Mercury Retrograde Shadow Period: Meaning, Effects, and Dates 2023
Mercury Is the Planet That Rules Thoughts and Communication, but During Retrograde Phases, It Can Play Tricks with Your Mind and Bring up Past Events That Need...
Mercury is the planet that rules thoughts and communication, but during retrograde phases, it can play tricks with your mind and bring up past events that need to be dealt with.
Mercury retrograde itself occurs on average three to four times a year. The actual retrograde period only lasts about three weeks, but the shadow periods can often cause their own set of turmoil and challenges.
What is the Mercury retrograde shadow period?
Mercury retrograde shadow phases, also called retroshade periods, are the periods before and after Mercury turns retrograde.
Though Mercury retrograde only lasts about three weeks, the shadow periods before and after Mercury retrograde actually account for four weeks total.
There are two shadow periods of Mercury retrograde, pre- and post-shadow.
The pre-retrograde shadow period refers to the two weeks prior to Mercury turning retrograde in which the planet begins to slow down before officially turning.
In contrast, the post-retrograde shadow period lasts for the two weeks following Mercury turning direct in which it is gradually speeding up until it completes its retrograde transit and returns to its normal positioning.
These two shadow phases of Mercury retrograde are a time when the universe is asking you to pay attention to the choices you have made in your life and what is currently coming up.
Mercury retrograde never brings anything or anyone back into your life that is not meant to return, whether it is for greater clarity, closure, or even a new beginning.
Both the pre- and post-shadow periods of Mercury retrograde ask you to take the time that you need to process, reflect, and then take action to correct what was previously left behind.
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Mercury pre-retrograde shadow period
Mercury’s pre-shadow retrograde phase can make it seem like things that were progressing suddenly stop or what was once easy now seems incredibly challenging.
During this time, Mercury appears to slow down to the point that it almost looks like it becomes stationary right before turning retrograde.
Likewise, this phase is a slowing down not just in communication but also in the ability to think things through, especially as it relates to figuring out plans, seeing things clearly, and even aligning things for the future.
When Mercury appears stationary, it is unmoving — which is literally what it can feel like is happening in your life during this time.
It can feel frustrating that things at work or even in your romantic life are going so great but then suddenly seem like they stop progressing. Or, the biggest telltale sign of this shadow period, it feels like things are being delayed.
Although it can be frustrating, the benefit of this retroshade phase is that you do not miss an important detail or opportunity.
Instead of becoming disheartened that things seem to just fizzle out during this time, look for what the lesson is. It may be that you need to figure something else out in your life before moving ahead, or even that the direction you are heading in is not the one that is meant for you.
Pre-shadow periods are meant to be a time to return to something that you have previously missed and not an opportunity for something new.
It is advised against starting new jobs or relationships during this time but returning to something you previously were involved in is favored.
While it is not necessarily always affected, holding off travel plans for now, especially if taking place during the retrograde period, can be extremely beneficial.
The Mercury pre-shadow phase can also just be about that internal space within yourself and making sure that you are not rushing ahead, missing important steps along the way.
Knowing the dates of each retrograde shadow period is incredibly important because it can help you adequately prepare by allowing you to get things done ahead of time or to have more patience for the things that tend to come up.
Recognize that the purpose of this time period is to slow you down so you have time to review and renegotiate or revise your previous plans. Reflective writing, quiet time, and embracing the slower pace can all be of benefit.
The worst trouble that you may get yourself into is when you try to force your timing instead of flowing with that of the universe. During this phase of the retrograde transit it is important to surrender, see misdirection as redirection and appreciate the time you are being given to truly make sure the path you are headed down is truly the one that will lead to the destination you are dreaming of.
Mercury pre-retrograde shadow dates 2023
- April 8, 2023 to April 20, 2023
- August 3, 2023 to August 22, 2023
- November 25, 2023 to December 12, 2023
Robert Thorne covers electric vehicle innovations, autonomous driving systems, global mobility trends, and automotive engineering developments.
