Does Mercury Retrograde Affect Us?

Mercury retrograde will be over in just a few days. Why is that important?

As the adage goes, “As above, so too below.” Astrologers believe that whatever happens in the skies have a direct link to human activity on Earth. For those who follow astrology, Mercury retrograde is one of the most difficult retrogrades because it can affect our day to day life.

The planet Mercury governs communication, information and learning. When the planet goes retrograde, these activities can go out of control. That’s why Mercury retrograde has been blamed for mishaps from broken phones, crashed computers, missed appointments and cancelled flights to breakups, disagreements and tensions at work.

Before we deep dive into how Mercury retrograde affects us, here’s a brief overview of this period.

What is Mercury Retrograde?

As the planets orbit around the sun at varying speeds, they sometimes appear to be travelling backwards (East to West rather than West to East) from our vantage point on Earth. Astronomers refer to this as apparent retrograde motion. Although the planet is not moving backwards, the illusion has a confusing effect on Earth.

Of all the planetary retrogrades, Mercury retrograde stands out because of its frequency and impact on our life.

When does Mercury Retrograde happen? 

Because of its proximity to the sun, a year on Mercury consist of 88 days, which means Mercury finishes four solar loops in the time it takes Earth to complete one. As Mercury moves past Earth, we experience a Mercury retrograde period. This period happens three to four times a year, for about three weeks at a time.

Here are the dates of Mercury retrograde from 2020 to 2022. 

2020

February 18 to March 9 in water-sign Pisces, ends in air-sign Aquarius

June 17 to July 12 in water-sign Cancer

October 13 to November 3 in water-sign Scorpio, ends in air-sign Libra

2021

January 30 to February 20 in air-sign Aquarius

May 29 to June 22 in air-sign Gemini

September 27 to October 18 in air-sign Libra

2022

January 14 to February 3 starts in air sign Aquarius, ends in earth-sign Capricorn

May 10 to June 2 starts in air sign Gemini, ends in earth-sign Taurus

September 9 to October 2 starts in air sign Libra, ends in earth-sign Virgo

December 29 – January 18 in earth-sign Capricorn

What you should not do during a Mercury Retrograde 

Astrologers advise that you hold back from making important decisions during Mercury retrograde. Decisions made during this period are likely to change, so it is better to put them off until Mercury turns to direct motion.

Mercury retrograde period is not ideal for activities involving communication such as launching a magazine or website or starting a promotion campaign. Communications are obscured and people may say things they don’t mean, which could lead to misunderstanding among friends, family and coworkers. It is important to remain calm and compassionate during this time.

Entering any form of contract, from business agreements to property and employment contracts are also discouraged. If you are unsure about a contract, you can benefit from putting off deciding until Mercury returns direct. However, you also need to exercise your intuition, if you feel strongly about an agreement or a new job offer, don’t let Mercury retrograde stop you from going for it.

What you should do during a Mercury Retrograde 

Mercury retrograde is a perfect time to slow down, reevaluate and reset. Take the time to pay close attention to details instead of rushing through life as we often do.

Use the time to reconnect with old friends and relatives, organise your files or closet, or put finishing touches to a project you have been working on.

You can use the time to reset your energies, prepare and plan for the future so when Mercury returns to direct, you can leave the chaos and emerge fresh.

How Mercury Retrograde affects us

Mercury retrograde can leave us feeling down, low in energy or a negative mood. You might find yourself more sensitive than you normally are. And because you are dealing with people who are in a similar situation, interactions and communication with other people can be more challenging than usual. If you are not careful, it could lead to misunderstanding and falling out.

During this period, things are expected to go awry more often than usual, which could further lead to frustration and confusion. Having a better understanding of how Mercury retrograde affects you and when it happens could help you prepare and navigate through this period better.

You can prepare and schedule your activities ahead of time, so you can avoid making huge decisions during a retrograde. Remain calm and practice compassion with yourself and everyone around you.

How to get motivated as Mercury returns to direct

Mercury retrograde or not, with the way things are going on in the past three months, you might be feeling stressed and demotivated.

That’s normal.

You are not alone.

We understand that most days we just want to stay in bed, pull the covers up and take a timeout from life. But wouldn’t you love to know how things are unfolding for you?

With Mercury retrograde almost over, it’s the perfect time to reflect and review the past three months, embrace the new normal, plan and start fresh.

At Psychic Truth, our gifted and compassionate psychic readers can offer guidance and insight to help you understand your current situations and make informed decisions.

The motivation you need is only one phone call away. Contact our intuitive readers on 01223 800 616 today.