Sorry, The Retrograde Made Me Do It

I've been away but I can explain... The past few weeks have been a breeding ground for restless energy. If you have the slightest knowledge of astrology and cosmic events, you'd know that our good friend Mercury was in retrograde once again, but this time she brought some surprise guests along for the show. And to top it off? a rare super blue moon joined the chat too. Needless to say, it's been quite a ride.

Now, I'm not the most well-informed about astrology and I am guilty of picking and choosing the parts of spirituality that serve me best and tossing the not so fun bits in the "nonsense bin", however, for some reason in the past month I found myself glued to astrology pages trying to figure out how I should be navigating my way through life in such trying times.

Before we get into it, I think it's important to take a moment to understand what a retrograde actually is. The Planetary Society describes a retrograde as the appearance of a planet's change in orbit. In the case of one of our most famous retrograders, Mercury, it means that when we observe it from the Earth, sometimes it seems to be moving backwards instead of its usual direction. This is because the planet appears to be moving at a slower speed and gets overtaken by Earth. And this change in movement is said to have effects on us Earth dwellers, emotionally, mentally, and physically.

Not convinced? Well, why is it that so many people actually do experience so many rough patches during this time? Its reported that most relationships take a strain during a retrograde. People are said to act unusually. There are more cases of freak accidents and things going wrong. Exes resurface, emotions are on a high, it is all about introspection. It's easy to dismiss it all as a coincidence but last week? I simply couldn't. To a point where I didn't even dare to write because an astrologer on TikTok said it wasn't the time to be working on think pieces.

Personally, I felt like I was in a boxing ring punching waaaay above my weight during the past retrograde. It was just one thing after the other. Relationship drama and strains, high levels of irritability, communication mishaps, uncertainties about work choices, distance from loved ones, you name it. And to top it off? Everything I was thinking and experiencing was just what the online astrologers were saying would be happening. So either I was in living in some Truman Show simulation or there was some truth to the planets affects on our lives. And I chose to believe the latter.

So, what advice did I take from the experts?

1. Do not write, your words will not be received well. There is too much room for miscommunication.

2. Introspect and use this time to set boundaries. Do not make major decisions.

3. Be more mindful about your words. Practice patience with others and communicate your feelings effectively.

4. Do not respond to messages from the blasts from the past.

5. Be aware of your shortcomings, address them and work on them.

This may seem like typical day to day advice that we should be following regardless of the direction of the planets, but I can't explain how great it felt to be experiencing so many bumps in the road and then having that little reassurance that it's not just you. Having a little community to validate your experience and guide you through it. Not using the retrograde as an excuse for bad behaviour, but rather an opportunity to look at your past and search for the lessons hidden within it. Find closure from old situations, reflect, introspect, and self-nurture.

So, perhaps a retrograde should not be seen as a time to fear or anticipate misadventure, but rather seen as a reminder from the planets to slow down, take a breath, and purge any clutter in our lives. And to all the things that happen to get lost along the way, I say I am sorry, the retrograde made me do it.