Mercury in Retrograde hits me differently every time it comes back around! When working with Mercury Retrograde, it’s important to know and understand its inner workings. Mercury appears to be moving backward in the sky a few times a year, slowing everything down.

Mercury is the planet of travel, communication, and technology! When it slows down or moves backward, it can cause delays, fogginess, and confusion.

Lately, I’ve found myself slowing down too! I’ve spent more time journaling, reflecting, and doing shadow work. It’s a period when everything comes to a screeching halt and old things come back around for another visit! Are you ready for that?

It’s likely old friends and lovers will reappear for a brief reconciliation. With Mercury Retrograde, what goes around comes around! For some, having an old lover come back could be just what the doctor ordered, while for others it could mean bringing up skeletons in your closet.

For me, Mercury Retrograde is a chance to deal with my ghosts and skeletons from the past! It’s a chance to work through my fears and create inner healing.

Mercury Retrograde is a wonderful time to hibernate, go into hermit mode, and do some serious shadow work! Mercury heals all of my old wounds and trauma as a naturally occurring remedy.

My natural inclination is to reflect more and go inward when the retrograde cycle begins. I find myself spending more time alone in hibernation, as well as spending time doing things like shadow work, journaling, and listening to music that makes me feel nostalgic for what used to be.

I’ve learned to appreciate this time more, as it helps me to understand myself on a deeper level of existence. In the quiet and solitude, I find myself reaching out to the stars more, looking toward the planets and the gods for comfort and divine assistance.

Like a wildflower in bloom, I became more open and receptive during the retrograde period. I consider it a dark time of magic, spirituality, and the higher self.

When Mercury goes retrograde it can cause a bit of chaos and throw your world off kilter. It can throw things into chaos and make technology go haywire. It’s important to think about what you say before you say it, as miscommunication is highly probable during this time.

It’s a period of difficulty that can make you say and do things you’ll regret later. It’s important to watch your tongue, so to speak!

With Venus Retrograde, you are more likely to wear your heart on your sleeve! With Mercury in Retrograde, there could be a delay in travel plans, text messages get lost or overlooked, and communications tend to go a little haywire.

However, all hope is not lost! Mercury in Retrograde teaches us how to travel better and perhaps more likely. It reminds us not to overlook small details. It prepares us for unexpected visitors, especially those from the past.

Mercury in Retrograde Journaling, Reflection, and Shadow Work Survival Guide

Let’s talk about how to not only survive a retrograde planet but thrive in the midst of it! Are you ready? Let me talk about what works best for me and how you can apply it to your own life.

Journaling is the single best way to survive the retrograde! Writing things down, taking notes, and of course, doing shadow work.

Shadow work is a psychological term for deep diving into your subconscious mind and uncovering the secret, hidden parts of yourself. To do shadow work, you are going to be facing old patterns and belief systems that have led you to where you are today.

Performing shadow work during a Mercury Retrograde period makes for perfect timing, as things begin to slow down and come to a screeching halt. Once you hit a brick wall on your spiritual journey, you have no choice but to bounce back and become resilient. That’s where shadow work and journaling come in handy!

For me, I do a lot of journaling right here in my grimoire and by sending myself emails of issues I’m trying to address at a personal level. I even have a folder in my inbox labeled shadow work. This is where I uncover the depths of my psyche through poetry, notes, and stories of my long ago past and how it has affected me.

I also like to write down my thoughts, feelings, and inspirations! I keep them in a little notebook on my desk for whenever a thought hits me or I have a dream I need to understand the meaning of.

Remember, Mercury Retrograde is all about the tiniest of details so it’s important to keep everything! You can always delete things or burn paper whenever you feel like you’ve faced your demons or conquered your latest goal.

Poetry is something I enjoy writing during any retrograde phase. Poetry brings things up to the surface and explains them in a complex way that sometimes only you can understand. What’s important is the feeling behind it and the imagery it evokes.

Another thing you can do to survive this dark period is to listen to music and peruse through old albums. Make a recipe that reminds you of a pleasant memory of the past. For me, candied apples always remind me of the fall season and Mabon!

Apple spirit always reminds me of September, apple picking, and magical mundane things! This is a season of change and transition, as well as the harvest.

They remind me of Halloween and a simpler time in life! Making candied apples might be something I would do to bring up a specific feeling of nostalgia and connection to the past.

I associate Mercury in Retrograde with memories and nostalgia. To unlock memories, you might enjoy working with rosemary herbs!

Rosemary unlocks memories, creates mental alertness, and assists with healing past memories and connecting with our ancestors. It’s also a very sweet, positive, and uplifting herb with loads of magical properties!

You can also work with Lord Hermes during Mercury in Retrograde! Hermes is the God of travel, communication, and technology. His ruling planet is Mercury and works within this realm. I have found he tends to unlock new ideas during the retrograde period.

As you can see, Mercury Retrograde is all about perspective! It’s a slowdown period and it’s best to work within the wheelhouse of its energy instead of trying to go against the grain.

Things to Do During Mercury Retrograde

• Create an altar for the Greek God Hermes (He likes feathers, lemon pepper, and digital things!)

• Spend time in prayer and meditation

• Do some journaling

• Write some poetry

• Create a backpack or travel bag that’s ready to go for adventures!

• Get your passport or update it

• Ride your bike in natural scenery or someplace peaceful and zen-like

• Do some shadow work

• Make a Mercury in Retrograde playlist that you can play every time it comes around!

• Write a letter to your past self and be forgiving and kind

• Peruse through old photo albums and vinyl records

• Do some Mercury Retrograde spells that flow with the energy of it

• Spend time in nature

• Peruse through a memory box or make a new one

Thanks for reading, friends! I hope this helps. xoxo