Mercury Retrogrades Don't Have To Be A Bad Thing—Here's How To Make The Most Of Them

Uh oh—Mercury is retrograde again. But before we start cracking jokes and making memes, what does Mercury retrograde actually mean? And further, how does it impact us?

Here, we're answering all your Mercury retrograde queries, from why it happens, to how to get through it, according to astrologers.

Astronomically speaking, Mercury retrogrades occur when Mercury passes the Earth in its orbit around the Sun. From our perspective on Earth, Mercury appears to be moving in a different direction, even though it's not actually moving backwards.

As astrologer Molly Pennington, Ph.D. tells mindbodygreen, no planet will ever actually go in reverse motion, but she likens it to when you're sitting in a parked car, and the car next to you starts moving. Suddenly, you feel like you're in motion too, even though you're not.

"So Mercury is not actually going in reverse, but it it feels like it has first stopped or "stationed," and then feels like it's going in reverse across the path where it's already been," she explains.

So, why do people freak out about Mercury retrogrades? We covered the literal astronomy of it, but astrologically speaking, there are some other implications that tend to make people a little nervous.

For one thing, Mercury governs themes around communication, technology, and travel—so when it's retrograde, those are exactly the areas that tend to get hit the hardest. Think travel delays, miscommunications, accidentally sending an email too soon...things of that nature.

As the AstroTwins previously explained to mindbodygreen, "During [Mercury retrogrades], astrologers advise against buying new computers, electronic devices, appliances, and cars," adding that signing contracts is also tricky during Mercury retrograde, as you can easily miss an important detail.

But according to Pennington, Mercury retrogrades aren't totally a bad thing. In fact, she says, they offer us the perfect opportunity to "go back in time" and make any revisions necessary before moving forward.

Sure, your texts might not send as quickly, or you might get a flat tire on the way to work, but in terms of the big picture, Pennington explains, "It kind of forces the idea that editing, revising, cutting things out, going back to something and reworking it—these things are just part of the process."

So instead of looking at Mercury retrogrades as something to fear, she tells mindbodygreen, use it as a chance to ensure you're getting things right.

If you thought you only had to factor in Mercury retrograde's effects during the retrograde itself, think again. There's a "shadow period" that comes along with Mercury retrogrades in the weeks leading up to it, and the weeks after.

This "shadow" phase starts a few weeks before the actual retrograde and ends a few weeks after, which the AstroTwins describe like "the lingering fumes of a bus or car after it's driven away."

And according to Pennington, the shadow period can also be of use to you, because it can show you what exactly is going to be addressed or revisited during the retrograde period.

As she explains, during the shadow period before Mercury retrograde begins, "You can start paying attention to the things that are happening in your life, and which house of your birth chart this retrograde will be in, and know that this is the stuff that's going to be 'up in the air' over the next few weeks."

You can expect at least two, but often three, Mercury retrogrades each and every year. It typically has the most retrogrades of any planet per year.

The next time Mercury goes retrograde, don't let it send you into a tizzy. While it's not always the easiest few weeks, it can be made a lot easier when you take the time to slow down and use it to your advantage. Life can't always be a straight shot to the top, and carving out time to retrace our steps is essential to the big picture.