It’s here. The “dreaded” Mercury Retrograde! Is it as bad as you’ve heard? Will your technology crap out on you? Should you start a new job? Since it’s retrograded in Taurus from April 21 through May 14, 2023, is that bad news for your wallet?
Short answer: NO!!!! Well, not necessarily.
Usually, Mercury Retrograde is a nothing-burger. There are some exceptions, namely when Mercury’s not playing nice with other planets during his retrograde motion. But big events are often blamed on Mercury retrograde while he’s appearing to travel backwards in the sky. In these instances, Mercury’s not acting alone. Usually, other planets are challenging Mercury or each other in the sky, and poor Mercury gets dragged to the proverbial principal’s office for causing trouble.
As I’ve said in previous blogs, you can look at planets going retrograde like their “winter.” This is the time to pause, reflect, and use caution around areas this planet rules. For Mercury, that means everyday travel (your work commute or trips to the grocery store), writing and communication.
1. Keep a journal.
Although we’re already into this retrograde, you can still use this as an opportunity to see how Mercury retrogrades fare. Keep a small bullet journal of the following for future retrogrades: what went wrong? What dates? What went right, and what dates, too. Note the following for this retrograde, too, and it can help you prepare for future retrogrades. A few retrogrades of this journaling, and you may see a pattern.
Granted, wrong doesn’t mean catastrophe. Wrong means getting held back in traffic, bad hair days, and technology going haywire – the little things. As above, the big things are usually spurned by other happenings in the sky, or planets interacting with your natal chart.
Also note the following points for each retrograde. Specifically, check out the following so you can head off issues before they arise and use this time to maximize your success after Mercury’s direct again.
2. What house?
As in, what house is Mercury going retrograde in in your chart? An astrology mentor of mine said that if he’s sailing backwards through your third or sixth house, you will have a more stereotypical retrograde. That’s because Mercury oversees 3rd and 6th house matters. If he’s going backwards in any other house, expect extra tomfoolery in that area of your life.
For example, if Mercury’s retrograde through your 11th house, be prepared for the technology crashes and to see your friend group experiencing difficulties more. It’s also not the best time to buy a lottery ticket and expect to win big (or if you do, dot every I and cross every T when it comes to managing your win). 1st house = more bad hair days, and 7th/8th house = do NOT text your ex and don’t respond if you see them sliding back into your DMs. These are generalizations, of course, but you get the idea.
3. Who’s in charge?
As in, which planet is ruling the sign Mercury’s retrograde in? Mercury’s beginning his retrograde motion at 15 Tropical Taurus and will go back to 5 Taurus. That means Venus is ruling this retrograde (if you, like me, use the Tropical/Western System. If you’re a Vedic astrologer*, you’re going to be watching Mars).
Venus will move into Cancer on May 7th. Before that, she’s in Gemini, meaning she and Mercury are in mutual reception. What’s that, you ask? It’s a relationship between two planets where they rule each other. Think of it as a check and balance in the heavens. Relationship issues could be revealed, as well as financial blind spots.
Venus will be more comfortable when she enters Cancer, but after the 7th, watch the moon to see how Mercury will affect you. The moon will move from Capricorn (opposing Venus on Monday the 8th) and Mercury will go direct during a Void Moon** in Pisces. All three of these signs are ruled by “the big boys” so the energy of Mercury Retrograde can feel heavier.
4. Who’s he playing with?
Right off the bat, Mercury will start his retrograde journey conjunct Uranus in Taurus. He will sextile Mars and end the retrograde sextile Saturn and weakly conjunct the North Node.
With sextiles to two malefics, beware troublemakers. Also, there will be temptation to lash out when Mercury’s connection with Mars – don’t take the bait – wait! Plus, opportunities to have hard conversations or knuckle down with some writing when he’s aspecting Saturn.
Since Saturn connecting with Mercury is one of the last aspects of Mercury retrograde (May 12th), it’s an excellent time to review what you’ve learned or meditated on during retrograde. This is the time to plan on putting those big dreams you’ve thought of into action. Then, on May 19th, it’s a great day to put those plans into action since Mercury will be direct again.
5. Any commotion around him?
Commotion means any big aspects going on that aren’t affecting him but are still a factor in the sky. There’s a couple: the lunar eclipse May 5th and Venus square Neptune the day before that. Also, almost a week after Mercury goes direct, there will be a Grand Cross in the sky, which isn’t the easiest energy to work with by a long shot.
If you have any planets in early fixed signs, I implore you, take this retrograde to meditate and relax because in a month, you will need your energy to be charged to deal with this challenging aspect. Take it easy on the full moon because the moon, the sun, and the nodes will be impacting you. This applies to everyone born in the first two-thirds of fixed signs.
6. Now what?
A bunch of stuff’s happening around Mercury retrograde and there are a few pressure points during this time. Mark them on your calendar. May 5th and the dates around it should be a self-care day for everyone. If you meet someone who seems too good to be true a couple of days before them, vet them because the chances are, they are. Same with any opportunities from that day.
Take some time to mediate on what you want. Hold pyrite, malachite, and/or rose quartz in your hand as you mediate and visualize any purchases you want to make over the next year. For example, if you’re thinking of moving, meditate and make pros/cons lists of cities and houses you’re eyeing.
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*Vedic astrology, or Hindu Astrology, is Astrology that's still practiced in India to this day. It's been around for thousands of years. Instead of using the Western sign system, where Aries always begins at the Spring Equinox (precession bedamned), they use the traditional Sidereal system (as opposed to "true Sidereal" which looks at which constellations are actually on the elliptic and where). The signs begin 24 degrees later, so your Vedic sign is 24 degrees behind your Western sign (example: my sun is at 3 Scorpio in the Western system, but it's at 9 Libra in the Vedic system). And that's only the beginning of the differences.
**Void Moon is when the moon has finished aspecting (connecting with in specific mathematical degrees from Earth’s vantage point) every planet on her journey through a sign. Void moons can last a few minutes or all day depending on what the other planets are doing. It’s a good time for filing, cleaning, organizing, and filling out paperwork, but a bad time to start anything, particularly ritual magick.