Mercury retrograde can have a major impact on all forms of communication. So let’s look at how we can all prepare for mercury retrograde in 2016 and not only survive it, but be better in spite of it.
Mercury was the name for the Roman messenger to the Gods. As such, he is responsible for communication. He is depicted with wings on his sandals which helps him speed his messages to the heavens.
In astrology, Mercury is the planet that rules both Virgo and Gemini. Gemini is well known for its communication skills. Virgos are known for being masters of information. Being a Virgo or a Gemini during a time of retrograde is a definite plus.
The closest planet to the sun passes Earth as it orbits. Mercury has an oval orbit rather than a circular one. When it passes Earth, it is reaching the narrow end of the orbit, so it appears to slow down as astronomers watch it across the night sky.
At the slow point of its orbit, Mercury almost appears to stop moving and move backward. This is when it is said to be retrograde. Mercury does not actually move backward, it just looks that way from our perspective.
How To Survive Mercury Retrograde In 2016
1. Know when to expect retrograde
According to the Farmer’s almanac, there will be 4 periods of Mercury’s retrograde in 2016. These dates are:
In 2016, Mercury will be retrograde:
- January 5 to 25
- April 28 to May 22
- August 30 to September 22
- December 19 to 31
Put these dates on your calendar or in your planner. Also, add a reminder a week before the timeframe that Mercury is in retrograde. This will give you time to prepare for what might happen.
2. Wrap up projects
Finish any unfinished work before a Mercury retrograde
3. Be diligent about backing up your work
Save your work and back it up in a different place. If it is very important, save it in multiple different places. Maybe print a hard copy, email it to someone you trust, put it on a flash drive, save it to your hard drive and then save it to an external hard drive.
4. Communicate clearly
We all make mistakes at times in what we say and write, but a time of Mercury retrograde is a time to be particularly diligent about what you are communicating.
Check your writing twice before sending an email, especially if it’s an important message. Make sure that you have included the most important points in as clear language as possible.
Simply your communication with a numbered list or bullet points if there are specific actions that need to be taken by the person who reads your email.
When you are speaking, it can be difficult to correct a mistake. If you say something that you didn’t mean to say, apologize and immediately repeat what you intended to communicate.
When you are done speaking, ask the person if they understood. You can ask them to repeat back to you what you said if you are unsure that the got the message.
5. Be prepared to ask multiple times
When Mercury is in retrograde, emails can suddenly go missing, post-it notes lose their sticky and fall under the desk, voicemails get deleted, and paper gets lost amidst the piles.
Expect that your message will get lost and that you will need to send it multiple times. If it’s very important, print a copy and leave it for someone, email it to them, and leave a voicemail to ask them to come to see you. When you communicate in multiple ways, your message is more likely to be received.
6. Practice patience
Prepare for the worst that can happen, but expect the best. When you mentally are prepared for delays, miscommunication, unclear thoughts, restlessness and fast-moving possibilities, Mercury’s retrograde can’t take you by surprise.
If things don’t go right the first time, take a deep breath and handle it calmly with the grace of someone who has a Plan B.
7. Use the momentum to your benefit
Things can happen quickly with Mercury in retrograde. According to astrology.com:
“A mercurial nature brings to mind restlessness and motion. Rat-a-tat-tat — things happen fast here. Mercury is about a quick wit, quick thinking, possibilities, opinions, reasoning and the ability to rationalize things. Mercurial energy can be good or bad, but it will certainly be energizing! This planet also prompts us to move from one thing to the next and to get answers on both a physical and psychological level. Further, Mercury’s energy is both dexterous and perceptive.”
With momentum in your favor, it could be time to push along a project that was previously delayed. If someone is dragging their feet, try getting them to make a move now. You might be pleasantly surprised how quickly things can move from annoying to rapid completion with the help of Mercury’s magic.
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