Be it your laptop freezing at an important meeting or an old flame coming back into your life, Mercury could be to blame. This impish planet moves backward in your sign three or four times every year, creating communication and tech havoc.
Mercury will make two retrograde passes through Capricorn this autumn, plus pre-retrograde shadowing and post-retroshadow periods in Aquarius.
1. January 14 – February 18
Mercury retrograde occurs when it appears as though Mercury is moving in an apparent backward motion through its orbit, caused by its distance from Earth and relative position to the Sun. Mercury, being responsible for communication, can make life even more confusing during retrograde cycles – leading to miscommunication with those close to us as well as technological mishaps like lost emails and texts messages.
Astrologers know exactly how to work with Mercury retrogrades; they’re an opportunity for us to slow down, check our egos, and ensure our intentions are being properly understood by others. Many find they become more open to new perspectives during these phases – sometimes leading to powerful breakthroughs!
One of the greatest challenges during a mercury retrograde is in your career and professional projects, as this may create confusion and delays to your plans, so it is wise to double-check all communications before sending them out. According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, now would also be an opportune time to sign any contracts or make important commitments during this period.
Staying calm and focused are keys to staying out of trouble, particularly as Mercury retrogrades in Capricorn for the first time this year, which will cause major challenges to your ambitions and plans for the future. There may even be tension with your boss or unexpected challenges related to goals or success that you face this month.
Reasons for postponing major purchases or starting new projects during Mercury retrograde include technology’s susceptibility to malfunction. You’ve likely heard of how buying something during Mercury retrograde can often turn out more costly than expected – this certainly rings true with electronics or anything with moving parts; thus many people suggest waiting until Mercury goes direct before making major decisions or purchasing anything new.
2. March 20 – April 19
Mercury Retrograde 101
Mercury can easily become the astrological scapegoat. After all, as the planet of communication it often leads to tech hiccups, relationship miscommunication and roadblocks when its retrograde cycle appears from Earth’s perspective. “When technology acts up we often blame it on Mercury,” according to New York-based astrologer Lisa Stardust in My Imperfect Life.
At its core, Mercury retrograde is only an optical illusion – not actually moving backward in its orbit. Mercury retrograde typically occurs three to four times each year (and four times in 2022) for three weeks at a time and provides the perfect opportunity to slow down and reflect on what matters to you and find peace with truth.
As Mercury moves into Aquarius for this retrograde period, you could experience confusion around work and career matters. Furthermore, you could feel inclined to break free from status quo, and connect with old colleagues or creative partners from before.
Mercury retrograde will be especially tense for those whose natal mercury or sun falls within Taurus, Scorpio, Aries or Libra signs (which all square Aquarius and Capricorn). You could experience miscommunication and other communication breakdowns during this phase; mishaps might even increase further if your Moon falls within Taurus Scorpio Aries Libra or Pisces is squared to Mercury Pisces! We all face such challenges!
Beginning this Mercury Retrograde season in Virgo can bring an opportunity to keep important appointments, tasks and notes organized and easy to access. Make an effort to connect more personally by reading actual books versus phones/computers while making more eye contact when communicating or greeting others in person. You could also try meditation or exercising more as the retrograde can provide a heightened sense of calm and focus.
3. June 22 – July 22
Mercury retrograde can often be blamed for all manner of mishaps, from your laptop going haywire to an ex getting back into contact. While Mercury retrograde may disrupt communication skills, this planetary shift actually provides an invaluable opportunity to learn to speak out more freely and ensure your messages reach their destination.
Mercury retrograde for 2022 begins in an Aquarius-Capricorn sign hybrid, making this particularly challenging for ‘The Twins’ (both air signs). If you work in tech, particularly if unstable Internet connections or email glitches arise. You should exercise extra caution when sending emails with important data that needs saving, especially since even minor miscalculations could have serious repercussions.
However, you’ll likely find the second half of Mercury retrograde more manageable for you. Now is an excellent opportunity to voice your needs at work and participate fully in meetings; plus it provides an ideal chance to reunite with former colleagues and friends.
Mercury retrograde will bring with it confusion and drama during its final weeks, possibly jeopardizing any contractual, writing, and speaking matters you are working on until Mercury goes direct on October 2. You should wait to sign anything until after Mercury turns direct again on October 2. Friendships could also experience some drama until at least October 23rd when old flames can return into your life again.
Overall, Mercury retrograde will bring much chaos and confusion into your life – especially those ruled by earth signs such as Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), fire signs (Aries, Leo and Sagittarius), or water signs like Cancer Scorpio Pisces. But with careful preparation and anticipating of its potential turbulence you should be able to ride it out more comfortably; just remember to breathe freely and take time for yourself – you’ll come out stronger for it in the end!
4. September 23 – October 22
Mercury Retrograde will bring with it some serious confusion and delays to your financial world, with delays lasting until November 23rd a likely consequence. Take extra caution with any expenses or transactions and ensure nothing falls through the cracks in your business operations if tech or finance are part of your trade – it pays to review everything carefully before sending off anything!
Mercury retrograde can be an inopportune time to launch any communication-related endeavor. From websites and social media pages to advertising campaigns and new website launches, these periods tend to become somewhat chaotic before eventually coming back on schedule after Mercury retrograde ends. Furthermore, electronics tend to break down more quickly during Mercury retrograde than expected and cost you more money than necessary.
As for your relationships, this cosmic upheaval may cause strain in those governed by Venus (love and money). Mercury rules communication; during this period many issues could arise that require honest discussions between partners; plus it provides an opportunity to examine your communication abilities and see if there’s room for improvement with how you express yourself to others.
Now is also a good time for you, Virgo, to refrain from gossip and unnecessary complaining. Although it might be tempting, resist any urges to criticize others as this will only harm in the long run.
As can be expected, Mercury Retrograde often gets an unfavorable press. Yet as astrologers we cannot fail to be intrigued by these periodic occurrences when planets stray outside their orbital path and appear to move backward as seen from Earth. If you can embrace its chaos rather than try and fight it against, Mercury Retrograde could provide you with the perfect opportunity to clean house and make a fresh start!