Mercury Retro Info & List

Mercury Retro, what’s the big deal?

Think computers, smart devices, social media, public transport, cars and traffic, and even the breath, nerves and impulses within our bodies. That’s just for starters! When this planet retrogrades, there’s the potential for arrangements, devices, deliveries and health to glitch out, but it’s equally possible for good things to happen.

How often is Mercury Retro?

Mercury goes retro three times a year (sometimes four) for three weeks at a time, which means that for about 9 weeks each year, Mercury is retro.

What’s a shadow period?

The weeks before and after a Mercury retrograde are called a shadow period. These shadow weeks help us prepare, and later integrate, the actual 3 retro weeks. See the table below for this year’s dates. In technical terms, the shadow starts when Mercury passes the degree of the zodiac it will later reverse furthest back to when retro.

What should I do?

Mercury’s three actual retro weeks are a great time to complete unfinished projects, have check-ups (health, financial, car, anything!), review, edit, study, retreat, do background preparation, back up, clean up errors, check, check and double-check, assess the details of a decision, work hard on improving and perfecting something, and get your life in order all round. Some people have truly productive Mercury Retro periods, catching up on everything and making great progress, as Mercury Retro can help us zoom in and focus. Others feel slowed down, tripped up, delayed or disrupted.

Should I back up?

Mercury pre-shadow Retro periods (preferably earlier) can be good times to do back ups. That way you’d end up with at least three back ups a year, which is better than none! There is a higher chance of things glitching out when Mercury is Retro, and even in the shadow periods, so some people back up before the shadow periods start.

What does ‘retrograde’ actually mean?

When observing Mercury retrograde through telescopes, it looks as if it’s slowly going back over the parts of the zodiac it’s just been in. When Mercury is retro, we sometimes feel as if we need to retrace our steps as if carefully wandering back seeking something that’s lost or an important missing detail like a detective solving a mystery. Or we might feel as if things are ‘going backwards’ by not happening in the normal way. Mercury retrogrades are perfect for personal reflecting. When we slow down like Mercury does, and think things through, we can have some extremely useful insights.

Does Mercury actually travel backwards?

No, Mercury doesn’t ever travel backwards. It just appears that way to us on earth when we look up.

Should I avoid signing contracts?

There’s ancient astrological advice about not signing contracts or buying things when Mercury’s retro, but honestly, sometimes it’s completely unavoidable, and in ancient times maybe they didn’t shop every five minutes like we do! Perhaps the advice might’ve been given because people tend to think differently when Mercury goes Direct again and change their minds. While Mercury is retro, we are in a different mental framework, often a strongly soul-driven one. So really the idea is to get at least one good night’s sleep, preferably more, between negotiations or considering a purchase. Carefully check all fine print before signing a contract and don’t rush or get carried away. If you do all that, Mercury Retro might even be a good time for contracts and purchases because you’ll be more cautious than usual. I know people who have signed some of their most successful contracts under Mercury Retro, but also people who rushed and regretted their decision.

What if you’re born under Mercury Retro?

If this is you, Mercury in your birth chart will be retrograde all your life, but will change ‘by progression’ (a forecasting technique). Remember, positive things do happen under Mercury Retro. People born under Mercury Retro are affected the three times a year Mercury goes retro, either by the glitches, or by the incredible focus possible.

Got the Message?!

Mercury was the god of messages, so the biggest thing to keep in mind is that whatever happens under Mercury Retro, life is trying to give you a message. Be careful though not to jump to conclusions about what the message is. Check out “Mercury Retrograde: Trials and Triumphs“.

Blogs – More Mercury Info

Check out this blog, “Mercury Retrograde: Trials and Triumphs”, to read more about what’s happened to others under a Mercury Retrograde and the messages they got, and this blog, “Your Mercury Zodiac Sign: Secrets to Your Free Will”, to understand more about the ins and outs of Mercury and Mercury Signs.

The Basic Dates of Mercury Retro 2017

The Full Dates with Shadows Merc R 2017