Surviving (and Thriving!) During Mercury Retrograde

Mercury Retrograde tends to strike fear in the hearts of many. It’s become astrologically infamous as the time when travel plans go awry, technology glitches, exes resurface and communication breaks down. For some, it can feel chaotic, destructive and just plain frustrating. You might even feel like hiding under the covers until it’s all over.

But Mercury Retrograde doesn’t have to be a nightmare. In fact, it’s actually an amazing opportunity to pause, reflect and course-correct. In our constantly moving world, consider it your cosmic invitation to slow down, tidy up loose ends and realign with what truly matters.

What is Mercury Retrograde?

Every planet goes through a retrograde period—an apparent backward motion in the sky from our vantage point on Earth. It’s not actually going backwards (that’s an optical illusion), but it feels like it is—kind of like when you're on a train and the one next to you starts moving, and it suddenly feels like you’re going backwards.

When Mercury, the planet of communication and connection, is retrograde, it offers us a moment to reassess how we think, speak, plan and process. It’s a time to revisit anything that starts with “re”—reflect, revise, redo, restore, reimagine.

Mercury’s realm

Mercury rules:

• Thinking, speaking and writing

• Short-distance travel

• Your immediate environment (neighbourhood, local community)

• Technology and communication devices

• Siblings and school friends

• Learning, especially up to the end of high school

  
  

In mythology, Mercury (Hermes in Greek mythology, and linked with Loki in Norse) was the messenger of the gods, known for speed, trickery, cleverness and communication. His winged feet and caduceus (staff with two snakes) symbolise movement, duality and swift exchanges.

Mercury also rules Gemini, a sign known for curiosity, mental agility and social energy. When Mercury goes retrograde, it’s like that trickster god is playing with our wires and giving us a nudge to pause and pay attention.

Retrogrades are a time to ...

Rest, Retreat and Restore

Give yourself a break. Rest isn’t laziness—it’s essential. Mercury Retrograde is an ideal time to step back, take stock and reconnect with yourself. Often, what seems stuck or messy starts to clarify after some spaciousness.

Reflect, Rethink and Reevaluate

What’s working? What’s not? What patterns are playing out? Take this time to evaluate how you’re communicating, making decisions, and managing your time and energy.

Reset, Renew and Refresh

Once you've had a rest and reflected on things, it's time to reset. Maybe that means tweaking your schedule, returning to a shelved idea, or making room for new clarity to emerge.

Common Mercury Retrograde experiences

• Miscommunication: Conversations can go sideways. Confirm plans, avoid assumptions and choose clarity over speed.

• Tech mishaps: Back up your devices. Glitches, crashes and connectivity issues are more common.

• Travel delays: Build in extra time, double-check itineraries and carry backups of key documents.

• Past patterns return: People or issues from the past may resurface for deeper healing or a second look.

• Delays with decisions: Things may feel slow or unclear. Trust that this pause is a chance to make more aligned choices.

  
  

Pro tip: Avoid signing contracts or launching something brand new if you can. But if it’s been in the works for a while, just triple-check the details.

Real talk: A Mercury Rx story

My sister and her husband wanted to buy a house during a Mercury Retrograde. The sale fell through when the pandemic hit. When the property became available again during the next retrograde, they faced delays getting finance approved—but in the end, they switched banks, got a better deal and moved at a more aligned time.

Sometimes what looks like a setback is actually the Universe buying you time.

Do’s and Don’ts (your retrograde cheat sheet)

DO:

• Reflect, rest and revise

• Back up your devices

• Allow extra time for plans and travel

• Revisit old ideas, projects or conversations

DON’T:

• Buy new tech (unless absolutely necessary)

• Sign contracts without reviewing carefully

• Assume communication has landed clearly—follow up

• Panic! Slowdowns are invitations, not punishments

  
  

The Shadow Periods

Mercury Retrograde isn’t just the 3-week phase—it has pre- and post-retrograde periods too.

Pre-retrograde (about 2 weeks before): Themes start surfacing—pay attention. It’s like walking past shop windows and noticing certain items calling to you.

The retrograde (3 weeks): This is when you 'try on' those themes. Things feel louder, more immediate. The invitation is to look deeper.

Post-retrograde (2 weeks after): You’ve had the experience—now it’s time to clean up, integrate and move forward with clarity.

Mercury Cazimi: A moment of light

About halfway through the retrograde, Mercury aligns with the Sun in what’s known as a Cazimi. It’s a flash of insight. The Sun symbolically 'burns away' Mercury’s fog, offering clarity or revelation. If you’ve been feeling confused, this is often a moment when the clouds begin to part.

Mercury Retrograde and the elements

Each Zodiac sign is represented by an element, either Fire, Earth, Air or Water. Mercury will spend 18 months retrograding through the signs that comprise a particular element. This gives us an opportunity to really focus on that part of our lives/chart/being. The general theme of each element is listed below.

Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)

You may feel impulsive, frustrated by slowdowns. Your energy might drop. Use this time to reconnect with your instincts and passion.

Earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn)

Reevaluate your practical life: habits, money, work systems, routines, health. Ground yourself.

Air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius)

The mind might feel buzzy. Overthinking is common. Take an information detox—simplify your inputs and reflect on how you communicate.

Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)

Emotions rise. You’re called to process old feelings and heal emotional residue. Be gentle and allow space for introspection.

Mercury retrograde dates

Year	Enters Pre-retrograde shadow	Station retrograde	Station direct	Leaves Post-retrograde shadow
2025	28 February	15 March @ 9° Aries	13 April @ 24° Pisces	26 April
2025	30 June	18 July @ 15° Leo	11 August @ 4° Leo	25 August
2025	21 October	9 November @ 6° Sagittarius	29 November @ 20° Scorpio	17 December
2026	12 February	26 February @ 22° Pisces	20 March @ 8° Pisces	10 April
2026	13 June	29 June @ 26° Cancer	23 July @ 16° Cancer	7 August
2026	5 October	24 October @ 20° Scorpio	13 November @ 5° Scorpio	30 November
2027	25 January	9 February @ 5° Pisces	3 March @ 20° Aquarius	23 March
2027	26 May	10 June @ 6° Cancer	4 July @ 27° Gemini	20 July
2027	17 September	7 October @ 4° Scorpio	28 October @ 19° Libra	13 November
2028	9 January	24 January @ 19° Aquarius	14 February @ 4° Aquarius	6 March
2028	6 May	21 May @ 16° Gemini	14 June @ 7° Gemini	30 June
2028	30 August	19 September @ 18° Libra	11 October @ 3° Libra	27 October
2028–2029	22 December	7 January 2029 @ 3° Aquarius	27 January @ 17° Capricorn	17 February
2029	18 April	2 May @ 26° Taurus	25 May @ 17° Taurus	11 June
2029	13 August	2 September @ 1° Libra	25 September @ 17° Virgo	10 October
2029–2030	5 December	16 December @ 24° Capricorn	11 January 2030 @ 1° Capricorn	5 February
2030	30 March	13 April @ 7° Taurus	6 May @ 27° Aries	24 May
2030	28 July	16 August @ 14° Virgo	8 September @ 1° Virgo	23 September
2030	18 November	6 December @ 1° Capricorn	25 December @ 15° Sagittarius	13 January 2031

Final Thoughts

How you experience Mercury Retrograde is really up to you. If you give yourself breathing room, approach delays with curiosity and loosen your grip on control, this time can feel surprisingly easeful.

It’s not about everything going perfectly. It’s about learning to trust the pause. And sometimes, that pause is exactly what you needed to hear your inner voice again.

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Want to go deeper?

Inside the Inner Collective, we offer astrology insights, EFT tapping, yin yoga and meditation to help you move through Mercury Retrograde with clarity and calm. Join the waitlist here.

Or, if you want to know how Mercury Retrograde is affecting your chart specifically, book a personalised astrology session. Learn more here.