Our second Mercury retrograde in 2022 hits mid-May to early June, and travels through both Gemini and Taurus. What will this do for us? The Basics - What is Mercury retrograde?
A retrograde occurs when a planet appears to be moving backwards from our vantage point here on Earth. It isn't actually moving backwards, it just appears that way. Mercury turns retrograde most often, about 3-4 times per year, and lasts for several weeks. When a planet retrogrades, what that planet rules tends to be thrown off, along with what the sign it's retrograding in rules.
With Mercury retrograde, we experience a shadow and a storm. The shadow period starts when Mercury first hits the point in the Zodiac it will turn direct at, and ends when it last hits the point in the Zodiac it will turn retrograde at. Most people don't feel the effects of Mercury retrograde until it enters the storm period though. The storm period of Mercury retrograde is when Mercury is moving at its slowest, less than 40 minutes per day. Mercury is a fast-moving planet and hates it when it's moving slowly. There's usually two storm periods, one around the time Mercury turns retrograde, and one around when it turns direct. Mercury Retrograde in Gemini & Taurus 2022 Key Dates:
Mercury Retrograde Effects:
The second Mercury retrograde for 2022 begins in air sign Gemini, and this is the last to impact Gemini for a few years. With Mercury being the natural ruler of Gemini, its retrograde in Gemini can be especially challenging for communication and expression. That has been the case for the last few years, and we may find we become aware of issues now that we need to work on quickly before moving on.
We can be extra busy, with plenty to do, which might make us scattered and lack focus. We're just pulled in too many directions. Or, we may not have enough to do, and that makes us anxious and restless. Our mind goes wonky and we need more to occupy it. We need to find middle ground between the two. This can be a good time to pick back up an old idea or plan and put it to good use quickly, or to study something you've studied before and need a refresher with or want to go further with. Mercury goes backward into Taurus on May 22nd, and this can make us feel stale and stuck. Energy slows waaaaay down, and we may be immovable. We can get stubborn, and this can get us even more stuck. We have to keep moving, even just a tiny bit. We can get extra frustrated, and this can cause us to lash out at times. But that just gives us more trouble, so try to avoid that. Have a healthy outlet for frustrated energy before this retrograde even begins so you don't have to worry about it. This can be helpful energy for reconnecting with the moment and being more present in your life. Maybe things don't need to be rushed right now, and taking time to just be can help with stress. Jupiter also enters Aries on the same day the retrograde begins (almost 12 hours later), so there is big change energy. We may want to rush into something thanks to Jupiter in Aries, but we have to be smart and take care of old stuff first before we can move on. The retrograde ends square (hard aspect) Saturn in Aquarius and sextile (beneficial aspect) Neptune in Pisces. This can show we're feeling a little restricted, maybe overwhelmed thanks to Saturn, but can find getting rest, time alone, or taking care of spiritual needs helps uplift you thanks to Neptune. I've got my eye on the potential for a natural disaster at the end of this retrograde too, unfortunately. Eclipse Season + Mercury Retrograde:
Eclipse season and Mercury retrograde have some overlap, with the Scorpio lunar eclipse occurring on May 16th. The end of Mercury retrograde is opposite the lunar eclipse point, so we may feel it strongly leading into June. Emotional energy can be quite intense, and we need to avoid letting it overtake us.
The Taurus solar eclipse occurs before Mercury retrograde starts, on April 30th, but with the retrograde ending in Taurus, the solar eclipse may show second chances. Solar eclipses are times for new beginnings, while Mercury retrograde has us looking back. Put them together, and we may want to try again. Mercury Retrograde in Gemini & Taurus 2022 Aspects:
During the retrograde, Mercury will make 4 major aspects to the other transit (moving) planets. They are:
- Conjunct the Sun on May 21st 2022 @ 0 degrees Gemini: This is the Inferior Conjunction, a positive point in the retrograde for starting something that can be a focus for the next 6-8 weeks; find where it falls in your chart, and that may be where you can start something. - Sextile Jupiter on May 19th 2022 @ 1 degree Gemini/Aries: This can give great energy for opportunities and expansion, especially expanding in ways we have before or wanted to before. We can be more optimistic, and this can be good energy leading into the Inferior Conjunction. - Sextile Mars on May 23rd @ 29 degrees Taurus/Pisces: This gives us some good energy and drive to make use of, and we can feel motivated to take action, especially with this aspect occuring at 29 degrees, the anaretic degree. This is super high energy, and we're ready to jump to action. We just need to make sure we're not being impulsive. - Trine Pluto on May 25th 2022 @ 28 degrees Taurus/Capricorn: This helps give us some power and control, and is in effect pretty much the whole time Mercury is in Taurus. We can find solutions, do research, and transform, and find renewed energy. The Moons of Mercury Retrograde:
The Moon travels through both signs Mercury naturally rules as well as Taurus during this retrograde. The retrograde starts with the Moon already in Virgo (ruled by Mercury) as of May 9th (6:53PM ET/3:53PM PT) until May 12th (2:35AM ET/May 11th 11:35PM PT), which can increase anxiousness and stress, and we need to take better care of ourselves.
The Moon is in Gemini (ruled by Mercury) May 29th (1:23PM ET/10:23AM PT) to June 1st (1:49AM ET/May 30th 10:49PM PT), which can increase scattered, unfocused energy and a need for a mental outlet. Mercury is no longer in Gemini by this time. The Moon is in the same sign as the retrograde in Taurus on May 27th (2:23AM ET/11:23PM PT) to May 29th (1:23PM ET/10:23AM PT). This can bring a lot more emotional focus to the retrograde, especially when they conjunct on May 29th (7:15AM ET/4:15AM PT). Final Notes:
This retrograde will be at the anaretic degree when it goes back to Taurus, May 22nd to 24thg. The anaretic degree is crisis energy in transit, so this may trigger some important events and developments, and energy may run high. With Taurus, we're extra frustrated, stubborn, and need to be flexible. There may also be some money issues.
The retrograde starts at 4 degrees Gemini, so those of you Geminis born May 23rd to 28th may feel the start of the retrograde most. The retrograde ends at 26 degrees Taurus, so those of you Taureans born May 14th to 19th may feel the end of the retrograde most. For the rest of you, check the house(s) Mercury will be retrograding in your own natal chart, and any aspects Mercury will make during its retrograde to your natal planets, to fully understand how it will impact you personally. If you have Mercury retrograde in your natal or progressed chart, you may not feel the worst of this. Those individuals generally don't experience the difficulties of the retrograde because it feels more natural to them. Of course, chances are everyone else around them doesn't have the same aspect, so they can still experience difficulties brought on by others. If it's in your natal chart, check out this article about Mercury retrograde in the natal chart. Suggested Reading: The Mercury, Venus, & Mars Retrogrades page for interpretations Comments are closed.
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