Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Does It Mean to Have Mercury in Retrograde?What Are the Mercury Retrograde Dates for 2024?How Does Mercury Retrograde Affect You?How to Prepare for Mercury RetrogradeThings to Do and Not Do During Mercury RetrogradeCan Planetary Alignment Affect Mental Health?What to Do If Mercury Retrograde Is Stressing You Out

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Does It Mean to Have Mercury in Retrograde?

What Are the Mercury Retrograde Dates for 2024?

How Does Mercury Retrograde Affect You?

How to Prepare for Mercury Retrograde

Things to Do and Not Do During Mercury Retrograde

Can Planetary Alignment Affect Mental Health?

What to Do If Mercury Retrograde Is Stressing You Out

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While the visual illusion is unambiguously real, the beliefs around its impact on us arebased in astrology, a pseudoscience lacking in evidence-based supporting research. It does not directly affect our mental health, according to experts.

The Mercury retrograde dates for 2024 are as follows:

“There is absolutely no connection between Mercury’s retrograde orbit and your mental well-being,” says Tom Vassos, an astronomer and founder ofCosmologists Without Borders. “People think a retrograde motion means that Mercury has changed direction, but it has not. It simply appears to change direction based on our view from planet Earth as we both orbit the sun.”

While no scientific evidence proves any link between Mercury’s position and our psychological well-being, believing in this phenomenon may lead to heightened stress, confusion, and tension. In essence, worrying about the effects of the phenomenon may be the thing that causes some of the effects you were worried about in the first place.

Does Mercury in Retrograde Affect Emotions?

“People may care about Mercury retrograde and other astrological phenomena for various reasons,” says Ellie Borden, BA, RP, PCC, ofMind By Design. “They may believe that celestial body movements can influence human events and that studying astrology will help them better understand themselves and their relationships with others. Others may take solace in the concept of a higher cosmic order or believe that astrology can bring guidance and insight into key life decisions.”

This belief could cause you to be more sensitive and vulnerable to your thoughts and feelings. This could lead to an increase in negative moods such asanger, resentment, or sadness.

Preparing for Mercury retrograde can help you avoid some of the potential pitfalls associated with beliefs or anxieties about this phenomenon. Some tips include taking time to reflect and practiceself-care, learning how to better handle communication difficulties, being mindful of your own emotions and reactions, and looking for opportunities to grow from any challenging situations that may arise.

While Mercury is in retrograde and you’re concerned about what it could mean for you, it may be beneficial to focus on self-care and taking things slow. Don’t make any big decisions or start any new projects until after the cycle has ended. Additionally, try to avoid getting into arguments or confrontations with anyone as misunderstandings may be more likely during this period or emotions may be heightened.

Remember that even if you don’t believe in any effects of this phenomenon, other people in your life might, so take care to be supportive and non-judgmental.

Things to Do

Things Not to Do

Ultimately, there is no scientific evidence to support the claim that planetary alignment has any direct impact on mental health. However, it can be helpful to take Mercury retrograde into account when assessing your feelings and reactions during this period of relative movement.

“Although no scientific evidence supports the notion that Mercury retrograde directly impacts mental health,” notes Borden, “the stress and worry associated with this phenomenon may aggravate pre-existing mental health disorders.”

It may also be beneficial to practice self-care techniques such asjournalingor mindfulness meditation in order to manage any potentially heightened emotions or stress levels that may arise due to the shift in energy.

In general, it is wise to remain mindful of your thoughts and feelings regardless of whether you believe in astrological influences or not. This will help you stay connected with your own inner wisdom and better understand yourself and your environment overall.

If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed or stressed due to Mercury retrograde, it is important to remember that the planet’s position does not dictate your emotional state. In fact, it is still possible to make progress and move forward in life during this time if you take appropriate steps and remain mindful of your thoughts and feelings. If you feel like the stress is becoming too much,talking with a professionalmay be beneficial.

Don’t Let Astrological Concerns Run Your Life

Additionally, it can be easy to blame external circumstances for one’s own missteps or mistakes, rather than taking personal responsibility for them. Therefore, it is important to take ownership of your feelings and actions during this period rather than lay the blame on something completely outside your control.

The concept of Mercury retrograde should not take over your life.If you find yourself worrying too much about this cosmic phenomenon, it is a good idea to take a step back and reassess the situation. Remember that despite its influence, you still havecontrolover how you respond to various situations in your life.

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NASA.What does it mean for Mercury to be in retrograde?NASA.Planetary motion: The history of an idea that launched the scientific revolution.Das A, Sharma MK, Kashyap H, Gupta S.Fixating on the future: An overview of increased astrology use.Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2022;68(5):925-932. doi:10.1177/00207640221094155

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.NASA.What does it mean for Mercury to be in retrograde?NASA.Planetary motion: The history of an idea that launched the scientific revolution.Das A, Sharma MK, Kashyap H, Gupta S.Fixating on the future: An overview of increased astrology use.Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2022;68(5):925-932. doi:10.1177/00207640221094155

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

NASA.What does it mean for Mercury to be in retrograde?NASA.Planetary motion: The history of an idea that launched the scientific revolution.Das A, Sharma MK, Kashyap H, Gupta S.Fixating on the future: An overview of increased astrology use.Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2022;68(5):925-932. doi:10.1177/00207640221094155

NASA.What does it mean for Mercury to be in retrograde?

NASA.Planetary motion: The history of an idea that launched the scientific revolution.

Das A, Sharma MK, Kashyap H, Gupta S.Fixating on the future: An overview of increased astrology use.Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2022;68(5):925-932. doi:10.1177/00207640221094155

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