Astrology 101: What Is The Actual Impact of Mercury Retrograde?
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If you are surrounded by people passionate about astrology, even if you don’t follow the celestial movements, you may have heard people grumbling about Mercury Retrograde. People frequently use the term as a blanket explanation for any slight annoyance. Yet, honestly speaking, Mercury Retrograde, may bring a lot of turmoil into our lives.
2022 brings us four cycles when Mercury is in Retrograde. They take place under the influence of numerous zodiac signs. Fasten your seatbelts, we will have an interesting year ahead!
With the first cycle of the year having ended on 3rd of February 2022, Mercury will not be in in Retrograde until 10th of May. But what is Mercury Retrograde, you might wonder?
To answer this question we need to dig deeper into the art of astrology. Let’s discover what is a Retrograde, how celestial bodies move around the atmosphere, and what their impact actually is!
Introduction to Astrology: What is a Retrograde?
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To understand what Mercury Retrograde is, the basics need to be covered. So, what is a retrograde?
In case you don’t know what happens when we are faced with a planet in Retrograde, this section is for you. For a brief context, astrology is the science studying the positions of the planets to produce accurate predictions about how life on Earth will progress.
When a planet appears to be moving backward in the cosmos from Earth’s standpoint, the phenomenon is called a planet in Retrograde.
Except for the Sun and the Moon, all of the planets will appear to be traveling backwards across the sky from time to time. So, how does it happen? Let’s take a look at this example. On the motorway, the simplest illustration is when you are passing a car or a car is passing you. The automobile looks to be traveling backward for a brief moment before appearing to be moving ahead again. On our solar expressway, the same thing happens, and this is when a retrograde occurs.
Each planet in the Zodiac regulates distinct aspects of our life in astrology. Venus, the ruler of money and love, or Saturn, the ruler of discipline and hard labor, are two examples. When a planet goes retrograde, the areas of our life it governs must slow down and reorganize.
What Happens When Mercury is in Retrograde?
We have previously discussed the impact of this Mercury Retrograde and the shifting nodes. But, let’s try to understand the general phenomenon, as Mercury is for sure like no other planet in Retrograde.
So, what is Mercury Retrograde? Mercury, like all other planets, has a synodic cycle in which it separates from the Sun and rebounds. Mercury is the planet that governs communication, travel, contracts, transportation, and other things.
Mercury’s apparent motions, according to astrologist Susan Miller, may impact “listening, speaking, learning, reading, editing, researching, negotiating, selling, purchasing… all formal contracts and agreements, important papers… as well as transportation, shipping, and travel.”
If you still wonder what happens when Mercury is in retrograde, we have a shortlist of its most common effects:
Delays & Confusion
Mercury is the courier, and the delivery is skewed or the communication is lost en route during this period. Some folks experience problems with their laptops or phone connections. If you’re concerned about this, make a backup of your crucial data now. There may be delays, so allow plenty of time to reach where you need to go.
A Moment of Reflection
This transit allows us to contemplate and catch up on our lives. Something from the past reappears, albeit in a new form. People, ideas, or buried insights that are critical to progressing can float to the top.
It’s often perceived as a slower, more meditative period, and, depending on the sign, a chance to revisit old territory and claim what you missed the previous time around.
Switch of Attention
Oftentimes we glaze over things that irritated us at one particular moment. What appeared little at the time may turn out to be a huge problem that requires our consideration. Mercury Retrograde is a period of observation when the underlying patterns are revealed.
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The Stages of Mercury Retrograde
As with any other cycle, Mercury Retrograde can be split into cycles. In order to better understand what happens when Mercury is in Retrograde, it is essential to analyze each of these stages closely.
Mercury Retrograde Pre-Shadow
Mercury is still traveling ahead at this point, but it is passing through the degrees it will later retrace.
This period is like a Mercury Retrograde premonition, where communication breakdowns are already showing themselves. This is an excellent moment to pay attention to specific issues that occur. They will most likely be the themes we need to concentrate on throughout the disruptive retrograde phase.
During the pre-shadow period, anything we say or send may come back to haunt us.
Mercury Retrograde Station
There is a point when Mercury slows down from going forward and is ready to move backward in our visual range. The Mercury Retrograde Station, or simply “Mercury Retrograde,” is the name given to that time period. This is usually the most difficult stage of the cycle, bringing challenges for natives of all signs.
Proper Mercury Retrograde
Later on, when Mercury is in proper Retrograde, it seems to be moving backward in the atmosphere for around three and a half weeks. It is extremely vital to verify and recheck the specifics of critical topics during this time, since errors, incorrect assumptions, and regrettable “short-cuts” are frequently discovered.
Mercury Retrograde Conjunct Sun
During this period, Mercury and the Sun are in a tight conjunction, known as a “Mercury Cazimi” which marks the midpoint of the Retrograde cycle. Mercury is revived and reinvigorated as it bathes in the Sun’s rays, an optimistic time in the midst of the adventure. Around this period, expect to be hit by breakthroughs, ideas, and enlightenment.
Mercury Direct Station
Mercury has reached a point in its orbit when it will begin to orbit the sun in the same direction as the earth. The Mercury Direct Station occurs when Mercury appears to have stopped traveling backward and is ready to go forward.
The Mercury Direct Station, like the Mercury Retrograde Station before it, tends to be a target for showing the repercussions of mistakes, erroneous assumptions, confusion, and improper performance.
Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow
You could be breathing a sigh of relief that Mercury Retrograde is finally over, but it isn’t. The two-week period following Mercury Retrograde’s celestial backspin is a time to reflect, while the two-week period preceding the event is a time to prepare. So, if you’ve heeded all of Mercury Retrograde’s warnings, you might want to wait a few weeks longer.
In its most generic definition, astrology aids in the processing of emotions, triggers, and trauma so that you can break free from old habits. This is your chance to change old habits that always appear to result in the same dreadful conclusion.
Prepare Yourself For The Next Mercury Retrograde!
Now that the Capricorn New Moon is already part of the past, the next one is just around the corner. It’s always better to be prepared, especially when the New Moon calendar is quite clear already.
The Sisters Enchanted are here to help you make the most out of the following period and deepen your astrology knowledge. If you are a spiritual being willing to understand the universal energies, we would love to have you around.
Right now, we have a special early enrollment option to our Holistic Witchery program. We normally only enroll twice a year, but we’re opening up enrollment for a limited time right now! Click here to learn more about Holistic Witchery.
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Luckily enough, we won’t be able to tell that “Mercury is in Retrograde” until the 10th of May. Yet, while the first Retrograde might have taken you by surprise, there is no excuse not to be prepared for the next Mercury Retrograde!
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