November was a messy month of astrological mayhem, but as the year comes to a close, energy is starting to shift for the better. One of the major chaos-agents of the past month was the infamous transit known as Mercury retrograde, during which logistically-minded Mercury spun backwards through the zodiac from Nov. 9 all the way through Nov. 29 — mixing up everyone’s mental signals and throwing a wrench in everything from travel to communication for most of the month as a result. But now that December is underway and this fleet-footed planet is moving forward again, things are finally beginning to pick up speed. If you’re ready to seize the moment and take advantage of these clearer cosmic skies, you might want to brush up on a few tips to help you recover from the year’s final Mercury retrograde.
Mercury has a wide range of governance in astrology, as this planet rules all things related to thinking, information-sharing, timing, getting from place to place, communicating, and so many other logistical things that keep the gears turning in people’s day-to-day lives. It retrogrades between three and four times per year, and when it does, delays, misunderstandings, and general mishaps can happen. The year’s final Mercury retrograde period wrapped up on Nov. 29, so it’s no longer moonwalking. However, Mercury’s post-retrograde shadow period is still carrying on until Dec. 16, meaning it’s traveling forward over the same degrees of the zodiac that it covered during its backspin — giving everyone time to process the events of the retrograde and slowly begin to integrate its lessons.
During Mercury’s post-retrograde shadow, you may still be working through the themes and issues that arose during November’s official backspin — so expect to deal with the aftermath of the drama until mid-December. However, you’ll find that the path forward starts to look a lot clearer around Dec. 8, when Mercury leaves its “storm” — aka the period of time during and surrounding Mercury retrograde when the planet is moving particularly slowly. Now that Mercury is picking up speed and making its way toward the other side of this retrograde cycle, it’s time for you to follow suit and start making haste when it comes to acting on your goals.
With Mercury finally resuming its normal pace and zero personal planets retrograding through the rest of the year, now is your chance to build a framework that sets the tone for the year ahead. Here are some tips on how to recover from Mercury retrograde and wrap up the year with clarity.
Clean Up Your Retrograde Messes
Around the same time that Mercury leaves its retrograde storm on Dec. 8, it will also be locked into a beautiful Grand Water Trine with hardworking Saturn, lucky Jupiter, and dreamy Neptune. With so much cosmic support from these planetary giants, this is the perfect opportunity to tie up any loose ends and smooth over any drama that got stirred up during the retrograde.
For example, if there were overlooked items or stalled projects at work, make time this week to fire off some follow-up emails or pick back up on where you left off — but this time, with a broader and more elevated perspective. If conversational disagreements or schedule misalignments caused some friction in your relationships, step back to consider where things got derailed, and extend an olive branch to help resolve the misunderstandings. Thanks to all the positive connections Mercury’s making right now, your efforts will likely be received positively, especially if you’re willing to approach things with maturity.
Ground Your Plans In Reality
Mercury spent the first half of its retrograde in horizon-expanding and knowledge-hungry Sagittarius — and it’ll return to this fire sign’s realm one more time starting on Dec. 11. Sagittarius is one of the signs that Mercury struggles in most, as its spontaneous nature and broad-minded perspective don’t always jive with this planet’s penchant for methodical planning and attention to minute detail. That said, as you recover from the retrograde chaos, it’ll be especially important to make sure your plans are grounded in reality. You’ll want to balance your mental leaps of faith with some granular analysis if you want to make the most of the retrograde lessons.
Don’t overlook the minor but pertinent details of your plans because you’re too busy chasing rainbows and focusing on the big picture. Keep your eye on the prize while being realistic about how to get there.
Take Slow & Steady Next Steps
Taking things slow is always a solid piece of advice when it comes to recovering from any Mercury retrograde. Mercury takes its time resuming its usual speed through the heavens during its post-retrograde shadow, and you should do the same, as hitting the ground running the moment a backspin ends could result in some residual slip-ups or slow-downs. Instead of going full-steam-ahead into social events, professional projects, or new ventures, move a little more thoughtfully and methodically. This allows you time to truly process the revelations and lessons that came from the retrograde period and ensure that you’re steering your ship in a direction that feels right.
Action-oriented Mars is ready to assist you by Dec. 14 PT/Dec. 15 ET, as that’s when this cosmic motivator is entering determined and business-minded Capricorn. Earthy Capricorn is all about building things from the ground up, ensuring that whatever you’re working on is made to last and worth investing your time into. Paired with the newfound clarity of Mercury’s post-retrograde glow, this can be a productive period to lay out the groundwork for future achievements.
