The retrograde motion of Mercury is being discussed by everyone as if it has not yet initiated. I am sorry to be the one to disappoint you, but that is not completely incorrect.
Keep in mind that the beginning and ending dates of Mercury retrograde are crucial dates that you should mark on your calendar, just like Diwali, Christmas, or any other religious or spiritual holiday that you may be inclined to observe. Around three times a year, the planet that controls our reasoning, speech, and thinking seems to go backward in the sky. All sorts of technological hiccups, misunderstandings, and opportunities for heightened self-awareness are attributed to it at the moment. On the other hand, you should think about the much less well-known Mercury retrograde shadow period.
Suppose you are listening to a world-class orchestra playing in perfect harmony when all of a sudden the string section starts playing it wrong. The first dissonance is the most noticeable. Mercury going into and out of retrograde is a good analogy for this. It all makes sense when you think about these huge celestial bodies as sources of tonal vibrations that pulsate throughout our solar system. At the start and finish of each planetary retrograde cycle, the effect is amplified.
Mercury retrograde is like any hero’s journey—it starts out with a bang, gets better, and ends with a plunge into our own shadow. Just get this: the three-week retrograde is just the beginning. Mercury retrograde shadow periods are crucial transits that happen before and after, at the start and the finish, respectively.
How Long is Mercury “Retroshade” Period?
The shadow period begins a little more than two weeks before and ends a little more than two weeks after the actual dates that Mercury is known to be in retrograde motion.
What Exactly Is Mercury “Retroshade” Period?
Before entering retrograde motion, Mercury seems to slow down its orbit around the Sun and then appear to be motionless for a while. Feelings of unease and insecurity may start to surface during this transit before the retrograde begins. The hero’s journey, according to Joseph Campbell, begins with a series of shadow periods that serve as “inciting incidents” that establish the stage for the subsequent plot twists.
Keeping mindful of what comes up during this pre-retrograde shadow period is like practicing pranayama before a physical yoga session—it gets you ready to face whatever comes your way.
Your retrograde story comes to a close during the post-shadow period. During this part of your journey, as Mercury returns to the area of the sky it retrograded into, you, the hero, have the opportunity to consolidate everything you’ve learned and hone the abilities you had to develop during the past few weeks.
During the post-retrograde shadow period, you should focus on whatever was necessary during the retrogrades. Instead of identifying with the dissonance, you’ve become better at identifying it and finding ways to reconcile it. An objective truth becomes apparent to you, and the subjective upheaval of the moment fades away. May this era be marked by unity. What just happened is still too much for you to process at the moment, and you’re still trying to find your footing. Feeling off-kilter? You’re definitely not alone.
Ways to Simplify the Shadow Period
The present moment is an ideal time to initiate a self-care routine that you have not yet established, whether it be yoga, meditation, breathwork, or any other activity that helps you become more mindful and improves your overall well-being. Your commitment to self-care should be reaffirmed if you were thrown off balance by retrograde. And even if it didn’t, you did a great job.
Put your own self-care first. Exercise kindness toward yourself. Be truthful about the things that are necessary for you to move forward, and if there are any adjustments that need to be made, make them in a slow and steady manner.
Now, you can follow Conscious Reminder on Facebook & Instagram!
∼If you like our article, give Conscious Reminder a thumbs up, and help us spread LOVE & LIGHT!∼
