Mercury retrograde has a reputation for chaos: lost emails, travel mix-ups, awkward conversations, and sudden tech failures. No wonder the internet is full of advice on how to survive it. But what if survival isn’t just about bracing ourselves until it’s over? Mercury retrograde is also an invitation to slow down, reflect, and notice what happens when life doesn’t follow the script. In this post, I’ll share both practical tips and somatic ways of working with Mercury retrograde so that you can navigate this time with more curiosity and care.

What is Mercury retrograde?

Mercury retrograde is an astrological phenomenom that happens when  the planet Mercury appears to reverse its orbit and move backwards. The  word “appears” is crucial here, because Mercury isn’t actually moving  backwards. The retrograde motion of the planet is in fact an optical  illusion caused when Mercury briefly overtakes Earth in its orbit around  the Sun. Instead of moving from East to West, it looks as if Mercury  slows down and starts moving from West to East. You can compare this to  the experience of driving a fast car and passing a slower one. The slower car appears to stop and reverse in motion, even though it’s still  going in the same direction at a relatively high speed. The same thing  happens when a planet goes retrograde. After the Earth passes Mercury in  its orbit, the planet’s motion appears to resume its normal motion  again, which we call “direct motion” (as opposed to retrograde).

The whole retrograde cycle from start to finish lasts about 21 days, so we typically get Mercury retrograde for three weeks at a time. This retrograde motion is part of all planetary cycles (except for the Sun and Moon), so it isn’t necessarily a life changing event. In fact, out of all the planetary retrogrades, the retrograde of Mercury is the most common as  it happens about three times a year. ⁣Chances are, you’ve started ventures and relationships, bought electronics and signed important  documents during a Mercury retrograde cycle at some point in your life,  and you’ve lived to tell the tale.

That being said, Mercury is only retrograde 19% of the time. This means it’s more common to have Mercury  moving forward than retrograde, and it’s still something worth noting.  Especially around the days of the station retrograde and direct, you can feel some distraction and challenges with communication. This is because Mercury is at its slowest around those days, making Mercurial  things such as thinking, speaking, and writing more frustrating and  inconsistent.

What to expect from a Mercury retrograde transit

So what can we expect from a Mercury retrograde period and when  should we really be more careful doing Mercurial things? While the  actual retrograde period of Mercury lasts only three weeks or so, there  are also two or three weeks before and after the retrograde that are  worth paying attention to. During these two “shadow” periods, Mercury is  passing the same zodiacal degrees of the retrograde period, but in  direct motion. The shadow period before a Mercury retrograde can  therefore often clue you into what to expect and where to focus during the retrograde. Conversely, the post-retrograde shadow period can help you review and resolve some of the things that came up during the  retrograde time.

Some of the things that might happen during a Mercury retrograde are:

• Misunderstanding and miscommunications
• Traffic delays or cancellations
• Delivery issues
• Sending texts or e-mails to the wrong person
• Technological devices breaking down or malfunctioning (on the day that I innitially wrote this, my hand blender just stopped working!)
• Old friends or lovers showing up in your DMs

During a Mercury retrograde period, it’s wise to proceed with some caution in the areas that Mercury rules, both generally and in your chart (look to the Gemini and Virgo houses in your birth chart!). At the same time, a Mercury retrograde transit can also be a perfect time to revisit something you’ve been neglecting, or to check in with something  to see if it’s still worth your time. It’s often a good time to say  goodbye to things or people that no longer fit in your life.

The best part of a Mercury retrograde

Every Mercury retrograde cycle contains an auspicious moment where the Sun and Mercury form an exact conjunction. This exact conjunction is called Cazimi and comes from the Arabic term for “in the heart of the Sun”. This condition is considered to be highly favourable for Mercury (or any other visible planet that forms this exact  conjunction with the Sun) and usually gives the planet great power, strength and dignity. It’s worth keeping an eye on the dates of the cazimi as they provide a lot of opportunities to share or announce something important.

In addition, I like to approach the Mercury cazimi (whether retrograde or direct) as an invitation to practice deep listening. You might notice ideas, insights, or intuitive nudges that feel more vivid or alive. Try tuning into the five senses: what do you hear, smell, see, taste, or feel when you pause and pay attention? Consider the world around you (plants, animals, wind, water) as active participants in Mercury’s message. The earth speaks too, after all!

Who feels Mercury retrograde most?

Not every Mercury retrograde is going to have a major impact on your life—and that is a good thing. We wouldn’t get anything done otherwise! But some people do notice these cycles more than others, and tuning in to how Mercury moves in your chart can give you a sense of where reflection and pause might show up.

• Gemini and Virgo risings: People whose rising sign is ruled by Mercury (Gemini or Virgo risings) often feel Mercury retrograde more keenly. This might show as an inward shift: a need to slow down, revisit plans, and pay attention to thoughts and feelings rather than pushing outward. Gemini risings might notice family or home matters needing attention, while Virgo risings might feel called to review career or public life.

• Mercury as your annual timelord: If Mercury is guiding your profected year, retrogrades in that period can be especially meaningful. They can be a chance to revisit intentions, reframe priorities, and explore where adjustment is needed.

• Transits to key chart points: Any planets or angles touched by Mercury during retrograde will feel the energy more strongly. Stations (when Mercury changes direction) are particularly sensitive moments. Observing how these moments land in your life can give clues about where reflection and reorientation are most needed. 

A somatic astrology approach to Mercury retrograde

Mercury retrograde isn’t just happening “out there” in the sky. You might also feel its presence in your body. For some folks, Mercury retrograde brings restlessness or agitation; for others, a sense of brain fog or heaviness. Tuning in to how this transit lands in your body can transform frustration into insight.

Try:

• Pause and ground: When tech fails or plans unravel, notice your breath and feel your feet on the ground before reacting. The “sacred pause” is a great practice for this time.

• Free writing: Journalling is always a great practice for significant Mercury transits, but free writing is especially potent. When words feel stuck, try automatic, stream-of-consciousness writing without an agenda. You’ll notice that unexpected things show up on the page, and you’ll get to clear out any cobwebs in your brain.

• Practice slower, intentional speech or writing: Beyond the earlier mentioned sacred pause, Mercury retrograde can be a time to really notice the pace of your words, letting communication emerge with more intention. You can observe how and where words are shaped in your body, what it feels like when something wants to be expressed, and how it feels to share. Mercury retrograde is also a great time to finetune your listening skills, which includes listening with all of your senses.

Reimagining Mercury retrograde

It’s tempting to think of Mercury retrograde as something we just need to get through. But survival isn’t the whole story. These cycles invite us to reimagine what happens when things don’t run smoothly. What if the missed train opens a new encounter? What if the failed email gives you time to rethink your words?

Mercury retrograde can teach us resilience, creativity, and humour in the face of disruption. Survival, then, becomes less about bracing ourselves and more about leaning into the unexpected, finding new rhythms in the pauses and detours.

If you’d like to go deeper into working with planetary cycles and what they stir in your body, you might enjoy my Constellate container, where we explore astrology somatically and relationally.