Into Astrology or not – there’s no doubt you hear all about this thing called Mercury Retrograde all over the place.
But… WHAT ACTUALLY IS MERCURY RETROGRADE?!
Retrograde is when a planet appears to be moving backward, but they aren’t really, they are just slowing down big time.
Mercury Retrograde occurs 3 times a year, and lasts approx. 3 weeks each time. However, Mercury, and only Mercury, also has a shadow period which begins about 3 weeks before the actual retrograde – if you have a lot of Mercury energy in your Natal Chart you will likely feel this, but if not, it’s not something to concern yourself over too much!
Mercury rules communication, thinking, intelligence, timing and can have a general affect on technology, travel and communication – depending on your personal natal chart, or it may even affect many different and specific areas of your life, it’s all completely personal!
WHY IT’S NOT SO BAD
There is so much fear around Mercury Retrograde, often leaving people feeling powerless, but this doesn’t need to be the case.
This time can be a blessing – if you allow it to be.
It is a time to slow down, reflect, go within and be still. Take the time to meditate, do yoga, hang out in nature, check in with yourself and get back to any spiritual practices that you may have let slide a little.
Mercury Retrograde can bring our attention to what hasn’t been working properly and any issues that need resolving. It is a good time to re-organise things, clean out your home and get rid of things you genuinely do not need!
Check in with your astrologer or tarot reader to have a look at the path you are currently on – and then spend the rest of the retrograde reflecting on this – are you headed in a direction that you are happy with? In fact, now is the perfect time for this sort of check in.
Similar with business plans – it’s a beautiful time to redo any business plans, structures and goals, and then spend the rest of the retrograde organising, clearing and getting ready for when things are back in motion.
MERCURY RETROGRADE IN LEO + CANCER
7TH JULY TO 1ST AUGUST
This time around Mercury will be begin by impersonating the energy of Leo – our Lions of the Zodiac with the dramatic flair. Leo’s generally possess more of an outward form of expression, so this means Mercury Retrograde is asking us to do, well, quite the opposite.
This is a time to turn inward, the energy is calling for quiet introspection, silence, stillness and reflection. It is a good time to deal with anything you may have put on the back burner. Think things to do with reflective and creative writing, inner work, journaling, spiritual work and that’s what will be calling your name.
Mercury Retrograde moves into Cancer on 19 July, and there is no doubt you will feel this shift. Cancer is such a different energy to Leo – Cancer is a more intuitive, nonverbal energy and with Mercury Retrograde here, finding the right words may not come so easily. Time spent working on our intuition is what we can expect – and being that little bit more sensitive than usual!
When it comes to communication, honestly, you may experience a bit of foot-in-mouth-syndrome, especially if you don’t slow down and really think before you speak.
