Mercury Retrograde in Capricorn -- Here's What You Can Expect
See what happens when the planet of communication retrogrades.
By now, you've probably already heard about the pesky astrological event known as Mercury Retrograde. It's usually written about as a very chaotic time when communication goes awry, and while that's true, there's so much more to what goes on during this retrograde period! Many things can impact how you personally experience Mercury Retrograde -- including what sign and element Mercury is in, and where the retrograde occurs in your natal chart.
What is Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury Retrograde happens about three or four times each year, for a period of about three to four weeks at a time. Mercury slows down to the point that it appears to be moving backward, but it's really an optical illusion. The communication planet does still have forward momentum, it just isn't moving at its usual speedy pace.
Planet Mercury rules communication, travel, and technology, so all of these things are often disrupted during Mercury Retrograde. Yes, things can get a bit chaotic, but there's also a lot of good that can come out of this time. This can be a time of reflection, reconsideration, and retreat. Just like the planet Mercury, we're being asked to slow down so we can revisit our beliefs, our thought patterns, and how we want to move forward in our lives
In 2022, almost every Mercury Retrograde period will begin in an Air sign and move to an Earth sign: Aquarius moving into Capricorn, Gemini into Taurus, Libra into Virgo, and finally beginning in Capricorn. Air signs are intellectual, while Earth signs are more rooted in reality. Because Mercury Retrograde is a time of reflection, this shift from theoretical Air into productive Earth means we could come out of the retrograde period with more solid plans than we had when we originally entered it.
When is Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury Retrograde dates for 2022 are:
• Mercury Retrograde in Aquarius: January 14 - February 3, 2022 (entering Capricorn on January 25)
• Mercury Retrograde in Gemini: May 10 - June 3, 2022 (entering Taurus on May 22)
• Mercury Retrograde in Libra: September 9 - October 2, 2022 (entering Virgo on September 23)
• Mercury Retrograde in Capricorn: December 29, 2022 - January 18, 2023
Mercury Retrograde in Capricorn
The next Mercury Retrograde period starts on December 29, 2022 in ambitious Capricorn and continues through January 18, 2023.
Every Mercury Retrograde is a time when misunderstandings and mishaps are common. Because Mercury appears to be moving backward in the sky, things associated with Mercury -- conversations, negotiations, technology, travel -- tend to go haywire. When Mercury retrogrades through Capricorn specifically, it targets the areas of life Capricorn rules: our careers, ambitions, and public status. You may experience setbacks in work, clash with authority, or suffer a blow to your image.
But there’s always something good you can take from Mercury Retrograde, too! A retrograde in Capricorn is a great time to look back on your professional life and assess where changes are needed. If you aren’t happy with the direction you’re headed, this is the time to revisit plans or paths you experimented with in the past to see if they make more sense.
Mercury Retrograde often gets a bad rap for leading to chaos, but it's not all bad! This retrograde period could actually lead to profound clarity! It's all about how you navigate it, so discover how to
