Chances are, you either have heard the term "Mercury is in Retrograde" before at some point in your life, or you are a 100% true believer in Astrology and how it impacts our daily lives.
But what does Mercury Retrograde actually mean, and how does it impact our everyday lives?
Me: Astrology is fake Y'all: Mercury is in retrograde Me:
To get to the bottom of it, BuzzFeed reached out to Adama Sesay, Astrologer and Founder of LilithAstrology.com, to explain everything there is to know about it.
"In Astrology, Mercury is the planet of communication, short-distance travel and how we think and process information," Adama says.
"So when this planet moves retrograde, confusion, reversal, and miscommunication can happen in all of the areas of life mentioned."
there’s no way you got thru mercury retrograde w/o one: -argument -friendship ending -something revealed to you -car problems -lost package -change in environment -electronic issues (phone, laptop, etc breaking down, not working) -an ex returning -rethinking your routine & plans
So, yes, it *does* mean that anything having to do with technology might go a little bit haywire.
*shuts my phone off until mercury retrograde is over*
"Mercury retrograde can affect your daily life," explains Adama. "This can be from missed appointments, canceled meetings, contract reversals, delayed travel and arguments. It's not the end of the world, but it can be frustrating!"
how communication during a mercury retrograde feels
"Since Mercury rules communication, it's best to not commit to anything new. This also includes devices used to communicate. Purchasing a new iPhone, laptop, or TV is not the best idea and it's usually advised to hold off until after the retrograde period is complete."
It also has an impact on the people you surround yourself with. Adama says, "Communication is a major part of platonic and romantic relationships. When miscommunication leads to arguments, it can affect your mood and connection with the other person."
Mercury Retrograde leaving after dismantling your routines, making you question your relationships, flaring your anxiety, and emotionally draining you for 27 days
"I always advise taking time out from a conversation while counting to ten if need be," she added.
So what does it mean for a planet — in this case, Mercury — to go retrograde? "Going retrograde is a term for the optical illusion a planet gives when one speeds up faster than another," Adama explains.
To help explain this to her clients, Adama typically uses a car analogy. "For example, when you are driving and you speed up to pass a slower car on the right, they look to you as if they are moving backwards."
Certain people tend to feel the effects of Mercury Retrograde more than others. According to Adama, "Mercury rules the zodiac signs of Gemini and Virgo so they feel more heavily impacted by this astrological event than others."
Despite what many people suggest on the internet, Mercury Retrograde does NOT mean you need to refrain from the normal activities in your everyday life.
mercury retrograde starts today and i still dunno what that means exactly but seems like a legit excuse to use to avoid people.
Adama's top suggestion for making it through Mercury Retrograde mostly unscathed is to "double-check everything."
However, Adama's advice for anyone feeling uneasy is as follows: "Breathe and know the universe ultimately has your back. If a delay or argument happens, take a moment to yourself and know it will pass."
And in case you like to plan ahead (like me, who writes down the dates in my calendar), here's when you can expect Mercury Retrogrades over the next five years:
October 13, 2020 – November 3, 2020
January 30, 2021 – February 20, 2021
May 29, 2021 – June 22, 2021
September 27, 2021 – October 18, 2021
January 14, 2022 – February 3, 2022
May 10, 2022– June 2, 2022
September 9, 2022– October 2, 2022
December 29, 2022– January 18, 2023
April 21, 2023 – May 14, 2023
August 23, 2023 – September 15, 2023
December 13, 2023 – January 1, 2024
April 1, 2024 — April 25, 2024
August 4, 2024 – August 28, 2024
November 25, 2024 – December 15, 2024
March 14, 2025 – April 7, 2025
July 17, 2025 – August 11, 2025
November 9, 2025 – November 29, 2025
And of course, this year Mercury Retrograde is occurring right before a hugely important election.
Mercury retrograde ends on election night
As Adama explained already, Mercury Retrogrades have to do with communication — which is stressing people out considering all of the hoopla around voting by mail-in ballot.
Y'all know Mercury Retrograde ends on election day right? And y'all literally mailing in your votes lmfaoo. Mercury = Messenger Mercury Retrograde = Messages getting lost / Miscommunication I hate everyone of you.
While we'll have to wait — potentially for weeks or months — to find out what actually happens with the election, at least we have an astrological explanation as to why things are so truly wild right now.
The last day of Mercury retrograde is Election Day and I’m not sure exactly what that implies but I’ll see y’all on November 4th
See you on November 4th indeed!
For more from Adama Sesay and Lilith Astrology, make sure to check out their website and follow along on Instagram.
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