
The success of business partnerships, creative projects, friendships, and romances are dependent upon effective communication. Mercury rules all forms of communication, logical thinking, signals, travel, and connections of all kinds. Learn MoreĬheck out my blog “Managing Mercury Retrograde and What to Do When it Turns Direct” for more information and tips to make the most of these times. The shadow period can be understood as an adjustment time, and we can experience Mercury Retrograde effects throughout the transition between “forward” and “reverse” motion. Mercury’s shadow period is approximately two weeks before and two weeks after the retrograde. Even though this person is still moving forward, it appears to you that they are moving backward as you run past.Įach retrograde cycle has a “shadow period” before and after the appearance of backward motion. You keep steadily sprinting at the pace you were going and fly past this runner. It’s like you’re sprinting, trying to catch up with the runner ahead of you, and this runner gets tired so they start to slow down. You can visualize the retrograde motion illusion like two runners in a race. It spends more time retrograde than any other planet. Mercury turns retrograde three to four times a year – almost 20% of the time. The relative positions of Earth and Mercury and how they move around the Sun make it look like Mercury spends time in reverse. Mercury can’t be more than 28 degrees from the Sun and it changes direction each time it reaches its furthest distance.

The backward motion of any planet in the zodiac is actually an optical illusion from our perspective on Earth.

We can’t sustain ourselves and our planet without serious adjustments, and in many cases, complete reinvention. This is true personally and collectively. If we keep pushing in all the same ways we have been, we’ll hit walls of resistance in all forms. Retrograde periods invite us to slow down and re-vision how we want to go forward. During planetary retrogrades, we have the opportunity to revisit, reclaim, redefine, and reconnect with the energy represented by the retrograde planet. The term “retrograde motion” comes from the illusion that another planet is orbiting the Sun in reverse, which stargazers have observed since ancient times. It’s simply reflecting our experience here on Earth – “As above, so below.” Retrograde Planets Keep in mind that along with all astrological activity, Mercury Retrograde is not doing something to us. There are many negative associations with Mercury Retrograde, but that’s just one way to look at it. Connections of all kinds don’t seem to follow the rules we’ve become accustomed to. During these periods, we often experience delays, mix-ups, and accidents when it comes to communication, transportation, and technology. Mercury Retrograde impacts all forms of communication and the way we think about things. Mercury Retrograde (and any other planetary retrograde) is a significant astrological event that can impact our lives.
