What you Need to Know about Mercury in Retrograde
When your fridge breaks down, you miss your flight, that love interest suddenly fizzles out without warning - Mercury must be in retrograde.
It’s our favorite excuse when things go wrong (blame it on the planets, right?), but what does it actually mean for Mercury to be in retrograde? Does it actually have an affect on our day to day lives, or is it simply a superstition?
Well, we aren’t completely unbiased. We have a thing for astrology, that study of the way that planets move and stars align in the skies, the mythologies that were created to explain the wonder of cosmos. We’ve even created an entire collection featuring iconographic representations of celestial bodies.
So, yes, we believe that Mercury being in retrograde has an effect on the way we live, on the outcomes of our choices during this time. And we really mean “this time” - Mercury is currently in retrograde until March 9th.
What does it mean for Mercury to be in Retrograde?
According to astrology, every planet is related to a certain set of emotions, or aspects of life. Traditionally, Venus is related to love, Mars is related to aggression, and so forth.
Mercury, the smallest planet closest to the sun, signifies communication, technology, travel, and commerce. It is represented by the Greek God Hermes as well, Zeus’ messenger and a notorious trickster. When Mercury is not in retrograde, life moves smoothly, and communication flows easily. Bumps in the road are not as common.
Whether or not a planet is in retrograde refers to the direction of its orbit, or at least its apparent direction. The word “retrograde” can give off the impression that a planet is moving “retroactively” or backward in its orbit. However, this phenomenon actually refers to an optical illusion, wherein a planet appears to be moving backward from our vantage point on Earth.
Every planet experiences this at some point in their orbit, however, with Mercury being so close to the Sun and its orbits therefore shorter, we’re aware of its retrograde periods on a more frequent basis.
What Mercury in Retrograde Means for You
What does it matter if a planet appears to be moving backward? It’s more personal than you might think. When a planet is in retrograde, it’s almost as if there is added friction to the aspect of life that it represents, Because Mercury rules over all wings of communication, from travel and business to romantic words and technology, its retrograde state throws these things into flux.
Astrology says that when Mercury is in retrograde, you may experience technology failing or breaking down, missed connections and poor travel conditions, broken business promises, and even tension caused by miscommunication with your partner. Astrologists recommend waiting out this period before signing contracts, making big plans or financial decisions, or even starting a new job.
When Mercury is in retrograde, we see it as a chance to move slowly, to allow the world to unfold around us instead of forcing any major decisions. Luckily, Mercury’s retrograde only lasts for a little less than a month and happens around two times a year.
It’s almost as if the universe is asking us to take a step back from our busy lifestyles, let our schedules free up, and allow our creativity to flow. This year, we think that we may just have to listen.
RETROGRADE IN 2020
FEB 18th - MAR 9th . JUNE 17th - JULY 12th . OCT 13th - NOV 3rd