Mercury Retrograde is upon us friends and if you're anything like me you've been doing a little retrograde prep to help you coast through it. Don't know what the big deal about Mercury Retrograde is? Keep reading to find out a little more and a few ways you can learn to work through it and some of my favorite gemstones to give you an extra boost when you need it.
For as long as I can remember the women in my family kept an eye out for the Full Moons, and what times of the year we'd experience Mercury Retrograde. Both of these events always seemed to bring clarity to the tensions or miscommunications we'd be experiencing during that time. I've found over the years that the more I take notice of the Moon phases and Mercury Retrogrades, I feel prepared and able to bounce back when things don't go as planned.
What is Mercury Retrograde?
Mercury Retrograde is a period of time when the planet Mercury appears to move backwards in it's orbit. Of course it's not really moving backwards, it's an optical illusion we see from our view on Earth. This occurs a few times a year and seems to bring many people an uptick in miscommunications, delays, and a variety of other glitches in their day to day activities.
Why does Mercury affect these activities?
In Astrology, Mercury is the messenger. It rules the mind, our intellect, awareness, and communications. It would stand to reason that when the ruler of communication, awareness, and intellect is in retrograde, these areas could experience some missteps.
What kind of missteps are we talking about here?
As the planet appears to go backwards during this 3 week period you might find yourself running late because you lost your keys, or an important email didn't get sent. Maybe you're having difficulty finding your focus or got into a argument due to a misunderstanding with a friend, family member, or coworker. You might also experience technical difficulties like trouble with internet connections, software crashes, lost files, and my personal nemesis- printer problems! Just like clockwork, during retrograde my printer will jam or run out of ink right before a deadline!
What can we do to make Retrograde a little smoother?
For me I've learn the best thing to do is to expand my understanding and compassion, and try to be as flexible with myself and others as possible. Because communications can be misinterpreted during this time I'll double check my emails, texts, and yes- even this blog post, before hitting send. If I need to go somewhere I'll plan to leave a little early so I can stop for gas or air up a tire and still have time to get where I'm heading safely on time. If my internet it acting up or the printer is on the fritz- I'll see if I can post pone to another day and take it as a sign to get out of the office- I've also made a habit of always keeping an extra ink cartridge on hand for my nemesis the printer!
Because we're all experiencing Mercury Retrograde on some level, make sure to extend patience and understanding to others as well, and be flexible or offer an alternative if someone is running late or can't get their Zoom to connect for their meeting with you.
Take a few deep breaths if you're feeling stressed and overwhelmed, or get outside and take a walk around the block if your able. Give yourself a chance to release the tensions and calm your mind before trying again.
Of course, you know me- I'm a gems and jewelry gal, so I also like to use a variety of gemstones for their healing and metaphysical properties to give me a little boost or clarity when I need most. Regardless of your level of comfort with crystal healing, you can also think of a pocket stone or a certain piece of jewelry as a simple visual reminder for any intentions or inner support you might need.
Here's a few examples of some of my favorite gemstones you can use to help ease your Mercury Retrograde woes.
Clear Quartz Crystal:
The "Master Healer" stone. This stone brings focus and clarity, aids in concentration. Helps to balance & revitalize. Clear Quartz has the ability to absorb and regulate energy.
Wear a pair of Quartz Crystal earrings to help stimulate focus & unlock the mind.
Smoky Quartz
A powerful protection stone, Smoky Quartz neutralizes negative energies, easing stress & anxiety, bringing emotional peace. It's grounding properties aid in concentration & communication.
Keep a Smoky Quartz pocket stone or long necklace to hold in your palm to help you keep your calm, feeling grounded & protected.
Lapis Lazuli
Taping into your inner wisdom, Lapis Lazuli helps us express ourselves honestly & with confidence. Bringing a deeper awareness, Lapis can also further your compassion for others. A great stone to stimulate the throat chakra, helping you to communicate clearly.
I like to wear a blue stone necklace close to my throat anytime I want to boost my communication with others, or if get my words out.
*Other blue gemstones for stimulating the throat chakra and to aid communication during retrograde: Amazonite, Apatite, Blue Kyanite, Blue Lace Agate, Blue Chalcedony, Turquoise, Blue Topaz, & Aquamarine.
Black Tourmaline
In my opinion, Black Tourmaline the best stone to use when you need grounding & protection. Black Tourmaline wards off unwanted energy & negative vibrations. This stone purifies your mind, body & spirit, absorbing anything you need to release.
If you're worried about a stressful day ahead, wear a necklace of Black Tourmaline close to your chest to help keep you grounded through the day & to draw out feelings of anxiety or fear.
Labradorite
Another great grounding stone, Labradorite helps to balance your emotions & remain calm. Use Labradorite to relieve stress & anxiety. It calms the overactive mind helping us balance our brain activity while we rest.
A Labradorite pendant with a bright flash of Blue fire inside can also be used to activate your throat chakra, aiding you in finding your voice & speaking the truth.
Grounding/Protection Gemstones
Keep these stones on or near you to stay grounded emotionally, and protected while traveling: Lava Stone, Petrified Wood, Jaspers, Smoky Quartz, Tiger Eye, Tourmaline Quartz.
These are just a few examples, there's a wealth of information out there about gemstone healing properties and I certainly don't know everything! I always encourage others to look around, ask questions, and above all- follow their intuitions! If you find yourself drawn to a certain stone or color, chances are once you look up what kind of metaphysical or healing properties are connected to them- you'll be surprised to learn there's a strong connection to something you've recently gone through or are currently juggling.
I also encourage you to take a deeper look into Mercury Retrograde, consider this a crash course. Take a look to see how it connects to your birth chart- what sign does Mercury fall in your chart and how could that affect how you respond during retrograde. If you don't know your birth chart, there are many free sites online to learn from and all you need is your birth date, time, and location. Of course nothing beats a reading by an Astrologer, so if you're looking to get a personal reading I know a few really great astrologers I'd be happy to connect you with. As always, you can visit my favorite modern metaphysical shop, the Ninth House, for more guidance and connections.
Title image & model photo by Weston Holland Photography + Collaboration photo shoot with Christina Holland Designs & The Ninth House Shop. Tucson, AZ Feb 2020.
Models: Chelsea, Michele & Olivia. Hair & Makeup by Belle Starr Salon: Cass, Michelle & MilyKim. Clothing: Fire Moon Collection + Alia @buccaneersnballgowns