Mercury retrograde is a semi-regular event which tends to cause widespread panic – even among people who declare they don’t believe in astrology. Trickster Mercury, the planet of communication, siblings, neighbours, the internet, detail, short trips and brain function, goes retrograde three to four times a year, spawning multiple memes predicting chaos and destruction, and advising you that the entire Universe will be working against you (sigh).
A couple of years ago, I decided to break up with what I call ‘Mercury retrograde panic syndrome’, and I can report that my life has not been significantly impacted as a result. Given that Mercury goes retrograde three to four times every year, I can’t be bothered investing in the constant doom and gloom (ain’t nobody got time for that!). Frankly, I think we all need to chill about Mercury retrograde (MRx). Despite what you might have heard, it truly doesn’t spell the end of social order, and can even be a good thing. Here’s why:
(Photo by Iwona Castiello d'Antonio on Unsplash)
1. The planets aren’t the boss of you
I believe that the reason MRx invokes so much panic in people is because it makes them feel powerless. But as any astrologer worth their salt will tell you, nothing is set in stone. The movements of the planets do not determine the course of your life. All they do is indicate a set of likelihoods or possibilities, enabling you to be prepared and more responsive to certain issues. The way your life plays out is largely in your hands. This is a message I’m super passionate about, and you’ll find it repeated in my blog posts over and over again. If you believe the planets, or the Universe, are responsible for what happens to you, it’s going to be difficult for you to recognise where your own poor planning or bad decisions have contributed to adverse events (eek!). Of course, it’s much sexier to blame Mercury for making you miss your train instead of owning the fact that you slept in or wasted too much time on social media this morning (guilty as charged!). I’m not saying transport and tech problems aren’t part of MRx, I’m just saying Mercury is sometimes unfairly demonised when it isn’t to blame.
2. Attraction is a thing
According the law of attraction, you tend to attract what you spend the most time focusing on. In the context of MRx, that means if you are invested in panic, you’re more likely to attract the adverse effects of this planetary transit. If you believe that you’re destined to be cloudy-headed and unfocused, you’ll probably experience that. If you expect that traffic jams are inevitable, that’s probably going to happen. If you are anticipating that someone will hack your email, it’s more likely that your energy will attract someone who wants to do just that. Instead of expecting the worst, elevate your mindset: sure, dramas may happen, but you don’t want to go around attracting them.
(Photo by Josh Rangel on Unsplash)
3. The shadow factor
Fact: in the two to three weeks before Mercury goes retrograde, it enters a pre-shadow period. And after it goes direct at the end of the official retrograde period, there’s a similar-length period called the post-shadow period. Many astrologers believe that those shadow periods are more likely to result in problems than the retrograde proper (sigh).
Let me explain why that matters. If you consider the fact that Mercury goes retrograde three to four times a year (depending on how the calendar falls), that’s already nine to 12 weeks of MRx panic you’re experiencing each year (remember that each retrograde lasts about three weeks). And if you add on the pre- and post-shadow periods, that’s an extra 18 to 24 weeks of chaos – a total of 27 to 36 weeks you’ll spend every year trying to avoid making big purchases, making a mountain out of a molehill and dealing with technology snafus. I don’t know about you, but living in panic is NOT how I want to spend half the year.
(Photo by Martino Pietropoli on Unsplash)
4. Retrogrades can be helpful
The purpose of any planetary retrograde – yep, they all go retrograde on the regular, but Mercury’s retro is the one that gets the most attention – is to slow your roll. You cannot live your life in top gear all the time. Mercury slams on the brakes and forces you to re-evaluate where you’re going and how you’re living – and that’s a good thing. The most important part of the word retrograde is ‘re’ – which is why words like ‘review’, ‘rethink’, ‘renew’ and ‘reunite’ are often used at this time. Mercury retrograde invites you to reconnect with old friends instead of seeking out new contacts. It’s a prime time to re-examine your policies, contracts and possessions instead of making new purchases. It’s an opportunity to be more mindful about the way you spend your time – and that’s gotta be a good thing.
5. Life happens \_(ツ)_/¯
I know that sounds bleak, but hear me out. The events typically associated with Mercury retrograde – such as delayed buses and trains, technology meltdowns and mixed messages – can happen any time of year, and frequently do (especially if you live in Sydney, amirite?). My phone has died several times in the past five years, but not once during a MRx. My bus is often late. A month ago I turned up to an appointment on the wrong date – and nope, not during MRx. Could these things be more likely to happen during MRx? Sure, but that doesn’t mean they won’t happen at other times. Because, life.
(Photo by Eddie Kopp on Unsplash)
And that’s the point I’d like to leave you with. Life is messy, and we’re all very busy. We misread situations, and we often fail to adequately plan. Is it a good idea to back up your data before a MRx? Of course, but in theory, you should be doing that regularly anyway. Should you allow more time for your daily commute? Yes, but for most of us that’s a useful strategy at any time of the year. Should you go over contracts and policies with a fine-toothed comb before signing them? Yes, but honestly – this is adulting 101, no matter what’s happening in the stars. I’m not saying MRx isn’t real, I’m just saying panicking about it isn’t terribly effective. Instead, try to roll with what life throws at you, and maybe use this time to course-correct if necessary.