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Is the second Mercury retrograde of this year going to be the worst one yet?

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A confused woman trying to decide what to wear.
A confused woman trying to decide what to wear.

If you’re a regular astrology reader, chances are that you’ve come across the term Mercury retrograde at least once. If you have, you’ll also know that when this occurs, it’s usually never a good thing.

In fact, many an astrologer describes this period as being one of chaos, disarray and disorganisation so if, for the next few weeks, you find yourself experiencing some major communication and tech device failures you can blame it all on that red little planet.

And this month, having already started on Monday 25th July, Mercury went into retrograde and is set to last up until the 18th August. 

What makes this one so different from previous retrograde periods is that during this period we’ll also be experiencing a blood moon (i.e. lunar eclipse), which according to Bustle, will make this retrograde period even more intense as it enhances your emotions. 

It’s also a full moon, which means these emotional energies can become challenging and lead to reckless decision-making. This also means that the next few weeks, because the retrograde is so intense, it means there is a bigger chance for more conflict, taking unwise risks and communication devices that fail.

But in order to understand this phenomenon, we need to take a step back and ask: just what exactly is Mercury retrograde?

I chatted to Anya Kotzuba, our resident astrologer and she defines this period as follows:

“The ancients observed that the planets (other than the sun and the moon) would periodically slow down, stop and then change direction for a time (retrograde), stop and then move forward again (direct).

We now know that the planets never really change direction – this is an illusion, they all orbit the Sun. The illusion is caused because we are observing the planets orbiting the sun from a vantage point (the earth) that is also orbiting the Sun at a different speed.

But the retrograde energy definitely affects us. We see it particularly strongly with the Mercury retrograde which usually retrogrades about three times a year for approx 3 weeks.

It is almost like life’s way of slowing us down and focusing on the deeper things that tend to get neglected in our haste. I like to look at it a bit like a teacher giving your assignment back and saying it is not quite complete.

Go back and look more carefully at the information and the second time the student hands the assignment in it will most probably be neater, more organised and more deeply researched.”

READ MORE: Fire, water, air or earth? Which sign should you date?

According to Astrology.com, Mercury is the planet that is associated with communication.

It’s a dominion that’s ruled by how we interact, our thought processes and logic behind our reasoning.

From communication devices to transport (yes, Mercury also dominates the field of travel) and business dealings, all you require to deal with on an intellectual level falls under this planet.

WATCH: This Mercury Retrograde is going to be brutal

So what does this mean for you and exactly happens when this planet goes “backwards?”

This is a time when astrologers actively discourage people from making any firm decisions they could come to regret later on.

Rather, the focus should be on introspection, reflection and revisiting important details you’ve glossed over.  

Our astrologer Anya, throughout her daily forecasts, makes note of the fact that mercury retrograde can leave many feeling unsettled and unbalanced by the intense energy of the backward-moving period and suggests that taking the time to ground yourself by playing catch up instead of rushing forward into new things will help you to put things in perspective.

Instead of starting anything new – like a relationship or new job - slow down, observe and think twice before you send messages, as anything that you say or do during this time could easily be misconstrued.  

Use the time to let go of old things (oh, and don’t even think of getting back together with your ex), and try to ride through the unsettling waves by not rocking the boat too much.

So there you have it. If you are someone who believes in astrology, you’ve at least got a heads-up and you’ll know that you can prepare in advance, and be rest assured that this period too, shall pass.

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