The upcoming Mercury retrograde is all about the planet, falling on international Earth Day
On April 22nd, this year’s international Earth Day (which aims to raise environmental awareness) coincides with a Mercury retrograde in fixed-earth Taurus. There’s going to be a lot of earthiness in the air, so to speak. Let’s think about this three week transit, ending on May 15th, in the context of environmentalism. How so?
Usually, Mercury retrogrades are seen as pesky placements that result in delays and miscommunication. Why? As our fastest planet, Mercury’s astrological influence pertains to conveyances, travel, verbal exchanges, and commerce. However, when the Messenger Planet goes retrograde (that is, starts moving backward relative to us), this Mercurial world of quicksilver movement slows down. Little and big things get lost or impeded in transit–text messages, contracts, online orders.
This particular retrograde, however, is even more debilitated, due to the Messenger’s placement in the slow-poke Bull. Of all places Mercury can reverse, Taurus is one of its least auspicious signs.
Rather than being bummed out over this doubly decelerated Mercury, though, let’s really align with its slowness and thereby environmentally reconsider attitudes and activities related to Taurus themes: food, security, and, of course, the earth itself.
How to navigate the upcoming Mercury retrograde?
Whenever a Mercury retrograde occurs, we can expect delays in commutes. Instead of getting flustered or irritated by these likelihoods, anticipate them and walk to the office instead, or ride a bike, or see about grinding from home. Here we have astrology operating on various levels: anticipating a transit, working with it, but then, in so doing, aligning with the broader environmental context, by reducing one’s carbon footprint.
Or, let’s think about the simple act of recycling. To avoid our error-prone ways during a Mercury retrograde, we always advise to read things twice before sending emails, contracts, or love-letters. The same goes for items you send to the recycling bin this transit: Is this the right place for it? Has it been sorted? Has it been cleaned properly (the average recycling contamination rate is 25%, or 1 in 4 items)? Where do these misplaced recyclables end up? In landfills or the sad bellies of birds. Not good.
Or, how about this: For the next three weeks, instead of getting packages sent by a corporate behemoth – packages that will no doubt be delayed due to Mercury retrograde anyhow – shop local and support your nearby businesses and community.
Or, because Taurus is the sign most connected to nourishment, why not engage in zero-waste cooking? With Mercury all slowed down, this is literally not the time for fast food (not that it’s ever the time for fast food, but especially now). Rather, think about slow meals at home that focus on an ethic of zero waste. There are tons of channels online that have great recipes and tips for how to practise this bio-friendly technique.
Or, since this retrograde is impacting the Bull’s fixed-earth, why don’t we fix the earth by setting up a little compost section to our yard or by adding to a community garden with compost’s goodness?
While the list, of course, could go on and on, it’s better to do than to make lists about doing. Therefore, it is my hope that if everyone who reads this article commits to one action for the environment over the next three weeks, not only will it make the retrograde period more of a fun challenge, but it will also make the world a better place to be in.
On one level, retrogrades can be looked at as merely wonky transits when a planet’s influence gets weird and difficult. But a deeper, more cosmic perspective might be to imagine retrogrades as moments to re-calibrate, re-work, re-consider, and re-purpose, not just our own lives but that of the Earth around us. Let’s do our part.