Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide

It’s heeeere! In time to scare you on Halloween, Mercury is screaming BOO as it went retrograde at 11:41 EDT and will be spookily appearing to be travelling backwards through November 20th. I started the day running late in perfect retrograde fashion. Ugh!

However, there’s a lot of superstition, tricks, and not many treats surrounding the few times a year this little planet travels behind the sun. So I thought I’d provide the basics and share with you how to survive this retrograde.

Planets don’t really move backwards. It’s an optical illusion created by our orbit vs. their orbit. For Mercury, the illusion is caused by our orbit being 3-4 times longer than Mercury’s, so like a person watching cars on a racetrack, we see Mercury go around and around the sun. It proverbially goes around the bend, behind the sun, and then “forward” again once it goes around the other bend.

Mercury has the shortest orbit of all the planets. Since we orbit its orbit, it’s never far from the sun; in any natal or transit chart, Mercury can be no more than 30 degrees from the sun. That’s also why it goes retrograde the most; Mercury’s orbit is about 4 earth months, so it’s direct for nearly three of those months, and then it’s retrograde for 3-4 weeks, not counting the shadow period, which lasts about 2 weeks before and after Mercury goes retrograde.

It’s not a fun time. Communication breakdowns, travel delays, and returns of uncomfortable people (exes) are more common during this time. However, the old adages of avoiding travel, not signing contracts, starting new jobs, or just hiding in your house aren’t necessary true (please don’t hide in your house through Retrograde, it’s tempting, but please don’t). However, it affects everyone differently. In order to see how it will affect you (and prepare), follow these steps:

1. Check The Transits for the Month

What sign is Mercury going retrograde in? This time, it’s transiting Tropical Scorpio from 28 degrees to 14 degrees. On the world stage, it will sextile Pluto and Saturn in Capricorn (will exactly aspect Saturn when it goes direct) and oppose the full moon in Taurus on the 12th.

A lot of people are freaking out about Mercury being in Scorpio. Scorpio is an intense sign, yes. However, sextiles are good aspects: to Pluto and Saturn, I see opportunities to reveal hard, but necessary truths, and at the end of the retrograde, an opportunity to set boundaries in response. This could be setting the stage for next year, when Pluto and Saturn will be conjunct in Capricorn.

1. Check Your Natal Chart

What House is Mercury transiting in your natal chart? If it’s passing through your 3rd or 6th house, you’ll find that you will have a more stereotypical retrograde, full of miscommunications, travel delays, and disruptions to everyday life. That’s because the 3rd and 6th house revolve around Mercurial matters of everyday communication, short trips and commutes, and daily routine, physical home, and everyday health. If Mercury is transiting your 6th, you may be more susceptible to colds and allergies during this time, so take it easy!

But what if Mercury isn’t transiting those houses? The house Mercury’s transiting is where you need to watch for issues. For example, if Mercury is passing over your second house, double-check your finances and property. If it’s transiting your ninth, long-term travel and higher learning may be affected. Look up the house it’s transiting (this retrograde, it’s where Scorpio is in your chart) and learn about it.

Also, check and see if Mercury is making any hard aspects to planets in your natal chart. Is it squaring a planet or opposing one? Check the planet, what house and sign it’s in, and mark the transit (within 2 degrees, 3 if a luminary is involved) on your calendar. Be proactive about the issue; if Mercury is in hard aspect with your Mercury, for example, triple check every message you send and beware of miscommunications. If it’s in hard aspect with your Mars, try not to get involved with conflicts or fights.

1. What houses in your chart does Mercury rule?

These are the areas that consistently hit you during every retrograde season. Look at your house cusps. The house cusps that fall in Gemini or Virgo are the areas in your life that will consistently see more difficulties during Mercury Retrograde. For me, that’s my 7th house in Gemini and Midheaven (10th house cusp) in Virgo. So in my chart, delays and miscommunications tend to show up in my relationships and working life.

1. Read the fine print and expect delays

Mercury retrograde is usually a nothing-burger at best, a nuisance at worst. However, if we’re proactive and check our charts, we can see where Mercury may strike and prepare for it. Mercury going through your 4th house of home or your 6th house of your physical house structure this time? Check your pipes and be vigilant about minor repairs or preventing floods. Going through your 11th? Double check and think before posting on social media and expect delays when meeting friend groups; also steel yourself against petty drama in organizations you’re involved with. If you’re like me and you have Mercury through your 12th, take extra care of your mental health!

The one treat any retrograde provides us with is the time to reflect and plan. This retrograde is a great time to reflect on the Scorpionic aspects of our communication. Are we so passionate that we’re not seeing the other side? So controlling it’s my-way-or-the-highway in every argument? So obsessive you can’t see the forest for the trees? Take these few weeks to observe how you communicate and see what needs fixing, where, and how!

In any retrograde, leave wiggle room for extra annoyances. As hard as it is to get up in the morning, set your alarm earlier and leave more wiggle room for your commute. If you’re starting a new job or signing a contract, read the fine print and investigate before jumping in. And remember, exes are exes for a reason, so especially if they come back now, don’t!!!!! Just don’t!

Happy Halloween and Good Luck Through Mercury Retrograde!