đ¨Mercury retrograde: writer's protocol
Hey peach,
Iâm hoping things havenât gone tits up for you in recent days. I only mention it because Mercuryâthe planet in charge of communication, creativity, contracts, and travelâwent retrograde on the 17th and will stay that way until August.
If youâre not down with the lingo, âretrogradeâ is when a planet appears to move backwards in its cycle. Each planet is believed to rule over certain energetic domains (Venus rules love, Mars rules ambition, Jupiter rules expansion and authority, etc.). Astrologically, when a planet goes retrograde, its power is diminished.
So, when Mercury goes retrograde? Hunny! Communication and creativity go skewiff. Technology buggers up. Business blunders happen.
Mercury loves to go retrograde; this is the second time it's happened this year, and we're due a third in November. I happen to work heavily with Mercury in my business and magickal practice, so I've pulled together some tips to help you ensure our solar system's smallest planet doesn't fudge you the hell up.
Writerâs guide to dodging Mercury retrograde
1) Journal regularly
Retrogrades are a fabulous time to stop and reflect on the impact of a planetâs domain through journaling. Because Mercury rules creativity and communication, its retrograde is an opportunity to examine how you speak to yourself, the messages you promote and permit in your relationships, and the kinds of things you want to create for yourself in future. For maximum effect, try to do it every day.
2) Pause, think, reply
Unless you want to find yourself on the arse end of a miscommunication, Iâd advise taking time to pause before replying to anything or initiating anything during a Mercury retrograde. Write the email, save the draft, and look at it again with fresh eyes later. Before you give a verbal reply, pause and think before you speak.
Remember â contracts and negotiations can go sideways during a Mercury retrograde (heâs the god of commerce and financial gain, among many other things), so if you need extra time to review that paperwork before you sign, TAKE IT!
3) Cleanse your tech
You can hope and pray that you arenât one of the freelance writers whose tech suffers at the hands of Mercury retrograde, or you can help yourself along by regularly cleansing it before and during. I love to burn frankincense, but lavender or rosemary work well, too. Waft the cleansing smoke over your laptop, phone, and anything else you heavily rely on for work. You can also clean up the energy in your creative/communicative space by having a tidy-up and clear out. Every little helps!
4) Back-up your back-ups
Following on from the previous section, Iâd also advise helping yourself out by covering your arse as much as possible â assume anything that can happen, will. Attending a meeting or interviewing someone? Donât just rely on one dictaphone (I record in at least three places, locally, in the cloud, and on a separate device). Saving a draft? Honey â save that thing locally and to the cloud, and save it often! Carry a spare phone charger or battery with you, too. Ya never know!
5) Check travel plans (and factor in âwhoopsieâ time)
Mercury is a traveller â the quickest in our solar system, donât ya know. When he changes direction and goes back on his sweet self, travel plans can go awry. Double- and triple-check routes, meeting details, and travel times. Quadruple check the times and dates on tickets, and factor a little âwhoopsieâ time into your journey (I usually do 30 minutes).
Let me round this off with a photo I took of Mercury during my visit to the Louvre last month. Because, as a devotee, I want to remind you how bloody great he can beâŚ
đ Corn Moon â 9th August
Baking bread ¡ Harvest kick-off ¡ Element of fire
đž Lughnasadh â 1st August
Feasting ¡ Cutting the first grain ¡ Green Man
đŽ Freelance focus: purging toxicity with The Devil
As workloads slow for the summer and the retrograde gives space to examine our voice and its impact, The Devil card pops up to encourage you to use this moment of pause to release the harmful things you might be clinging to.
The Devil card represents our addictions and the quick-fixes we lean on for instant gratification, even though we know they donât really help us. Is there anything toxic or unhelpful that you need to release this summer?
Are you doomscrolling on social media, burying your anxiety in impulse shopping, or leaning on AI to help you craft your work? Perhaps there are people in your life who diminish your voice, or maybe youâre clinging to a harmful internal narrative that has you doing it to yourself. This is your sign to see, recognise, and release. You have more control than you realise!
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