Enjoying Mercury in Retrograde

Now of days almost everyone has heard of Mercury in Retrograde and all the ominous events that go on in our lives when it’s in effect. While every other article out there will tell you the science behind the retrograde motion from our point of view here on Earth, I’m here to encourage you to use the times of Mercury in Retrograde to your advantage- or at the very least to enjoy it.

Before we dive into all the ways to embrace this time you should know a few things about Mercury. Mercury is the fastest moving planet in our solar system as it’s closest to the sun. It rules communication, travel, technology, and all the little things that can go under each of those umbrellas like thinking, sharing ideas, writing, collaborating, making plans, information, agreements, etc. And finally, Mercury is a personal planet and rather close to the Earth so the effects of Mercury in astrology are more pronounced for us on an individual level than the effects of a much further away planet like Neptune.

So knowing that Mercury effects us all, especially in many of the most important areas of our life that we use each and every day, knowing how to more than just survive, but even enjoy, the times when things go a little haywire is very important.

Plan to be Flexible

First, and probably most importantly, you’re going to plan to be flexible. If you’re already a go with the flow kind of person this will be much more natural for you, but if you’re more scheduled or type A this is key for you!

Create space in your daily routine (i.e. no back to back meetings).
Instead of business as usual, plan to do the things you don’t normally have time for (like backing up your data or reviewing that pile of paperwork stacking up).
Embrace a slower pace- think of how you could even enjoy slowing down more.
If things go wrong, accept them for what they are
Do your best to stay relaxed

I love this strategy going into any Mercury in Retrograde season because there’s no downside to it. In our crazy world, moving slower is never a bad thing, and if this particular planet’s retrograde usually delays things, causes mishaps, and miscommunications then having less to rearrange anyway and more time to deal with it is a huge win.

How To Take Advantage of Mercury Retrograde

The next way to take advantage of Mercury in Retrograde is to use this time to back track in order to move forward. You know how it is when you’re working on a project then suddenly it kind of gets stuck in progress- maybe you don’t have the materials, time, or help to get it done so life carries on and the project does not.

This is the time to pick back up uncompleted projects, or revisit unfinished business in your life. It can also be the time to find new direction for things that have been stuck for too long and give them new purpose.

Thus, the super power of the Mercury Retrograde. This time is not here to haunt us or exhaust us on purpose, it’s comes as an opportunity to help us get back on track (though sometimes that backtracking is an essential part of the process).

The Short Cut: Embrace Action Words that Start with “RE”

Finally, a best practice to enjoy and take advantage of this time is to embrace action words that start with “re”: reorganize, revisit, redirect, review, repurpose, rebuild, readjust, rekindle, rewrite, renegotiate, reread, rearrange, etc.

The prefix “re” means “again”, which makes these actions perfect for a “re”trograde because a lot of times we are doing things again. Knowing this can also prevent frustration when you unexpectedly find yourself facing something you thought was completed.

When this happens, it’s best to embrace the idea of doing it again and with the belief that whatever you’re redoing will be for your favor/highest good.

When you think of spending your time this way the 3-4 times a year that Mercury goes retrograde, it doesn’t seem all that bad does it? Especially with some proper planning and expectations.

Remember to focus on solutions instead of problems, triple check your work and communication, and be willing to spend some extra time coordinating the details the support things working for you. You’ve got this!

PS If you’d like carve out time to join me for a Gentle Yoga Class specifically for when Mercury is in Retrograde! This 60 minute gentle class is a really fun practice for the entire body, and as it’s been pre-recorded you can practice it again and again when you need a full body practice that will help tight hip and help you readjust when you feel rigid in your mind.

Feel free to check out an old episode of The A Bit From Within Podcast specifically on realigning and reconnecting during retrograde season. Every week on the pod, Felicia shares a bit from within on the ups and downs of life and thoughts on how to navigate it all with self love, a healthy perspective, and positive intentions.