You must have seen memes about something called ‘Mercury retrograde’ all over social media where people blame Mercury Retrograde for creating havoc in their lives. From social media site crash to delayed promotion to miscommunication in relationships, Mercury retrograde is blamed for everything. But are these allegations true?? And What exactly is Mercury retrograde? In this article, we will clear all your doubts about Mercury retrograde.
What is Mercury Retrograde?
The word Retrograde is derived from the Latin word “retrogradus”, meaning “backward step.”
Every planet in our Solar System travels in the same direction in its journey around the Sun, and none of them ever pause and turn back in the opposite direction. Yet, all of them appear to do just that from time to time.
Venus and Mercury have shorter orbits, therefore retrograde motion occurs more frequently and for shorter periods of time.
Mercury’s orbit around the Sun takes only 88 days to complete therefore Mercury goes retrograde 3-4 times in a year for about 3 weeks at a time.
Saturn, Uranus, Mars, Jupiter, and Neptune all orbit the Sun slower than the Earth does, because their orbits are larger that’s why they have less frequent but longer periods of retrograde motion.
Understanding Mercury
Mercury is the reigning lord of intelligence in Vedic astrology and is the son of Lord Moon. It is considered as a facilitator of all modes of communication and transportation, and the ruling lord of Gemini and Virgo.
Mercury represents speech, transportation, communication, intelligence, logic, mathematics, humor, banking services, etc. Mercury’s favorable position in one’s birth chart makes the person look young, sharp, and attractive. These people are quick-witted and possess good communication skills and charm.
Strong mercury also blesses an individual with a sharp mind and clarity of thought which will help the individual in choosing their career wisely. In the realm of education, such natives make more development and have more success. They also have the opportunity to win scholarships. The positive placement of Mercury also gives amazing memory retention.
Now that we know the importance of Mercury in Astrology, it is important to understand how the retrograde motion of Mercury impacts our lives and what events might occur as a result of Mercury being retrograde.
Mercury Retrograde in 2022
- January 14-February 3
- May 10-June 3
- September 9-October 2
- December 29-January 18, 2023
Does Mercury Retrograde affect us Negatively?
Mercury Retrograde is known for being a time of difficulty and misunderstanding.
During Mercury Retrograde, you must have seen a lot of memes and jokes circulating around that say that it’s best to avoid people, conversations, and important decisions because it’s definitely going to get messed up.
Generally, people believe that during Mercury retrograde thinking, speaking, travel, communication and other areas of life, related to Mercury move backward and start acting haywire for a period of three weeks.
Although it is true to some extent, the purpose of any planet going Retrograde is not to punish you but to teach you some important life lessons. During Mercury retrograde, because Mercury rules communication, intelligence, etc, it is a time to focus on those aspects of your life.
It is actually a disempowering concept to think that everything is going to go wrong during Mercury retrograde or during the time of any planet’s retrograde motion. You can even do some astrological remedies to help you when things get difficult.
But keep in mind you are the co-creator of your life, and you manifest whatever you focus your attention and energy on. So, if you focus on the bad aspects of Mercury retrograde then it will most likely manifest for you.
Is there a positive side to Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury retrograde gives us the ability to see things that we were previously unable or unwilling to see in our lives.
So, Mercury retrograde is actually a great time to analyze your actions, beliefs, and thought processes. Instead of starting something new, it’s better to finish up the old stuff.
It’s a perfect time to finish up existing tasks, revise and improve your existing work, and uncover solutions and ideas in areas where you’ve previously been stuck or hindered.
Subconscious concerns and thought patterns may also surface during Mercury Retrograde for you to evaluate, reflect on, and resolve.
Retrogrades are a good time to slow down and focus on yourself. Yes, you’ll need to be extra patient at times because transportation, technological, and communication systems may disclose flaws or take longer than expected.
But, if you’re receptive to Mercury Retrograde’s energy, it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. It may be a breath of fresh air when you realize it’s acceptable to take things slowly, be patient, and let things work themselves out.
The greatest approach to rejuvenate yourself, obtain a deeper knowledge, or perceive things in a new perspective is to go out of your typical routine (as Mercury may provoke for you).
Mercury Retrograde can reveal to us things we need to correct, fix, or altogether change. Instead of becoming disappointed when you learn something needs to be rebuilt, consider it an opportunity to build something even greater than you could before.
Mercury Retrograde and communication
Some people may advise you to stay indoors, unplug your phone, and avoid talking to everyone in order to avoid communication problems that appear to be more widespread during Mercury Retrograde.
While communication may be more difficult at this time, those difficult conversations usually have a reason and can lead to breakthroughs, deeper insights, and more genuine relationship connections.
During Mercury retrograde, powerful communication work such as resolving previous conflicts, clarifying miscommunication, and resolving Karma are all very real possibilities.
Mercury Retrograde and Self reflection
It’s also a good opportunity to think about how you talk to yourself and others. Is it positive or negative? Is it words of encouragement or discouragement?
How can you explain your message in a kinder way while still being authentic and honest about how you feel?
Mercury Retrograde is an excellent time to develop more patience, self-reflect, complete existing projects, and see your life and circumstances in a more positive and fresh light.
Stay hopeful, keep your heart open, and know that Mercury will soon be direct or prograde again, and you’ll be going forward at a rapid speed in all areas of your life.
