Every three months or so, Mercury – the planet that rules communication – turns retrograde. That means it appears to be moving backward relative to Earth. Every planet except for the sun and moon turn retrograde. But because Mercury rules communication, its retrograde impacts us in ways that are usually quite personal.
This one begins on April 21 at 4:35 AM EDT and 1:35 AM Pacific, and runs until May 14. It’s in Taurus. My recommendations for navigating this period more smoothly are fairly simple:
Don’t submit anything new. Instead, follow the rule of the 3 Rs – review, reconsider, revise.
Communicate clearly and concisely. Take nothing for granted.
Don’t buy a new car or computer unless you don’t mind returning it at some point. Mercury rules things with moving parts.
If you travel during a Mercury retro, your schedule is likely to be disrupted. But, it’s said that your destination during a Mercury retro is a place you’re likely to visit again. Mercury also rules travel.
Mercury rules contracts, too, so don’t sign any contract during this period.
It’s best not to have surgery during a retrograde. Even though Mars rules surgery, the Mercury retro element can mess things up. A friend, for instance, scheduled his dog for a surgery for a torn ligament the day before Mercury turned retro. The next day – when the retro began – the vet called and said he’d operated on the wrong leg, so the surgery was free.
Since this one is in Taurus, note where Taurus appears in your natal chart. If you don’t have a copy of your chart, you can get one here. The house in which the retro appears is where the snafus are likely to occur.
The houses:
1st: SELF, PERSONALITY
2nd FINANCES, VALUES
3rd COMMUNICATION, SIBLINGS
4th: HOME & FAMILY
5th: CREATIVITY & FUN, CHILDREN, ROMANCE
6th: DAILY WORK
7th: BUSINESS & PERSONAL PARTNERSHIPS, MARRIAGE
8th: OTHER PEOPLE’S RESOURCES, THE PARANORMAL
9th: WORLDVIEW, SPIRITUALITY
10th: CAREER, PUBLIC FACE
11th: WISHES & DREAMS, NETWORKS
12th: PERSONAL UNCONSCIOUS, WHAT’S HIDDEN
Happy navigating!
