A Complete Guide to Mercury Retrograde 2024
What it is, why it’s significant, when it occurs, and how to navigate through it with ease
By Mary Kathryn Jackson
Intuitive Life Coach and Professional Astrologer
Ahh, Mercury Retrograde. The (in)famous Mercury Retrograde. If you’re on social media or part of any metaphysical circles or spiritual groups, chances are you’ve heard the term going around. You’ve probably seen memes and reels about it. Maybe you’ve heard of it or maybe not, but you’ve definitely experienced it. It has become a trendy buzz term in the spiritual-curious folks, that’s for sure. But what’s it all about? And, do you really need to pay attention to it? As a professional Astrologer, I get asked about this all.the.time. So if you’ve ever wondered about Mercury Retrograde, you’re in the right place. In this blog post, I’m going to serve up a complete guide to Mercury Retrograde 2024: what it is, when it happens, why it’s significant, and how to work with it. Whether you’re a total novice of astrology or you’re an experienced retrograder, there are some helpful insights and tips down below.
What is Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury Retrograde is an astrological and astronomical event that happens three or four times a year and lasts for about three weeks each time. There is a “shadow period” before and after where you might still feel its affects, but each technical retrograde period is only three weeks.
When is Mercury Retrograde in 2024?
(dates in Eastern Standard Time)
December 12, 2023 (Mercury Stations Retrograde in Capricorn) - January 1, 2024 (Mercury Stations Direct in Sagittarius)
April 1 (Mercury Stations Retrograde in Aries) to April 25 (Mercury Stations Direct in Aries)
August 4 (Mercury Stations Retrograde in Virgo) to August 28 (Mercury Stations Direct in Leo)
November 25 (Mercury Stations Retrograde in Sagittarius) to December 15 (Mercury Stations Direct in Sagittarius)
What does Mercury Retrograde Mean?
Let’s start with the basics of the astronomical phenomenon before we get into the astrological explanation. Each planet orbits the Sun at different speeds and distances; some move quickly, like Mercury, and others move reaaaallllllyyy slowly, like Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. Here on Earth, we also rotate around the Sun and we can observe the planets moving across the sky at varying rates along their paths. Sometimes, as a planet moves along its path it can appear to go backwards in relation to Earth’s position, which is how “retrograde” motion came to be known. The planet is not actually moving backwards; it just appears to be. It’s an illusion much like when you’re driving in a car at high speed alongside another car or train and it looks like that car is going backwards. That’s it! That’s “retrograde motion.” Again, the planet is not actually moving backwards; it’s just an illusion. For the astrophiles out there who want to know more about Planet Mercury, check this site out.
Before we go on, I feel it’s important to address something: ALL PLANETS GO RETROGRADE. Yep, it’s true. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto have retrograde periods. I don’t totally get why Mercury Retrograde gets so much hype, other than the fact that it happens several times a year, and it got major traction on Instagram and TikTok… but, the retrograde periods of each of the planets are important!
Now that we cleared that up, let’s talk about Mercury Retrograde specifically in this article since you landed here for that reason.
In Astrology, Mercury is the planet ruler of communication, thought processes, writing, contracts, details, media, statistics. It also governs the mind and intellect, as well as all forms of communication (computers, phones, verbal and written forms, etc.) Mercury can cause what some like to call a “monkey mind”; it can run wild in your mind and send you into a spiral of thoughts where suddenly you’re thinking, “How did I end up in this weird place in my mind?” When Mercury is in retrograde, all things Mercurial can be impacted.
Mercury shifts from one sign to the next through the zodiac (the Sun, Moon, and all the planets do.) So each time Mercury Retrograde comes around this year, it will be in a different sign which basically means that it will have a different flavor. Like a pizza is a pizza, but the sauce and toppings make it taste differently.. does that make sense?
Final note on this: when the planets move around the zodiac, they land in a different area of your individual astrological birth chart, which is why these astrological transit events can impact each person distinctly — a similar theme in a different area of life. If you want to find out which area of your life will get activated during Mercury Retrograde this year, book an online astrology reading with me.
Why Does Everyone Talk About Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury Retrograde gets a bad rep for things going wrong, mishaps, and SNAFUs. Over the last several years as more people became aware of it, this narrative seems to have taken off. You may have heard things like, “Don’t sign contracts” or “Be sure to back up your work onto two devices” during Mercury Retrograde, and while these may be helpful pieces of advice, there’s a lot more to this astrological event than what I see being talked about. In my online professional astrology practice, I encounter a lot of folks that feel really flustered and stressed during these astrological transits. So I want to help you feel equipped with knowledge and tools to move forward through it — to flow with it instead of against it. My goal here is to help you better understand what it is and how to navigate it because there’s a lot more potential for growth and transformation than what I see going around social media.
How to Work With Mercury Retrograde Instead of Against It
First of all — I believe astrological transits provide opportunities for us; when I teach about transits and work with my private astrology clients, I speak to the opportunities available during transits. These are not predictions because we all have free will and personal power to make conscious or not-so-conscious choices in our lives. That being said, transits do provide a certain flavor of energy we can choose to harness if we so choose.
I view retrograde periods as a time to check in, rewind, reflect, review, reassess, and recalibrate your life. (How many more re-words can I throw in there?!) While yes, it is smart to back up your work on an extra device and maybe try not to sign important life-changing contracts during this retro period, we can’t blame all mishaps on Mercury. Some things are not avoidable or preventable, but a lot of things are if we just take time to slow down, review, and recalibrate before taking action. And that’s what a retrograde period is all about.
For example, if you leave juuuust enough time to drive to an important appointment, and then you end up getting delayed by a train and your phone reception is poor so you can’t send a text notifying the person you’re running late.. is that really Mercury’s fault or could you have left 10 minutes earlier?
This is just an example, but the same thought could be applied to different scenarios. My point is: a lot of things are beyond your control but some things are within your control — how you communicate, the words you use, what you choose to prioritize and how you manage your time. And in this regard, it’s wise to allot extra time than usual (even more time than you think you need), have a back up plan for important meetings/calls, try to schedule complicated conversations for after Mercury goes direct if possible.
Be aware that everyone is affected by this regardless of whether they “believe” in Astrology or even know it’s happening — everyone can be affected. So, keep that in mind if you notice any prickly tension arising, or if folks are later than usual, or don’t seem to be responding to your calls. Instead of going immediately to criticism and judgement — pause — take a moment. And respond with patience and kindness.
Zooming out to the bigger picture and the greater offering of this astrological event, Mercury Retrograde is an opportunity that comes around for you to take a look at your methods of communication and thought patterns, as well as what you’re allowing in your life and what you’re prioritizing. So, in order to navigate with more ease and less tension through these periods, I encourage you to give yourself some time to slow down and tune in. How are you feeling? What could use more of your attention? Is there anything you’ve been neglecting? Is there something you’ve been holding in? How can you create more space in your life for reflection and growth? Are there any clearing conversations that need to happen with yourself or others?
Which Signs Will Mercury Be Retrograde This Year?
Mercury Retrograde in 2024 will be moving through the fire signs (Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius) with one exception — in August, we’ll journey through the earth sign of Virgo and the fire sign of Leo. Working with Mercury in the fire signs offers us the opportunity to review how we take action on what motivates us, inspires us, drives us, and fuels us. Mercury in Aries, Leo, or Sagittarius offers us the chance to assess our impulses, anger, passion, excitement, sexual drive, reactivity or repression. We have a chance to consider how comfortable we are standing up and speaking up for ourselves, others, and the Greater Good of Humanity. If you are comfortable with standing up and speaking up, how comfortable are you allowing others to shine bright too? I believe there’s room for all of our light to shine bright in this lifetime. Oh, and... how can you incorporate more play into your life?! 💃🏻
Here are some contemplative journal prompts for Mercury Retrograde 2024:
Carve out 15-20 minutes a few days before Mercury goes retrograde to reflect and then again after Mercury goes direct:
What thought or communication patterns do you notice in your behavior?
Where does your mind go when you’re stressed, anxious, tired, energized, motivated?
Since the last Mercury Retrograde period, what challenges arose around thought process, communication breakdowns, or information sharing?
Were there any instances that you recall feeling like you could have communicated something more clearly, with more integrity or compassion? Were there any instances that you recall feeling like you communicated differently than you used to and it went well?
In your day-to-day life, how do you spend your mental energy: scrolling, talking, listening, thinking, complaining, analyzing, comparing, planning, thinking of the next to-do, etc.?
What areas of your life could use more attention?
What areas of your life (including relationships) do you give too much time/energy/resources?
In what ways can you stoke your internal fire a bit more to take action on what’s important?
In what ways could you channel the flame of your power if it’s explosive or impulsive?
Where and when do you feel comfortable standing up and speaking out (for self/others)?
Where and when do you feel uncomfortable standing up and speaking out (for self/others)?
What injustices in the world are you passionate about?
Notice which area of your life is most affected by Mercury retrograde periods. Keep a journal or make a note in your phone and notice if there’s a pattern over the next few retrograde periods. Maybe you’re more prone to technology mishaps, or arguments with loved ones, or mental woes and heightened anxiety. Observe these patterns from a place of curiosity and inquisition, rather than a place of criticism and judgement. This is where you can release some of the pressure that builds in the “monkey mind” — turn on your Observer and witness what comes up. Then, with grace and compassion say, “Okay Mind, thank you for your activity, but it’s time to re-frame some things here.” If you notice there’s a pattern of tension in a particular area of your life during Mercury Retrograde, I recommend setting yourself up for more ease in that area of your life before the next one begins. Again, you can’t prevent everything, but you can set up your life for more ease and less tension.
Let’s work with the technology mishap example. If you notice you commonly have some sort of tech glitch happen, then set up some back up devices before important meetings. Make sure your phone, tablet, and computer are all charged and ready to go. Be somewhere where you can have access to both wifi and cellular hotspot if possible. Get yourself set up 15 minutes before to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Or maybe you notice after a few retrograde periods that you commonly had arguments or communication breakdowns with your loved ones, I encourage you to answer some of the Mercury Retrograde journal prompts above honestly. Take time for self-reflection and acknowledge what you could have done differently and how you could have communicated differently in a way that would bring more connection. Then if it applies, acknowledge what you need from the other person in order to bring more connection. Sometimes, it’s okay to hold off on these important conversations until after the retrograde ends if possible. (It’s only three weeks.) While I do believe that a lot of problems can be prevented with some honest reflection, accountability, and behavior change.. sometimes it really is best to plan the conversation for a time that will have less tension and “charge”. Ask yourself honestly; this isn’t a free pass to avoid hard conversations every time. So, try this out if you notice a communication breakdown pattern throughout the next couple retrograde periods.
Ultimately, Mercury Retrograde is an astrological transit that brings a flavor and vibe to particular areas of your life and internal world, and I hope that this is helpful for you as you work with them! Remember — while I shared some simple tips to navigate these retrograde phases this year, you can only control what you can control. So set yourself up for maximum ease by trying to prevents mishaps and breakdowns, and then ride the waves. That’s really the best you can do. Whatever comes, notice and witness it with curiosity and openness. Pay attention to how you respond or react. Notice what bubbles up in your mind, heart, body, thoughts, feelings. Mercury Retrograde is here for our re-flection, re-pair, re-growth, re-calibration, and re-newal — pay attention and ride the wave. And if you need more support, reach out and connect with me. I’m here for support!
