How Mercury retrograde may affect you in 2024
If you’ve been feeling a little off for the past few days, it could be due to forces outside of your control: Mercury retrograde is upon us once again.
The first Mercury retrograde of 2024 takes place between April 1 to April 25, and there will be two more later in the year between August 5 and August 28, and again between November 25 and December 15.
The term has been buzzy on social media in recent years, with videos talking about Mercury retrograde receiving over 34 million views on TikTok alone – but what does it mean?
What is Mercury retrograde?
Basically, when Mercury is in retrograde, it is an optical illusion that makes it look as if the planet is moving backwards when looking at it from Earth – which can wreak havoc on our energy balances.
"The retrograde in Mercury, the planet of connection, is likely to cause energy shifts, communication breakdowns and even long lost exes to return," astrologer Inbaal Honigman, who has partnered with Psychic World, explains.
"Mercury retrograde can be a powerful time for reflection and new beginnings and Spring is a particularly compelling time to think about changing your life. We often feel like this is the start of a new year as winter draws to a close, so take this time to hit the pause button and reflect."
How Mercury retrograde can affect you
Honigman says that Mercury being in retrograde is a “great time to release built-up resentments and make peace with the past”.
"Since retrograde tends to bring back people from the past, you may find yourself in contact with a previous flame – but remember to exercise caution around exes during this time as relighting an old flame may cause havoc," she adds.
"The retrograde is a chance to recognise the relationships that deserve closure, and move on from what is outgrown."
This retrograde is largely occurring under the Zodiac sign of Aries, which includes the dates March 21 to April 19.
"When Mercury is retrograde in the sign of Aries, it means that the most basic communication around those matters is unsuccessful," Honigman says.
"Mercury is the planet of communication and rules many different situations in our day-to-day lives. Trying to order anything online, hiring a new employee, redesigns in the home, are all jobs that will work best when Mercury is back in its forward motion.
"Especially in a world so reliant on communication in the digital age. During the retrograde, you may notice phones don't charge, TVs randomly switch off, emails refuse to be sent and many other blocks."
Who will be affected most by this Mercury retrograde?
As this Mercury retrograde falls under Aries, Honigman says that those who are born under the Aries star sign will be the most affected.
"Competitive, honest and passionate Aries should think before speaking to avoid saying something they may regret later. Aries will want to be forgiven fast, but their actions and words may be hard to forget if not careful," she adds.
"Aries is a direct and fearless fire sign, who is happy to face big decisions head-on. Aries directness is brought into question, and secrecy is favoured over blunt honesty."
How to navigate this Mercury retrograde
"Mercury's most natural tendencies – communication, commerce, friendships and societies, will suffer a double blow from this retrograde, but there are ways to come out the other side successfully," Honigman says.
She suggests prioritising self-care, spending extra time with your friends and family, being flexible and patient, thinking twice before you send important messages, and not taking an random insults to heart.
"Keep an eye out for old flames seeking closure during the upcoming total solar eclipse on April 8. As for new romantic relationships, the stars are not aligned and you should avoid dating someone new – unless you want to descend into a chaotic new relationship. It is best to put your dating life on hold during this time, as people may not always be what they seem," Honigman advises.
"Confusion, calamity and miscommunication are also common symptoms affecting work life during Mercury retrograde, pushing us to recalibrate the balance between professional progress and personal enrichment. Make sure to stay vigilant during any potential challenges, postpone any new contracts and presentations, and instead focus on reviewing and revising."
Astrology: Read more
Mercury is about to be in retrograde – here’s how it might affect you (Yahoo Life UK, 4-min read)
The dating red flag for each zodiac sign, according to an astrologist (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
People who are into astrology are more likely to be narcissistic, study finds (Independent, 2-min read)
