Our next Mercury retrograde is fast approaching, starting on April 21st, 2023, and lasting until May 14th. This one occurs entirely in Taurus and comes right in the middle of Eclipse Season!
If the energy feels a little wonky right now, you know why.
What is Mercury retrograde?
A planet or body is called retrograde in astrology when it appears to be moving backward through the zodiac. It isn’t actually and just looks that way from our view here on Earth.
Normal motion for the planets is forward, so when they’re retrograde, this can throw things off with whatever they rule. This is most prominent with Mercury retrograde, and this retrograde occurs roughly 3-4 times each year for 2-3 weeks at a time.
Mercury is the ruler of communication and is a tech ruler, so we have difficulty understanding each other and feeling heard under Mercury retrograde. Add in how reliant we are on technology, and that getting thrown off really gets to us!
Mercury is also the ruler of our daily life, our work and health, routine maintenance, and stress. This means we’re stuck in the weeds and have a lot on our plates, and we’re super stressed out about it all, which can lead to lots of frustration and meltdowns.
About Taurus in Astrology
Taurus is the second sign of the zodiac and is where things slow down. Taurus wants to take its time and not be in any kind of rush with things.
Taurus is an Earth sign, and this makes it practical, reliable, and dependable. This adds to Taurus wanting to keep things slow and steady, making it more connected to the senses and the physical world.
Taurus is a Fixed sign, which gives it its fixed energy. This is the sign that most want to be present, live in the moment, relax, and indulge.
The natural ruling planet for Taurus is Venus, and Venus helps make Taurus more sensual and attractive. Taurus can let things come to it rather than be super active in its pursuits.
The Impact of the Taurus Mercury Retrograde
Mercury retrograde in Taurus can slow things down – WAY down!
We just don’t want to be rushed into anything and can resent feeling like we’re being pushed. This makes us even more inflexible, and we stay exactly where we are, whether that’s the right thing to do or not.
This is something we need to be mindful of during this retrograde. We don’t want to become too inflexible because this might be to our detriment, and it’s likely better if we maintain some movement, even if it is slower than usual.
Mercury retrograde in Taurus can increase frustration, especially if we get extra stuck. It might be our own fault for being stuck, yet we may not recognize that and want to lash out over it.
Having a healthy outlet for frustrations is important during this retrograde so we don’t lash out when things aren’t going exactly according to plan. This can keep us from being derailed and getting even more frustrated.
Mercury retrograde in Taurus can bring about issues with finances and resources, which are ruled by Taurus. We may need to be more mindful of our budgets and financial plans and how we use our resources.
There may be times when it feels like we don’t have enough and are lacking or where we have too much, but none of it is right. This can, again, bring out frustrations and make us lash out.Â
Patience is super important during this retrograde, and we must constantly remind ourselves of this to avoid the downfalls of poor impulse control.
The Retrograde + Eclipse Season
The day before this retrograde begins, on April 20th, 2023, we have a Solar Eclipse in Aries. In the middle of the retrograde on May 5th, we have a Lunar Eclipse in Scorpio, so this retrograde combines with Eclipse Season.
Eclipses heighten energy, especially emotionally, and we can be extra sensitive. Both eclipses have direct ties to the Mercury retrograde, and this makes the frustrations much stronger.
The Aries Solar Eclipse is amazing energy for starting something new, new beginnings, and journeys. Still, with Mercury retrograde hot on its heels, there can be frustration if things aren’t moving fast enough, and we may struggle with controlling energy. It’s best for second chances if we can control ourselves.
The Scorpio Lunar Eclipse gets triggered by the Taurus Mercury retrograde and brings out intense emotions and passionate energy. We may be prone to fights and don’t want to back down, but this doesn’t serve us very well, so we need to open up our minds and hearts.
Being more open overall can help a lot with Mercury retrograde and Eclipse Season, and solutions may be different from what we first think, or developments may play out in ways that require us to be quick on our feet and adjust on the fly.
Read this next: The Ultimate Guide to Lunar & Solar Eclipses
Which Zodiac Signs Will Feel the Taurus Mercury Retrograde Most?
Taurus
Of course, Taurus gets the brunt of the impact of the Mercury retrograde in your sign. Mercury retrogrades in your sign are usually extremely stressful, and you can feel like you’re suffering from Murphy’s Law – if it can go wrong, it does go wrong.
Little things can pop up out of nowhere, and your list of what needs to be tackled can grow quickly and without warning. It may feel like the Universe is piling on, turning against you, and kicking you while you’re down.
You can become even more stubborn than a Taurus is known for, which is pretty stubborn! And you may feel completely justified in that position, but you’re likely not seeing the full picture.
It’s important to get out of your own way. Otherwise, you can box yourself in and have a hard time getting out when you want to.
Read this next: 10 Myths About Mercury Retrograde
Gemini & Virgo
Mercury is the natural ruling planet for Gemini and Virgo, so whenever Mercury is retrograde, Gemini and Virgo can feel way off. This is the case for everyone when your ruler is retrograde but seems to be extra strong for these two signs.
You may feel more stressed out than usual and have difficulty controlling your focus. You may be more scatterbrained and easily get thrown, and you may worry too much about things that are out of your control.
For Gemini, this retrograde can increase your need to get more rest and recharge; without that, you may feel constantly burnt out. Challenges can pop back up from the past and need to be addressed more fully, and you may need to work on finishing or letting go of something.
For Virgo, this retrograde can make you push for more space, and this can be helpful. However, you may have to refrain from pushing too much. That might put you in a bind, and you end up pushing away what is a solution to your problems and struggling to get it back.
Scorpio
The retrograde occurs in Taurus, which is the opposing sign for Scorpio, so Scorpio may feel like there’s a lot of oppositional energy around you during the retrograde.
The people in your life may require more of your attention, and it can feel like they’re stealing your attention away from the things you actually want to be focused on, which can be frustrating.
You likely need a lot more patience with others to avoid lashing out with them but also make sure you have solid boundaries as well. Without good boundaries, you may feel taken advantage of, and this depletes you.
The Lunar Eclipse in your sign can make it more important to prioritize your well-being and not solely focus on others. This is the last eclipse in your sign for some time, so you may be wrapping up something important, seeing a cycle or pattern coming to an end, or finally releasing some emotional or karmic baggage that has weighed on you over the last few years.
Make sure to check out: Everything You Need to Know About All the MAJOR Moon Events of 2023
Aquarius
The Taurus Mercury retrograde highlights your emotional needs for Aquarius, which can stimulate strong emotional responses. This can increase your frustrations if you’re not taking care of your emotional needs and making sure you’re solid internally.
Taurus is at a hard position to Aquarius, so you may feel challenged personally at some point during the retrograde, which can make you lash out or behave impulsively. Keeping this in mind and staying in control of yourself, and being open to finding creative ways out of the problem are important.
The Scorpio Lunar Eclipse is also at a hard position to Aquarius, adding to the personal challenges. The Lunar Eclipse and Taurus Mercury retrograde highlight the internal and external foundation of your life. Any cracks in that foundation can be exposed, and you can feel more connected to them now, so working on them becomes more important.
Slow-moving Pluto recently moved to your sign on March 23rd, so themes around power, control, passion, and transformation have likely become more prominent for you as of late. Pluto brings an opportunity for you to get more power and control in your life, but you need to be able to control passion, transform into a stronger version of yourself, and work on old issues.
How to Best Handle the Mercury Retrograde in Taurus
All retrogrades love the re’s, and Mercury retrograde is no exception. This includes:
- reviewing something with a fresh perspective
- revisiting somewhere you’ve been before
- reconnecting with someone from the past
- rethinking plans and making small tweaks
- redoing something you know you can do better now and would benefit from
Retrogrades are amazing times for second chances, and this one is even better for it, thanks to the eclipses, especially with the Aries Solar Eclipse. If there’s something you want to take another shot at, this may be the best time of the year to do it. Taurus, in particular, can benefit from a second chance, so focus on what you want to do again.
Mercury retrogrades are excellent for routine maintenance, to tend to the things that we’ve been neglecting or haven’t had proper time and energy for, and to make them fresh again. Gemini and Virgo, in particular, can benefit from this, and it can help stabilize any scattered or stressed energy.
We often need to have healthy outlets for frustrations during Mercury retrograde, and that can be more important with this one in easily-frustrated Taurus. Think about what you can use as a healthy, positive outlet when you become frustrated, annoyed, aggravated, irritated, and worried. Scorpio and Aquarius, in particular, may require this.
Taurus Mercury retrogrades can be great reminders to reconnect with the moment. Taurus always wants to be present, and the Mercury retrograde makes this more important for us all.
If being in the moment is a struggle for you, work on detaching when you can find a moment, and listen to the sound of your breath and the noises around you, to feel your heart beating, and to notice the colors and objects around you.Â
Grounding ourselves is one thing that everyone needs to do during a Taurus Mercury retrograde. Taurus is an Earth sign and a Fixed sign, so grounding ourselves is of utmost importance during this period to prevent lashing out and staying in control.
You can ground yourself in a variety of ways. Connect to your root chakra by wearing red (which helps with grounding) or using a root chakra meditation to strengthen.
One easy way to ground yourself is to imagine roots growing out from the base of your spine and deep into the ground. Feel yourself grounded, centered, and at peace.
Conquer Mercury Retrograde in Taurus
Mercury retrogrades are rarely easy, and this one is no exception. It comes along with some powerful astrological events, and we need to be smart as we navigate this energy, but there is a lot of potentials here for us.
While the retrograde ends May 14th, we can feel this energy until about May 24th, and some may feel it through the end of May. If that’s you, have patience with yourself (and extra chocolate on hand!).
Related article: The Ultimate Guide to Mercury Retrograde