Mercury appears to spin backwards while it is in retrograde. Actually, what we observe here on Earth is really an optical illusion caused by Mercury’s far shorter orbit than that of Earth. As a result, Mercury zips by us three to four times every year, leaving behind a powerful “wind that shakes up our life.”
Mercury is in charge of technology, travel, and communication, regulating how we send and receive messages from others. Stay present in conversations, consider your words before you speak, and definitely read your texts and emails again before sending them if you want to avoid the chaotic scrambling impact of this retrograde. Before responding to obviously unpleasant or confusing remarks, take a few deep breaths and respond from a place of high vibration love and acceptance.
In This Article...
How can Mercury retrograde calm down?
I don’t do astrology (Hello! Since I was born during a Mercury retrograde phase (I’m Lisa Levine and I run Maha Rose, a facility for holistic healing sessions, workshops, and training), I’ve developed a few strategies to take advantage of the opportunities and challenges it brings. All the methods you can prosper in the final few days of Mercury’s retrograde and after are listed below.
What activities should you avoid when Mercury is retrograde?
Ellen Bowles, an astrologer and co-author of Astrology SOS, claims that “we can have technical or mechanical troubles, and our wires can seem crossed in all our channels of communication.” “Planetary retrogrades are occasions for everyone to stop and think. We are being advised to slow down and double-check the details when Mercury is retrograde.” The urge to meticulously examine every last aspect extends beyond the three to four weeks of the retrograde period itself. The same guidelines for what not to do during Mercury retrograde also apply during this time, which lasts for a week or two before and after the actual retrograde. This period is known as Mercury’s shadow phase or “retroshade.”
What should you do while Mercury is going backwards?
Mercury appears to move backward across the sky three times a year. These intervals are referred to as Mercury retrograde or simply Mercury retrograde periods. These times in particular were traditionally regarded by astrologers as being marked by uncertainty, lag, and frustration. Think of unfinished love letters, careless emails, and hurried travel arrangements! However, it is thought that intuition is strong at this time, making it a great time to think back on the past. Exceptional coincidences can occur.
What Is Retrograde Motion?
Comprehending that the planets in our solar system orbit the Sun at various distances and velocities is the first step in understanding the astronomical reason for retrograde motion. We can see the other planets traveling across our sky along their own courses while we ourselves round the Sun.
From our vantage point, a planet may occasionally seem to have abruptly reversed course and begun to move backward across the sky. The fact that Earth is positioned so close to the planet creates this illusion since a planet in orbit cannot suddenly change its course and always moves in the same direction. Because it merely appears that the planet is traveling backward (“retrograde motion”), this phenomenon is known as apparent retrograde motion.
When Is Mercury in Retrograde in 2022?
Mercury will appear to be moving backwards in 2022 between the dates listed below.
- 13 January to 3 February
- October 1 to September 9
- 28 December to 18 January (2023)
What You Should Do When Mercury is Retrograde
Mercury is the planet that governs all forms of communication, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening, as well as activities that are closely tied to communication, such as contracts and negotiations. It also governs transportation, motor vehicles, shipping, and mail.
As a result, when Mercury is in retrograde, strive to maintain your flexibility, patience, and understanding. Also, give yourself extra time to travel. Before you take that vacation, double verify your email responses and contact the bookings.
Review projects and plans during these times, but don’t make any decisions that are definitive until Mercury is direct once more. You can’t stop life, but you can prepare for it by planning ahead, having backup plans, and being understanding of other people’s shorter attention spans.
Take a Moment to Reflect
Some people attribute all the upheaval in their life to Mercury being in retrograde. But now is a good moment to take a step back and consider what you focused your efforts on.
If your faith and family are essential to you, for instance, are you investing enough time and effort in them, or have you become overcommitted to other activities like your job or a hobby? Being conscious of the links between different aspects of your lifeespecially during Mercury retrogrademay help you keep that equilibrium or at the very least, better understand how it functions. Losing that balance can have an adverse effect on all of them.
Think about that for a moment. When Mercury is in retrograde, it can be a great time to sit back and reevaluate who you are and what you are doing, but wait to make any significant changes until after the retrograde is over.
Mercury and the Zodiac
The zodiac sign Earth is in when Mercury turns retrograde affects the kind of effect you experience as well. There are 12 zodiac signs.
Check out our monthly horoscopes and learn more about the characteristics of the various zodiac signs. By consulting your zodiac profile for gardening, you can make sure that nothing goes wrong with your gardening during Mercury’s retrograde.
Double-check that you have everything before you leave the house
This is a pretty literal way of looking back, and Susan Miller of AstrologyZone recommends it. Make sure you have your phone, wallet, keys, and other essentials before getting out of the car or rushing out the door during Mercury retrograde because it can make us extremely negligent and forgetful.
Do I need to be concerned about Mercury retrograde?
Astrologer Nina Kahn advises against assuming that things would go wrong or being terrified of Mercury retrograde (opens in new tab). “Retrogrades are an entirely common occurrence in life. They serve as a prompt to pause, think, and give us time to make any necessary revisions.”
Which signs are impacted by Mercury’s retrograde motion?
Nothing in astrology is more notorious than the dreadful Mercury retrograde. Because it rules both cognitive and communication processes, Mercury has a significant impact on how you live your daily life. This quick-moving, very intelligent inner planet tends to confuse people and lead to errors in judgment when it goes retrograde, which can derail all of your goals. Fortunately, you don’t have to prepare for total disaster if you belong to one of the zodiac signs that will be least affected by Mercury retrograde in spring 2022: Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn.
On May 10, as Mercury is transiting through Gemini at a 4 degree angle, the next Mercury retrograde will start. As a result of this mutable air sign’s propensity to think more quickly than it speaks, miscommunication is a major theme of this erratic and capricious retrograde. Mercury won’t stay in Gemini for very long, though, as on May 22 it will turn back into Taurus and travel through that sign’s obstinate and slow-moving zone once more. Mercury is returning to this fixed earth sign, so you may find yourself second-guessing every choice and finding it difficult to look past your attachments to particular beliefs and viewpoints. Be careful you know what you’re talking about and try to have an open mind.
Despite the fact that Mercury retrograde can throw your life for a loop, you must keep in mind that it only lasts for around three weeks. This retrograde, which will terminate on June 3 at 26 degrees Taurus, could transport you back in time and bring up unfinished business that has to be attended to. Let this retrograde give you another chance to attempt because there might still be things you need to say or decisions you need to make.
In either case, cardinal signs might not experience the full effects of this retrograde. This is why:
What zodiac signs will be impacted by the 2021 Mercury retrograde?
The other cardinal signs in the other elements will feel this particular backward turn the most because it is occurring in cardinal Libra. Aries (cardinal fire), Cancer (cardinal water), and Capricorn are included in this (cardinal earth). Aries, it will manifest in your fourth house of domestic life, Cancer, your seventh house of partnerships, and Cap, your tenth house of careers.
Don’t get a new haircut.
Not exactly the finest time to begin something new is while Mercury is retrograde. Instead, the emphasis throughout this time is on redoing, reevaluating, readjusting, etc. Avoid getting a radical haircut for your hair at this time. You should avoid committing to a new look during the transit, but you can conduct your study for when the retrograde is finished. Speaking from personal experience, we have never enjoyed a haircut during a Mercury retrograde.
Don’t dye your hair a different color.
In keeping with the aforementioned concept, you should refrain from making any drastic hairstyle modifications. Keep your existing shade or at least tint your hair a similar shade. Platinum instead of jet black might not be the best choice. Save those hairstyle modifications for after the retrograde, if possible.
Don’t switch up your haircare routine.
Use the stuff you already have instead of throwing away all your go-to items and buying new ones. You can certainly reevaluate which elements of your routine are and are not effective, but hold off on making any significant choices just yet. Wait until Mercury retrograde is over before making any necessary changes to your haircare routine. As Lina points out, “I would go for it as long as it’s not anything permanent.
Don’t rush into anything.
Mercury going backwards can make us feel powerless and uncontrollable. When that occurs, we tend to act hastily in order to feel in control. Lauren emphasizes not to “rush into things” because this is particularly true when it comes to our strands. She advises waiting or “investing the time and money it takes to getdone right” as an alternative.
This idea also applies to significant investments in haircare. Lina advises you to postpone making any pricey purchases at this time. Wait until early February when Venus and Mercury are both still straight if you’re considering buying a Dyson Airwrap because, as they point out, devices bought when Mercury is in retrograde might be glitchy.
Do ex-lovers return while Mercury is retrograde?
Old lovers always manage to find their way back into your DMs around this time, but don’t act foolishly. You might feel the want to reunite with an ex when Mercury is retrograde, but you might later regret it. The answer to the questions, “Why do I keep thinking about my ex?” and “Should I keep my ex as a backup?” is obvious: no.
Should you make choices when Mercury is in retrograde motion?
While there isn’t much we can do to stop Mercury Retrograde feelings from emerging in ourselves, we can remain calm and prepare. The most important thing to keep in mind during this retrograde is to think twice before doing anything. You’ll be so tempted to move out of your apartment, purchase a brand-new car, start seeing someone new, dye your hair, and other things, but now is not the time to make any significant decisions. You can discover afterwards that you made these choices impulsively and rapidly regret them. Make sure you have definitively settled on any significant life decisions or plans prior to May 29 to prevent these problems.