Oh, one more thing: It’s Mercury retrograde. Not Mercury in retrograde.
Mic drop. 😄
The term “Mercury retrograde” went from being an open secret among cult followers of the zodiac to the hottest topic in the sky, breaking into mainstream discourse with wild abandon. It’s now a buzzword that comes to mind whenever something goes wrong. Knowing there’s a cosmic reason you fumbled the bag or made a huge mistake in judgment reminds you that you’re only human. After all, being human implies that you are frequently at the mercy of something much larger than yourself.
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Even though Mercury retrograde can cause communication to go haywire and technical difficulties to arise at the worst possible time, there are steps we can take to avoid adding to our problems during this period.
Despite this sacred list of Mercury retrograde “do’s” and “don’ts,” keep in mind that you should never follow these rules as an obedient follower with no sense of free will. Life happens, and sometimes we are forced to do the exact opposite of what we are told not to do. Mercury, often referred to as the trickster planet, possesses the unique ability to journey to the Underworld and return without any harm. Mercury is just playing games with us while retrograde, so we shouldn’t feel guilty for doing the same. In fact, Mercury wants us to try something new, and the result is always more lawless than we intend.
It’s also important to remember that it’s impossible to avoid every surprise that comes your way, so Mercury retrograde serves an important purpose. Mercury retrograde frequently exposes errors that require correction and illuminates unfinished stories, making us feel lost before we finally find our way back. And by going with the flow of this energy and working with it rather than against it, you can seize this opportunity and accelerate your growth.
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Here’s what you should (and shouldn’t) do during Mercury retrograde:
The Biggest DOS During Mercury Retrograde
DO: Accept a period of reflection, review, and renewal.
During Mercury retrograde, any word that begins with the preposition “re” is a success indicator. This retrograde wants you to revisit unresolved issues and mysteries from the past and redo, restart, reconnect, refurbish, reassemble, reread, retake, rewrite, recalculate, rebuild, rejoin, readjust, reiterate, respond, repay, replay, relax, and rekindle.
DO: Experiment with new things and move in a new direction.
Enjoy the thrill of knowing that few, if any, of your current circumstances are permanent. Retrace your steps to see what you missed the first time around. Explore paths you never thought of before. Look around and see what you like, because Mercury isn’t pressing you to make any major commitments right now.
DO: Plan ahead and think before you speak.
Because Mercury is the planet of communication, the chances of saying something incorrectly or putting your foot in your mouth are always high during this retrograde. If you can avoid bringing up sensitive subjects until this three-week period is over, do so. However, this does not mean that you should keep your mouth shut, as Mercury retrograde encourages us to reconnect with one another and reconsider certain things. Simply double-check every text and email before hitting send, and do your best to approach each subject with sensitivity and sincerity. Miscommunications are common during this time, so communicate as clearly as possible and plan ahead of time, as the likelihood of unexpected rain is much higher than usual.
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DO: Tie up any loose ends and finish the job.
It’s no secret that Mercury retrograde can entice you to reconnect with old friends and resurrect unfinished business in your life. That is the beauty of retrograde, as it allows the past to collide with the present. This is your opportunity to discover the answers to your pressing questions, such as whether it’s truly over or just warming up again.
The Biggest DON’TS During Mercury Retrograde
DON’T: Make long-term decisions in short-term situations.
When Mercury is retrograde, the stress and confusion can lead to hasty and impulsive decisions. While there’s nothing wrong with experimenting, you should avoid making commitments you can’t back out of. This includes (but is not limited to) signing a contract, relocating to a new city, committing to a long-term relationship, making a large financial investment, or beginning a major project that must be completed. However, if your decision is based on something that started long before Mercury retrograde, and you’re confident you’ve read all the fine print, you have less reason to be cautious or hesitant.
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DON’T: Assess your circumstances until the retrograde period is over.
Because Mercury is also the planet of logic, this retrograde can make things appear less clear than they are. As a result, you may be judging your current reality incorrectly. If you decide on something you don’t completely understand, you may close yourself off to other options, ideas, and methods. Instead of making firm judgments, keep an open mind to new facts and understandings as they emerge. Allow your mind to be malleable until the end of this retrograde, as it will always leave you with a conclusion by the time Mercury stations direct.
DON’T: Forget about the retrograde and retrograde shadow periods.
Even if Mercury retrograde hasn’t officially begun, you’re probably already feeling its effects. In fact, a few weeks before the retrograde, Mercury enters a “pre-shadow” period, which always highlights themes that will become the central conflict of your Mercury retrograde story. And just because Mercury is no longer in retrograde doesn’t mean you’re no longer feeling its effects. The few weeks following Mercury retrograde are known as the “post-shadow” period, during which you may still be experiencing retrograde-related hiccups and watching the dust settle in your life.
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