March 19th introduced the shadow period of Mercury’s retrograde through Aries. A Mercury retrograde (or RX) is a period that allows us to reflect and revisit certain ideas and energy as we shift through energetic cycles. As planets move through the sky, they sit at different angles from Earth and the Sun. Mercury, during its retrograde, appears to be moving backwards on its orbit, revisiting certain angles. These angles can be referred to as degrees, which charge the planet with the energy of the zodiacal sign that’s related to that degree. We’re able to address this recurrent energy with a new perspective as we comb over and assess the finer details while Mercury enters retrograde on April 1st, 2024.
The pre- and post-shadow periods of Mercury RX are times to introduce and incorporate new concepts of healing into your conscious mind. The pre-shadow period, which began on March 19th, highlights concepts meant to trigger self-awareness in order to upgrade our conscious operation. April 25th marks the beginning of the post-shadow period, where we can fully integrate what we’ve encountered during the transit.
To some, a Mercury RX can easily lead to fear-mongering and anxiety, but realistically, it’s an intense energy that can cause disruptions in our technology (an integral source of communication and function for us), but also ignite a second chance for something we desire to come to fruition in a new way.
Mercury rules over Gemini and Virgo, representing the way we communicate on all fronts– the way we think, speak, and move around this world with dialogue. Life would be a silent movie without Mercury’s influence, and we wouldn’t have language to process or articulate what we’re experiencing. For even the most stubborn, the energy of a Mercury RX can throw them off balance, which is why so many warn about how disorienting a retrograde can be. Depending on where this energy sits in your chart, its effects may feel more subtle as they’re being experienced.
When Mercury is retrograde in Aries, we are being asked to hear out the others in our lives. Someone could be telling you something you’ve heard before. What does it sound like on new ears? What are they saying that you haven’t heard before? Maybe the decisions we made prior were something we were not entirely ready to commit to or complete. Active listening is an important task to assign yourself during this transit. It brings you into the present and allows you to fully engage in the experience. The opportunity Mercury offers us with during this time is a second chance to be brave, and with Aries energy lighting our fire, it may feel impossible to resist the temptation to move forward courageously.
In Aries, a Mercury RX encourages self-motivated personal growth. Focusing on yourself during this time can lead to successful integrations of intrinsic healing information from the cosmos. We can feel eager to do exciting and amazing things with this energy, but slowing down and taking the time to do it properly can be necessary for its success. Mercury RX asks us to put a break on Aries’ impulsive and hot headed nature to recollect where that has taken us before. Now that we’re back to the start, how can we move in a more structured, confident way?
Keep reading with a 7-day free trial
Subscribe to rituels lunaires to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.