What it actually means for you when Mercury is in retrograde
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10th Jul 2019
Found your technology letting you down lately? Parcels not making it to their correct destinations? Life just a little bit upside down?
Well don’t worry, it’s not just you. It’s Mercury. And as a white witch, Rebecca Ryan knows exactly what it can mean for you (and your life events) when Mercury is in retrograde – an occurrence that actually happens more than you think, like right now between July 7 and July 31. Here’s everything you need to know.
What does it really mean when Mercury is in retrograde?
“In simple terms, Mercury is the planet in our solar system which is closest to the Sun. Our lovely home is third closest and because all the planets travel around the Sun at different speeds and circuits, four times a year it looks like Mercury is actually travelling backwards. The Retrograde is the (approximately) three weeks that Mercury appears to be travelling backwards and there are a few weeks either side of this direction change where it seems to slow down or speed up again.”
What should we be wary of? Anything we should keep in mind specifically?
“Mercury as a (Greek) image is seen as the messenger of the gods – think a running young man with wings on his feet. He is about communication, networking, ideas and people, trade and commerce – and he has an association for being a bit slippery – mercurial, changeable. When the 88-day transit (orbit) of Mercury around the Sun starts to look like it’s slipping backwards, we can experience communication errors, misunderstandings on contracts, difficulty making our point and errors of judgement that arise because we overlooked the fine print. It’s generally recommended not to make big purchases like cars or houses, not to overlook small communication details (assumptions have a tendency of blowing up in our faces), and to double check that what we think we are getting is what we are actually getting. Mercury retrogrades are often times of maddening phone and computer glitches, general delays in communications. Keep in mind, patience is a virtue and you might need to try a different communication style with your dearest ones if you want to be sure you are being understood. Oh, and buy the insurance! Returns on new purchases, missed plane flights and accidentally buying a lemon are incredibly common during this phase.”
Are there ways to avoid any of the pitfalls of this time?
“The best ways to ride a Mercury retrograde are to know that Mercury is a left brained and analytical influence. You might feel overwhelmed with thoughts or misunderstandings, and you might feel as if your nervous system is being flooded with stressors. The very best thing to do is to engage in some walking or other gentle exercise for your nervous system. And some quiet music or restful meditation can help with the feeling of too much thinking. Often Mercury retrograde is paving the way, backwards, for us to see what we didn’t notice about our dream car/holiday/boyfriend.”
Are there any hidden positives around this time?
“A really great way of reaping big benefits from Mercury retrogrades is to write down on sticky notes or scribble somewhere handy any worrying or troubling thoughts or doubts, worries and fears that seem to be more urgent than they used to be. If we can write something down and then intend to get clearer and clearer on what the underlying concerns are, we can thrive in inspiration and clear sightedness during the three weeks that Mercury gives us a chance for a do-over.”