Mercury Retrograde in Aries
It’s the very first retrograde of the year, happening in the
very first sign of the zodiac, at the very start of a new month. It’s no
mistake that this retrograde begins on April Fool’s Day. Thus, Mercury, as the
cosmic Trickster Archetype, is now being given even more energetic permission
to wreak celestial chaos. Yet, there are many precious lessons to be learnt, as
is always the case with any retrograde.
This triple-whammy of firsts symbolically indicates that
it’s time to gracefully allow new beginnings to happen without needing to
impatiently force our will onto a situation. Forbearance and self-restraint are
virtues to work towards during what could feel like a trying cosmic period.
Cultivating these qualities will help us to emerge from retrograde on April
25th with greater wisdom, more patience and a deeper understanding of which
priorities are truly important to us.
Granted, this may be easier said than done. Aries, as the
Archetype of the Warrior(ess), is known to move forward without a hint of
hesitation. This is the quintessential
‘shoot first, think later’ sign. Waiting and allowing goes against their
natural inclinations.
Nonetheless, with a powerful Total Solar Eclipse - AKA a
supercharged New Moon - unfolding on the 8th, it’s necessary to allow the
Universe to take the wheel. Eclipses have their own way of shifting stagnant
energy, so that even if we’re dancing in the mud of retrograde-like doubt,
things will still move of their own accord. The cosmic advice here is to
release our attachment to putting ourselves in the center of the action, to let
go of the desire to blaze a trail. Instead, we’re asked to lean into the Universal
energy and trust that the new chapters ahead of us will unfold just as they
should without us needing to interfere too much.
Honesty, forthrightness and cutting to the chase may also be
some of the themes to expect during this retrograde. Nevertheless, as direct
and straight-shooting as Mercury in Aries is, it’s important to color our words
with kindness, to be aware of when we might be coming across as aggressive or
even defensive. Non-Violent Communication is an excellent Mercury retrograde in
Aries tool, especially seeing as Mercury joins the Wounded healer, Chiron,
thrice, on March 20th, April 15th and finally on May 6th.
With these three conjunctions, we may initially speak from
our most wounded places, our most hurt places. With that said, there’s powerful
medicine in speaking our truth, when we speak it with consciousness and pure
intent. When we recklessly and impulsively say a thing without thinking it
through, that's when we create rifts and burn our bridges. A useful practice
would be to ask ourselves - ‘Is this useful? Is it harmful? What response am I
looking for by saying this?’. Curious, gentle self inquiry takes the sting out
of retrograde Mercury in Aries and offers the healing balm that Chiron is so
renowned for.