Mercury Retrograde - December 13,2023 - January 1st, 2024

Mercury Retrograde: December 13th, 2023 - January 1st, 2024

Now, Mercury retrograde gains a bad rep, BUT he’s not all bad in fact the messenger of the Gods is helping us to connect to our inner worlds. When he travels retrograde he is allowing us time to slow down and reflect, focus on details and our admin both professionally and in our personal lives. 

He is the communicator of the underworld, communicating between realms of the mortal and immortal, communicating between the Gods and humans. 

Mercury is known as an inner planet within the solar system, meaning we feel his presence more often as he retrogrades about three-four times a year. These retrogrades are caused by a slowing down movement that feels like the planet is going backwards. We can often find this presence a little challenging, however knowing what to expect and accepting it’s a time to slow down helps. Using the time for reflection and going inwards and looking for our inner knowledge that is within your underworld and bridging life to it. 

Using the energy of Mercury Retrograde is powerful, rather than pushing forward and doing, surrender and go within, focus on details, admin tasks, and your creativity. Continue working on your craft, your plans, and your ideas, noticing they may change or adjust.

Generally speaking, a launch of a new project is never ideal, but life does happen, and being aware that there might be a few hiccups and being prepared can empower you for this move. 

There are the usual effects he is known for and that is causing mischief regarding communication, technology, travel, and contracts and that ex popping back into your life or sliding into your DM seemingly out of nowhere.

Historically Mercury retrograde dates back to the mid-18th century when it was written about in astrology circles. Mercury Retrograde was noted in British agricultural almanacs, that farmers would read to sync their planting schedules to patterns of the stars.  During the spiritualism craze of the Victorian era, interest in astrology boomed, with many believing that the stars affected the Earth in a variety of ways. Late 19th-century publications like The Astrologer’s Magazine and The Science of the Stars connected Mercury retrograde with heavy rainfall. 

By the 1970s, Astrology became so popular that horoscopes were a newspaper regular column with Mercury retrograde a recurring event. As the Roman god Mercury was said to govern travel, commerce, financial wealth, and communication, in astrological circles, Mercury the planet became linked to these.

Thus how Mercury retrograde has become very prevalent in society and is often blamed for miscommunications, broken appliances and many other issues. 

In Astrology, Mercury is known as the planet of communication. It embodies all aspects of communication, from conversation to social media, public speaking, song writing, and anything that communicates one person’s ideas to another person. It is also the planet of information and the mind, contracts, opinions, and rational thought. Mercury rules the parts of our lives that are connecting with others and how we communicate.

So when Mercury, the planet of communication is retrograde, all forms of communication are likely to fail at different times and this is why meaning what you say is important and if you are unsure of anything ask.

Our last Mercury Retrograde dance will begin on December 13 between Capricorn, move to Sagittarius on December 23 before turning direct on January 1 2024.

When the retrograde begins, today, on December 13, it will pick up at the same exact location in the sky where the retrograde at the start of the year ended on January 18, meaning are there storylines from the beginning of the year that need us to finish them, bring closure to a chapter of our lives. What you’re your goals, dreams, hopes and even fears at the beginning of the year? This will come back to the forefront over the coming weeks so be prepared for this.

Mercury will bring to light anything that we’re not happy with as it moves from Capricorn to Sagittarius. Part of what we’re learning is that it’s important to deal with what brings us the most happiness. This can be a good thing — ask yourself what in your life isn’t serving you anymore, and be prepared to let that shit go.

This is a time to slow down, allow yourself to rest, spend time by yourself or with loved ones and enjoy this time in between where we are not sure what day of the week it is. Use this time to adopt a bigger picture or birds eye view of your goals for next year. In terms of career, love, lifestyle, or whatever it is for you. Remember this is a cosmic gift from the universe to literally slow down and become more introspective and hold off those visions boards until after January 1 st – remember there is a post-shadow phase…remember the key here is to slow down and not rush be cautious.

Oh, and if that ex pops back into your life…just “bye Felecia” – you don’t have time to entertain that!