Sorchia’s Guide to Mercury Retrograde ☿

Here we go again! Aren’t the holidays stressful enough without Mercury Retrograde hanging around for the rest of the year?

As for most of life’s little challenges, our two choices seem to be to spend an unhealthy amount of time bitching about it or to carry on. I don’t see why we can’t do a little of both.

Mercury Retrograde Astronomy Lesson

The innermost planet, Mercury zooms around the sun in only 88 days compared to the Earth’s more sedate 365 ¼ and Pluto’s (Pluto will always be a planet to me) 248 YEARS.

For 21 days of every 88-day orbit, Mercury appears from our perspective here on Earth to stop in the sky and move backwards. This is, of course, an illusion. Mercury has ‘lapped’ Earth in its orbit and just appears to move backwards.

All the planets in our solar system are moving around the sun in the same direction roughly on the same plane (except for Pluto, of course). Because of Earth’s rotation on its axis, we see objects in the sky rise in the east and set in the west. The backdrop of stars remains semi-stationary because of their great distance from us but the orbital motions of the planets are more obvious because they are closer to us. From your back porch, you can observe the planets moving across the stars in an orderly manner until they go retrograde and then they appear to do a backwards loop in the sky. That illusion of backwards movement is a retrograde.

A really good video explaining the retrograde motion of the planets without astrology:

Mercury Retrograde Mythology Lesson

The Romans named the planet Mercury after the Roman messenger god. Mercury is charged with delivering messages to the gods. He is the god of financial gain, commerce, eloquence, messages, communication (including divination), travelers, boundaries, luck, trickery, and thieves; he also serves as the guide of souls to the underworld and the “messenger of the gods”” Wikipedia .

It’s that part about being a trickster and a bit of a thief that gives Mercury Retrograde a puckish quality. Small but necessary items disappear, strange obstacles pop up out of nowhere, and things go wrong in such a way that you wonder if someone is playing pranks and filming you from behind a tree.

And you are right because that someone is Mercury.

Three or four times per year, the dreaded Mercury Retrograde descends upon a cowering populace for three weeks at a time. In retrograde, you can expect difficulties or at least irregularities in the areas of Mercury’s influence.

While he’s just joking around, Mercury’s sense of humor can get pretty rough. He’s a god after all and the trials of us mere mortals aren’t important in the least to him. What does he care if the electric bill that went astray means your kids won’t have anything for supper or that the little fire in the basement got a bit out of control and scorched Granny? It’s all in good fun.

If Mercury Retrograde plays a trick on you, the best you can do is laugh it off, show respect for his cleverness, and move along. He’s been known to double down if it suits him.

The constellation within which the retrograde occurs can also play a part in the fun times in store for you. This last Mercury Retrograde of 2023 begins in Capricorn and finishes in Sagittarius.

So, from Dec. 12-13 to Dec. 23 while the retrograde moves through Capricorn, pay attention to tying up loose ends. Keep an eye on money and property and outer appearances.

And from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2, while the retrograde passes through Sagittarius, keep an eye on future plans—plan big but be practical. Don’t count on luck and prepare for your adaptability to be tested. Don’t begin that project until the retrograde is behind us.

Mercury Retrogrades are always times to finish projects, plan new ones, and generally sit with your accomplishments. Decluttering can clear away lingering negative stuff. Taking some time for self-care is also good. The best advice I can give which works for me when I remember to do it is to slow down, take time with each task and get the best out of it. Don’t push and if stress creeps up on you—sit the hell down and let it go. Take these lessons beyond the retrograde and let Mercury have his little jokes.

Tell Auntie Sorchia how Mercury Retrograde is treating (has treated) you. Share your #1 strategy for surviving!

A Few Resources

Look at Mercury Retrograde as a time of growth.

Learn more ways to survive and thrive during the retrograde

Find out how this Mercury retrograde will affect your astrological sign!

Get Ready for 2024 with Sorchia’s Mercury Retrograde Calendar

Special Deal

I still have a few paperback copies of all three Zoraida Grey books with the old covers. I’ll sell these for $4 each plus postage. Drop a note in comments or use the Ask Sorchia link in the menu to let me know if you are interested in receiving one or more. This offer will only last while I have copies available.

Can You Help?

So, long story short–when I changed publishers and covers on the Zoraida Grey books, I lost all the reviews on Amazon that I had sweated blood to get. I was heartbroken and Amazon is not really helpful. So if you are reading or have read any of these books, please consider leaving or recreating a review. You can find them listed on my Amazon page–S.K. Dubois. Thanks from the bottom of my blackened soul.