Every time Mercury goes retrograde, social media lights up. The truth lies somewhere between complete superstition and total ignorance of the phenomenon.
What happens astronomically
Mercury is the planet closest to the Sun. It orbits the Sun much faster than Earth. Three to four times a year, it "catches up" with Earth in its orbital path — and from our Earthly perspective, it appears to move backward for about three weeks.
This is an optical illusion. But its apparent motion changes, and in astrology, it's this apparent motion that matters.
What astrology says (with nuance)
In astrology, Mercury governs communication, thought, travel, contracts. When Mercury is retrograde, its energy is turned inward rather than outward.
This is not a time of bad luck. It is a time for revision.
Astrologers advise against signing important contracts or launching new projects — not out of superstition, but because the energy of the moment favors reviewing the past.
What Mercury retrograde FAVORS
The prefix "re" is your guide during this period:
- Review a project, document, decision
- Reconnect with someone you've lost touch with
- Reflect before acting
- Repair what is broken
- Reconsider an abandoned option
How to live Mercury retrograde stress-free
Before the retrograde period: finalize important contracts, back up your files. During: re-read your emails before sending, confirm appointments, be patient in your exchanges. After: before restarting full-speed, check that decisions still hold.
Astrology is not an absolute truth. It is a system of symbolic correspondences that, when used intelligently, can sharpen your awareness of cycles.