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Mercury is the planet of communication, travel, trade & commerce in Astrology. When in Retrograde, Mercury tends to affect these themes of our life immensely given how close the planet is to us. The damage this Retrograde can do within just a span of about 15 days (for almost three times a year) is hence astounding. Okay, I’m being dramatic 😉😂😌 but it’s still one of the most influential Retrogrades of the year, affecting our everyday life in unthinkable ways. 

Let’s look at some of the things to DO and NOT to Do during a Mercury Rx to make sure we don’t stumble along our way during this rather important Transit.

Signing Important Contracts and/or Documents

✖️ Avoid (Don’t) : This is one of the most famous advice many Astrologers give during a Mercury Rx. Since any Document & Contract you sign now can have a significant impact on you (be it mentally, emotionally or financially), signing or agreeing to them during this Transit can be a little risky. You might miss out on important details, misread or even misinterpret. This can also be vice versa, where the other person might misunderstand the details, etc. If you are not careful you might end up with a bad deal, rush into things that you didn’t think through, fall into a trap (like a scam), or you just might not want to commit to it in the long run. You might also be wise not to apply for important documentation or verification works in government, organizations and/or banking services during this Rx, since the process can take excruciatingly long time or even get delayed significantly. 

➕ Do Instead : Try to Postpone signing / agreeing to any official agreement. If you have been discussing and working on it for quite some time before the Rx began, then you might not have many problems, except for a few detail revisions & checks here and there. So, if possible consider postponing the official signing process or if you have been working on it for a while you can take some time to check every detail and once you are confident enough, you can sign / agree to it during the Rx. Make sure that you are giving yourself the time to think & rethink, try not rush into anything or let anybody else rush you into a decision (might be a Red Flag, just saying). Assess the details, future plans & implications, etc. and you will be just fine.

Traveling 

✖️ Avoid (Don’t) : Sudden travel plans can be stressful & tricky during Mercury Rx. You are likely to face problems like issues in your vehicle (that you have either previously known or didn’t), reservation of tickets or bookings being unexpectedly cancelled or delayed, booking the wrong flight or misreading the timings, etc. If you ride/drive by yourself you will need to be a little more vigilant during your travels since you might run into issues, either from someone else or just unexpectedly. 

➕ Do Instead : Be as careful as you can be while traveling. Make sure you have all your documentations, fuel tank full, vehicle checked for issues, being extra vigilant on the road etc. If you are traveling by other means, make sure to give yourself the time to properly plan & prepare. Double check tickets & other reservations. If possible, book ahead of time and read through all the necessary information carefully. Leave ahead of time, being early is much better than late during Mercury Rx, that way you will have enough extra time to deal with any issues that may arise. 

Productivity 

Since Mercury is the Planet of everyday activities, it also represents our swiftness, accuracy & overall productivity.

✖️ Avoid (Don’t) : During Rx however, we can expect a general decline in productivity of both our daily activities & career related projects. There will be many chances to make mistakes, skip important steps, or forget details that can lead to mishaps. Even small missteps can become huge issues during this time. 

➕ Do Instead : It is usually advised to slow things down, as much as possible in both our personal & professional lives during Mercury Rx. Efficiency & accuracy will become more important than just swiftness. Since, even with wisdom and years of expertise, you can still take precautions not to let small mishaps derail big projects or to let simple issues become complex, because this can be an illusive time where even the best of us can stumble. So, it is advised to focus on one thing at a time, also to avoid multi-tasking since it can easily make you feel burdened during this transit. Delay starting New Projects & Ventures. 

Leisure + Rest

Over-thinking, stress & anxiety levels can rise during this Rx, affecting your mental & physical health. You may be prone to taking on more than you can handle. You might even feel the need to over-compensate in stressful situations, but all that may be counter-productive and can easily over-whelm you if you are not careful.

✖️ Avoid (Don’t) : Hence, you may be prone to experiencing mind fog, mental burnouts, high-anxiety and chronic health issues now more than ever.

➕ Do Instead : You can take this time to re-strategize and re-organize your life in simple ways to de-stress yourself. If you can, you are advised to take on much less work than you usually do, giving you the room to both work well with the delays and also not to overload your schedules. You can certainly also take some time off to just do things that bring you joy, simple things that light up your day. Hobbies, art, music, reading, writing, etc. that can help you relax in a mindful way can help you stay grounded & refreshed, avoiding the mental & physical burnout.

Technology 

Mercury being the Planet of Communication & Finances is most frequently noted for how its Rx can affect our Technology based & dependent lifestyle.

✖️ Avoid (Don’t) : You can expect minor to major disruptions in social media, servers, internet services, softwares, applications, etc. Much like delays in travels & documentations, etc. you may be wise to expect delays and hiccups in technologies that you use. Your smartphone, laptops or tablets may freeze or have a sudden issue with bugs & updates; you might forget to save an important document/project that you are working on or even delete important files by accident, send the wrong message/email to a different person; a device you use everyday may suddenly need to be repaired or even replaced; set the wrong alarms or reminders; etc. Looking back, Mercury Rxs may have been the time for some of the most bizarre incidents, delays & issues that you had to face, things you may have never imagined could go wrong. You can also see such instances playing out in others’ lives. So, at the very least Mercury Rxs often bring wonderfully strange life lessons.

➕ Do Instead : You will need to be alert about all the important devices you use during Mercury Rx. You may have to be prepared to replace/repair something (that you might have known to have issues with before). Make sure to double check all the significant software updates and server/internet connections. Back-up important files, save projects and re-check multiple times just to be sure. Avoid deleting files during this time, even if you are sure, just in case you might need them again. Re-check who you are sending messages & emails to, pay attention to even the grammar, since miscommunications are very likely. 

Finances

✖️ Avoid (Don’t) : It is wise to avoid big purchases during Mercury Rx, as it can either lead to the loss of precious Money due to defects, scam, missing the wrong details (sizes, quantity, quality, etc.) and so on. Impulse buying can also lead to regrets often. Online Shopping especially can be tricky, as the process can get dragged & delayed, there are chances for mistakes in delivery time/date/address. Hence, it is not uncommon to have unpleasant experiences in shopping during Mercury Rxs. Lending or borrowing money can be tricky as well, so be extra careful in such matters, likewise in investments. 

➕ Do Instead : If you can avoid putting down advances or investments on really big ventures like a loan, car, house, etc. until Mercury Rx ends, it will be much less risky & stressful, also more likely successful. Make sure you are patient & detail oriented during any kind of purchase. Always recheck how much you are paying (& receiving), the bank/bill details, etc. Also if you have suspicions of being hacked or tracked in anyway, follow your instincts and take necessary precautions. Being a little too cautious around Money (and belongings) during Mercury Rx will always be very helpful, avoiding unnecessary stress and possibly a huge financial threat.

Communications

Mercury Rx often provides the opportunity to understand ourselves & each other through difficult & sometimes awkward situations involving communication. This is often the time when everybody is misreading everyone else in one way or another. So, to have obvious miscommunications is one of the primary effects of Mercury Rx.

✖️ Avoid (Don’t) : This can mean that there is a high chance of misinterpretation, misunderstanding and confusion. You can expect to feel a little less attentive, experience brain fog, replay awkward/embarrassing situations in your mind, to revisit the past in your thoughts, etc. There is often an introspective vibe to all Retrogrades, hence it is common to experience that with Mercury Rx as well. This can also mean that we can be a lot more sensitive to triggers, mood swings & occasional depressions as well. So, conflicts & verbal confrontations with others can be excepted. Maintaining harmony in relationships (personal & professional) can hence prove to be rather difficult. 

➕ Do Instead : This Rx can bring disruption in the flow of our everyday lives, but it can also give us the opportunity to break certain cycles & patterns in our communication & thought-process. You can use this period to understand & reevaluate certain mindsets and to reprogram your thoughts. You can process memories & thoughts that you may have suppressed in the past. Misunderstandings in relationships can reveal hidden intentions & confusions, allowing you the opportunity to reevaluate those relationships. You will be able to analyze your own strengths & flaws in communication, which can better allow you to change/adjust. 

Past Relationships

Infamously, Exes usually tend to come back during Mercury Rx, if not physically at-least through calls, texts, etc. Sometimes you may see them even in dreams & sudden memories, so you can except them to remember you, whether they choose to contact you or not. (This can also include friends, acquaintances & family members that you may not have been in contact with for a long time.)

✖️ Avoid (Don’t) : This is a personal decision, so you can choose to contact someone from your past, or be open to Talking to them if they happen to contact you first. But as an advise, if you have a clear reason as to why you don’t wish to engage with somebody, you might be tested during this Rx to stand firm on your decisions. Mercury is often also seen as a mischievous planet, so those who play mental tricks can have a strong negative Mercury influence in their chart. Hence, Mercury Rxs can often bring back people who have such tendencies, as a special test/lesson designed for you . Even if its not as serious, the feelings of nostalgia that arise during Mercury Rx can often be superficial in certain situations, hence can be regarded only as a curiosity or desperation to reconnect just for the sake of it. That is usually the reason why most ‘make-ups’ during Mercury Rxs don’t seem to work out after a month or so.

➕ Do Instead : On the other hand, this can bringup chances to reconcile differences, misunderstandings, etc. and may be even to bridge the gap (again, given that you know their true character and feel intuitively drawn to re-connect with them). It is often a good time to re-connect with long-time friends & relatives. Kindred connections can reunite during this Rx bringing back nostalgia and fond memories. So if you really wish to, be cautious (uk, just in case) as to whether or not a reconnection during Mercury Rx is genuine & worth the effort or not, you can test its validity until at-least a month after the end of Mercury Rx, where if you still feel the relationship getting stronger & better, you will know it was the right choice. The same can be true if you choose not to reconnect or to completely end a relationship during Mercury Rx, since if you do so with the certainty of your intuition & reasoning, you will be able to close out that relationship karmically once and for all.

Delays

Mercury is an extremely adaptable energy in Astrology, and so during its Rx that ability can dull down significantly. Delays x Detours, Rejections x Redirections; can become repeating yet frustrating themes. 

✖️ Avoid (Don’t) : Dealing with such things especially on a daily basis can become a hassle, leading to irritability & frustration. This can increase your anxiety & stress levels or can make you impulsive & impatient. Either way, you will be likely to jump to conclusions easily, have a tendency to misinterpret, experience panic-attacks, not pay attention to the details, etc. Sometimes, this can also bring up severe chronic health issues and lead to extreme mental health problems.

➕ Do Instead : Allow things to flow, even if you don’t see the bigger picture. Pay close attention to details and take things as slowly as possible. Allow yourself to adjust to the flow of things, so that you can move through delays & detours without getting caught up in the frustrating parts of this transit. Patience is Key. Be prepared, but not restless. Manage your everyday schedules & tasks one at a time. Create better coping mechanisms to manage everyday stress & irritability. 

Background Image by Dee from Pixabay

⭐ More Transits & other Astrology Posts (Master Lists)  💫

Natal Saturn Sign & House Placements • Natal Chiron Sign & House Placements • Natal Retrograde Placements (Planets & Asteroids) • Mythology x Astrology of Asteroids

Major Aspects of Astrology • Ascendant Natal Aspects • Midheaven Natal Aspects • North Node Natal Aspects • Planetary Natal Aspects • Rare Aspects