Mercury retrograde is one of those things that people love to hate. We all moan and groan as it begins to rear its head and we brace for the worst. I will be honest that I usually don’t tend to get hit too hard by the effects of it. Over the years I have learned that the best thing you can do is take the time to sit back and allow it to pass. This time around has been difficult though, and it seems like it’s hitting a lit of people a lot harder. My day job involves assisting people who are interested in continuing their college education online. This involves a lot of phone and email communication. This week alone I have found myself standing in front of the IT desk, head in hands, as I once again deal with my email crashing. At this point it has become personal, and so here are just some ways that I have usually found effective in navigating Mercury Retrograde.
Step Back From Forms of Communication
Mercury rules over communication and the effectiveness in which we interact with the world. When Mercury goes into retrograde we find ourselves struggling through our normal means of communicating. Emails crash or get lost in limbo, phones break, we say things that we don’t mean, etc. It can be messy. If you have the ability to step back from this and really focus inward until Mercury goes direct, do so. As a writer I like to take this time to go back over drafts and works in progress that I have set aside. I find it’s a great time to really evaluate my writing with a critical eye. This is a great time for introspection. If you keep a daily journal then this can be a great time to read over past entries and evaluate how far you’ve come along.
Credit: Nathan Anderson | CC0 Creative Commons
Prepare Ahead of Time
Make any kind of major decisions, sign contracts, etc before Mercury goes into retrograde. This way you can go about your day to day business during the duration of it without having to worry. Taking the time to be aware of what you have going on in your life and plan accordingly.
Stop Bitching and Start Witching
Yeah, that’s right. You’re all magical people, so do something about it. There are a lot of different ways to magically prepare for Mercury Retrograde. One of my personal favorites is making an incense and oil that utilizes a recipe from Devin Hunter’s the Witch’s Book of Power. The recipe includes a specific measurement of rosemary, copal and an herb that corresponds to your individual planet in Mercury. Typically I will burn this the Wednesday before Mercury goes retrograde and ask for clarity, productivity, and peace. I will continue to burn this throughout the retrograde period. I have also made this into an oil for myself that I will carry around with me or leave on my desk at work. One of my good friends, and amazing folk magician, Matthew Venus also carries an oil for Mercury Retrograde in his shop Spiritus Arcanum.
Credit: Matthew Venus | Used with Permission
The Three Questions of Communication
Ultimately there is no avoiding the effects of Mercury Retrograde fully. This post is about navigating it, not eliminating it, and one of the best ways to do that is just to be aware. One should always aim to be mindful in their communication, but during this time it is more important than ever. Before you say anything stop and ask yourself if it is necessary, kind and true. If you stop on any of those, perhaps it is best left unsaid. Take the time to really process your words and the effects that they will have, there is no taking them back once they have left your mouth. As a witch knows, our words hold power and this is no less true during this time.