Mercury retrograde – Memphis Flyer

It’s that time again. The holidays are here and so is Mercury retrograde. At least it’s the last one of the year. This retrograde began on December 13th and will last until January 1, 2024. Happy New Year!

A retrograde is a phenomenon that happens when it appears that a planet in the sky is orbiting backwards. The planets don’t actually do this, it is more of an optical illusion. However, many people believe that during these periods the energy or properties of that planet may be behaving differently. All planets do this, but the spiritual community puts a lot of focus on the Mercury retrograde.

The planet Mercury is thought to rule over our communication, travel, and commerce. When Mercury is in retrograde, we can often expect miscommunication, disagreements because of miscommunication, hiccups with travel plans, and inconveniences with technology. Retrogrades, especially Mercury retrogrades, often throw speed bumps in our way to make us slow down, reflect, and readjust for the next phase.

The final Mercury retrograde of the year begins in the zodiac sign of Sagittarius and ends in Capricorn. Sagittarius is considered to be fun-loving, spontaneous, and adventurous. While Mercury is traipsing backwards through the fire of Sagittarius, you might find yourself taking risks or being reckless. This can be a good thing. If there’s a big change you’ve been avoiding, now might be the time to take that risk and do it. However, it is the holiday season where much is already expected of us. Do not let the recklessness of Mercury retrograde get you into debt with shopping. Also be mindful of overcommitting to plans or events. Many of us may feel more social this time of year, or we give into expectations and try to visit everyone. With Mercury in retrograde in Sagittarius, be careful to not overextend yourself with social calls or agreeing to things you might regret later — such as hosting a holiday dinner!

Mercury retrograde in Capricorn is a poetic note to finish the year on. Capricorns are notoriously ambitious and expert manifesters. Lean into this as you turn your gaze toward the possibilities of a new year and take stock of all that 2023 has brought you. The earthly Capricorn energy goes well with Mercury retrograde’s need to tie up loose ends and finish up projects. If Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius caught you off guard and made you a little careless, Capricorn’s energy is here to help you clean up and get back on track.

Capricorn is an earth sign that encourages us to be ambitious and make things happen. However, do not let Mercury retrograde in Capricorn convince you that you can do everything. When planning for the new year, or setting resolutions, be aware of the expectations you are setting up for yourself as well as time commitments. We’ve all made commitments when we were in a happy moment or feeling optimistic, just to regret those plans later. Remember that feeling this retrograde.

The final Mercury retrograde of 2023 is going to push us to bring more balance into our lives. Are you listening to your head or your heart? While navigating this retrograde, it might be better to listen to your head but a daily balance of both is always ideal.

And this Christmas, tighten your Santa belts because the universe has a rollercoaster for us. To top off Mercury retrograde in both an earth and fire sign, there will also be a full moon on December 26th. This full moon will be in Cancer, so get ready to feel all your feelings. Many practitioners believe that the energy of the full and new moons is a three-day window: the day before the actual new/full moon, the day of, and the day after. If you follow that school of thought, there will be a full Cancer moon on Christmas with Mercury in retrograde.

We will survive this astrological season. The full moon and Mercury retrograde bring us challenges as well as benefits. Be mindful, be careful, be patient — and have a happy holiday season!

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.

August was a time of adjusting to new cycles. If you are a teacher, parent of a student, or a student, last month focused on getting prepared for the new school year. For those of us who do not have anyone in our household going back to school, we readjusted and are still readjusting to the new traffic and social patterns of our communities. All in all, it can be a difficult time without any added astrological phenomena. However, this year we have to balance our busy lives against the fact that the planet Mercury has gone retrograde. Again.

Mercury retrograde happens three to four times every year, and usually lasts for four weeks. It is an astronomical phenomenon that makes the planet look like it is moving backwards in its orbit around the sun. It’s an optical illusion that occurs because it takes Mercury only 88 days to orbit the sun, compared to the 365 days it takes the Earth to do the same.

The planet Mercury is named for the Roman god Mercury, the messenger of the gods, delivering news and goods but also acting as a translator or interpreter. Mercury rules over wealth, communication, commerce, and good fortune. When Mercury appears to move backwards in its orbit, these qualities may struggle to move forward or have more glitches than usual.

Generally, retrograde is a period of frustration, with delays, miscommunication, and technological mishaps. It is commonly advised that people should not travel, sign contracts, or make any major life decisions during a Mercury retrograde. Instead, try to be flexible as plans may end up changing often, be patient and understanding, back up your work and important documents, and leave some wiggle room for any major projects.

Mercury retrograde gets blamed for many things, and it can be a frustrating period, but it can bring us some much-needed perspective. It’s advised to not start any endeavors during the retrograde, but it is a great time to finish things up. If you have any lingering chores or projects, use the energy to get them finished and off your plate. You can also use the time to reflect and slow down, to review where you are putting your time and energy.

We are already in the throes of the third Mercury retrograde for the year, and it’s going to last until September 15th. Every Mercury retrograde this year will fall in an earth sign with our current retrograde hitting us in Virgo. The astrological sign of Virgo is ruled by the planet Mercury, which might help soften this retrograde’s effects. Virgo’s attention to detail could be enhanced by this retrograde, meaning we are more likely to pay attention to the fine print and specifics, which is what usually trips us up during a Mercury retrograde. If we can be meticulous and set clear intentions for the next few weeks, we should be able to navigate this and come out of the other side relatively unscathed.

Virgo, symbolizing purity and perfection, directs our attention toward refining our lives. This retrograde sheds light on areas where we’ve cluttered our days with conversations or activities that don’t add value or support. Look at your calendar and see who or what you’ve been spending time and energy on. Are these people or activities really serving you?

On August 30th, the Pisces super blue moon occurred, almost opposite Mercury. This alignment shone a light on what we need to let go of and what we should ease the pressure on, allowing a smoother daily rhythm to emerge. Virgo energy is all about the practical aspects of life, while Pisces energy, where the moon is situated, delves into the spiritual and ethereal. This cosmic dance prompts us to reflect on the balance between material and spiritual focus and to shed what’s unnecessary.

Astrologists claim that this retrograde will be easier than others, but with Mercury and six other planets in retrograde, the rest of this year will be interesting no matter what. Read the fine print, think carefully, and pay attention, as this too shall pass. Eventually.

Emily Guenther is a co-owner of The Broom Closet metaphysical shop. She is a Memphis native, professional tarot reader, ordained Pagan clergy, and dog mom.