The dreaded Mercury retrograde: almost everyone knows about the elusive Mercury retrograde, and while many fear this retrograde, it has a lot of potentials to push us to grow. This year, we will get not one, not two, not three, but four freakin’ Mercury retrogrades, providing us with many growth opportunities.
The energy of Mercury retrograde can be a bit unsettling, as it has a vibe that is all about ‘let go, or be pushed.’ With Mercury being the ruling planet over communication, expression, travel, logic, and information. When it goes retrograde, it moves backward, rather than in its forward, direct path.
When this happens, miscommunications take place, travel plans get all jumbled up, and our means of expressing ourselves can be a little chaotic. Many people find themselves seemingly moving back into bad habits, tendencies, and even relationships during this time.
However, during this time we can learn a lot about ourselves, and the energy of the retrograde pushes us to slow down and look within for answers and clarity. Here are the 4 retrogrades and what to expect:
1. Mercury retrograde in Aquarius & Capricorn (January 14-February 3)
While Aquarius is the revolutionary of the zodiac, Capricorn is a very hard, fast, and disciplined type of energy. Due to this, you may be torn between holding onto your old ways, standing by them firmly like a stone, and tearing it all to the ground to start over. This can be a bit chaotic if you aren’t prepared. However, if you open yourself up to the idea that your old ways of expressing yourself may not be 100% the best, much good can come from this.
2. Mercury retrograde in Gemini and Taurus (May 10- June 3)
Gemini is a highly expressive sign, who is ironically ruled by Mercury, while Taurus is a creature of comfort. With the retrograde taking place, you may feel stuck on what to say and when, and find yourself dealing with electronic mishaps. Because of the presence of Taurus, you are going to find yourself fired up from time to time when mishaps take place, and the best way to handle this is to stay mindful, meditate, and when things mess up, let it be.
3. Mercury retrograde in Libra and Virgo (September 9-October 2)
Perfectionist Virgo and romantic Libra have an energy that can either be the perfect match or cause chaos and go head to head. This energy will have many striving for perfection within their romantic partnerships, only to come out disappointed, because news flash, people aren’t perfect. Expect miscommunications and misunderstandings to bring you face to face with the shadows lurking within your relationships. The best action is, to be honest, and embrace imperfection.
4. Mercury retrograde in Capricorn (December 29- January 18, 2023)
Oh, Capricorn, Mercury and you will meet not once but twice this year. Expect to find yourself questioning your motivations and getting a bit unsettled when plans are thrown out of whack. Push through this retrograde and use it as a tool to investigate how you motivate yourself and put plans to action. And also, take it easy.