Not long ago a client contacted me to say they were trying to book a tarot reading through my website but couldn’t complete the payment. Curious, I logged into my WordPress dashboard to investigate—and discovered that every single link on the site had mysteriously disappeared. Pages that had worked perfectly the day before suddenly led nowhere. After checking everything twice and contacting IT support, no clear explanation could be found. Technology glitches happen, of course, but the timing made me laugh. I had thought I had mostly escaped Mercury Retrograde this time, and once again the trickster planet seemed to be reminding me that communication, technology, and timing are rarely as predictable as we think. Once the problem was finally diagnosed on a practical level, it became easier to understand, process and fix. The most important thing to do? Remain calm.

Of course it is even cosmically more complicated: On top of Mercury Retrograde, we also had a total lunar eclipse on March 3, a Full Moon in Virgo directly affecting routines and the fine print. A lunar eclipse is making these lunar energies very powerful and longer-lasting than a regular full moon. It follows a major astrological turning point in late February, marked by sudden change, uncertainty, tension, impulsiveness, chaos, rebellion and war.

Every time Mercury Retrograde arrives, the collective groan across the internet becomes almost audible.

Phones glitch. Emails vanish. Travel plans collapse. Conversations turn into misunderstandings.

And suddenly… Mercury gets blamed for everything.

But what is Mercury Retrograde really? And more importantly, how can we work with this energy instead of fearing it?

Let’s slow down and take a closer look.

What Is Mercury Retrograde?

Mercury Retrograde occurs when the planet Mercury appears to move backward across the night sky.

The word retrograde comes from the Latin retrogradus, meaning “to step backward.” Mercury-Retrograde

But Mercury isn’t actually reversing its orbit.

This apparent backward motion happens because Earth travels around the Sun faster than Mercury does. As we pass Mercury in our orbit, the planet appears—briefly—to move backward from our perspective. Mercury-Retrograde

Imagine driving past a slower vehicle on the highway. For a moment, the other car appears to drift backward, even though both of you are moving forward.

That visual illusion is exactly what happens with Mercury Retrograde.

For centuries, people have paid attention to these planetary patterns. Early farming almanacs even recorded planetary movements to guide planting cycles and seasonal rhythms. Mercury-Retrograde

Over time, Mercury became astrologically associated with:

– Communication

– Travel

– Technology

– Business

– Information

So when Mercury appears to reverse direction, astrologers say these areas of life may become temporarily unstable.

Why Mercury Retrograde Has Such a Dramatic Reputation

Mercury governs many aspects of modern life that we rely on every day.

During a retrograde period, people often report:

– Technology glitches

– Emails disappearing

– Travel delays

– Communication breakdowns

– Missed messages

– Poorly thought-out decisions

Because Mercury rules communication and information flow, even small disruptions can feel magnified. But Mercury Retrograde isn’t here to sabotage your life.

It’s here to slow you down.

Common Signs Mercury Retrograde Is Affecting You

Many people notice subtle energetic changes during Mercury Retrograde.

These may include:

Brain Fog

You may find it harder to think clearly or organize your ideas. You will probably be contending with issues of finding the motivation to do things and this background lethargy may make it dicult for you to feel much of anything else unless it serves to further ruin your mood. Along with the lethargy and nervous energy, you may also find it difficult to think through the plans you were making clearly. New ideas are hard to come by, and trying to iron out details for endeavors that you have already started may take more time and effort than you think. Right now, your disrupted emotional state accumulates with the retrograde energy and can manifest in questionable decision-making. By that logic, you may even find yourself actively coming up with bad ideas of your own. Hopefully, you catch those before you start working on the wrong things!

Low Energy

Tasks that normally feel easy suddenly require more effort. Your energy levels just tank hard for no good reason. Things that were once effortless might now be a hassle to start, let alone continue. Your average zest for life feels muted if not nonexistent, and things don’t seem to perk you up as much as they usually do.

Nervous Restlessness

You might feel jittery or unsettled without knowing why. As if it wasn’t bad enough that you would feel quite sluggish all day. You may also feel like you have a lot of free energy just buzzing around inside of you. It could be making you feel restless and have you pacing the floor for no good reason. This nervous energy could cost you your peace of mind as it can make your anxieties and worries out to be bigger than they actually are.

Communication Problems

People misunderstand you—or you misunderstand them. Messages fail to send. Emails disappear. Calls drop unexpectedly. Wifi won’t connect.

At this time, you might also feel like there are times that you just can’t get your message across. You may find that the people you talk to misremember or misunderstand the things you tell them, and vice versa. It’s not just oral media, but you could find yourself bugged by messages that won’t send, emails that you never quite received until you find them buried under the spam you signed up for, and calls that freeze up and get choppy at the worst moments. Software glitches, website issues and payments will be affected. It could be a combination of internal and external factors, but the end result is the same. What you have here may be a failure to communicate.

Travel Disruptions

Missed flights, lost tickets, or unexpected delays can occur more frequently during this period. These delays and setbacks are the practical culmination of the different aspects of a Mercury retrograde. If you ever had anything planned at all, the chances are that something may go wrong at a moment’s notice. In fact, you may feel like the world is against you when things don’t line up one too many times. What this section highlights isn’t necessarily the nature of the delays and setbacks but the frequency and to an extent, the severity of these issues when they pop up. If you find yourself wrestling with more problems than anticipated, the retrograde may have a hand in it. your travels are liable to be peppered with inconveniences, large and small. The bus you’re riding could break down. You might leave your flight tickets at home and only find out halfway to the airport. Your baggage may end itself in a different place altogether. Or you could simply just find your flights completely cancelled!

While these experiences can feel frustrating, they often serve an important purpose: they reveal what needs attention.

The Hidden Gift of Mercury Retrograde

Mercury Retrograde is not a cosmic punishment.

It’s a cosmic editing period.

Rather than pushing forward at full speed, this phase encourages us to:

– Review our plans

– Reflect on past choices

– Revisit unfinished ideas

– Correct mistakes before they grow larger

In fact, some of the most important insights arrive during Mercury Retrograde because the universe is asking us to pause and reconsider our direction. When used wisely, this period can actually help you avoid bigger problems later.

Tips for Navigating Mercury Retrograde

Instead of resisting the energy of Mercury Retrograde, try working with it. You might be wondering what you can do if you’re not supposed to be getting anything done. Of course, being a little more passive doesn’t mean you don’t do anything. With all this time you get, it might be a good idea for you to take stock of your situation and to reflect on your goals and the actions you take to get to them. When you adopt a more reflective mindset in place of your more action-oriented thinking and start looking through your situation, you set yourself up for success by mitigating the risks of forgetting or misunderstanding something. You also double-check more freely and be more cautious altogether.

Double-Check Everything

Review emails, contracts, and important details carefully.

Back Up Your Technology

Save your files and important data in multiple places.

Build Flexibility Into Plans

Expect delays and allow extra time for travel or deadlines.

Review & Reflect Instead of Launch

Retrograde periods are excellent for editing, revising, and reorganizing projects.

Stay Calm

Ironically, many Mercury Retrograde mistakes happen because people panic or rush. When you slow down, clarity returns.

Tarot Spread for Mercury Retrograde

The Cosmic Recalibration Spread

Tarot is a wonderful tool for navigating the introspective energy of Mercury Retrograde. When confusion or delays appear, this five-card spread can help reveal what the universe is trying to teach you.

Lay the cards in a circle.

Card 1 — What Mercury Retrograde is revealing

What truth or situation is coming to the surface?

Card 2 — Where confusion currently exists

What area of your life may be tangled in miscommunication?

Card 3 — What needs to be reviewed

What plan, belief, or decision deserves a second look?

Card 4 — How to move through this retrograde wisely

What approach will help you stay grounded and clear?

Card 5 — The hidden opportunity

What lesson or gift might Mercury Retrograde ultimately bring?

Sit quietly with your cards and allow patterns to emerge.

Very often Mercury Retrograde doesn’t create problems—it simply reveals the ones already present.

And once we see them clearly, we can begin to change them.

✨ Remember: Mercury Retrograde isn’t about fear. It’s about reflection, revision, and realignment.

Sometimes the universe slows us down so we can finally notice the path we’re meant to walk.

Need Clarity During Mercury Retrograde?

Mercury Retrograde can stir up confusion, delays, and unexpected twists—but it can also reveal important insights about the path ahead. If you’re feeling uncertain about a situation, a tarot reading can help bring clarity to the messages hidden within the chaos. In my intuitive tarot sessions, we explore the energies surrounding your question and uncover practical guidance so you can move forward with confidence.

Book a Signature Tarot Reading with me, and use “Mercury Retrograde” in the question section.

Sometimes when communication feels tangled and plans go sideways, the cards can help illuminate what Mercury is trying to show you.

Mercury (20°07’) is still in retrograde until Mar 20, 2026 (08°29’)