What is Mercury Retrograde? What does it mean?
Often abbreviated as "Mercury Rx," Mercury Retrograde is the three-week period when Mercury -- known as the messenger planet -- appears to move in reverse. This happens about every four months when Mercury's orbit around the Sun aligns with Earth's. Since Mercury is closest to the Sun, its orbit is shorter allowing it to cover more territory faster. This speed brings it in sync with Earth's location on three annual occasions -- coined "Mercury Retrograde." During this time, Mercury spins directly between Earth and Sun (with Venus in the middle), presenting the illusion that Mercury is going backwards. In fact, Mercury is moving the same pace it always does -- about three times faster than Earth. The only difference is our perspective of Mercury shifts -- in the same way a car next to us on the freeway appears to go backwards as we inch beside it. The car isn't going slower -- we are simply catching up with it.

Why does it get a bad rap?
Since Mercury is the planet representing communication and motion, when it goes retrograde, there is a sense that movement-based things -- such as communication, travel, traffic, business negotiations, etc. -- are interrupted and slowed. Cars breakdown, calls get missed, or you say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Energetically, it can feel as though the universe is blocking your efforts at progress. However, if you take a wider perspective, you realize that many of the missed opportunities are due to a lack of pre-planning before the retrograde cycle began. If you exchange painful words with your spouse or run out of gas on the freeway ... you might realize these could have been prevented had addressed them before Mercury turned retrograde. In short, don't wait to deal with problems ... because retrograde is likely to bring them up!

What effects do most people feel?
During Mercury Retrograde, it may feel as though you can't find the path of least resistance ... in thoughts, movement, expression or travel. You endure dicey conversations or get stuck in unexpected traffic jams. After an hour of trying to explain what you mean to your spouse, you give up frustrated. Don't be surprised if you often feel tangled, trapped, thwarted or confused during this period. As the word "retrograde" alludes to "re-do" or "re-think," the theme of retrofitting or redoing can also come up for you. In that sense, you may find a need to reinforce your life with more intentionality -- strengthen relationships, repeat instructions and rebuild foundations.

What should we do differently during a Mercury Retrograde period to help us "survive" better?
Just like you can't force a river to run while it's blocked by a dam, you can't demand life to flow more smoothly while Mercury's in retrograde. In fact, Mercury Retrograde is a good reminder that we're not as almighty as we might like to think. In that vein, peaceful surrender is perhaps the best tool you can wield during Mercury Retrograde. Go with the flow (however wayward the flow may get) and take each retrograde challenge as an opportunity to meditate on the unpredictability of life. Prepare yourself ahead of time by reinforcing your communications infrastructure, take care of business, and slow down and enjoy the mystery of the universe.

Mercury Retrograde and You

Why should I care about Mercury Retrograde? How does it affect me?
Everyone will experience Mercury Retrograde somewhat differently. If you are exceptionally balanced and organized, you may barely notice Mercury Retrograde's influence. However, if you slacked off on car repairs or forgot to pay your phone bill on time ... you might find that life gets a little crazier and more frustrating than usual. Your experience also depends on how well you accept the bumps along the road -- if you pull your hair out and fume when you miss your train connection or lose your cell phone signal ...  it's going to be a long 22 days!

Does my astrological sign or my birth chart predict how Mercury Retrograde will impact my life?
Yes, if you have strong Mercury aspects in your chart and/or you were born with Mercury in retrograde, then your experience during a Mercury Retrograde period is likely to be more intense. Similarly, if you don't have much Mercury activity in your chart, you will feel less effect. A personalized Solar Return Birth report spells out exactly how much Mercury influence you have in your chart. Knowing this can help you plan for success when Mercury rolls around again ... as does three times a year, every year.

Why does it affect people differently?
Since Mercury goes retrograde three times a year, the sign it's in influences each person's experience. For example, if Mercury goes retrograde in early July while Sun's in Cancer, and if your Sun sign is Cancer, then that particular Mercury Retrograde period may affect you more deeply than someone with a Sun sign in, say, Libra or Virgo. The best way to know exactly how each Mercury Retrograde period will affect you is to look at your astrological birth chart and compare it to upcoming retrograde periods.

If I was born during Mercury Retrograde, how will that influence my life?
Since Mercury is the "messenger" planet, if you were born during its retrograde period you may feel stifled in the delivery of information. This might in turn make you more contemplative and analytical when it comes to expressing yourself. The resulting think-before-you-speak instinct is certainly an asset, but it can also mean that you don't get much practice in the verbal world of society. This can lead to the occasional blunder, since Mercury Retrograde babies often struggle with saying things gracefully. However, your personal birth chart demonstrates exactly how Mercury influences you. For example, if you have several positive Mercury aspects in your chart, your communication energies in life may thrive even though you were born during a retrograde spin. We are all a mosaic of individuality.