Don’t panic! You know how you’re always hoping the Universe will give you just a little bit of a break, some breathing room, from the running-hustle-bustle of your life? Well, 3 or 4 times a year, that wish is granted in the form of Mercury Retrograde. Everything s-l-o-w-s down and moves like molasses. The difficulty comes when you want things to keep moving at that other pace. Just breathe, accept that this is your chance to think (and rethink) before you act or speak, and that the world is just not going to move at its usual speed.

Mercury rules thoughts, communication, technology/electricity, agreements, and travel. During a retrograde, these are the areas in which you will want to be especially conscious. Stop, breathe, feel the soles of your feet, and consider before communicating, using your technology (which these days probably includes your kitchen appliances and definitely includes your car), embarking on a journey, or signing an agreement. With that last, triple check the details and consult an expert or three.

This period is an excellent opportunity to re-evaluate your thoughts, habits, and patterns. What works? What doesn’t work? What can you toss and what just needs tweaking?  

Related to that – when the energy slows down this much, it thickens. Thick energy means it’s much easier to manifest. That means you need to pay attention to what you are feeding through attention. Are you letting your head be filled with worries and fears, or are you focusing on those things you want to bring forth?

You’ve probably already been feeling some of this, as we’ve been in the Shadow period for a week or so. If you haven’t already adjusted your expectations, I strongly suggest doing so now. Frustration is an uncomfortable place to live for 5 weeks (including shadow and wake).

Keep in mind, too, that the people around you probably don’t have this information, so you’re probably going to be doing most of the heavy lifting. Cut folx some slack and strive to be calmer, more patient, and more conscious in your speech and actions than those around you.

Keep breathing and grounding, it’ll help, I promise.