How is January going so far for you?
We’ve kicked things off cosmic style with a New Moon in Capricorn last week, a Full Moon coming up on the 17th of January and as of right now we’re heading into the first Mercury Retrograde of 2022.
Remember that navigating planetary energy is key, and every single transit contains a lesson for us all.
This first Mercury Retrograde begins on January 14, in the sign of Aquarius, before making its way back into Capricorn and turning direct again on February 3rd.
We usually experience Mercury retrograde three times in a year, but 2022 is one of those years with a little extra, and we will have four Mercury retrogrades.
Don’t panic though, all this indicates is that it is time to really reflect, slow down and make sure we are taking care of ourselves, mind, body, and spirit.
It is the perfect time to switch focus, check in with your higher self, and re-think any long-term visions that may need some editing or fine-tuning.
Quick Reminder — What is Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury is the closest planet to the sun, therefore the time it takes to go around it is only 88 days.
An illusion appears that seems as if Mercury is going backwards three or four times a year. The same thing happens with other planets in retrograde.
Our ancestors in ancient astrology believed that when any planet entered retrograde, it traveled through the underworld, symbolizing the hidden parts of our own minds, and ensuring that all the murky corners of our psyche would be brought to the light for our attention.
To understand this further, look to the planet in retrograde and what themes it rules over or is linked with symbolically.
Mercury rules over our minds, communication, technology, and travel — meaning Mercury in retrograde can affect these three areas of your life, causing some kind of upheaval or showing you where you need to place your careful attention.
People often advise against signing contracts or commitments of any kind during Mercury retrograde.
It’s best to double-check everything and be extra vigilant!
Mental processes and communication are particularly in the spotlight at this time.
It’s a great chance to assess where your thoughts go and how to direct energy towards what you actually want.
You might want to pay close attention to the way that you communicate in the world, both to others and your inner dialogue.
A lot of people freak out about Mercury Retrograde, but there really is no need.
If you know WHEN it’s happening, then you can be vigilant to the ways in which it may affect you. Forewarned is forearmed!
Aside from that, it’s actually a wonderful time to connect in deeper ways with your inner self and subconscious.
The energy is ideal for tapping into your dreams, inner visions, and intuition.
I prefer to see Mercury retrograde as an opportunity to get clarity on how I communicate and think.
The Universe is not against us, and when we understand the galactic and planetary movements going on in the skies above us, we learn to work with the energies and understand how they can support us in our lives, rather than be afraid of them.
A further point to note is that in 2022 Mercury will retrograde mostly in earth signs, which indicates our need to focus on our commitments, grounding our dreams in reality, and being inspired to take action moving forward on our goals.
Here are some spiritual ways to cope and navigate this cosmic retrograde:
Slow Down: Chill, pause, and reflect.
Retrograde is not a time for pushing forward, but for remaining still and aware. Practice self-care during this time.
If you are feeling sluggish, or are missing that get-up and go attitude you were hoping for at the beginning of this year, don’t fret.
You’ll get that energy back soon, in the meantime, focus on going within, being still and quiet, and connecting to your inner voice.
Healthy Habits: Part of slowing down requires you to assess any habits that are holding you back.
How are you tending to your physical and emotional wellbeing?
Make sure you are following up with any areas of your life that need more healing, whether it’s integrating better nutrition, more exercise, or meditation.
Careful Communication: Spend these days taking an inventory of exactly how your inner dialogue tends to run.
Do you spend your thoughts wisely? Are you wasting lots of time worrying? Or are you aligned with abundance, creativity, and healing?
Make sure that your communication is positive, always starting with the way you speak to yourself.
Digital Detox and Self Care: Take some time to back up your data during this period.
It’s prime energy for dropping phones, spilling things on laptops, system errors, or losing passwords!
You could also take advantage of the energy to take a timeout from technology.
The more you disconnect, the less likely you are to get frustrated with technological glitches or setbacks!
Double Check: If you’re normally a fly-by-the-seat of your pants kind of a person, you’d be well advised to channel your perfectionist, box-checking side.
Mixed messages, wrong communication, delayed travel, missed flights, date mix-ups — all of these are on the table during Mercury Retrograde.
Take care to double-check everything important to you and be prudent and vigilant about any arrangements you make for travel.
If you remember to take things slow and go with the flow of the cosmic energy instead of pushing against it — all will be smooth sailing.
You might even learn to love Mercury Retrograde!