Mercury Retrograde 2022: Information, Rituals & Remedies

Three or four times every year, we experience the illusion of the planet Mercury traveling backward, which is called Mercury Retrograde. Mercury rules communication, travel, technology, and the legal system. When Mercury is in retrograde, these areas of life are at their absolute weakest point. It is the absence of Mercurial energy that is the cause of these problems.  

Everyone is impacted by Mercury Retrograde to varying degrees, all based on the position of Mercury in your natal chart at the moment you were born. Having a natal chart reading with an experienced astrologer will help you understand Mercury's importance in your life, and how it will impact you during its retrograde. 

What To Avoid During Mercury Retrograde:

• International travel, particularly to conflict-stricken countries. Now is not the time for extreme cultural contrast.

• Confrontations and difficult conversations. Keep the drama or special requests to a bare minimum.

•  Do not ask for a raise and and do not try to suddenly solve problems with family members. Communication will be at its weakest point until a week after Mercury Retrograde. 

• Do not file important paperwork. Do not file your taxes (or even prepare paperwork), do not file divorce papers, and do not sign important documents. Yes, this means you will need to prepare before Mercury goes retrograde! 

•  Avoid large purchases, such as homes or cars. And if you must, please triple-check all contracts!

• Medical treatments are safe during this time, but be prepared for scheduling delays.

• Clerical errors are prevalent during this time, so verify (and re-verify) your prescriptions to make sure you were prescribed the correct product and dosage! ​

• Whatever has been on your back burner before the retrograde, will now be front and center. Whatever you have been avoiding or delaying may now come around to bite you. 

Let us dive a little deeper.

What is a Mercury Retrograde Pre-Shadow?

The metaphorical dark cloud is approaching. Mercury Retrograde pre-shadow is when you can expect miscommunications and technical glitches to begin ramping up. Car repairs on the horizon? Submitting new construction plans for approval? Court date? Salary negotiations? Avoid unpleasant delays and misunderstandings; make sure to complete everything before the pre-shadow date!

What is Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow?

Almost as soon as Mercury goes direct, a post-shadow is formed. Although the retrograde is now over, the metaphorical dark cloud has not yet passed. There is still work to be done before normalcy can reign. During the early part of this phase, Mercury is still moving slowly, and thus the effects can be more intense. Depending on where Mercury is in your natal chart, this Period of time can feel like a boomerang. People often experience this phase of the cycle as a time when the consequences of not paying attention to details or asking the right questions become apparent.

2022 Mercury Retrograde Dates: 

NOTE: All dates are based on North American timezones. If you are in an earlier timezones (Europe, Asia, Australia, etc.), add 1 day to the dates stated.

In 2022, we experience Mercury Retrograde 4 times. 

The first Mercury Retrograde of 2022 actually begins in 2021... 

• Pre-Shadow Period Begins: December 29, 2021. Time to slow down and pay close attention to the 'What to Avoid' list above

• Mercury Retrograde begins: January 14th, 2022

• Mercury Direct: February 4th, 2022

• Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow Ends: February 24th, 2022 

The second Mercury Retrograde of 2022:

• Pre-Shadow Period Begins: April 26th, 2022

• Mercury Retrograde begins: May 10th, 2022

• Mercury Direct: June 3rd, 2022

• Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow Ends: June 18th, 2022

Third Mercury Retrograde of 2022:

• Pre-Shadow Period Begins: August 20th, 2022

• Mercury Retrograde begins: September 10th, 2022

• Mercury Direct: October 2nd, 2022

• Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow Ends: October 17th, 2022

Fourth (and final!) Mercury Retrograde of 2022:

• Pre-Shadow Period Begins: December 12th, 2022

• Mercury Retrograde begins: December 29th, 2022

• Mercury Direct: January 12th, 2023

• Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow Ends: February 6th, 2023

What Can Be Done About & During Mercury Retrograde:

Mercury Retrograde is an excellent time to channel your creative side. Whether it be painting, imaginative writing, or spiritual work, this can be an expanding stretch of time. 

For the majority of people (myself included), Mercury Retrograde is a very unpleasant time. Between constant technical difficulties, miscommunication, change of travel plans, and website server failures, these are the most unproductive periods throughout the year.

Utterly exhausting.

In the last decade or so, I have been performing (and advocating for) ritual work during Mercury Retrograde to propel and increase Mercurial energies.

A Mercury Ritual can negate the unpleasantness of Mercury Retrograde by energetically moving the influences of the planet forward. By strengthening the temporary Mercurial weaknesses, you can safely pass through these astrological events without a scratch, an annoyance, or a delay. ​

View Mercury Retrograde ritual here.

Wishing you a safe and prosperous 2022!

Love & Magick,

Dacha Avelin