‘I’m an Astrologer, and Here’s How I Prepare for Mercury Retrograde’

Astrologically speaking, any time a planet goes retrograde, it’s the universe’s way of encouraging people to slow down in the areas of life that the planet rules. With Mercury retrograde, that focus is on communication and the ways in which we go about our daily life. And with the upcoming Mercury retrograde transit in Gemini and Taurus starting May 10, it might be wise to know how to prepare yourself for what might ensue. How do you do that? Take a note from a professional and learn how an astrologer prepares for Mercury retrograde so you can build your own survival strategy.

Mercury retrogrades are known to be a time for folks to consider how they’re thinking and communicating, says astrologer Corina Crysler. “Mercury is the planet of communication, expression, information, and how we process our thoughts. When it goes retrograde, it tends to influence those aspects,” she says, adding that people can think of Mercury as their psyche. This means you can expect that a lot of introspection is in order if your goal is to operate in sync with the retrograde.

When Mercury goes retrograde, it impacts communication, expression, information, and how we process our thoughts.

There are a lot of things out of our control during Mercury retrograde transits, but there are also a couple of things that we still have total agency over. Read on for three ways that Crysler gets herself ready for that murky time when Mercury is dancing backwards.

3 ways an astrologer personally prepares herself for Mercury retrograde

1. Being mindful of what’s to come, but not over-preparing

While it’s certainly worthwhile to note the forthcoming transit and how it may affect you, making specific or otherwise rigid-leaning plans can be counterproductive to easing through a Mercury retrograde period.

“It’s all about awareness that the retrograde is happening,” says Crysler. “I never try to instill fear or worry, because I want to make sure that my frequency is attracting exactly what I want.” By over-preparing—even if unintentionally—folks might fruitlessly work to exert an unrealistic amount of control over goings-on in life and also inadvertently block the messages that Mercury is providing during its retrograde.

When you’re simply aware of the retrograde period, though, you can ask yourself questions about what you’re doing around that time and give yourself leeway if necessary—like leaving for the airport a little earlier than normal or making different word choices in a heated conversation to ensure no miscommunications ensue.

2. Journaling

The benefits of journaling abound: Doing it can help you work through issues and keep your emotions stable. And that’s exactly why Crysler uses journaling as part of her preparation routine for any Mercury retrograde transit. The key to this tip?

“Try to create awareness around what is trying to connect to you,” she says. “There’s a message or some sort of information that’s trying to connect to you for you to see it.” Journaling, she adds, can be an effective way to figure out what that message is.

3. Building a strong morning and night routine

When Mercury is retrograde, feeling a sense of autonomy can be difficult. Because routines are something that you can plan for yourself, they’re also part of Crysler’s preparation for Mercury retrograde cycles.

In terms of her morning routine, Crysler likes going outside, getting sunlight, touching the ground, and doing breathwork (for even just two minutes, she says). “Your breath can really help you connect to your body and get those messages that might be hidden in your body,” says Crysler.

As far as her nighttime routine goes, Crysler says she likes to soak in a bath for relaxation. “You know, to get back into my body instead of letting my mind become a little bit anxious,” she says. Nighttime is also when she typically turns to her journaling habit, as well.

Now that you’re familiar with how an astrologer prepares for Mercury retrograde, you might just be in good shape to receive whatever messages the universe might have for you during that time.

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