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Crystal Blog
What Is Mercury Retrograde? What It Means And Survival Tips
We’ve all had bad days, but sometimes, it feels like nothing is going right. You slept through your alarm, spilled your coffee, missed your train, stubbed your toe, and dropped your lunch in your lap. Sound familiar? Maybe it’s bad luck, or perhaps it’s Mercury retrograde! What is Mercury retrograde, you ask?
Do you ever notice that sometimes everything seems to fall out of place? Some blame it on the full moon, but it could be Mercury retrograde.
The phrase “Mercury in retrograde” has buzzed into the spotlight over the last few years likely, because it’s one of the few astrological phenomena that affects everyone the same way.
Being aware of this period can help you avoid the taxing frustrations that accompany it.
In this article, we dig into the explanation of Mercury retrograde, how it affects you, and tips for getting through it in one piece.
[mailmunch-form id=”917557″]What is Mercury Retrograde?
The word “retrograde” means to move backward or reverse direction. However, when a planet is retrograde, it doesn’t suddenly switch direction. Instead, it’s an optical illusion caused by differences in orbit between Mercury and Earth.
Think about when you’re driving in a car next to a speeding train. Your car and the train are moving in the same direction, but the train appears to be going backward.
Earth orbits the sun faster than Mercury, so when the two planets pass each other, it looks like it’s going backward, or retrograde.
It happens three times a year for roughly three weeks at a time.
When Is Mercury Retrograde 2020?
- We’ve already survived 2020’s first retrograde cycle, which was February 16 – March 9.
- Right now, we’re at the tail end of the second cycle, which started on June 18 and will end on July 12.
- Once that’s finished, we have one remaining period to get through the 3rd and final cycle, October 13 – November 13.
What Happens During This Phase?
Most astrologers believe that this phase has real effects on life on Earth.
Mercury is the planet of communication. It represents day-to-day expression and the way we process thoughts and ideas. When Mercury is retrograde, things tend to slow down or stall in these areas.
Now more than ever, we are a society dependant on instant communication. Emails, texts, and reliable WiFi are everything. There’s a high chance you’re reading this article on your phone right now, right?
That gives a lot of power to the little planet of communication.
When Mercury is in its retrograde phase, everything goes haywire. Suddenly there’s a bug in the airline’s software, and they lose your luggage. You could have sworn you hit “send” on that important email, but when you get to your desk the next morning, it’s still in your drafts folder.
You may even have strange or bizarre encounters with strangers that leave you scratching your head.
Mercury retrograde can also affect communication outside of technology. Because Mercury controls the way we express ourselves, its retrograde periods make things tricky when it comes to relationships, dating, and romance.
You might send an awkward text or find yourself saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. It can be harder to make decisions, so if you’re single during a retrograde period, think twice before swiping right or left.
Tips For Surviving Mercury Retrograde
First, take a deep breath. Remember that Mercury retrograde is temporary, and in time, things will return to normal.
Allow yourself more time to reconnect with your goals and accomplish tasks. If you’ve got travel plans on the docket, arrive for your departure earlier than usual and double-check your flight times.
It’s probably best to avoid big purchases, too. Don’t get that new phone, computer or car just yet. It also wouldn’t hurt to take extra steps to keep your electronics safe; keep your phone in its protective case, and don’t put your iced coffee anywhere near your laptop.
Mercury retrograde is also an excellent time to hold off on making any life-altering decisions. If you’re in a burgeoning new relationship that’s moving quickly, try slowing the pace.
We’re not saying put a stop to the relationship entirely. Instead, take care to avoid rushing into things. You don’t want to find yourself questioning your feelings when the retrograde period ends, and your head clears up.
Try practicing patience with other people. Remember, Mercury retrograde effects everyone. If your coworker cancels an important meeting because they accidentally double-booked, try to exercise patience and understanding.
If your lunch date is running late, give them grace and patience. Mercury retrograde is a time for everyone to exercise a little compassion.
Benefits To Consider
We like to end things on a positive note, so let’s wrap up with some positive aspects of Mercury Retrograde.
Yes, you read that correctly! If you reframe it, you’ll see there’s a positive side to all this.
Take this time to check-in and revisit certain parts of your life. Since this isn’t the time to start anything new, take this opportunity to slow down and give yourself a break.
Societal pressures push us toward the constant pursuit of success. Often, we start something passionately, only to move on to the next before finishing. Mercury retrograde permits us to step away from that for a day or two and look inward.
Introspection can be incredibly healing during challenging times.
Take the time to meditate and reflect on any situations that have been troubling you. What could you have done differently? Think of all you’ve learned and linger on the moments that bring you joy.
When Mercury is in retrograde, we must take time to read the small print, ask important questions, and double-check our choices.
Bring awareness to your listening skills to ensure you understand what others are communicating to you. It’s a time for us to speak very clearly ourselves, to be sure that we aren’t the ones causing misunderstandings.
Lapis Lazuli and Aventurine are two healing crystals for communication. Use these crystals to open the Throat Chakra and invite better communication to yourself and others.
Use Crystals To Ground You During Mercury Retrograde
Mercury retrograde can be a very challenging time. There are delays, break-ups, unsuccessful projects, and disappointments. No wonder we feel deflated with all this unexpected drama entering our lives!
The next time you see Mercury retrograde impending on your calendar, remember this:
As long as you’re prepared and know how to work with this planet’s weird energy, you’ll survive.
Also, you may want to bring in some natural healing crystals to help minimize the misfortune.
Carnelian and Tiger’s Eye have immense healing properties to help you gain the courage to endure challenges and flip bad luck on its back.
Luckily, both of these healing crystals come in our crystal kit, along with 11 others!
Mercury retrograde is no match for you because you’ve got healing crystals to guide you through it, and any other curveballs the celestial energy thrusts your way.
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