that conversation. Because Mercury rules over communication, during a Mercury Retrograde, your words can tend to be misconstrued or misinterpreted by others. Obviously, there are times where having a tough conversation is unavoidable, but if you can plan it, try to do it before (or even after) a Mercury Retrograde.
What Should I Not Do During a Mercury Retrograde?
During a Mercury Retrograde, there are a few things that I don’t recommend doing. While some of these things are unavoidable, most of them can be saved for before or after Mercury Retrograde is over, and can potentially save you some trouble in the long run.
First, I do not recommend buying new technology during this time. This includes cars, computers, cameras, tv’s, or even phones. Like I mentioned earlier, there are some times where this is unavoidable - for example, if you need a new part for your car in order to make it drivable. In those cases, that is where I say that reality overshadows astrology. Do what you need to do in order to survive, and let it take precedence over the astrological transits.
Second, this is also not a good time to move or buy any property. As I mentioned earlier with signing contracts, this also includes leases or mortgages. If you can time your move for before or after Mercury Retrograde, it would likely go a lot smoother.
Long distance travel should also be avoided during this time, particularly international travel. As Mercury also rules over planes, there’s a tendency for flights to be delayed or canceled during this time, and- in extreme circumstances- for malfunctions to occur.
And finally, one of my biggest pieces of advice on what not to do during a Mercury Retrograde is launching a business or new offering. In order to launch anything, a large part of its success rests in your ability to communicate your offering with your audience. And like I mentioned earlier in the post, during Mercury Retrograde, there is a tendency for your words to get misconstrued. In other words, launching something new during this time is a recipe for for your words falling on deaf ears.
Whenever I share this piece of advice, the first thing I hear from business owners is, “but I can’t not sell anything in my business for several weeks!” and trust me, I hear you. Not launching anything new doesn’t mean that you shouldn't sell anything. Rather, it’s an invitation to focus on selling / sharing what you’ve already released and launched. For example, if you’re selling a program that you’ve already run 3x before, then there’s no shame in selling it again during Mercury Retrograde. Or, if you’re a coach who has already launched their business, then you can totally continue to re-sell coaching packages during this time.
The point here is not that Mercury Retrograde should prevent you from doing anything. Rather, when we can work with Mercury Retrograde, we can set ourselves up for success across the board- whether that’s personally or financially.
Watch Out for the Shadow Period
About 14 days before and after Mercury Retrograde, Mercury enters a period that’s referred to as it’s “shadow” period. During this time, Mercury begins to slow down and speed, and make its way through a specific decan (or 1/3 section) of a particular zodiac sign. The breakdown generally follows this pattern:
Pre-Retrograde Shadow Period: Mercury is continuing to move through the sign, but is slowing down in pace.
During the Retrograde: Mercury begins to move “backwards,” almost back-tracking its steps into the beginning of the sign, or the 3rd decan of the previous sign (depending on what degree Mercury was stationed at prior to the Retrograde).
Post-Retrograde Shadow: Mercury begins to move forward, but at a slower pace again, moving through the decan for the 2nd or 3rd time now.
Because Mercury is moving at a slower pace, the influence it still holds over the general energy of the time is greater than when it’s out of this period. So while Mercury Retrograde generally lasts approximately 2 weeks, with both of the shadow periods, Mercury Retrograde’s energy can really last for about 2 months.
While the shadow periods aren’t as intense as the Retrograde itself, it’s still advised to take caution during this time, and again, pay attention to the lessons that are showing up for you. Although you may have more flexibility during this time, it’s still advisable to take some precaution.
The Overall Takeaway
If you take away anything from this post, let it be that above all, Mercury Retrograde (and any planetary Retrograde, for that matter) is a time to allow yourself to be flexible. So often, many of us move through our lives trying desperately to hold onto control of all things. Mercury Retrograde is here to show us that it’s not only safe to let go of control, but that there’s growth in our ability to be flexible in life. And Mercury Retrograde aside, I think this is a message that is inherent within astrology in general.
Allow yourself to flow with life, and witness all situations as an opportunity for growth and lesson-learning. Shift your focus from “why is this happening TO me,” to “why is this happening FOR me.” Honor what is showing up for you, and do what you can to make the most of this time. I promise, even with the words of caution that I have given to you, Mercury Retrograde is not gloom-and-doom.
So, just like our friend with the Bon Appétit tote bag, it’s okay to complain about Mercury being in Gatorade. But remember that during this time, nothing is quite what it seems. Look beyond the surface and dig a little deeper. The messages and lessons are all waiting for you.
