The Dos and Don’ts of Mercury Retrograde
How to stay grounded through cosmic static
Few astrological cycles spark as much collective groaning -- and collective fascination -- as Mercury Retrograde. Three or four times a year, the planet of communication, travel, and information appears to backspin through the sky. It’s an optical illusion from our vantage point on Earth, but its effects feel anything but illusory. Messages get crossed. Plans get scrambled. Technology acts like it missed several updates (and is taking it personally).
Whatever its reputation may be, Mercury Retrograde isn’t an omen of doom. It’s a cosmic slowdown, an invitation to pause, recalibrate, and rethink. It highlights the places where we’re rushing, assuming, or mentally auto-piloting our way through life. And when we work with the retrograde energy instead of fighting it tooth and nail, we often walk out with a renewed sense of direction.
Below are the core Dos and Don'ts of Mercury Retrograde, the cosmic guardrails that help you navigate the season with far more grace, humor, and agency.
DON’T initiate new projects. DO finish what you’ve started.
Mercury Retrograde is not the time to press the cosmic “launch” button on the grand new initiative you’ve been dreaming about. Trying to kick off a brand-new venture under Mercury’s backspin is like trying to start a marathon right after spinning around in circles -- you may technically move forward, but there’s a good chance you’ll veer sideways into a hedge.
Why the hesitation? Retrograde motion creates a subtle fog over strategic thinking. Information tends to be incomplete, feedback loops are delayed, and the full picture won’t come into focus until Mercury stations direct. If you rush ahead, you may discover that your foundational assumptions weren’t as solid as you thought.
But don’t mistake “don’t start” for “don’t do anything.”
The DO here is powerful: finish, refine, revise, return. Mercury Retrograde is famously fruitful for anything that starts with “re-.”
- Return to the half-written pitch you abandoned months ago.
- Rebuild your portfolio or resume.
- Refine the structure of your book proposal.
- Revise a stalled creative project or an old idea you couldn’t quite crack.
You’ll often discover that your past self left you a breadcrumb trail of clues -- notes, drafts, or other sparks of inspiration -- that your current self can now revisit with sharper insight.
When in doubt, think like Mercury: go backward to move forward.
DON’T purchase big-ticket items. DO comparison shop.
Retrogrades and large purchases go together like glitter and superglue -- you can force it, but you’ll probably regret the fallout.
Why skip the splurge? Mercury governs not just communication but also logistics, machinery, electronics, and transactions. During its retrograde, tech glitches, miscommunications, shipping delays, and quality issues become more common. That shiny new phone might arrive in less-than-perfect condition. A car may make a weird rattling noise the day after you drive it off the lot. The couch that was advertised online as “oatmeal beige” somehow shows up looking like a sink full of dirty dish water.
But here’s the cosmic nuance: even if you’re not actually buying something yet, Mercury Retrograde is an excellent time for research.
Browse. Read reviews. Watch unboxing videos. Compare specs. Get recommendations from friends and family. You can even go to the store, touch the item, take notes -- and walk out empty-handed, like the savvy shopper you are.
This isn’t the moment to drop your credit card like a mic. It’s the moment to gather intel, sleep on it, and do your best to wait for Mercury to turn direct before making the call.
And if you must buy something big during the retrograde? Double-check everything. Then triple-check it. Then screenshot the warranty. Mercury loves to test your attention to detail, but it certainly doesn’t guarantee failure.
DON’T sign contracts or make life-altering decisions. DO renegotiate, mediate, and reconsider existing commitments.
The cardinal rule of Mercury Retrograde: avoid binding agreements if you can. This includes:
- signing contracts
- locking in major commitments
- agreeing to obligations you can’t easily exit
- launching something with legal implications
- making choices that are likely to reverberate for years to come
It’s not that you’re necessarily doomed to disaster. The issue here is that important details tend to be in motion, hidden, or miscommunicated under Mercury Retrograde. Timing is slippery. What sounds great on Monday might boomerang with a surprise clause by Thursday. And verbal agreements, sealed with a friendly handshake? Mercury practically begs you to put those in writing at another time.
But again, this isn’t permission to stop moving entirely.
The DO is to renegotiate, reconsider, revise, and mediate.
- If a contract already exists, reviewing it is ideal.
- If a partnership is wobbling, thoughtful mediation can work wonders.
- If a deal fell apart weeks ago, retrogrades sometimes bring it back with new terms.
- If you’ve been meaning to adjust a boundary, articulate a concern, or revise expectations, this is the moment to gently -- but clearly -- restate what needs to shift.
Retrogrades bring buried misunderstandings to the surface. They reveal where both parties assumed something different, and they create opportunities to fix what’s been quietly off-kilter.
So don’t commit to a brand-new path, but absolutely clean up the trail behind you. Future-you will send a cosmic thank-you note.
DON’T hide under a rock and stop living. DO expect delays and interruptions.
One of the biggest myths about Mercury Retrograde is that life must grind to a halt. You don’t need to retreat into a hermit cave and refuse to send emails, as though Mercury is a vengeful force with a grudge against you. You can travel, communicate, work, socialize, flirt, and thrive during Mercury Retrograde.
Just don’t expect linear momentum.
Expect delays. Expect rescheduling. Expect surprise change-ups, technical hiccups, or plans that shapeshift twice before you even arrive. It’s simply the flavor of the transit.
Retrogrades slow the pace so you can catch something essential you would’ve otherwise blown past. Picture the universe tapping the brakes because it sees a detail you didn’t.
The DO here is to build in buffer time. Treat your calendar like an accordion -- leave room for things to expand or contract. Assume travel will take extra time. Send the email earlier than necessary. Triple-check the address before you start driving. Save your files in multiple places.
At the same time, stay open. Some of the best retrograde gifts arrive through detours, like running into someone you’ve been thinking about, finding a long-lost file on an old drive, or rediscovering a passion you buried under your to-do list. Retrograde magic is subtle, but it’s real.
And don't forget to let yourself laugh at the absurdity! Humor thrives during these theatrical cycles. Embrace it. Mercury Retrograde is cosmic improv, and we’re just along for the ride.
Mercury isn’t out to get you
The key to Mercury Retrograde is remembering that it’s not a cosmic punishment. It’s a pattern. A rhythm. A recurring pause that asks you to listen between the lines of your life. Retrogrades reveal misalignments, surface unfinished business, and slow you down just enough to reconnect you with your original intentions. So go forth (or sideways, or backwards) and make it count!
