Beginning the year with a Mercury retrograde is kind of a weird vibe. We have so much cultural messaging around “new year, new you,” and pressure to set ambitious goals and make the most out of our lives. But the astrology of 2022 has other things in mind. When two inner planets are retrograde, it forces you to slow down, pause and review what you’ve been doing before you can move forward.

This particular Mercury retrograde is notable for several reasons: one, Mercury makes aspects to three outer planets, meaning that Mercury is amplifying some of the larger and more significant collective transits. Second, Mercury begins this retrograde in the sign of Aquarius but moves back into Capricorn, where it will station direct. This means that the retrograde is activating both the Aquarius and Capricorn parts of our charts. It’s as if you have the seed of an idea, but are unable to move forward, just yet. When in Aquarius, a fixed air sign, Mercury has big ideas and visions for the future. But when in Capricorn, Mercury is concerned with the practicality of the ideas and how to make them a reality. This retrograde can help you move from idea to reality by first getting clear on the vision, and then focusing on all the resources you need to make it happen.

Mercury retrograde: time to slow down and review our progress

Mercury retrogrades, in general, are times when reviewing and reflecting are favoured. Mercury is the god of finance, technology and information exchanges. Mercury loves details and data, and when retrograde, you have a unique opportunity to see that data in a new light. These are times to read the fine print, review the process, and make sure you fully understand something. If you have a backlog of online courses you haven’t watched or books you haven’t read, this is a great time to review them — or accept that you’ll never finish it and let it go.

Retrogrades reveal weaknesses and difficulties that were already present and give us a chance to solve those problems. This can be a pain in the ass, but it is ultimately really helpful and important. Mercury retrograde will bring your awareness and attention to what is or isn’t working — especially regarding our finances, technology and exchanges — so you can make fundamental changes and improvements that will have a long-term impact.

Mercury is an amplifier — it transmits messages from other planets, helping to “spread the message,” as it were. The planets that Mercury interacts with during its retrograde cycle tone the feeling and vibe of the retrograde to come. And this particular retrograde involves three slow-moving outer planets: Saturn, Uranus and Pluto.

That makes this retrograde particularly frustrating. There is a quality of tension, restlessness and thwarted efforts. It’s like you are trying to push through and make progress, but something is holding you back. Something is calling for your attention, and you won’t be able to break free until you take the time to review and process the unconscious patterns at play.

Frustrations, delays and setbacks as Mercury stations retrograde

The days before and after Mercury stations retrograde are the most difficult and annoying. As Mercury slows down and becomes stationary, it’s as if our thoughts and focus slow down, too. Watch out for extra difficulty around technology and communication from January 12 - 16, 2022.

This particular retrograde station is made even more frustrating and annoying, however, because of Saturn.

Saturn is currently at 13° Aquarius and is acting as a kind of roadblock for Mercury. Saturn is a planet of restraint, constraint, consolidation and limits. Saturn often causes delays and setbacks, as you are presented with obstacles and challenges to overcome. Saturn tests and challenges, forcing you to be on the ball. Often, these challenges end up improving you in some way — you gain new skills, you get valuable experience, you gain confidence in your capabilities. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t frustrating as fuck when Saturn slams the door closed on you and you have to go force a window open.

Saturn’s involvement in the Mercury retrograde indicates that there is more work to be done before you can move forward. This might look like someone literally denying, rejecting or saying “no” to an idea. It might look like your message not getting through. It might look like you have to take time away from publishing new content to strategize and rebrand.

Saturn is all about prioritizing and consolidating your efforts. It wants you to choose one thing to do really well. This Mercury retrograde is a great time to slow down and reflect on all of your different obligations and think about which ones you want to keep and which ones are ready to go. You don’t need to rush to make this decision — in fact, you probably won’t need to act on the choice until early March, when Mercury conjoins Saturn. Use January and February to review all of your options and thoroughly explore all possibilities.

Restless and impatience abound in mid-January

When Mercury stations retrograde at 10° Aquarius, it does so in very close square to Uranus in Taurus. Uranus is the planet of chaos, disruption, revolution and freedom. In short, it’s a shit disturber. With Uranus adding fiery heat and tension to the retrograde station, you can expect to feel extra frustrated, irritated or annoyed during the week of January 10th.

Uranus wants to move forward and make progress — right! this! exact! second!!! But Saturn is hanging out nearby saying “not so fast.” So together, this can feel like a car grinding its gears, showing everything wrong, but not giving you a chance to fix it. There’s a desire to move forward, but you might also be feeling stuck like you are spinning your wheels.

Try to channel this energy into things you can control — like organizing or cleaning your physical/digital space, or moving your body in a way that feels good. If you find yourself snapping at loved ones or wanting to pick fights on the internet, don’t judge yourself, but try to bring some awareness to it so you aren’t biting people’s heads off unnecessarily.

Because Mercury rules technology and Uranus is the unexpected and disruptive, watch out for some of the more cliche manifestations of Mercury Retrograde: websites going down, major glitches in technology, computers being weird.

Mercury dives into the depths and intensity of Pluto

On January 25th, Mercury will retrograde back in the sign of Capricorn and come face to face with Pluto.

Pluto has been very active in the Astro weather in this past month or so. First, it was activated by Venus back in December, when Venus stationed retrograde within 1° on December 19. And now, Mercury will conjoin Pluto before stationing direct 3° away from it. This is important because it links the event of the Venus retrograde to this Mercury retrograde, almost as if this is our chance to articulate and express what the Venus retrograde has meant.

Mercury will make a total of three conjunctions to Pluto in just a few months: the first was on December 29, 2021. The second is on January 28, 2022. The third is on February 11, 2022. While Mercury is within a few degrees of Pluto, watch out for added depth and intensity, especially around your vision for your life and your deepest, most intimate desire for yourself. Pluto governs secrets and hidden things — that which we would rather ignore because it can be so frightening and intense. But avoiding our fears often just makes them worse and more frightening, and on these dates, we might feel inspired to finally dive into and process our fears.

It is possible to make profound discoveries during this transit. You may discover something very revealing about yourself, from deep within your soul. These insights and discoveries are likely connected to whatever the Venus retrograde has brought up for you.

Guidance and advice for the retrograde

As always with a Mercury retrograde, it’s important to slow down and go slowly. If you feel lost and confused right now... that’s the point! Capitalism makes us feel like we have to constantly be producing at the same level and intensity, but that’s not true. Astrology reminds us that there is another way to live, one that acknowledges energetic dips and declines. If this transit is bringing up difficult emotions, I highly encourage you to ask for help, especially from folks trained in therapeutic modalities. Especially with Saturn and Pluto involved, working with a therapist or practitioner who you trust to see you at your most vulnerable can be incredibly supportive.

Collective tarot reading for Mercury retrograde

Want to learn more about the retrograde and get advice from the tarot? I went Live on Instagram last weekend to chat about the Mercury retrograde and do a tarot reading for the collective!

Explore your chart and learn how this astrology will affect you personally with a birth chart consultation.

Book an appointment today to discover the nuances of your chart and learn how to work WITH the retrograde energy, instead of against it.