“Just four more days, just four more days until it’s over,” I kept telling myself today.
September 27 through October 18 marks the final Mercury in retrograde in 2021, a year that was equally or maybe slightly less hellish than that of its predecessor.
If you’re not entirely familiar with what it is and what it entails, let’s take a moment to break it down.
Mercury in retrograde is when the planet passes the Earth in its orbit around the sun. From here on Earth, it appears that Mercury is moving backwards, when in reality it’s not.
And with Mercury being the ruler of communication, we can expect things to be “off” during this time. It’s also comforting to place blame on any minor or major mishap on the planet as an explanation for things going erroneously.
Forgot to send that important email? Mercury is in retrograde.
Lost your favorite piece of jewelry? You know the answer.
Broke that priceless vase? Well it’s simply not my fault, because you see…
Some things to avoid/expect include:
Not making major life decisions
Expect issues when traveling
Technical problems arising
Miscommunication
People from your past making a reappearance
Not signing important documents
Avoid starting new ventures
This Mercury in retrograde hit me like a ton of bricks. Or rather, like a tire into a pothole. This past weekend I hit a pothole hard, causing my car to get a flat. The following lyrics from 21 pilots’ tear in my heart came to mind:
I'm driving here I sit, cursing my government, for not using my taxes to fill holes with more cement.
Looking for parking on a Sunday night and realizing that I had a flat was the opposite of a good time. Especially knowing that the PPA would be aggressively looming on Monday morning. The irony in all of this is my car inspected the previous week. It was all too easy to place this vehicular adversity on you-know-who.
Perhaps knowing that this is a particularly volatile astrological time, I handled this situation better than expected, much to my amazement. Yes, I still have to purchase a new tire, pour money down the drain and schedule a time during work hours to accomplish this. But even I surprised myself with my calmness and zen-ness and ability to poke fun at the situation.
In my never-ending quest to better understand the world of astrology, from scrutinizing birth charts to examining my sign, I had to look up when the next retrogrades will occur, to better prepare myself and you.
In 2022, we have the following dates to look forward to for Mercury in retrograde:
Jan. 14 through Feb. 3,
May 10 through June 2
Sept. 9 through Oct. 2
Whenever Mercury in retrograde is taking place, my friends can expect a customary warning text on its first day, whether they like it or not.
It’s a hot topic of conversation
Across all platforms, I follow many astrology accounts, which provide guidance and counsel during retrogrades, and I use their advice as a springboard for managing my decisions and emotions. If you’re thinking it’s ludicrous to base one’s actions for several weeks on a planets orbit… well just don’t yuck my yum.
I’m realizing that through the direction of these accounts and the checking-in on friends, Mercury in retrograde has also unexpectedly become a time of protection, attentiveness and care. A simple “Don’t beat yourself up over it, Mercury is in retrograde,” text can be powerful. It’s an opportunity to take care of ourselves and those around us, to set boundaries, and cleanse, baby, cleanse.
Retrogrades are considered to be an ideal time for reflection, contemplation and healing. And while this current one has been brutal pour moi, it’s been a chance to revel in my independence, capability and abilities. This shift in perspective has me in a “making lemonade out of lemons” mindset.
Maybe it’s not all bad after all.