by Laura West
Did you hear? Mercury is in retrograde… again!
I finally got curious about this phenomenon and did a bit of research.
Mercury is the planet that is about communication, technology, travel and things going out into the world (like program launches, etc.)
It often seems like Mercury goes retrograde all the time. In fact, it happens 3 – 4 times a year.
Interestingly, it doesn’t actually go retrograde (reversing direction), it just looks like that to us here on earth, in relation to the sun and how many times Mercury laps us in its orbit. More about this in a great article from Allure magazine.
That being said, I do believe in energetics. There is something in the energy of when Mercury in Retrograde. Things do seem to be slower and have the easy tendency to get tangled.
Maybe it happens other times of the year and we just notice it because we can blame poor ol’ Mercury. And perhaps there’s something to the energy.
Either way, we can’t control Mercury, but we can control how we relate to this phenomenon.
I believe in the natural rhythms around us, the tides, the phases of the moon and the power of solar flares. There are many ways nature’s rhythms show up in our lives.
We have a choice. We can fall victim to the energetic shifts, or we can be proactive and work with these natural energetic waves.
Here’s my recommendation for how to be when Mercury is doing its retrograde thing:
What if you looked at it as an opportunity?
It’s a time to slow down and be thoughtful in your decisions. It’s actually easier to do in the summertime (here in the Northern Hemisphere) … it’s a natural time to power down on vacations and time off.
It’s a time to draw on your patience and not rush other people and processes. Don’t push to get something done or for someone to make a big decision. Let it unfold.
What if it’s a time to take a break and reflect? Sit on the beach or on the lake and do a check in with your life and business.
What if this is a call for exquisite self-care? Time to take care of you with early morning walks and visits to the river (my favorite when in town and my absolute favorite is an early morning walk on the beach!)
Perhaps it’s a time to let go and forgive. Instead of forging ahead, take stock and see what needs to be let go. Is it an old service or product in your business or is it a relationship that is no longer serving you both or perhaps it’s being willing to let go of an old grudge that is keeping you both trapped in a disempowering relationship?
If you are feeling the effects of Mercury in retrograde than how about using that as a signal that it’s time to meditate and take more time outs?
I don’t think you have to not plan to do anything significant during Mercury’s retrograde, I think a more empowering dance with mercury is to use this as a time to reflect, pause, be intentional and heal.
That actually sounds way more powerful than falling victim.
I look forward to hearing how you reframe this in the next few weeks.
