Brace yourself. Mercury, the planet that rules communication and technology, is in retrograde until February 20. You may have already experienced the effects of Mercury’s backward orbit on your everyday life. Have you had a sudden urge to send your ex an ‘I miss you’ text? Has your computer been acting extra slow lately? Did you have a major disagreement with a close friend? Have no fear. You’re just a victim of Mercury Retrograde, a time when the planet closest to the sun seems to be spinning in reverse when watched from Earth.
To astrologers, Mercury controls day-to-day relationships. It represents more than just how we communicate with one another. It rules our thought processes and influences the way we express our emotions. If you prefer to express yourself through writing down your feelings as opposed to speaking them out loud, you may want to thank Mercury’s influence over your astrological sign. Mercury encourages self-expression and maintaining everyday relationships, but once its orbit appears to be in reverse, things get tricky. Mercury Retrograde can bring back unwanted drama from your past, and it can make the present seem unclear. As for technology, Mercury’s reversed orbit often causes glitches, and sometimes, those glitches are the reason for major miscommunications between you and the people you’re close to.
This Valentine’s day, you should be watchful of a potential mix-up in plans. Make sure you and your Valentine (or your Palentine!) are on the same page on your plans for the love-filled holiday. For example, you may think the dinner reservations are for 6 p.m., but your partner might think you’re meeting at 7 p.m. You should also keep an eye out for some of your previous relationships rising to the surface. You might receive a text from an ex, or you might randomly bump into an old crush at the store. These are all ways Mercury’s orbit is trying to test you and your present relationships, so work extra hard not to get caught up in the past.
Additionally, be cautious when it comes to technology. If you’re having a virtual date this year, you may experience technical difficulties that are out of your control. Your camera might go black, or you may be staring at the tiny, rainbow circle where your cursor used to be for an outrageous amount of time. As for travelling, which you probably shouldn’t be doing in a pandemic anyway, you should be wary of potential flight or train cancellations. If you’re driving, be on high alert for streetlight outages that can delay your travels.
While all the zodiac signs should be watchful for Mercury’s chaos, Aquarians need to be extra vigilant in combating the mix-ups and technological issues caused by the retrograde. It is taking place during Aquarius season, so it might make Aquarians struggle to express themselves and their feelings to a loved one. Because Mercury’s effects are deeply personal to an Aquarius, your relationships may face some minor obstacles. It’s important to slow down and take things one step at a time to avoid drama with the people you love.
Mercury usually enters retrograde three or four times a year, so unfortunately, the period of miscommunication and technological failure is far from over. Mercury will also be in retrograde from May 29 to June 22 and again from September 27 to October 23. However, your Valentine’s Day won’t be ruined. As long as you make an effort to clearly speak your mind, whether it be to share your true feelings or to simply tell your partner you’d rather stay in this Sunday, you will avoid the drama Mercury tried to cause.