25% of the world population was born under a mercury retrograde. Mercury typically goes into retrograde 2-3 times a year for 2-3 weeks.

To find out if you were born under a mercury retrograde, input your data here. Scroll down to your planetary table to see if there is a “R” next to degrees of Mercury. For example:

Even people who do not pay attention to astrology are aware of mercury retrograde and its effects. Why? Because Mercury rules communication and technology, it is the messenger of the planetary bodies. All religions and mythologies line up at some point, because we all inhabit earth under and above the same sky.

COMMON MERCURY RETROGRADE EVENTS

Phones fuck up, wi-fi is down, devices go haywire, people argue, people tend to be either reclusive or explosive, repressed emotions are exposed, appointments are missed, friendships disintegrate or are strengthened through testing, people say things they cannot take back, old hoes pop up, new friends seem eerily familiar, you remember things you once forgot about, staff and faculty goes through changes, new research breaks ground, people bring up the past, debts catch up if you don’t, everything is reassessed, etc.

BORN UNDER A “BAD SIGN”

People who were born under mercury retrograde embody the effects of a mercury retrograde throughout their whole life, and feel at “home” when mercury goes to its returning position. Most of the astrological-oriented population take an ominous stance to mercury retrograde. During a retrograding mercury, things that you typically would not make time for, demand your immediate attention. It is advised not to sign contracts, travel and avoid making solid long term plans around this time. However, being born under a mercury retrograde means this period has favorable effects, you can use this planetary influence to your advantage either way.

NATAL MERCURY RETROGRADE CHARACTERISTICS

If a person was born with mercury in retrograde, the person encapsulates the tendencies of this eccentric period. They tend to be very shy in youth, developing star qualities in extreme isolation. In adulthood, they possess a spitfire wit and a penchant for controversy. This aspect produces very strong articulation and captivating eloquence that often feels out of its timing and context. Natal Mercury Retrograders are rebellious messengers, usually highly developed in areas of perception and communication, but refusing to go along with the flow of collective conversation just for the sake of being heard. Indeed, people born under this time love to shake things up, and effortlessly dominate conversation just like the nature of the retrograde. Mercury deals with communication and perception so they may struggle with being understood, not quite self-delusional but having a self-concept that may seem a little off to others. They love throwing curve-balls, a good round of mental sparring and get along paradoxically well with people they disagree with. Often widely misunderstood just like the mercury retrograde itself, people born under this aspect often feel like an anomaly, like they were born in the wrong time period. A deep sense of intuition makes them natural visionaries, able to foresee the course of events before others but also clinging to the sentiments of a past long gone, using their memory to preserve evidence of different worlds. The mercury retrograde period asks us to put down our to-do list, our plans, look away from our vision boards and deal with the unyielding unpredictability of life. This lack of control is what gives natal mercury retrograders a sense of control. People born under this period will casually respond to text messages from a month ago, and will leave the state on a bus at the drop of a dime. An autonomous mind, flash impulse and deep calculation mark those born with a Mercury that refuses to budge.

Planetary aspects affect moods within timing, different planets are believed to have different rulership over different domains. The sun rules ego, willpower, status. Venus is the planet of love, feminine energy. Mars represents war, masculine energy. These are very simplified explanations.

WHO IS MERCURY?

Mercury is the name for the Roman messenger god, who had wings on his feet. The Greeks knew him as Hermes. The archetype is also personified as Hermes Trigemeistrus. Below is an ancient Roman bronze coin called a “semuncia”, depicting Mercury with a winged pegasus around his head.

Mercury is the ruling planet of Virgos and Geminis, both of these signs embody the eloquence, wit and charm of mercury’s swift movement. Virgos are earth signs, making them more writers, historians, teachers. Geminis are more oriented towards adventure and variety, their quicksilver articulation makes them fantastic orators and entertaining conversationalists.

What does it mean when mercury goes into retrograde?

This is an (alien) bird’s eye view of what mercury retrograde looks like. It doesn’t actually move backwards. Planets only appear to be moving backwards because of the earth’s spin. In astrological actuality, every planet is on their own orbit. Mercury retrograde asks us to apply this concept philosophically, and to not take things so personally.

A breakdown of mercury retrograde is explained in the beginning of this song. “Kamikaze love, self destructive patterns. Mercury in Retrograde, 4th house in Saturn…”

Mercury retrograde gets a bad rap from the technological disasters and the scheduling mishaps and misunderstandings that tend to happen under its influence. Mercury retrograde does not give a fuck about your calendar, your vision board, your to-do list, your reputation, your sleep schedule, or your appointment and reminds you that you shouldn’t care so much either. Life will go on.

When the planets are in the same position as they were when you were born, this is considered fortunate. Your solar return is your birthday, your birthday is the day that the sun returns to the same place it was when you were born. The calendars are based on the orbit around the sun, each day is a degree.

If you were born under a mercury retrograde, use this to your benefit!
Mercury goes into retrograde four times this year, very rare.

2016 MERCURY RETROGRADE DATES

• January 5 – January 25 starts in Aquarius, ends in Capricorn
• April 28 – May 22, 2016 in Taurus
• August 30 – September 22, 2016 in Virgo
• December 19 2016 – January 8, 2017 Capricorn to Sagittarius

P.S. People commonly die around the time of their birthday or half-birthday. RIP David Bowie, born January 8th, and died January 11th. He also was born under a mercury retrograde, and died under one too, shortly after releasing a new video.

A few other notable people born with Mercury in Retrograde are Prince, Beethoven, Fyodor Dostoevsky.

P.S. Sending warmth, love & ease to my fellow mercury retrograders Ciarra Ross & Mika Ziv, two awesome reflections I constantly learn from and always catch up with in divine timing.

How has Mercury Retrograde effected your life? Join the conversation in the comments below.

About the Author: Mreeuh Chang