DON'T FREAK OUT JUST LISTEN: ON THIS MERCURY RETROGRADE

Look at this funny *artistic* pic of me at 16. It's a good metaphor for this post.

I can't believe it's been over a month since I wrote anything but tbh winter galls me. Also I've been in crushland crushing on a sweet virgo and I needed some time to just be busy and forge ahead and frankly, not reflect too much. But here we are with Mercury retrograde and strange sputtering errors that remind us to slow down and take a big think more often. When I posted on Facebook my usual reminder about upcoming retrograde, my friend Will asked, "Why let the idea that a celestial body forever away appears to be moving backward affect your life?" While initially, I was like I'll fight you don't @ me about astrology, I then realized the logic in his quip.

Here's the thing about retrograde, you might feel like you've stalled, like you have to take a step back, or like things aren't mapping out as you planned. But, it just feels that way. If you take the minutes wading through whatever nuisance this time brings and use them wisely you might find you're learning, restrategizing, decompressing, ultimately moving still forward.

But with that, sometimes there's this information overload feeling. I think spring is a perfect analogy for it. It's so overstimulating to me when the trees are horny and the colors start popping. What's that I want to fuck you like spring fucks the cherry trees saying? This mercury retrograde can be chaotic and sexy too if you peel back and try to imagine it. We know that there's something on the other side of this. Whatever you're struggling with, for some it's finding that feeling of home, for others feeling security in a relationship, making a career leap, having people finally notice our talent etc etc, we're talking big themes here both cerebral and physical. But when we pass through all the incoming information, the thoughts, the stress, and the wanting, there's a resolution where we finally know the thing, and god we just want to be sure and safe right now!

Personally, I'm trying to change my life. I want to understand what's going on with my body--for those who aren't up to date, I've got crazy food allergies now that seem to keep popping up. I'm also finally feeling really confident about what I do and why I do it but not quite sure how to stop just reaching for mid-level fruit because people who don't know how to pick fruit think it looks awesome and that's good enough. Ugh.

People like to joke on astrology but the major sky players currently are not a joke. I keep seeing iterations of this specific retrograde's effects in my friends and family so I wanted to write this out for you and finally get back to this blogging thing. Here's the deal, mercury is in retrograde and at a square with mars and saturn. So saturn is like the planet of overcoming things--and that libra full moon recently really pushed us to love ourselves towards our goals more fully. But mars is the planet of war and chaos. And get this! Mercury is the planet that rules plans, communication, and transportation. Basically, mercury is trapped in a corner while mars and saturn duke it out. However, saturn is purposeful and primed. With a touch of gentleness both towards ourselves and others, and a strong backbone, we'll all get through it. We'll again find comfort in plans and communication; we'll feel more confident as we get to getting where we're going.

One note: keep in mind, I don't mean chaos like bad things happening all at once. I mean onslaught of data, chaos like rain. If you run through it, you just get more wet. Better to stand for a minute and marvel at the details.

G o d that was the grossest extended metaphor I've ever written. But you get the point hopefully. Whatever you're going through, remember to take it in slowly, learn from it and don't rush. Don't rush your communication, your judgement, or yourself.