Mercury Retrograde
- brionybatch
- Oct 29
- 3 min read
What is Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury retrograde is an optical illusion that happens a few times a year when Mercury appears to move backward in the sky from our viewpoint on Earth. Of course, Mercury isn’t actually reversing its orbit — it’s just a trick of perspective caused by the different speeds at which Earth and Mercury travel around the Sun.
Because Mercury rules communication, travel, and technology, this period is traditionally associated with mix-ups, delays, and misunderstandings. It’s not all bad, though — these phases are excellent for reflection, revision, and reconnecting with unfinished projects or people from the past.
Mercury retrograde occurs three to four times each year, lasting about three weeks each time, with a “shadow period” before and after when the effects start to build and fade.
Key Dates
21 October — Shadow period begins at 20° Scorpio. Subtle foreshadowing: topics that pop up now will return for edits in November.
29 October — Mercury enters Sagittarius. The mind ranges wide: travel, publishing, philosophy, big plans and pronouncements.
9 November — Stations retrograde at 6° Sagittarius. The turn-around point. Expect slow-downs around schedules, bookings, tech, and “grand plans.” Technical mishaps and miscommunication.
12 November — Mars–Mercury conjunction at 6° Sagittarius. Hot words, fast moves. Great for decisive rewrites; risky for impulsive emails. Count to ten.
19 November — Mercury re-enters Scorpio. Zoom lens on the fine print, motives, money matters, research, taboo topics, privacy.
20 November — Mercury–Sun conjunction (cazimi) at 28° Scorpio. A clear beam through the fog. Insight lands. Make notes; refine, don’t rush to launch.
29 November — Stations direct at 20° Scorpio. Forward again—but still within the shadow. Roll-outs are better staged than sudden.
17 December — Shadow ends at 6° Sagittarius. Green light. Threads from late October finally tie off.
What this retrograde is really about
Scorpio → Sagittarius is a journey from depth to breadth.
In Scorpio, Mercury wants to probe: research, therapy, taxes, legacies, underwriting, secrets, shared resources.
In Sagittarius, Mercury wants to tell the story: travel and logistics, legalities, campaigns, publishing, teaching, big-picture strategy.
This cycle asks: What truth did I uncover (Scorpio), and how do I communicate it responsibly (Sagittarius)?
Classic retrograde “nuisance issues”
Expect the usual ghosted emails, lost attachments, double bookings, wrong trains.
Payment glitches, subscription snafus, contract oversights.
Misquotes, misunderstandings, speaking too soon (especially near 12 Nov).
Old topics, clients, or ideas resurfacing for a second pass.
They’re not punishments—they’re prompts to slow down, reflect, perfect.
Hold off on starting something new...
Retrograde mantra: Re-do, re-visit, re-think.
Review & refine: drafts, budgets, itineraries, contracts, product copy, course outlines.
Reconcile: accounts, subscriptions, shared expenses.
Research deeply (Scorpio window, esp. 19–29 Nov): background checks, data audits, privacy settings.
Reframe the message (Sagittarius themes): simplify your thesis, trim the hype, fact-check.
Back up devices, export contacts, update passwords.
Avoid launching something brand-new right in the heart of 9–29 Nov if you can; it’s likely to need a rework. Use that window to perfect what’s already in motion.
Key power moments (and how to use them)
9 Nov – Station Rx (6° Sag) Hit pause. Identify what really needs revision. Park the rest.
12 Nov – Mars–Mercury Channel the spark into clean cuts: decisive edits, clear boundary-setting, a pointed rewrite. Sleep on any message you might regret.
20 Nov – Cazimi (28° Sco) The eye of the storm. Book some time for deep thinking. Draft your “final-final” version—then schedule it for after direct motion.
29 Nov – Station Direct Begin putting your revisions into action. Move slowly and mindfully.
17 Dec – Shadow clears Now you can fully ship it, confident the details will hold.
Quick checklists
Travel & logistics
Confirm bookings twice; screenshot confirmations.
Build buffer time between connections.
Pack chargers, adapters, headphones—you’ll thank yourself.
Money & contracts
Re-read clauses on refunds, renewals, and IP.
Delay signing until after 29 Nov if possible—or add a review clause.
Communication & technology
Draft → pause → edit → send.
Back up devices; label files sensibly.
This Mercury retrograde isn’t a cosmic “no.” It’s a craftsman’s yes: a chance to polish the mechanism so it runs cleanly when you finally push “go.” Scout the truth in Scorpio, shape the story in Sagittarius, and let December carry it far.
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