Energy Shifts and Mercury Retrograde

Energy Shifts and How to Handle Them

By: Allison Shaw

As we are now entering another Mercury Retrograde (2nd one for this year, 1st one from Jan 30th to Feb 20th in Aquarius) on May 29th 2021 (in Gemini), following the beginning of Pluto (began April 27th until Oct 6th  in Capricorn), Saturn (began May 23rd until Oct 10th  in Aquarius) and Mercury will be in Retrograde until June 22nd.  Looking ahead, Mercury will be in Retrograde again Sept 27th to Oct 18th in Libra, Jupiter Retrograde from June 20th to July 28th in Pisces and again beginning July 28th to Oct 18th in Aquarius, Uranus in Retrograde from Aug 19th to Jan 18, 2022 in Taurus, Neptune Retrograde from June 25th to Dec 1st in Pisces and finally Chiron in Retrograde July 15th to Dec 19th in Aries. 

Now, what the hell does all this mean!? 

Each Retrograde has a different energy according to its Planet and your sign.  We each have signs in various placements, so it is a great idea to research your planet placements according to the Planet(s) going into Retrograde. So, for instance, checking your planetary placement for Mercury (what sign is Mercury in according to your birth chart) will give you more insight as to the lesson of this placement in your life lessons. Retrograde simply put, means that the Planet is moving in an opposite direction (going backwards), in its orbit as viewed from Earth. This current retrograde was on the cusp of our May Full Super Moon (Pink Moon, Blood Moon) in Sagittarius and total Lunar Eclipse, and it has been a heavy shift to deal with. Many have been feeling agitated, overwhelmed, emotional (in your feelings so to speak), angry, lost, overthinking (especially about the past) and having an overall feeling of unbalance. It’s difficult to understand our feelings, when there are so many variants as to why we are feeling like we are on a mammoth roller-coaster!  This energy has been all about releasing what no longer serves you and making room for your highest good to come through.

Following Pluto going retrograde April 27th, the energies have been pushing us for deeper insight and purging old, unhealthy behaviors, habits and transformation. Pluto forces us to look deeper at what is outdated and needs to be released for our highest good. Pluto is the Planet of death, rebirth, transformation and sheds light on power struggles you have been experiencing. Pluto asks us to go within and work with your personal power and do the inner work needed, examining the unhealthy behaviours, actions, ways of living and experiencing life. Pluto is the planet of deeper knowledge, truth, decluttering and breaking down what is unhealthy in order to rebuild (death and rebirth). Anything toxic and destructive, whether it is patterns, behaviours, people or attachments, will be surfacing and pushing you to purge and release. This is a necessary energy in order to move forward and walk with purpose. Setting healthy boundaries with people, as well as yourself, will set you in the direction of your highest good. Let That Shit Go, is pretty much the mantra when dealing with Pluto in retrograde in this period. Fighting against the natural cycle will only cause you more suffering and keep you out of alignment with your purpose. Allowing the eb and flow of life and trusting in your higher self and Spirit team will give you the momentum you need to assist you with this transition and uprising. Go within and reassess your position in life with people, places, things and get in-tune with what is in your highest good. This is a pivotal time for self-love and self-care, going into hermit mode and doing some deep healing. Working with a healer and getting some spiritual guidance from them, will assist you in receiving deeper insight as to what is for your highest good and in discovering your purpose. Taking time to ground, centre, reconnect and reflect with yourself and your Spirit team, will be of great benefit in helping you to clear away what is no longer needed or acceptable. 

Saturn went Retrograde May 23rd following Pluto and supporting a similar energy for releasing the old unhealthy ways of living. Saturn is all about reflecting and overcoming, like a year in review at work, what have you done well, what needs change, what healthy boundaries need to be put in place and taking responsibility for your contribution to your life circumstances with people. It will highlight where you are and where you wish to be. It will shake up our perception of what we thought we wanted and reassess, as it’s a time of change and leaving the past behind. It’s a time to embody the lessons we’ve learned in the past year and how to make changes moving forward in a healthy way. Progress is the key in this transition. Forward momentum, self-discipline and testing you to see if you have learned from past lessons. Saturn will rip off those band aids to see if you’ve actually healed and moved forward from certain lessons especially in regards to past relationships, and it can tempt you to revisit old unhealthy patterns to see if you have truly moved forward, or if there is more work to do in releasing the past.  Saturn is the Planet of rules and challenges but also  surrender and setting needed healthy boundaries and closure. 

Now for our friend Mercury Retrograde, of which is the most widely known Retrograde as it transits 3 to 4 times a year. Mercury is a bit of a trickster when in retrograde and can throw us in a loop. Many people dread this retrograde as it can bring unexpected challenges, hurdles and some chaos. Mercury is all about issues with communication, contracts, technology etc., and when in retrograde, throws things out of whack. During Mercury Retrograde, it is suggested that it is not a good time to partake in new endeavors and life altering decisions. It is more of a time for reviewing, planning and preparing. This current retrograde beginning May 29th will have your past testing you big time. You may experience ex-partners coming back, so take time to go within and see what other lessons for deeper insight may be necessary, but this is not a time of new beginnings ie: new relationships, new jobs, buying electronics and so forth. Take time to pause and reflect, be flexible and on top of your thinking mind as it is a very important time of being mindful and deepening your awareness of self. Mercury is the planet of miscommunication, difficulty with expressing ourselves clearly, the past coming back, irrational fears/thoughts and challenging us to stay rooted. 

Overall, take time to ground and be flexible with how things play out at this time. Remember, it is all about releasing what is not healthy or beneficial to your growth, reflection and renewal. We live in three plains of understanding (intellect, physical and spiritual), and allowing our exterior life to control us and reacting to life rather than living a purposeful life, is a challenge we all face. Take time to declutter your body, mind and spirit, and move away from the lower vibrational energies like fear, anger, anxiety and take stock of how far you have come. 

“All suffering comes from attachment” - Buddha.

Go within and do some inner housekeeping.  Ask yourself: 

What do you have to release?

What is no longer serving your highest good?

What lessons did you learn this past year/months?

Where is fear holding you back?

What attachments do you have? 

What outdated thoughts/behaviors/patterns/people/places/things must you let go of? 

How are you holding yourself back? 

What are you afraid of (success/failure/being alone/ judgement etc)? 

Where can you make improvements within yourself? 

What’s in your toolbox? 

Going through transitions (which we do regularly in life) is all about challenging us to live our purpose and overcome all that is not serving our highest good. We have to think about life as an opportunity to empower ourselves to live authentically and walk with purpose. Challenges and hardships are not here to make us quit, but here to propel us in the direction of our higher purpose and bless us with wisdom we gain by overcoming.  It’s okay to rest and reset, take down time, cry, yell, throw things (just don’t throw them at people), but also take time to celebrate you and all you have already overcome. Embrace the simple things in life; take a walk in nature, meditate, eat healthy food to nourish your body, drink plenty of water, sing in the shower, garden, go for a drive and belt out your favorite tunes, talk to someone you trust, try yoga, do some deep breathing exercises, journal, work with crystals, go for a healing, cook a great meal for someone you love etc. There are many ways for you to embrace your truth and steady your pace. Take time and talk with your Spirit team, to God/Creator/Christ consciousness (whatever your beliefs are), look into working with a healer, get comfortable with your solitude and being happy in your own company, work on self-love/self-care and most importantly, have patience with yourself and your journey. There is no timeline for growth and expansion, simply awareness, mindfulness, willingness and gratitude. Remember, you are in control of you, no one else, not even the retrogrades!  You always have a choice in how you live your life, how you participate, how you respond/react, who you engage with, how you deal with your emotions, etc. etc. etc.  We are not observers in our lives, we are our lives and we make our choices based on our life experiences and history. You are the alchemist of your life and your thoughts and emotions set your stage. What we think about we bring about, so flip your switch and fully engage in creating a life that is beautiful. Take time while you are in a healthy mindset to set a POA (plan of action), for when you have those moments/times of distress, allow yourself to feel so you can deal then heal. Hiding from ourselves is dangerous and will throw us into the loop of just being and not living. We are here to experience and learn, grow, evolve, rise and shine!  Learn about yourself through astrology, deep meditation, soul journey (with a practitioner), read some books for “self-help” (The Wise Heart and The Untethered Soul are 2 great books), ask yourself the tough questions, get support, know you are worthy and deserving of a healthy beautiful and abundant life.  Take time with you and be compassionate, patient, and understanding, no judgement or demeaning self talk, just you evolving into who you were born to be. Happiness is not something we find outside of ourselves, but within, so use these retrograde energies and shifts and take advantage and rebuild your foundation on self-love, trust, self-respect and knowing that you and you alone have the power to manifest your deepest heart's desires.  When we do things from a heart centred perspective, it empowers what we wish to manifest, so be mindful of your thoughts and emotions.  Do not fear or dread these shifts and retrogrades, embrace them as an opportunity to learn, reassess, review, rebalance, and celebrate how far you have come and look forward with faith at how far you will go when you stay Intune with you.  

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED, LET’S DO THIS!      

*To connect with Spiritual Healer Allison Shaw, click here. 

*To connect with Astrologer Alexandra Blaauw, click here.