Mercury Retrograde starts on March 5 (ending March 28). Here's how to prepare for a time that is typically associated with confusions, time delays and frustration.

1) What is Mercury Retrograde:

What the Planets Are Doing

Mercury has a faster speed than Earth in its physical orbit around the sun – 88 days compared to our 365 days. Because Mercury’s solar orbit is four times faster than Earth’s orbit, Mercury appears to catch up and pass the slower moving Earth around four times a year for several weeks during apparent backwards or retrograde movement. Since Mercury is still moving forward as it approaches the day-to-stop and reverse direction, it progresses along the path that it will later retrace during retrograde over the following few weeks. This is called “shadow ingress” and occurs for a few weeks after the day-forward motion starts.

To illustrate this, imagine you are standing side-by-side with a friend. Have the friend walk forward slowly. Now you walk forward at a faster speed. Observe your friend’s movement relative to you. Initially, your friend begins to move farther away from you as they walk, and you eventually pass ahead of your friend. Once you’ve passed your friend, they will appear to be moving backwards relative to you even though your friend still actually walking forward.  

What This Means for You

Mercury Retrograde is known for roadblocking plans and scrambling rational procedures when it occurs. This causes erratic or unexpected sudden changes regarding communication, travel or any activities related to intellectual comprehension and technology. Mercury Retrograde is notorious for creating confusion.

2) What to expect during Mercury Retrograde: 

Mercury influences are neutral and the retrograde periods (as well as the before and after - two gradual “shadows”) allow us a time to step back and reflect upon mental activities. 

Mercury Retrograde affects communication including oral and written expression, listening, learning, negotiating, speaking, document editing  and transmission and research projects or studies.

Unusual technology problems appear involving computer hardware and software, electronic device and machine malfunctions. 

Travel plans, trade  and commerce, and real property transactions may go awry. Other possible activities include, legal contract delays, new client instructions causing reassessment, and order delays, like newly discovering items out of stock.  

During retrograde it is hard to confirm plans or receive firm decisions from others. Romantic couples tend to create confusing miscommunications that, in turn, can cause a cascading effect that spirals toward temporary breakups. 

3) Things to avoid for all elements:

Resist making important life-changing or possible long-term/permanent decisions or signing documents that cannot be easily reversed after Mercury Retrograde.  

• Don’t start new endeavors, new advertising or publicity campaigns and avoid simple verbal agreements. 
• Avoid completing employment or business contracts as well as real estate transactions. 
• Try not to jump to conclusions in all communications and keep striving for clarity.
• Arguments leading to temporary relationship break-ups may get reversed after Mercury Retrograde.

4) Things to prepare and embrace for all elements:

Acknowledging Mercury Retrograde periods can allow you to increase your productivity and avoid some of the frustration with an intent of flexibility, fluidity and faith in the universal reordering of plans.   

• Conduct background research and review communications, plans and procedures
• It is a favorable time for completing old pre-retrograde business activities, since new revelations assist thoroughness and completeness yielding greater success
• It is an excellent time to temporarily experiment with new technological and business methods and procedures.   
• Reassess and redesign present plans and projects focusing on improving quality and innovative solutions to accomplish performance objectives.
• Take a pause to clear perception and intending approaches incorporating curiosity, cleverness, and versatility.
• Make extra records and backups of documents and software. 
• Re-confirm scheduling and travel plans for alternative solutions for risky or uncertain endeavors.  
• If you have a choice whether to sign papers or initiate an action prior to or after retrograding, wait and act afterward.  
• Rather than trying to beat the Mercury Retrograde reversal day deadline, waiting until a week or two after Mercury moves forward again is always the wiser option.
• Spirituality and intuitive communication insight are strongly highlighted (especially dream messages) late in March.

Although a portion of planetary influences affects all of us somewhat collectively, a greater personal influence could result if we have Mercury positions interacting with a sensitive point in our astrological birth blueprint near a beginning or ending Mercury Retrograde reversal days.