image from UNSPLASH
mercury retrograde:november 16-december 6
shadow zone (the warm up & cool down): october 28-december 24
mercury is retrograde for the last time in 2018 in sagittarius, where jupiter has just entered and the sun will be soon. there are a lot of amazing guides out there for surviving mercury retrograde. yes, back up your technologies & plans- it’s always a good reminder of being in the practice of that. yes, communication can get tricky & friction in the details is real. for some, it’s a prolific time (I have theories about this being especially true for those born with mercury retro). everyone’s experience of each mercury retro can be different, because the individual natal chart always matters.
mercury retro can feel like it’s happening TO you. many of the functions we take for granted or don’t notice stall or reveal their dysfunctionality. we can choose panic, or we can resolve dilemmas through gratitude for what is working & taking the pressure off of what is not. I’ve observed that what often causes the most mayhem during mercury retro is going against the current of the energy, when we are not listening to intuition or being more cautious & slow as needed. pushing when we need to pause. making moves when we need to be still causes friction- sometimes it’s needed, sometimes it’s not. wisdom is, as they say, knowing the difference.
mercury retro is nothing to fear. fear is not a healthy foundation for any relationship. mercury retro is an invitation to be in deeper relationship with time, words, & communications. THE MIND. rather than figuring out how to survive a seemingly constant onslaught of mishaps, examine where you can make different decisions or use different strategies. this is particularly true with this round of mercury retro because jupiter just entered sagittarius. the shit that comes up now may give you hints on themes for growth & learning that will surround you in the next year.
here are some tips to take you from survival to thrival, sagittarius style:
assumptions are nonconsensual. sagittarius/jupiter energy is prone to inflation. think of assumptions as an inflation of your intuition. intuition doesn’t give you permission to not ask for clarity or consent. ask questions & ask them sincerely before you respond to what you think is happening or being said. or stay quiet.
be intentional with your attention. be as present as you can in the moments that matter. when someone is speaking to you, listen with your full attention. listen with your heart, listen with your love, listen with curiosity. sagittarius is curious if they don’t stay oversaturated with knowledge by allowing their minds to reset. honor those who are sharing their priceless time with you & stay curious.
consent. lessons I am acutely learning are how to practice consent even in conversations or relationships where there is familiarity. asking if they want feedback before it’s given, asking how they need support, asking for permission to critique. asking questions as if we really don’t know, because sometimes we do & sometimes we don’t. take responsibility for the decisions & offering you make. set boundaries for the ones you’re impacted by or receiving. trick: creating space & comfort for yourself & others to say no when they need to.
time is nonlinear. if something isn’t working out, it doesn’t have to happen now. if something isn’t flowing smoothly, it doesn’t have to be fixed now (or maybe ever). let the excess (a jupiter/sag trait) fall away. or press pause & come back. time is nonlinear: meaning that looking at it as a resource you’re spending & won’t get back is not the only way to look at it. you can restore time, deepen time, stretch time when you do treat it as a priceless resource that you won’t waste on what’s not for you. (listen to more on nonlinear time here).
simplify to amplify. if your schedule is getting hectic, use your agency to make space. cancel what you can. stick to what feels right. schedule big changes, hard conversations, or anything that involves a lot of intracacies or brain power for after the retro if you can. tend to the details to do the dream justice. be patient and gentle with yourself in that limbo between realizations and integration. your power is in the process.
the r’s: review, revise, readjust, refine, reassess, reconsider, reevaluate, reexamine. recall, rethink, remember. these & all their synonyms are what mercury retrograde is for. mercury retrograde in sagittarius will be about applying the r’s to your perspectives, belief systems, honesty, & big thinking. dive deep into any projects, activities, or thought-trains that need this kind of attention. you won’t regret it.