It ain’t over ’til it’s over, folks, and never is that sentiment more apt than in the case of Mercury retrograde.
While the wily planet of communication and exchange stations direct on Aug. 28, we will continue to feel the ill effects of the slow-down for up to two weeks afterward, a charming/jarring little epilogue known as the shadow period.
Or, if you’re the cutesy type, Mercury “retroshade.”
What is retroshade?
Mercury retroshade refers to the two-week period immediately preceding the transit and the two weeks following it. Known as the pre- and post-retrograde shadow, these bookends bring the same emotionally congested and off-kilter energy as the retrograde transit but offer lessons in preparation and integration.
In this latest round, Mercury’s post-retrograde/retroshade begins Aug. 28 and extends through Sept. 11.
The fastest-moving planet in our solar system, Mercury goes retrograde three to four times a year, and when you factor in the shadow periods of the retrograde, we spend up to six months a year at the mercy of Mercury’s slow-down showdown.
When does retroshade start?
Mercury begins its pre-shadow phase when the planet crosses the zodiac degree in which it will eventually station directly.
When Mercury officially stalls out in the sky, we give it the doom-leaning name “the storm.” This takes place twice — the day the planet turns retrograde and the day it turns direct.
The day before, the day of and the day after are all a part of this storm energy, and it’s when things are extremely chaotic and confusing. You can’t see the forest through the trees nor the stars through the cosmic debris.
From the day it turns retrograde until the day it turns direct, Mercury is in its official retrograde period, generally lasting about three weeks. This handful of weeks is when everything that was slowing down and causing confusion in the pre-shadow calls for a review.
Frustrations, delays, obstacles and exhaustion guaranteed.
After Mercury turns direct and undergoes the second storm, it will gradually regain speed until it crosses the degree it originally stationed retrograde in. This is called the post-shadow phase or, again, “retroshade.”
Everything that broke down during the pre-shadow and retrograde will finally become clear as you sort yourself out of the rubble and find a better path forward.
What can we learn from Mercury retroshade?
Many an astrophile considers Mercury retrograde a three-part series; setting the stage (pre-shadow), a chaotic climax (retrograde) followed by a little tidy-up after the main event (post-shadow)
As the planet readies itself for retrograde, the pre-shadow can amplify anxiety and make unresolved issues, looming exes, and general emotional chaffing more present and pressing; cue the overthinking, the messy expressions and the questionable logic.
In contrast, the post-retrograde retroshade can bring clarity and finality to circumstances we may have been battling during the storm surge and its fallout.
Even and especially in slow motion, astrology is not malevolent but momentous, pushing us forward, oft uncomfortably, toward personal evolution.
When is the next Mercury retrograde?
The final Mercury retrograde of the year goes down, or back as it were, in the sign of Sagittarius from Nov. 25 to Dec. 15. The pre-retrograde/retroshade period will extend from Nov. 7 to 25, and the post-retrograde period will reign from Dec. 15 to Jan. 2, taking a nice steaming poop on your best-laid holiday plans.
Look alive, folks!
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
- The 12 zodiac signs
- What are the astrology houses
- Here’s what each planet represents
- Sun, moon, and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.
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