What Does it Mean for Mercury to go Retrograde?

There's that saying, "when Mercury goes retrograde, everything goes wrong." But what does that mean? Retrograde occurs when a planet appears to be moving backwards from our perspective on Earth. So when a planet goes into retrograde whatever that planet rules over tends to go amiss. Mercury is the planet that goes into retrograde the most often, and it's said to cause all sorts of chaos - from communication breakdowns to technology malfunctions. So why is this period so important? And how can you prepare for it?

Mercury is the planet of communication, transportation, and technology - meaning how we share/express our thoughts, ideas, and experiences is all ruled by Mercury. So during the period in which Mercury goes retrograde we all will face challenges in these ares of our life through technology, relationships, financials, and anything where the sharing of information is necessary.

This can be an opportunity for personal growth, and a time to reflect and release anything that's no longer serving you. This period should be used as a time of rest and reflection and not to start up any new ventures or projects partly due to the communication being out of order, as well as you needing to take the time for your release. Feelings, thoughts, and people can come forward from the past as a way for you to release these things no longer serving your highest good, so you can then align into your highest timeline.

There are a few things you can do to help ease the impact the you may face in your period of Mercury retrograde.

Cleansing is a huge part of being able to get through retrograde; make sure you are cleansing your mind, space, body, and soul. This will help you to be able to align with the energies trying to come through and also release any stagnant energy you may have been holding on to.

It is also important that you stay hydrated and get plenty of rest. This will help your body to be able to handle the shifts in energy and keep your mind clear so you can make decisions that will help you to keep on track.

Another thing to keep in mind is that communication is key, especially when it comes to relationships. This is a time when miscommunications are bound to happen so it is wise to hold grace and patience in your relationships and try not to take things too personal because we are all feeling the retrograde energies.

Lastly, this is a time for reflection. A time to go within and do some soul searching. This can be a difficult task for some of us but it is so important to reflect on our past actions and see where we can improve in order to create the life we truly desire.

Meditation and sitting with yourself either journaling or reflecting can be one of the most therapeutic practices you can do while we are in retrograde. It allows you to get in touch with yourself on a deeper level and understand what it is that you need to work on.

One of the most important things to remember while Mercury is in retrograde, is to go with the flow. This doesn't mean that you don't put any effort into what you are doing but rather than forcing things to happen your way.

This can be a difficult task for some of us who like to be in control but during this time it is important to let go and see where the universe takes you.