2016 is coming to an end, but one thing that will accompany us into the new year is Mercury’s retrograde. If you have not yet witnessed distress from your fellow peers about it and don’t know what it is, this astrological phenomenon occurs when planets appear to be (but are not actually) traveling backward in the zodiac, an illusion called “retrograde motion”. Several times a year, Mercury’s orbit causes it to speed past Earth, disrupting technology and transportation on our home planet. Currently, this period will last until about January 9th, 2017.
How are our daily lives affected during Mercury’s retrograde?
Mercury essentially rules communication. Electronics such as computers and phones may encounter issues as signals and code are disrupted. There may be travel delays as well, so have patience and allot extra time to travel when you’re booking flights. Make sure you are well equipped for any issues that arise along the way as well. It is also recommended that you do not begin new endeavors during this period – slightly inconvenient as we write up our New Years resolutions for 2017. So contracts, start-ups, applying for a new job, etc… may not be an ideal choice.
Of course, many disbelieve this phenomenon and proceed with their lives regularly, claiming that there is not sufficient evidence to pinpoint Mercury’s retrograde as a cause of disruptions on Earth. On the other hand, some fully blame unlucky situations or unfortunate events on Mercury. Whichever the case, it is important to remember that your life is still entitled to you, so do what you think is best and keep in mind that though the unintentional results of the choices you make may be attributed to an external force, they will ultimately affect you.
Make wise decisions, and don’t let Mercury’s retrograde get you down as we transition into the new year.
Can Mercury’s retrograde be used to our advantage as we near 2017?
Of course! According to GalaDaily, if you’re not starting something new, why not use this time to “tie up loose ends“? Repeat, renew, reassess, rethink, redo… Utilize the energy of Mercury’s retrograde to wrap up the end of the year in preparation of what’s to come. Here are some ideas of what you can do:
- Reflect: Look back on the things you did in 2016. Did you have regrets? Did you make someone’s day a little better? Do you wish you could’ve done something differently? Did you take time for you yourself as well? In order to make things even better in 2017, it is important to know what worked out and what did not in the past year.
- Reorganize: Got a closet that is overflowing with the purchases you’ve made in the last year and the gifts you’ve received this holiday season? You can sort by favorites, essentials, colors, season, type… Really, it’s up to you. Got loads of strewn papers in your office, piling up into a mini Mt. Everest? Take them to the shredder if you don’t need them, and put the rest in files, drawers, folders, binders, etc.
- Reevaluate: Is a relationship – whether romantic or platonic – not working out? If someone is not treating you right, or if the relationship just doesn’t make you happy, maybe it’s time to start thinking about whether it’s worth the while. The same applies to career or academic course choices, sports commitments… Especially as a high school student in a competitive school, I find it easy to become entangled in things that look good for the college application, rather than things that make me feel good about myself. Do what makes you happy.
- Renew/return: Since technically you’re only reviving something that you started before the Mercury retrograde, it’s not considered starting something new. This would be a good time to maybe renew a membership card, or a library book, or a relationship fallen apart. Make a visit to a sibling or family member you haven’t seen in a while; they probably miss you. Keep that gym membership and don’t disregard it, if you keep going and working out it will pay off!
These were only a few of the possibilities. Essentially, Mercury’s retrograde is known for a time to look back towards the past and get things together – just like Mercury moves backward before it moves forward again, we must also take care of past matters before we can move on and become better.
