Mercury Retrograde is here again! Turn off your computers, cell phones, and all electronic devices; they will be a little out of whack for the next few weeks anyways!

Yes, I know you’ve heard of it!!

Good ole Mercury Retrograde is back to get 2023 started! Woot!

Your social feeds are filling up with memes about Mercury Retro!!! And most of those memes don’t paint the best picture of this brief phase we are going through.

While most of what you see about Mercury Retrograde can make you want to run for the hills, hunker down, and avoid life for a few weeks. I have some fantastic news to share! 

There are many remarkable aspects to this retrograde phase that you can work with to stay in the flow of life!

What is Mercury Retrograde? What Does Retrograde Mean?

This current cycle of Mercury Retrograde begins on December 28, 2022

Mercury Retrograde will end when Mercury goes direct on January 18, 2023

If you are new here, Mercury Retro is all about slowing down! While most think Mercury is beginning to move backward in its orbit to the sun, it is moving slower. 

The Greek Mercury is the god of speed, and this name aptly applies to the planet, for it is all about motion and flow. So when Mercury slows down, and Earth begins to move faster, we end up in a retrograde phase, affecting the speed at which our communications start to flow. 

Over the past two decades, frequently occurring astrological phenomena have been all the buzz as we become more sensitive to our intuitive bodies and feel more of the effects of these retrograde phases.

While our earthly communications can become distorted, electronic and mechanical devices irritate us by not working up to speed or breaking down. Extensive discussions and contract negotiations can experience miscommunications and delays. There are still many benefits to Mercury Retrograde phases! Especially as we enter into 2023 in a Retrograde!

Here is the Positive Spin on Mercury Retrograde!

Slow Down!

That one is clear. Mercury, the planet of speed, is slowing down! So you should too! 

What better way to begin a new year, especially after the few years we have had, than to take our time getting started? So why are we in such a rush?

Don’t make this a time of resolutions. Resolutions are like a contract negotiation with ourselves to start every year off like a perfect angel and remain that way forever. We have learned that making a negotiation during Mercury Retrograde is NOT a good idea. 

So start the year off slow and easy! Take your time as you wake up each day to pause, stretch, and breathe, even if you get up a few minutes early to enjoy that cup of coffee!

Be thoughtful about everything and notice how time might move slowly. As a result, you are more energized and relaxed throughout the day! 

Talk less, listen more. 

During the next few weeks, observe, witness, and practice not judging. Communication with others can be challenging during this period. So practice Judgeless January, where you allow yourself to be an ear. 

Only offer a little advice, but sit and listen to your friends and partners. You will learn much about yourself and how you relate to those around you. You might discover that silence and support are better than any advice you can give! 

Live Simple and Spontaneous

Making plans during a Mercury Retrograde can get those gears all messed up. So for a few weeks, don’t make a lot of plans. Live simply and easily. 

Permit yourself to go with the flow. Take your day off and get outside to connect with nature! Have a spontaneous dinner with friends who are available on a whim. 

Relax. Get a message, or finally, start that meditation practice you have promised to do for years! 

The best thing you can do for yourself during Mercury Retrograde is to be in the moment and take life slowly. You are creating a practice about connecting with your inner guidance and the magnetic energy of the Universe! 

The Universe, the planets, stars, and their movements, are designed to help us find shift, balance, and sometimes the quiet moments in life! 

So please take advantage of these little energy vacations we get a few times as they are reminders to rejuvenate our souls, hearts, and minds for the faster-paced times in life!

Begin this New Year by taking slow breaths, moments of pause, and appreciation. Let go of the expectation that this year has to be better than the last. (That is a judgment, after all, and we are practicing Judgeless January!)