Welcoming the Retrograde

Image by Navi on Unsplash

Mercury Retrograde is here - finally! It’s been a busy fall and I welcome the opportunity to back off from intense forward movement.

Mercury reflects mental activity, strategic action, communication, logistics and details. Every four months, Mercury appears to go backwards in the sky in relation to the Sun. The planet doesn’t actually go backwards; it moves either more quickly or more slowly than the Sun from our vantage point.

In our hard-driving society, unfortunately, the three-week window of a Mercury retrograde has been given a decidedly negative reputation. Our computers crash, you can’t start anything new, nor you can’t book a flight or even a dinner reservation.

I used to buy into that view too, but stopped. Instead, I’ve found it much better to go with the flow and actually embrace the retrograde window when it comes around.

In other words, I’m very happy to give my mind a reprieve every few months.

For instance, in my work, I use the time to review what’s already occurred and think deeply about future implications/considerations.

If a new program or new piece of art is scheduled to start during a retrograde, I don’t stress about it. The “behind the scenes” aspects were completed before the retrograde and the window will show me where adjustments can be made.

If I’m gnoshing through a personal or a professional scenario, I’m glad for the extra time to sit with the issue before acting.

I also don’t have the belief that my computer will crash in these three weeks, and so far it hasn’t. If I want to book/schedule something, I just do it. If there’s a problem, I stop and try later. Not a big deal.

Please note I’m not saying that retrograde energies aren’t real—they are. What I’m saying is that life is a LOT easier when you work with the energies. And stop waiting for the gremlins who may never show up.