What Is Mercury Retrograde and What Does It Mean for You?
Mercury Retrograde will begin once again on March 14, 2025. These periods of the year are thought to significantly influence your mood and actions. Learn more and find the 2025 Mercury Retrograde dates.
What Is "Mercury Retrograde"?
Three to four times a year, the planet Mercury appears to travel backward across the sky. We refer to these periods as times when Mercury is in apparent retrograde motion or simply "Mercury retrograde." To those who practice astrology, these times were traditionally associated with confusion, delay, and frustration. Think undelivered love letters, email blunders, and frazzled travel plans! This is an excellent time to reflect on the past, however, and it’s said that intuition is high during these periods. Coincidences can be extraordinary.
What Is Retrograde Motion?
The astronomical explanation for retrograde motion starts with understanding that the planets in our solar system orbit the Sun at different distances and speeds. While we orbit the Sun ourselves, we can observe the other planets moving across our sky, following their own paths.
Read Next
Sometimes, it can appear (from our perspective) that a planet has abruptly switched directions and has started to move in reverse across the sky. This is, of course, an illusion caused by the position of Earth in relation to that of the planet since a planet in orbit always travels in one set direction and can’t suddenly reverse course. This is why we call the phenomenon apparent retrograde motion, as it only looks like the planet is moving backward ("retrograde motion")!
When Is Mercury in Retrograde in 2025?
In 2025, Mercury will be in apparent retrograde motion during the following ranges of dates:
- March 14 to April 6
- July 17 to August 10
- November 9 to 29
Please note that dates reflect Eastern Time U.S., not Universal Time.
What You Should Do When Mercury is Retrograde
The planet Mercury rules communication in all forms—listening, writing, reading, speaking, and so on—as well as activities closely related to communication, like negotiations and contracts. It also rules travel, automobiles, shipping, and mail.
So, when Mercury is retrograde, try to remain flexible, patient, and understanding, allow extra time for travel, and avoid signing onto any new contracts that you’re unsure of. Double-check your email responses and check in with reservations before you take that trip. Take time to review projects and plans before making decisions.
You can’t stop your life, but plan ahead, have backup plans, and be prepared for people’s shorter fuses and miscommunication.
Take a Moment to Reflect
Some blame Mercury retrograde for all the chaos that happens in their lives. However, this is a good time to sit back and review what you put your energy toward.
For example, if family and faith are important to you, are you putting enough energy into them, or have you overextended in other areas such as your career or a hobby? Losing the balance between different parts of your life can cause them to suffer, so being aware of their connections—especially during Mercury retrograde—can help you maintain or at least better understand how that balance works.
Take a moment to reflect. Mercury retrograde can be an excellent time to take a step back and reanalyze who you are and what you are doing—but do refrain from making any drastic changes until after retrograde has ended.
When Retrograde Ends
When Mercury’s Retrograde ends, some astrologers believe there is a short "shadow period" of adjustment of a couple of weeks as Mercury moves forward again. Don’t rush. Let any miscommunication work itself out. Be prepared for electronic kinks to get resolved.
Stay calm, but start planning to move forward as well. Move into your routine and rhythm. Put the touches on that trip you want to take. Get the paperwork ready to sign contracts or sell your house. Use your energy towards intelligent changes.
Mercury and the Zodiac
The type of influence you feel also depends on which of the 12 zodiac signs Mercury is in when it goes retrograde.
What’s your Zodiac Sign? See here: "Mercury Retrograde and Zodiac Signs ."
Learn more about zodiac sign profiles in general, and check out our monthly horoscopes. Make sure that your gardening does not go awry when Mercury is in retrograde by reading your zodiac profile for gardening.
Celeste Longacre
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
During the pandemic there was a tremendous force in my life. I had lost my husband to cancer in 2019. I remember in Spring, going into my backyard and feeling like everything or something big was off. This was before I heard of the pandemic.
I have several irises in various lo ations in my large yard. They had always bloomed every year. Not a single one bloomed that Spring. Also the milk weed was taking over with them growing over 2 feet tall. I had several things break in the house and i tried to plan a possible move to another state. Communication with people was very confusing. I almost lost 2000ドル on a moving van. They shouldn't have charged me ahead of the move. My realtor and I were in a whirlwind of non-productive emails and calls. I was so confused I decided not to move for the time being. I became aware of Mercury retrograde and it seemed these things were happening to me due to it. I was in mourning, but there were so many things going on I really couldn't sort it out. It may sound ridiculous, but this is unexplainable to me. I have never had anything like this ever happen to me. I am now 70, and not senile. lol
I’m so sorry about your husband, I too have experienced a lot of negativity! When you know, you know you don’t need somebody else to tell you you’re wrong you’re living at❤️✝️❤️
I believe you.I never knew what Retrograde meant until now. I'm taking cautions seriously, as I am facing major decisions involving $$$.
I just became a believer.Why?Because every thing is upsetting me and I am like a bear .My server is the pits and my stove is burning my cookies and I walk into my walls and cant think staight.I am usually easy going and not bothered by much.I think I should start following astronomy more.Thanks
Instead of debunking superstitious horoscopic garbage you feed into this insanity by advising people about how Mercury moving retrograde should influence their decision making. Some people may think you're serious.
😵💫😵😱😫🫣🫨😮💨😒🤨😩🙄😤 stop hating idiot!!! Say something nice or don't say it at all!!!!!
If this is insanity 😳, why are you reading this site???
Your comment is a run-on sentence. You started off with instead but didn't finish the sentence to make it a complete thought. Did you mean to place a comma between making and some? I am just trying to understand your thoughts.
Thanks.
I think a little kindness and understanding is called for here. Why go after one another, when I thought we all strived to learn and share.
I agree, you can learn a lot from understanding and love, rather than anger and hate. You’ve made an excellent point. 🔮
ADVERTISEMENT