The first time I ever heard about a planet being “in retrograde,” I was watching The Texas Chain Saw Massacre with a boy I had a crush on after the late shift at the bookstore where we worked. In one of the first scenes, a cute brunette named Pam is on a road trip with friends when she consults her copy of American Astrology—Your Daily Guide and learns that the “malefic” planet Saturn is in retrograde, likely to unleash its evil on the world. Sure enough, a horrible fate awaits them as they pick up a hitchhiker (why?!!) and end up fleeing a chainsaw-wielding maniac.
Since that evening long ago, it’s become so much more common for someone to mention that “Mercury is in retrograde” whenever they’re having a bad day. It’s a useful shorthand to explain the feeling that everything’s just a little bit off, and it dovetails with the popularity of astrology, which is more mainstream than ever. Whether you’re a believer or not, it’s hard to deny that stress and anxiety are at a high, and it’s no wonder people are turning to mystical solutions for comfort. After all, there are far worse ways to self-soothe than burning cedar smudge sticks. It’s in this spirit of self-care that I decided to dig deeper into this astrological conundrum.
What exactly is Mercury in retrograde, when is it, and what can you do about it?
First, let us save you from being corrected by a pedantic astrologist—the correct term is “Mercury is retrograde” (minus the “in”). About three to four times per year, Mercury appears to be traveling backwards in the sky. It's not actually traveling backwards, but whenever it laps Earth in its short orbit around the sun, it just looks that way. (It's kind of like what happens when you pass another car on the highway and it looks like it's moving the wrong way for a few seconds.)
Astrologers warn that things can get a little dicey while Mercury is retrograde. After all, Mercury is named after the Roman god of transportation, commerce, and communication, and none of these things seem to run as smoothly while the planet is in this phase. Modern life is so dependent on all these things that "Mercury in retrograde" has become a catchall explanation for anything that goes wrong during these few weeks each year.
Here’s when Mercury has been and will be retrograde in 2023:
April 21-May 14
August 23-September 15
December 13-January 1, 2024
If all this sounds stressful, the good news is that these are great times to slow down, reflect, and act with more intention. With that in mind, here are 13 great listens to help you be your best self while Mercury is retrograde.
There's no better time to acquaint yourself with the zodiac and learn how your sign impacts your relationships. In The Astrology of You and Me, you'll get insight into each sign's values, priorities, communication styles, and more. Mercury retrograde tends to complicate communication, which can throw a wrench in many interpersonal relationships. This audiobook can help you cut through the noise to better understand the people in your life, whether their sun signs make them easily compatible with you or a little harder to decipher.
Despite its nasty reputation, Mercury retrograde isn't all bad. Sure, it can cause some chaos, but it's also a great opportunity to slow down, self-reflect, and set intentions before Mercury stations direct and things pick up their normal pace. Intention setting, empowering yourself to work toward what you want, and conjuring good things in the day-to-day is exactly what this magical audiobook is all about. Whether you're an experienced witch or curious about joining your first coven, there's something for you in Jaya Saxena and Jess Zimmerman's Basic Witches.
Mercury is the planet of commerce, communication, and transportation—many of the external aspects of our lives. So while it's retrograde, you'd be wise to do some internal work and reflect on how your personal beliefs and priorities align with your external actions. To get started on finding your true self, listen in to Yrsa Daley-Ward'sThe How, a gorgeous combination of poetry and prose designed to help you peel back the layers you've built up over your life to fit in and instead embrace everything that makes you stand out.
There's nothing quite like retrograde to remind you that not everything in our lives is within our control. Nevertheless, regardless of planetary positions, you can always find a way to stand in your own power and shift your perspective. Lalah Delia believes vibrations are the key to finding inner peace and loving yourself through every challenge you face. In Vibrate Higher Daily, narrated by acclaimed performer Bahni Turpin, you'll learn how to listen to your inner voice and vibrate on a higher level through poems, affirmations, and mantras.
Astrology is a way of interpreting the workings of the universe beyond our understandings. But what if there's even more the universe is trying to tell you? In Signs, psychic medium Laura Lynne Jackson promises listeners that powers of receiving messages from the other side aren't unique to her—anyone can open themselves to what souls beyond the veil might be trying to tell them. Jackson shares stories from her own experiences and those of close friends who have communicated with lost loved ones through unlikely signs, connections with nature, and strange coincidences.
Have you ever been curious about how healing crystals can help you handle stress, fear, mental fog, or pain? Certified reiki healer and energy worker Marisa Imon wants to help you integrate crystals into your life. Crystal Healing is an approachable and widely applicable guide to some of the most common crystals, from the five must-haves to more specific recommendations based on your personal needs. You'll learn where to start with crystals, how to use them, care instructions, and so much more.
For more than 40 years, Margot Adler's Drawing Down the Moon has introduced audiences to a wide variety of pagan beliefs rooted in nature, witchery, ancient gods, and even science fiction. Her research, interviews, and attendance at various rituals and ceremonies showcase the wide breadth of beliefs under the pagan umbrella. Now updated with reflections on modern pagan life in America, this listen will show you just how wide the pagan world was when the book was originally published in 1979 and how it continues to grow.
Mercury is only one of the planets astrologically impacting your life. Astrologer Caroline W. Casey, known for her planetary interpretations everywhere from public radio to CNN, wrote Making the Gods Work for You as a guide to understanding the wider forces of the universe on the zodiac. In this planet-by-planet trip through the human psyche, Casey brings to life her illuminating teachings, incorporating music and meditations throughout.
Astrology is so much more than your sun sign and weekly horoscope. To fully appreciate how Mercury retrograde impacts your life, it's helpful to understand your birth chart and how it shapes you. In You Were Born for This, astrologer Chani Nicholas talks you through the meaning of your sun, moon, and rising signs and how they work together to create the whole person. Nicholas shares this knowledge as a pathway to better understanding and loving your inner self.
During this infamous period of chaos and confusion, we could all use a little restorative self-care time. Astrologer Valerie Tejeda shows what each sign of the zodiac can teach us about regenerating energy in Self Care by the Signs. In this crash course, you'll learn what brings your sign peace and joy as well as gain awareness of how to best care for loved ones with different placements in the zodiac. Tejeda uses the planets to illustrate how everything has its season, and recognizing and embracing cyclical patterns can be transformative for your self-love routines.
If you're already acquainted with the basics of astrology, Alice Sparkly Kat's Postcolonial Astrology will take your practice to the next level. The zodiac can be a helpful tool for embracing your unique self and understanding the dynamics in your interpersonal relationships. But it can also be a lens through which you can examine history, political power, and social issues. Postcolonial Astrology is a thought-provoking reflection on the roots of astrological beliefs and a guide to integrating the zodiac into collective activism and planning for a brighter future.
With the increasing unpredictability of communication, technology, travel, and the weather, Mercury retrograde offers us the opportunity to pause and come to peace amidst the chaos. You might take some inspiration from the Japanese concept of nagomi, a belief that life is full of uncertainty, containing both good and bad, and it is our task to find balance among the constantly shifting forces around us. Neuroscientist Ken Mogi introduces this philosophy in The Way of Nagomi, offering listeners practical advice on how to apply it to everyday life, work, relationships, and our sense of self.
No matter what else is going on with the planets, the moon is always there for you. One easy way to ground yourself in an astrological practice is to establish a lunar cycle routine. Sarah Faith Gottesdiener's The Moon Book is a modern feminist's guide to channeling the powers of the moon. Our lives, like the moon, are shaped around phases and cyclical patterns—as this listen shows, you can amplify your own power by syncing ritual efforts and manifesting with celestial bodies.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in 2020 and has been updated with new information.