Within the past few weeks, have you ordered something online only to result in it arriving late? Have you had trouble arriving to your meetings on time? Or gotten into a petty argument with a close friend or family member? If so, you’re not alone. Starting April 9, a notorious astrological event started once again.
According to astrologers, problems communicating can be explained by a phenomenon called the Mercury Retrograde. During this time, in the night sky, the planet Mercury appears to move in the opposite direction from our perspective. Astrologically, the retrograde, or backwards movement, is bad news for any planet.
The planet Mercury was named after the Roman god of messengers, merchants, and travelers. In astrology, this means the planet also rules over those occupations. Therefore the retrograde of Mercury represents a time of disorder for all things considering communication or traveling.
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This retrograde will last until May 3rd. There are a few every year, and the next one is scheduled to start August 12. With each retrograde lasting almost a month, and with three or four a year, it would appear Mercury is causing us excessive suffering. But this isn’t the case.
True, Mercury’s retreat symbolizes difficulty many aspects of our lives. But it also symbolizes a time of reflection. If you find yourself always running late, or at odds with your closest friends over petty reasons, Mercury reminds us to reflect on our choices and not be too rash. Most of the issues the retrograde causes are relatively small and preventable.
Believe it or not, the other planets go into retrograde as well. Currently, Jupiter, Saturn, and Pluto (yes, Pluto is considered a planet to astrologers) have reversed as well. I recommend not worrying about those as much, as those planets farther out in our solar system don’t have as much of an effect on us.
For many, the Mercury retrograde means a few weeks of bad luck, and a good time to lock yourself indoors and stay away from social activities. Although it can cause some inconveniences, it ultimately teaches us to be proactive about our decisions. Mercury encourages us to be mindful of less-than-ideal possibilities, plan for delays, and overall, embrace unpredictability.
With Love and Good Fortune from HC,
Liz Thomas
Sources:
http://astrostyle.com/mercury-retrograde/
http://www.findyourfate.com/astrology/year2017/2017-planetretrogrades.html