Thriving During Mercury Retrograde
"When life feels in reverse, remember—it’s only the Universe giving you time to realign with your truth."
(Originally published July 25, 2019 — Updated October 2025)
Finding Peace in the Cosmic Chaos
Mercury Retrograde isn’t here to disrupt your path — it’s here to help you pause, reflect, and return to alignment with your soul’s rhythm.
Are you feeling scattered or forgetful? Having trouble communicating or getting your voice heard? Missing appointments, double-booking yourself, or experiencing technical glitches? You’re not alone.
Every few months, we experience a cosmic phenomenon known as Mercury Retrograde. Whenever I mention it to someone new, I often get the same deer-in-headlights look. “Mercury what?” I laugh and tell them it’s when everything seems to turn upside down for a few weeks — communication, technology, even our emotions. But the truth is, we don’t have to simply ride it out. If we understand it, we can actually use this time to our advantage.
Now, I’m not an astrologer, but I am sensitive to shifts in energy. And every time Mercury goes retrograde, I feel it — deeply. Science can’t fully explain it, and critics will say there’s no proof, but countless people experience it just as I do. Perhaps it’s because I’m a Virgo, a sign ruled by Mercury. Regardless, I wanted to share a little Mercury Retrograde 101 to help you understand this cycle on a deeper level — and thrive during it instead of dreading it.
1. What Mercury Retrograde Really Means
From our perspective on Earth, Mercury appears to move backward four times a year. It’s not actually reversing — it’s an optical illusion caused by our planet’s relative position to the Sun. But energetically, it creates a powerful invitation to pause and reflect.
This period encourages us to review our lives, heal unfinished business, and realign with our truth. It’s a cosmic “reset button.” While new beginnings or major commitments can be tricky during this time (since small details may go unnoticed), the energy supports reflection, revision, and renewal.
If things feel slow or chaotic, take heart — this is your chance to release what no longer serves you, clear old beliefs, and gather new energy for when Mercury goes direct again.
2. Revisit Your Creative Side
Mercury Retrograde often heightens creativity and intuition. This is the perfect time to trust your hunches and reignite old passions.
Do you have a creative project that’s been sitting on the shelf — a half-finished song, story, or painting? Pull it back out. This is a fertile time to revisit unfinished dreams and rediscover your spark. Mercury’s influence helps you see things from new angles and reconnect to what truly inspires you.
3. Slow Down on Big Decisions
Be extra mindful with contracts, commitments, and major purchases during this period. Miscommunication and misunderstandings are common when Mercury’s influence slows our rational mind and strengthens our intuitive one.
Think of this as a time for hibernation and reflection, not rapid change. Avoid buying electronics or big-ticket items if possible — Mercury is said to rule technology, which might explain those mysterious computer errors, dropped calls, or system crashes that seem to happen all at once.
4. Expect the Past to Resurface
Mercury Retrograde loves to bring the past back around — not to punish us, but to offer closure and healing. Old relationships, memories, or opportunities might reappear so we can finally see them in a new light.
You might receive a text from someone you haven’t heard from in years, run into an old friend at the store, or find yourself reminiscing over meaningful moments. Sometimes our loved ones in Spirit use this window to send signs or memories that touch our hearts and remind us of their love.
5. Remember the Magic of “RE”
The key to thriving during Mercury Retrograde is remembering the “RE” energy it brings:
Reflect. Revisit. Rethink. Reconnect. Relax. Rejuvenate.
It’s a time to breathe, slow down, and let the Universe reorganize things behind the scenes. When we lean into this rhythm, life begins to flow again — not in chaos, but in harmony.
Mercury Retrograde isn’t something to fear — it’s something to embrace. It reminds us that slowing down can be just as productive as moving forward. When I catch myself getting frustrated during this time, I take a deep breath and refocus on the present moment.
And that’s when I notice the miracles: the synchronicities, the unexpected blessings, and the little signs from Spirit that remind me what a gift it is to be alive.
So take this time to breathe, reconnect, and reflect — because even when Mercury appears to move backward, your soul is still moving forward.
