Winter is about to receive a small dose of cosmic chaos, and that’s because Mercury retrograde starts just after midnight Eastern Time on August 5.
Mercury retrograde is famous for its mental confusions, technological failures, and communication collapses — so it’s generally a good time to slow down, hit pause on new projects, and give yourself some wiggle room with plans.
+ How Mercury Retrograde Will Affect Each Zodiac Sign from August 5 to 14, 2024
This Mercury retrograde lasts until August 28, so everyone has three and a half weeks to work with this backward-moving energy. The good news? You can do a lot to avoid some of the usual pitfalls this retrograde stirs up.
Fast-moving Mercury is the planet that governs communication, time, technology, and logistics in astrology. It goes retrograde a few times a year for a few weeks each time, and when it does, it tends to cause slowdowns, blockages, and general messiness in these areas of our lives. Think embarrassing typos in emails, misinterpretations of important conversations, or traffic at the most inconvenient times. While some people get through these transits relatively unscathed, it can be particularly unpleasant for others, depending on where it hits in your chart — or if they’re taking any precautions to avoid the drama.
Mercury retrograde has a less-than-stellar reputation, but like any other astrological transit, it has many positive aspects if you know what to look for. These turnarounds are a useful time to revisit past ideas, be more mindful of how you communicate, and generally review where you are with your current plans. And if you go out of your way to prepare for Mercury retrograde’s usual shenanigans, you might actually be able to use the energy to your advantage.
If you want to get ahead of this turn, here are some easy but effective rituals to help you prepare for the winter Mercury retrograde.
Pre and Post-Retrograde Journaling
Mercury is the planet that governs words, ideas, and communication, so keeping a journal during this transit is a great way to honor the planet’s energy while staying in tune with yourself. Before the retrograde begins on August 4 PT/August 5 ET, make a list of any logistical plans, projects, or goals you are currently working on — and identify which of these things are already underway versus which are things you hope to start.
Mercury retrograde isn’t always a good time to launch something, so having your new and brilliant ideas written down to revisit after the retrograde can keep your mind at ease. Instead, you can focus on revising and refining what’s already in progress.
Once the retrograde begins, track any themes that come up. Have you run into any obstacles? Have you found yourself going back to something you thought was finished? Note those things! Once the retrograde ends on August 28, write down your reflections and apply what you’ve learned to your plans as you move forward.
Grounding with Protective Crystals
The earthy and mystical energy of crystal healing is an easy way to ground yourself during chaotic cosmic times, so working with crystals before Mercury retrograde is always a good idea. Black tourmaline is one of the most protective stones around, as it is believed to absorb and transmute negative energy — so if you have a lot of logistical matters to handle during the retrograde, this might be a good one to have on hand. Smoky quartz is another protective crystal, and it’s great for grounding you during stressful times and even helps with any travel issues if you have planned vacations during this period.
Whether you choose to carry your crystal with a pre-Mercury retrograde intention, meditate with it to clear your mind, or simply keep it in your bag throughout the backspin, accessing these calming frequencies can be a helpful tool to make challenging transits a little easier.
Calming Breathwork to Stay Calm
One reason Mercury retrograde can be a headache is because this planet governs many logistical matters that are integral to most people’s daily lives — things like texting, using technology devices, and getting from one place to another. While these backspins are notoriously stressful, developing a calming breathwork ritual can help you slow down, find a sense of calm, and avoid some of the confusion that inevitably arises from rushing during the retrograde.
While incorporating breath-focused meditation into your pre-retrograde daily routine can help you prepare, there are quick and easy breath techniques you can use before, during, and after the backspin to keep calm.
For example, there’s the “pursed-lip” breathing method — which has garnered tens of millions of views on TikTok — which involves breathing in and out slowly through pursed, puckered lips as if you’re blowing out a candle in slow motion. There’s also the TikTok-favorite “double inhale” method, which is similar to a physiological sigh and can make you feel refreshed and more focused. Whatever you choose, connecting with your breath is a great way to stay grounded, reduce stress levels, and help yourself stay calm during any drama.
Source: Bustle
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This content was translated with the help of AI.
