The other day, during a lunch out with a couple of friends, our conversation went from the weather and smoke from northern fires to some of the annoying things that had been happening to each of us lately.
“My boss has been a real pain in the butt,” said one. “It doesn’t matter what I do; she doesn’t like it. She seems to change her mind at the drop of a hat, and it is sooo frustrating. I’m so glad I’m retiring soon.”
“Well, at least you have a job,” said the other. “I feel completely lost these days. I used to enjoy being retired, but lately, I feel like I don’t have a purpose. I’m just floating, going through the motions, and wasting my time. I don’t know what to do.”
“I hear ya. I’m so frustrated right now I could scream!” I confessed. “Nothing is going right, although I can’t quite put my finger on what is wrong. I just feel agitated, and I don’t know, useless.”
We all nodded our heads in agreement, sipping on our café lattes while lamenting the indecisiveness of life.
“Did you ladies want to order something to eat?” chirped our perky 20-something-year-old server.
“Sure,” answered my friend. “I’ll have a BLT. No, wait. I’ll go with the chicken salad.”
No, I’m not hungry, said the other. But, you know, I could probably eat a house salad. No, let’s make that a spinach salad with added feta and some cranberries.
“Hmmmm. Can you give me a few more minutes?” I asked, unable to settle on anything on the menu despite being ravenous.
“No problem, “answered our server. When she returned to take our orders, we were still flopping from one menu item to the next. I’m sorry we are taking so long. We can’t seem to decide on anything,” I said.
“Yeah, that’s because Mercury is in retrograde right now. No one can decide what they want. So don’t worry; I’m used to it. Just wave at me when you’re ready.”
We all looked at each other, mouths agape, eyes wide, and reflecting the inner turmoil we were experiencing. Mercury in retrograde. Of course! That would explain everything. The funny thing is that despite being three fairly “educated women” who share a passion for all things astrological and alternative, we had never considered that good ole Mercury could be the reason we and so many others in the world were experiencing such destructive and fickle energy.
What exactly is Mercury in retrograde? Why is it responsible for so much confusing energy?
When the planet Mercury enters what appears to be retrograde motion, it seems to reverse direction when observed from Earth. In reality, this is just an optical illusion caused by differences in orbit. Retrograde motion has negative meanings in astrology, and because Mercury is the planet said to control communication, some people believe that this retrograde time will cause frequent misunderstandings, scheduling problems, disagreements, and a general unsettled feeling. Mercury, which is the fastest planet in our solar system, enters this retrograde motion three to four times a year. It lasts about three weeks. We are currently in the middle of a retrograde that began Aug. 23 and will end Sept. 15. The next one, just so you can prepare yourself mentally, is from December 13 to January 1, 2024.
I just read that some Zodiac signs are more susceptible to the negative effects of Mercury in retrograde. The one that will suffer the most is Gemini. Of course! That’s me! And why? Well, Gemini twins are ruled by Mercury, according to astrologers. That explains a lot, although I’m not sure what it means!
Here’s another interesting fact: each retrograde brings up different sentiments depending on the Zodiac sign it is travelling through at the time. Right now, Mercury is retrograde in Virgo, so anxieties and the desire to be alone may increase. Some may feel like the weight of the world is on their shoulders. Our imaginations may get the better of us, and we may feel things that aren’t necessarily accurate, such as “I’m no good.” Or “I have no friends. I can’t trust anyone.” Unfortunately, these kinds of feelings can also surface on the outside, with the self-loathing thoughts spreading to others and creating confusion, misunderstandings, and even anger. Being aware of this can hopefully stop or at least defuse any damaging situations before they get out of hand. Remember, we create our own energy in how we respond to others.
According to astrologists such as Constance Stellas, author of the Little Book of Self-Care series and the Guided Astrological Journals, “Mercury was the messenger god, and he ruled all communication and thought-filled connections between people as well as documents. Thinking clearly, thinking slowly, reaching for words, remembering names—all these functions are ruled by Mercury.”
Interesting. And I thought it was just aging. But, according to Stellas, there are some good things about the Mercury retrograde period. “The message during retrogrades should be to slow down and take a mental vacation. Re-flect, re-do, re-imagine.”
The next time Mercury is in retrograde, it comes at a time when emotions are already high and stress tends to invade our lives because of the holiday season. To top it off, Mercury is going through Sagittarius, so travel plans could suffer. Of course, this could also be due to the high number of people trying to get to other places and travel providers, especially airlines, being unable to handle such volume. Also, at this time, it may be difficult to make plans for the coming weeks, so it’s best to just go with the flow. Good advice, but hard to take!
So, for all those things I have recently been blaming on hormones, heat, smoke, and aging, I’ve changed my mind. It’s been the fault of Mercury. Let’s take heart. It will soon be over, and we have three months to get ready for the next roller coaster retrograde. It’s time to start that meditation practice!
Interesting Reads & Things
Is Mercury in Retrograde? What It Means and Why People Care | Time
Mercury Retrograde Dates 2023 | What Is Mercury Retrograde? | The Old Farmer’s Almanac
Mercury is in retrograde – and it could spell big problems for your home (yahoo.com)
Mercury Is In Retrograde: What Does That Mean For Your Mental Health? (forbes.com)
Mercury retrograde, explained WITHOUT astrology – YouTube
What is Mercury Retrograde? – YouTube
Neil deGrasse Tyson Explains Mercury in Retrograde – YouTube
Wanderings Art 