Although Mercury’s retrograde cycle is not bad and is business as usual, it tends to create stress for some people. Even if you aren’t particularly mercurial, you may have to deal with the effects of other people’s dysregulations from this retrograde or just the generalized “ick” that tends to accumulate from people being late, tech not working right, and the varying miscommunications which inevitably seem to materialize.
Here are a few practices that have worked for me, or for people that I love to help rebalance yourself during these rougher times. You (obviously?) don’t need to do all of these practices – finding one that works for you and sticking with it will likely be more beneficial than trying to catch ’em all.
- Don’t take things personally – Learning to step back and be objective about other people’s shit can go a long way at all times but most especially when the space weather gets choppier. This may look like taking a break from socializing or engaging less with those overly dramatic folks who make their emotions everyone else’s business. Boundaries are key here: you can read my boundary spell here for ideas on magically enforcing better boundaries.
- Ground, ground, ground – Mercury is a very airy planet, and its retrograde cycle can leave us really stuck in our heads. Any practice that pulls you out of your head and back into your body will be helpful during this time. This may look like sending your energy out of your feet and into the earth like roots, wearing grounding scents, focusing on your body, or simply lying on the ground. Some people find great benefits in carrying/wearing grounding crystals during these times.
- Move Your Body—This doesn’t have to be high-impact. Moving our bodies can ground us and return us to the now. Practices like yin yoga or other slow movements may be especially helpful here as they are focused on being in your body and really feeling what you are experiencing. Another layer is to focus on floor poses that put you close to the ground, accomplishing #2.
- Focus on what you Eat – this will look different for everyone, and I’m not trying to be a food purist here. We all have foods that make us feel good (in a body way) and foods that don’t. Since Mercury retrograde can increase anxiety, paying attention to foods/drinks that are prone to making you jittery and limiting them may be helpful during this time. If your anxiety settles in your gut (mine certainly does), try sticking to your safer foods during the retrograde cycle.
- Calming Practices—Again, this will look different for everyone. What activities really bring you back to yourself and a state of inner contentment? Try to prioritize those for the next three weeks.
- Write For Yourself – Mercury’s retrograde cycles are review moments that tend to bring up many things from our past for deeper processing. Keeping a private journal is a good way to work through these challenging moments. This may look like shadow work or simply recording your thoughts and feelings as they come to you.
- Media detoxing – Not only does social media often stop working correctly during a retrograde cycle, but people get really in it. It sometimes can seem like the very worst in humanity is appearing on your feed. This is your cosmic reminder that it’s okay to take a break from the news and social media, and that you can unfollow any person at any time. You can always come back and reengage later if you want to.
- Do less – retrogrades are an internal phase that encourages pause and reflection. Where can you create more space in your life? Can you breathe and recenter before you respond?
It’s worth noting that every retrograde cycle hits differently, so you will likely feel some Mercury retrogrades more than others. The closer the retrograde aligns with your own chart, the more likely you will be affected by its energy. There are also no wrong answers here – if retrogrades make you feel energized and on top of things, great! If you’re in a cycle where you want to be introspective, Mercury retrogrades can be very helpful for this process.