We are in mid-April and the first Mercury retrograde of 2024.
The planet Mercury is in retrograde through April 24. Mercury will be in retrograde two more times this year: August 5 to August 27, and November 25 to December 15.
So what does this mean?
For starters, Mercury is NOT moving backward in its orbit around the sun when it is in retrograde. It's just moving slower than the Earth around the sun, and when it goes slower, it creates this optical illusion that it's moving backward from our view here on Earth.
So why might this be disruptive to you?
Some scientists and astronomers believe these retrograde periods disrupt everything from transportation and communication to your mental health, resulting in brain fog and increased stress and anxiety. Some astrologers believe these retrograde periods have an overall "downer" impact on your mood, increasing negative emotions like anger, sadness, anxiety and resentment.
According to the Farmer's Almanac, "those who dread Mercury's retrograde motion believe that when the planet is in a retrograde period, its power to influence these domains is stifled, leading to chaos."
The Farmer's Almanac goes on to say that true believers of the Mercury retrograde period's impact blame the phenomenon for everything from day-to-day arguments to lost mail, to cell phone disruptions and other technology issues and even go as far as warning people to lay off on conducting important business during a Mercury retrograde period.
So, according to believers what should you avoid during a Mercury retrograde? Things like senseless disagreements with loved ones, big purchases, big purchases, important decisions, being too hard on yourself or letting daily stress overwhelm you.
I guess you could say some of this is common sense stuff, right? However, for what it's worth, you may want to pay special attention to your mood and intuition during these retrograde periods, especially if you have noticed yourself feeling a little not yourself lately.
Until April 24, you can just blame it on Mercury.
Something to think about ... Mind over Mercury. You decide!