Your Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide–From A Therapist!

Mercury rotates the sun once every 88 days, making it appear as if it is going backward for 21 days. From January 30 until February 20, Mercury will be in retrograde. Since mercury is the planet of the mind, intellect, communication, you may notice that there is more miscommunication, misunderstandings, delays, and issues with technology. Think of the Mercury Retrograde as a quarterly review. This is your chance to get in touch with yourself, assess where you are at, and see what you need to heal.

Make space between your thoughts and words

Your thoughts may not always represent the truth. A lot of the things we think are represented by our ego, which is fueled by subconscious beliefs we have about ourselves. Making space between your thoughts and words helps you better communicate with others because you are able to bring in awareness, which is your higher self. “Awareness is the beginning of becoming free of the ego because then you realize that your thoughts—and the negative emotions they produce—are dysfunctional and unnecessary.” (Tolle) Once you recognize that your thoughts are sometimes dysfunctional, and you bring in curious, non-judgmental awareness to your thoughts, it’s easier for you to avoid saying things that you don’t mean, and helps you avoid misunderstandings.

Create balanced conversations

Conversations can become off-balance if one person is either dominating the conversation or not participating in the conversation at all. We can create more balance in our communication with other people when we ensure that we are in emotional balance. “When we are in emotional balance, we feel alive and at ease. Our feelings are aroused enough for life to have meaning and vitality, but not so aroused that we feel overwhelmed or out of control.” (Siegel)

Look at problems from a new perspective

Maybe you are too rigid in your thinking, and that is causing you to feel some pretty negative emotions. Now is the time to create an alternate storyline to the one you have been telling yourself. If, during the retrograde, you start to notice uncomfortable feelings stir up, pay attention to them. Look at what they might be telling you. Discomfort shows you that you need to pay attention to what is happening because that is your opportunity to make a change. Anxiety shows you that you are stuck in the past or the future, and that you need to be more present.

Talk to yourself & spend time reflecting

As we said, the Mercury retrograde is like your quarterly review. It’s time to get in touch with yourself and reflect on where you’re at, what you need to take action on, and where you need to find balance. You can do this by sitting in meditation and asking yourself questions about how you’re feeling, where you’re at, etc. Don’t expect the answers to pop up right away–just sit with the questions in stillness. After that, you can take out your journal and write down what came up for you.

Confirm all plans

With all the errors in miscommunication, it’s best to confirm important meetings, dates, and appointments. The trickster energy of mercury heavily influences plans, especially travel. It’s best to prepare yourself, and budget the appropriate amount of time (and emotional bandwidth) to deal with whatever may pop up. Make sure you put extra effort into communicating with people regarding plans. It is better to be safe than sorry!

Rely on technology less

We use technology to communicate with people, and with mercury in retrograde, we are more likely to experience issues with our phones and computers. Making a hard copy of all your important documents and saving more times than you’re used to will be necessary during Mercury retrograde. It’s also best to keep the old pen and paper handy rather than relying on your phone to hold all your information. Use a paper calendar to write meetings and appointments down rather than relying on your google calendar.

If you haven’t already, check out last week’s article here. Also, learn more about how you can work with the moon cycles, or how to work with the divine feminine here. We also have a course in our shop that will provide you with the tools you need to harness and work with the moon’s energy.

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References:

Tolle, Eckhardt. “How to Free Yourself from Your Ego Armor.” Oprah.com. https://www.oprah.com/inspiration/how-to-free-yourself-from-your-ego-armor
Siegel, Daniel. Mindsight. 2010

Starting with a creative written voice and a BA in English from ASU, Alli Cravener has become so much more than Integrative Counsel’s voice! Not only is she a writer who is passionate about connecting concepts and content, Alli is also currently a grad student working towards her Master’s in Counseling. She is also the editor-in-chief, office manager, AND intake specialist at Integrative Counsel. When you call us, you’ll talk to Alli! Alli’s interests include painting, history, learning about other people, and wearing the color pink. She likens herself to a “mouse in a palm tree”, and she loves it that way.