The most maligned of astrological transits is coming to a close … sort of.
On April 25th at 8:54 ET, Mercury, the planet of the mind and the mouth stations directly in Aries after spending the bulk of the month raining holy hell fire on interpersonal communication.
Aries energy is a loose cannon, prone to shoot off at the mouth and ask questions/beg forgiveness later. During Mercury’s retrograde in Aries, the domains the planet governs; communication, commerce, and relationships may have suffered, seriously shifted, or experienced the emotional equivalent of third-degree burns.
Retroshade
One might assume that the searing would cease when Mercury stations direct. Not the case my dudes and retroshade is to blame.
While Mercury slows its roll for an average of three weeks every quarter, the weeks surrounding this slow down, known as the shadow period, can be just as calamitous. The two weeks that precede and proceed Mercury’s retrograde coincide with the planet losing (preshadow) and then gaining (postshadow) speed, tempo variants that have a direct bearing on we earthlings.
When Mercury slows down it’s a cue to us to follow suit; to reflect, revise, revisit, and reimagine. This amounts to an especially arduous assignment when Aries is at the helm/manning the engines. This fire sign only knows one speed (faster) and one direction (forward).
Waiting to exhale
Come Thursday, whatever felt stalled should soon begin to pick up speed but it won’t be without its bumps, regrettable text messages, and missed connections.
Retroshade is also the cleanup stage of the retrograde when we integrate the lessons and losses we have encountered. As the planet revs its engines, action replaces introspection, especially when Mars, the planet of getting it on and getting it done, moves into its home sign of Aries on April 30th, giving us the gift of momentum and the chance to put into practice what has been clarified and crystallized by this retrograde.
Mercury’s move from Aries to Taurus is the equivalent of an edge-smoothing, ‘we got this bro’ bong rip after a long day at the demolition derby.
Mercury officially leaves its shadow period on May 13th but will remain in the sign of Aries until two days later when praise be the skies shall clear and this small but mighty planet will move into the softer, slower, albeit stalwart fields of Taurus, and everything and everyone can take a much needed exhale…or inhale as Mercury’s move from Aries to Taurus is the equivalent of an edge-smoothing, ‘we got this bro’ bong rip after a long day at the demolition derby.
See you when the smoke clears.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girl’s guide” to strip clubs, and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.
