This Saturday morning, February 23rd at 4:41 AM EST, Mercury will turn retrograde and it will stay there until Mercury goes direct on Sunday, March 17th at 4:03 PM EDT.
You scratch your head and wonder, what does this mean? How might I best engage and move forward at this time? What can I do to prepare?
Here are the basics of what you need to know: Mercury is a planet that is the ruler of communications. Only, it is not just communications, it is coordination, thought processes, ideas and information from both your subconscious and conscious mind. Mercury is about travel. Mercury is about contracts. Mercury’s action is to take things apart and then put them back together again. So, when Mercury goes retrograde (which happens about every 3 months), a phenomenon in which it appears that the planet is not in forward motion, but moving backward, we must expect some degree of a ripple effect. All of the areas that Mercury would influence have a similar experience, like things are going backward, haywire or just not how they were expected. There is usually much confusion, people forget things, delays and frustrations become the status quo.
Astrologers generally tell you to avoid starting anything new during a mercury retrograde. There are many things you are advised *not* to do during a Mercury retrograde. Such as: Making important decisions, buying a computer, TV, radio or anything involving communications, travelling without backup plans, buying a car, negotiating a contract, filing a law suit, starting a new job, begin a new class, go on a “first” date. You should *not* expect things to move quickly and most importantly, take nothing for granted.
So, now that we know all of the don’ts, let’s talk about the do’s, because this is where we are going to live for the next 3 weeks plus. We are going to take the “re” out of the retrograde and put it into play. Time to: Relax – take a vacation or stay-cation, Re-evaluate – play catch up at work with filing/paperwork, catch up on old bills, tie up loose ends, finish projects that are lingering, repair things that need to be fixed, take time to refuel, replenish, try something just for fun, re-connect – speak to someone you have been thinking of but not had a moment for. Essentially, anything with a “re” is good to do now. Redecorate, renovate, revise, release, rejoin, renegotiate, reconsider.
It is always wise to be kind to yourself. Take that message to heart as we move forward and through this transit. You might just re-learn something about yourself that you were too busy to remember!
How is Mercury retrograde playing out in your life? Where is Mercury in your chart? How can you take Mercury retrograde’s advice and re-invent or re-create a better solution? What closet could use a little de-cluttering and re-organizing? How great would that make you feel? What is your favorite “re” activity?
Feel free to share your stories with me at dina@dinaberrin.com or reach out to set up an astrology reading to see where Mercury (and your other planets) are showing up and playing out in your natal chart.
Until the next time. . . .
