Explore the spiritual side of our natures and the universe as D.G. Kaye shares her experiences and research into this element of our lives.
You can find part Twenty of the series: SPIRIT GUIDES: Who are they? Do we all have them?
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Mercury Retrograde
Welcome back to my Spiritual Awareness column. In my last edition, I wrote that this edition would be on the topic of Manifestation – learning to manifest what we wish for. But in lieu of the fact that we are smack-dab, currently in the midst of a Mercury Retrograde phase of the planets, I thought this may be a good time to refresh you all on what happens in a Mercury Retrograde?
I have written before about the planets and how a Mercury Retrograde wreaks havoc in our lives, particularly, affecting communications, plans, relationships and just about anything involving tech, can go topsy turvy. It’s the time when Murphy’s Law kicks in – when anything that can go wrong, will go wrong as it rears its chaotic head and comes into effect. Well, welcome to this new cycle of trouble-making Mercury, which has arrived on August 23rd and will toy with our lives until September 14th – but don’t forget to add on a few extra weeks before and after those dates for good measure, the lingering shadow period. More about that below.
Mercury Retrograde visits us approximately three to four times a year. At this time, it appears as though it’s going backwards when orbiting the sun, when in fact it slows to let the other planets catch up. It usually lasts for about three weeks, with a good couple of add on days, before and after, possibly a week or two, for good measure. These extra and lingering days before and after, are known as the ‘shadow’ period. It comes in and leaves, gradually, almost like a weening off.
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When Mercury retrogrades, it is said that this is because retrograde indicates the planet is moving backwards, when it’s actually moving faster, around the sun, leaving a feeling as though it’s going backwards. Mercury travels around the sun in 88 days and takes a retrograde three to four times a year. Since Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, its orbit is shorter than earth’s. It’s like Mercury must slow down to let other planets catch up in-between its cycle around the earth. Since Mercury travels faster than earth, it frequently catches up and passes earth, occurring three to four times a year. One year on planet Mercury is shorter than one year on earth, the equivalent of 88 earth days compared to earth’s complete solar loop of 365 days.
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While Mercury goes into retrograde, it will feel as though the planets are moving backwards, but in fact they are not. Mercury travels around the sun quite quickly from west to east, and around every four months it passes us here on earth in its orbit, making it look as though it’s moved from east to west, but that in fact is an optical illusion.
Things that occur during this period can make us feel exactly like things are moving backwards as Mercury, the planet of communications, pauses and other planets pass by.
We can expect to have more or even less energy during this period, mostly of the nervous, unsettling, or over-zealous type, causing possible bouts of anxiety. Each MR will fall in and affect particular signs more so than others.
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What kinds of things are affected by a Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury rules our daily activities – technology, communications, contracts, travel plans, and relationships. When the planet is in retrograde, we can expect glitches, delays, and miscommunications in all or any of the above areas as Mercury is the ruler of communications. Extra vigilance should be paid to planned dates, appointments, signing contracts, editing, buying, selling, researching, negotiating, wills, documents, deeds, leases, and more. Most often affected are, computer issues, transportation issues/delays, and travel. It’s a period where we can expect the unexpected.
In plain terms, when a planet is in retrograde, the planet takes a nap. And while it naps, it’s like it relinquishes its duties and the territory it usually stabilizes can run amok. This ‘retrograde’ period is typically a good time to take a pause for ourselves from big decision-making and a good time to reflect, journal, re-organize and re-evaluate our intentions, as well, it being a good time to re-connect with people and/or projects from the past. As you may have noticed in the previous sentence, anything to do with ‘re’ as in redo, revisit, etc., reminds it’s a good time to review things and to keep busy during the MR period in preparation for restarting newly planned projects after the Retrograde is gone.
In case some of you aren’t familiar with Mercury Retrograde, this is how it works . . . Nobody goes unscathed whether aware of the syndrome or not, only that you may be questioning many things and asking WTF?
How does Mercury Retrograde Affect Us?
Retrogrades are notoriously similar to Murphy’s Law – “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.” This is a time where communications go awry, energetic forces overpower the norm, causing havoc for such things as, email and website snafus, delayed and cancelled flights. Sensitivities are heightened, making many things happening feel ‘hyper-real’, among just some of the unpredictability that manifests. Mercury also rules other industries such as publishing, writing, editing, advertising, sales, public relations, and all things related to transport, like airlines, the post office and pretty much all modes of transportation! Anything involving technical, you can expect mishaps. Our patience is being tested, and heated words have a propensity to take place within friendships and relationships too during this phase. Typically, retrogrades are not a good time to start new ventures, seal new business deals, and lest I mention, political issues are escalated. As I mentioned earlier, MR is a time of ‘Re’ – revisit, redo, revise.
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What can we do to get through this retrograde with minimal collateral damage?
Since Mercury rules communications, affecting travel, contracts, and most things technological, I suggest allowing lots of extra time if you must travel in this period as well as its shadow periods. I also recommend avoiding committing to signing any important contracts at these times, and waiting for the retrograde to pass before finalizing any decisions regarding contracts. Plan ahead! If you’re working on a special project just before the retrograde begins, try to sew it up before a retrograde, or work on it and wait till MR is over to launch, or be prepared to encounter several glitches along the way.
Mercury Retrograde is a good time to slow down, take notice of your surroundings and the people and circumstances in your life. It’s a great time to reflect for changes you need to make in your life, but again, don’t plan on actually making any drastic changes until the phase has passed.
Pay attention to the astrological signs the retrograde is passing through too, because often, if your sun or moon sign is involved in a particular retrograde you can expect everything much more intensified in your life. In this particular retrograde period, it is passing through the sign of Virgo, but do beware because the shadow period began August 3rd (Leo) and will sadly, linger, quite possibly until the very last day of September.
Checklist Reminders For Mercury Retrograde:
Don’t purchase expensive electronics at these times as you can expect the unexpected with glitches or flaws, but if you can’t resist, just make sure you triple check warranties and service agreements.
- Backup your computers!
- Don’t make life-changing decisions.
- Double check your reservations and scheduled travel times if you must travel in these retrograde periods.
- Take things slow.
- Mind your words when feelings are heightened.
- Despite not being the best time to start new projects, retrogrades can be a good time to tie up loose ends and projects.
- And last of all, try hard to maintain a sense of humor about everything and don’t forget to breathe!
Mercury Retrograde is a phase in the planets where the more going on, the crazier things get. Let us add to this Retrograde the full moon and its effects which began August 1st, and a rare second full supermoon that will occur on August 30th , also known as a ‘blue moon’ because it is rare when we have two full moons in one month. And for any of you affected by full moons (like I am), which can also cause unpredictability in just about every department of life – without a Mercury Retrograde, we will definitely feel things chaotic during this super energy and planetary craziness in August into the first half of September – at least.
Don’t forget, Mercury rules communications, technology, and transportation systems, so it’s really no big surprise that in these times of retrograde that many plans – travel, communications, and technical devices are affected. And I can say with certainty that I’ve had my fill of this edition! I don’t need a calendar to tell me when it’s MR time – my computer always acts up during one. And this one is no exception!
We are told to avoid signing legal documents, making travel plans, buying a home or to refrain from making expensive purchases during the Retrograde phase. But life goes on and many aren’t aware of the crazy snafus occurring, but may wonder why everything suddenly is acting up, like ‘weird things’, delays, and cancellations of plans, which are common fallout of this phase. Kind of like how my mouse has stopped and started working about a dozen times through writing this post.
Mercury will go into retrograde motion during the following dates of 2023:
- December 28, 2022, to January 18, 2023 was a carry over phase that began late December and covered approximately the first three weeks of the start of January this year.
- April 21 to May 14.
- August 23 to September 14. (We’re in it!)
- December 13 to January 1, 2024.
Remember: Forewarned is Forearmed! Plan accordingly!
Does anyone here have any craziness you’ve encountered in Mercury Madness so far?
Below you can find a few videos to further clarify Mercury Retrograde:
Mercury Retrograde explained WITHOUT the Astrology
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What is Mercury Retrograde?
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If you have twenty minutes and would love to hear an astrological reading by Loka (Gina Lyhane) for this phase of the current retrograde, what will be affected and what to beware of, and if you are particularly interested in how MR will affect you in your particular astrological sign, just read the description below in this video where the author posts time stamps throughout the video for each individual sun sign.
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©DGKaye2023
My thanks to Debby for another fascinating post on the spiritual influences of the planets in our universe. In know she would love to hear from you.
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