Ahoy, star seeds!
The first Mercury retrograde of the year is upon us, and this one is going down — or slowing down, in the insolent, fire-breathing sign of Aries and the idealistic, hallucinogenic tidal pools of Pisces.
When does Mercury go into retrograde?
Our planet of the mind and the mouth, information and slander, connection and communion, stations retrograde on Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 2:46 a.m. EDT at 9°35 Aries.
On March 29, Mercury slides into the pools of Pisces.
Mercury will remain retrograde until April 7, at 7:07 a.m. EDT, when it will station direct at 26°49 Pisces.
The planet will clear its post-retrograde shadow, or retroshade, on April 26.
What happens during Mercury retrograde?
Mercury is named for the trickster Roman god of thieves, messages and merchants, a wing-footed, loose-tongued psychopomp who escorted the dead to the underworld and carried messages near and far, high and low.
In astrology, Mercury governs cognition and communication, how we gather, process and disperse knowledge, and exchange ideas with others.
When a planet is retrograde, its energy works in the opposite direction, not necessarily against us but certainly not as a trusted sidekick. Because Mercury governs the mind, its retrograde triggers challenges in organizing, expressing and creating order.
An astrological PSA: Planets do not ever move backward in space; they merely slow their proverbial rolls, a deceleration that looks like a reversal from our vantage here on beautiful, broken planet Earth.
Retrogrades invite us to lean hard and clean into the prefix “re”: reimagine, revise, repent, reflect, review, renew, reconcile, resolve and reorganize so that when the planet moves forward so, too, can we.
This summons to reflect and restrain is especially arduous when Aries is at the helm or manning the engines. This sign only knows one speed (faster) and one direction (forward).
Mercury in Aries
Mercury in Aries is the mind on fire, an energy that makes this retrograde unhinged and impulsive, and we earthlings vulnerable to flying off the handle or shooting off at the mouth.
While Mercury is in Aries, the brutally honest emotional arsonist of the zodiac, our self-concept, physicality and how we are perceived by others are subject to review.
In her list of love ethics, Scorpio academic and podcaster Brené Brown reminds herself, “I need to make sure my anger is a catalyst born of love, not justification for causing pain when I’m in pain.”
Therein lies the crux of Mercury in Aries: to make sure you’re fighting the good fight for the forces of love and betterment, not hurling sharp words and blunt objects in hollow honor of your own emo exorcism.
Before launching an attack or starting a difficult conversation, ask yourself the therapeutic holy trinity: Is it kind, is it true, is it necessary?
What does it mean when Mercury is in retrograde?
The energy shifts on March 29 when Mercury enters the dream weaver web of Pisces.
Mercury in Pisces is decidedly more mutable, leading with curiosity rather than cutting to the quick.
The danger of Mercury in Pisces is the muddying of messages and the tendency to slip into half-truths, sweet little lies, self-deception and loving sentiments that would be better stuffed in a suitcase under your mattress.
In mythology, Mercury was tasked with patrolling boundaries, and hard lines are a notorious weak spot for Pisces.
In the spirit of review and revision, may I suggest using the latter part of this retrograde to explore what you let slide, whom you excuse and where you take the path of least resistance rather than the road to righteousness?
The archetypes of Aries and Pisces are the warrior and the martyr, respectively. Their common ground is a noble cause. With this in mind, I encourage you to use your voice to amplify (Aries) a message of higher consciousness (Pisces).
Translation: When it comes to conflict and doing the right thing, don’t be a bully (Aries) or a p—y (Pisces).
How often does Mercury go into retrograde?
Mercury goes retrograde three to four times a year, typically for about three weeks.
Mercury retrograde in March
Common symptoms of Mercury’s retrograde include travel delays, brain fog, unexpected or renewed conflict, sexts sent to the wrong recipient, general malaise and frequent misunderstandings.
Remember, star seeds, astrology is momentous, not malevolent, pushing us forward, oft uncomfortably, toward personal evolution.
In-kind, and in cruel to be kind, Mercury retrograde phases are not designed to destroy, but they are built to help us break free.
Is there a Mercury retrograde right now?
Because Mercury retrograde is going down — or back, as it were — first in a cardinal and then in a mutable sign, those with personal planets within those modalities (looking at you, Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn, and Gemini‚ Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces) will feel these effects most acutely.
Good luck out there, be kind, be brave, stay true. `
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. To book a reading, visit her website.
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