Once again, the dreaded Mercury retrograde is upon us. But as the first full retrograde of 2017 rolls around, I want to offer a hot take: Eight reasons not to freak out about Mercury retrograde. Seriously. The planet doesn't turn direct until May 3; we might as well make the best of it, right? Right.
At some point, every planet turns "retrograde," meaning the planet appears to rotate backwards. To be clear, it doesn't actually reverse its orbit; as every planet, including Earth, has its own orbit path, there is periodically a shift in perspective.
The importance of a planet seeming to move retrograde (even if, in reality, it doesn't) harkens back to the origins of Western Astrology and its dictating principle, "As above, so below." If, from the Earth's surface, a planet appears to be rotating backwards, that shift, that imbalance, is believed to manifest itself in our lives. Hey man, the Babylonians dug it, the Greeks dug it, the Arab Empire dug it — even the original astronomers dug it. That astronomy v. astrology split is relatively recent.
Mercury, the planet of communication and travel, goes retrograde three to four times a year, bringing with it arguably the most notorious times of year. Seemingly everything is blamed on Mercury's retrograde: bad grades, bad breakups, bad breakouts, even. And sure, when communication and travel blessings seem to dry up, and even a basic conversation goes awry, it can feel like you're living in the Twilight Zone.
But throwing your hands up accomplishes nothing, my dudes! Here's why Mercury retrograde isn't as bad as it seems — and maybe doesn't deserve the negative rap it's got.
1
A Change In Perspective Does Everyone Good
A planet turning retrograde means, more than anything, a shift in perspective. The vibes of a planet are turned inward or muted, which often means a lot of internal conflict.
2
We Need To Address Negative Feelings, Even If It's Unpleasant
In having a light shone into the darker corners of your internal life, some unpleasant issues are likely to be unearthed. As tempting as it may be, don't run! It's important to face those things head on. Why? Because of the next bullet point:
4
Good Can Come Out Of The Absolute Worst
As all of us surviving under the current administration can understand (and hope).
5
We Become Stronger
It's like lifting weights — you gotta power through it and suffer before you actually see results.
6
When Things Finally Become Easier, We're Much More Appreciative
When communication becomes easier, you're going to be a social star. Hard work reaps great rewards.
8
And Remember: This, Too, Shall Pass
Though it can be easy to get stuck in the Right Now, since our Right Now is not so great, it's important to remember that time continues to move forward. Some day, we'll be past this. I promise.
