Ok so I never thought I’d be the person writing about planetary movements affecting my life. But after my third phone glitched during the same three-week period, my sister, as established-sent me a text that just said “Mercury retrograde” with a shrug emoji. And honestly? I was skeptical as hell but also… curious.
Because here’s the thing about the mercury retrograde truth: it’s become this cultural phenomenon where people blame literally everything on it. Your ex texted you? Mercury retrograde. Spilled coffee on your laptop? Mercury retrograde. Accidentally liked your boss’s Instagram post from 2019 while stalking their vacation photos? Definitely Mercury retrograde (hypothetically speaking, of course).
But what’s actually happening up there? And more importantly, does it matter down here?
What Mercury Retrograde Actually Is (The Science Part)
Let me start with what mercury retrograde truth actually looks like from an astronomy perspective, because I went down a research rabbit hole on this-I talked about the difference between astronomy and astrology before, and it matters here.
Mercury retrograde is when the planet Mercury appears to move backward in the sky. Keyword: appears. It’s not actually reversing course like it forgot its wallet. It’s an optical illusion that happens because Earth and Mercury orbit the sun at different speeds.
Think of it like passing a car on the highway. For a moment, that other car looks like it’s moving backward relative to you, even though it’s still going forward. Same deal with Mercury, except instead of a highway, it’s space. (Way more dramatic, obviously.)
This happens about three to four times a year, for roughly three weeks each time. During 2024, we had four mercury retrogrades. In 2025, we’re back to three. The dates vary, but the internet-and your astrology-obsessed coworker-will definitely keep you informed.
The Astrology Interpretation: Communication Chaos
Here’s where the mercury retrograde truth gets interesting. In astrology, Mercury rules communication, technology, travel, and contracts. So when it goes retrograde, the theory is that these areas get… messy.
The common warnings include:
- Technology malfunctions (phones, computers, cars)
- Communication mishaps (misunderstandings, lost emails, awkward run-ins with exes)
- Travel delays and cancellations
- Contract issues or bad timing for signing important documents
- General chaos in anything requiring coordination
My Scorpio boyfriend finds this hilarious. “So you’re saying a planet millions of miles away is why you can’t figure out your email?” (Ouch. But also fair.)
My Personal Mercury Retrograde Experiment
For the record, I decided to track three mercury retrogrades-not because I’m a convert, but because I’m stubborn and needed to know for myself. I kept notes on my phone (which did crash once, ironically) about anything that fit the mercury retrograde stereotype.
Retrograde 1 (March-April): My car’s check engine light came on, I accidentally sent a snarky text about my boss to my boss instead of my friend (mortifying), and a work project I thought was approved got sent back for “clarification” three separate times. Annoying? Yes. Mercury’s fault? Unclear.
Retrograde 2 (July-August): Honestly, nothing major happened. I had some spam calls and my sister forgot to show up to our lunch date, but that’s… just life? I wrote about how different problem-solving styles affect how we handle setbacks, and this felt more like normal chaos than cosmic intervention.
Retrograde 3 (November-December): Flight got delayed by six hours, then canceled. My laptop decided to update mid-presentation. And I ran into my college ex at a coffee shop looking significantly better than I did in my post-gym sweats. (The universe has a sense of humor, apparently.)
Pattern? Maybe. Coincidence? Also maybe.
The Confirmation Bias Problem
Here’s what I realized about the mercury retrograde truth: we’re really good at seeing what we’re looking for. It’s called confirmation bias, and it’s why your horoscope feels so accurate even when it’s wrong.
When you know it’s mercury retrograde, suddenly every minor inconvenience becomes evidence. Your phone always occasionally glitches. Traffic is always sometimes terrible. People misunderstand texts constantly-that’s just texting.
But during mercury retrograde? You’re paying attention. You’re primed to notice these things and connect them to this three-week window. The rest of the year when your Wi-Fi cuts out during a Zoom call? You curse and restart the router. During mercury retrograde? You text your group chat about how the planets are conspiring against you.
I’m not saying nothing weird happens during these periods. I’m saying weird stuff happens all the time, and we’re better at remembering it when we have a cosmic scapegoat.
But Here’s Where It Gets Interesting
The mercury retrograde truth isn’t just about whether planets can actually affect your iPhone. It’s about what happens when you believe they might.
When I knew mercury retrograde was coming, I backed up my files. I double-checked travel arrangements. I reread emails before sending them. I gave people more grace when communication got weird, and I gave myself more patience when things didn’t go smoothly.
Was that the planet’s influence or my own heightened awareness? Does it matter?
My Capricorn mother-who tracks everything in spreadsheets, including her carbon footprint-would say the mechanism doesn’t matter if the outcome is positive. If believing in mercury retrograde makes you more prepared and less reactive, then it’s functionally useful whether or not it’s “real.”
(She has a point, which I hate to admit because it means she’ll bring it up at family dinners.)
The Practical Mercury Retrograde Survival Guide
Whether you believe in the mercury retrograde truth or think it’s complete nonsense, here’s what actually helped me during those three-week periods:
For Technology:
- Back up your important files before the retrograde starts
- Update software when you have time to troubleshoot
- Screenshot important conversations or confirmations
- Keep phone chargers in multiple locations (my boyfriend finally did this and stopped blaming the universe for dead phones)
For Communication:
- Read your texts twice before sending-especially work-related ones
- Confirm plans in writing, not just verbally
- If someone’s being weird, assume miscommunication before malice
- That email to your ex? Save it as a draft. Revisit in three weeks.
For Travel:
- Build in extra time for delays
- Have backup plans (and charge your backup battery pack)
- Download important documents offline
- Check reservation confirmations the day before
For Contracts and Big Decisions:
- Review everything carefully, maybe twice
- Ask questions if something seems off
- Don’t rush (this is good advice regardless of planetary positions)
- Trust your gut if timing feels wrong
What Science Actually Says
I went looking for scientific studies on the mercury retrograde truth, and-surprise-there aren’t many. Planetary positions don’t create measurable effects on electromagnetic fields or human behavior in ways we can test in a lab.
But here’s what is scientifically documented: placebo effects are real, and expectations shape experiences. If you expect chaos, you might create it through your own stress and hypervigilance. If you expect to need extra caution, you might navigate challenges more successfully.
There’s also something to be said for cyclical thinking. I wrote about how moon phases affect sleep and productivity, and the research there is more mixed than you’d think. Humans do seem to respond to rhythms and patterns, whether cosmic or cultural.
The Cultural Phenomenon
Mercury retrograde has become part of our cultural vocabulary. It’s a meme, an excuse, and a framework for understanding chaos. Whether or not you believe in astrology, you’ve probably heard someone blame mercury retrograde for their bad day.
And honestly? There’s something kind of comforting about that. Instead of feeling like you’re uniquely cursed or personally failing, you get to be part of a collective experience. Everyone’s email is weird right now. Everyone’s phone is acting up. It’s not just you.
My Leo friend-who organized our neighborhood solar panel initiative-says this communal aspect is the real value. It creates permission to slow down, double-check things, and not expect perfection. In a culture that demands constant productivity and flawless execution, maybe we need an excuse to be more careful and less hard on ourselves.
My Sister’s Take (Because She Asked to Be Included)
I sent my sister a draft of this article-mostly to fact-check the astrology parts-and she had thoughts. Many thoughts. Here’s what she wanted me to include about the mercury retrograde truth:
“It’s not about the planet ‘making’ things happen. It’s about energy and timing. Mercury retrograde is a period for reviewing, revising, and reflecting-the ‘re’ words. It’s a natural time to slow down instead of pushing forward. You can fight it, or you can work with it.”
She also said I was “too focused on proving or disproving” and missing the point entirely. (Classic sister energy.)
But she has a point about the ‘re’ words. Whether or not Mercury is actually doing anything, building in periods for review and reflection isn’t bad practice. It’s basically built-in permission for the kind of self-care that actually works for your personality, not the Instagram version.
Different Zodiac Signs, Different Experiences
Here’s something I noticed while talking to friends about their mercury retrograde experiences: it hits everyone differently. My Gemini brother-who cycles through eco-hobbies and is somehow good at all of them-barely notices it. Meanwhile, my Virgo coworker has a whole survival kit prepared for each retrograde period.
Your zodiac sign’s approach to problem-solving probably affects how you experience mercury retrograde more than the actual planetary movement does. Some signs panic. Some signs plan. Some signs ignore it entirely and then act shocked when their carefully scheduled week implodes.
As a Taurus, I’m mostly annoyed by disruptions to my routine. I like my morning routine exactly how I like it, and unexpected chaos feels personal. But my Pisces friend treats mercury retrograde like a spiritual retreat-time to journal, reflect, and realign. Same planetary position, completely different experience.
The Middle Ground I’ve Landed On
So what’s my final verdict on the mercury retrograde truth? I’m genuinely still figuring this out, but here’s where I’ve landed:
I don’t think Mercury the planet is personally disrupting my technology or causing traffic jams. That feels like giving a rock in space too much credit.
But I do think there’s value in having designated periods for caution, review, and lowered expectations. Whether that’s “real” in an astronomical sense matters less than whether it’s useful in a practical sense.
I back up my files now. I’m more careful with communication. I give myself and others more grace during these three-week windows. If that’s because of actual planetary influence or just because I’ve created a framework that encourages better habits-either way, the point is I’m experiencing less chaos.
Sue me for being pragmatic about my woo-woo.
When Mercury Retrograde Becomes an Excuse
That said, here’s where I draw the line: using mercury retrograde as a excuse for things you could control.
Forgot your friend’s birthday? That’s on you, not Mercury. Didn’t study for your exam? Not planetary. Been meaning to text someone back for three weeks? Sorry, but that’s just you being a bad texter.
Mercury retrograde can explain why your carefully-proofread email still had a typo, but it doesn’t explain why you didn’t send the email at all. The mercury retrograde truth includes taking responsibility for your actions even during allegedly chaotic times.
The Astrology Crossover: Other Factors Matter
If you’re going to take mercury retrograde seriously, you should probably know about the rest of your chart. I learned this from reading about ancient zodiac origins-astrology is a whole system, not just one planet doing its thing in isolation.
Your sun sign, moon sign, rising sign, and where mercury is in your personal birth chart all supposedly affect how you experience these retrograde periods. Some people have mercury retrograde in their birth chart, which apparently means they’re already vibing with that energy.
(This is where I start to feel like I’m in over my head, honestly. My sister can explain it better, but she’s not the one writing this article.)
The point is: if you’re going to blame mercury retrograde for your chaos, maybe also consider your personal year number and other astrological factors. It’s more complex than just one planet’s apparent backward motion.
Making Mercury Retrograde Work For You
If you want to use mercury retrograde as a tool rather than an excuse, here’s what I’ve found helpful:
Schedule Less: Don’t pack these three weeks with high-stakes deadlines if you can avoid it. Build in buffer time.
Communicate More: Overcommunicate, actually. Confirm plans twice. Follow up on emails. Check in with people.
Review and Revise: Use this time for editing, planning, and reflection rather than launching new projects. Finish what’s already started.
Practice Patience: With yourself, with others, with technology. Everything takes a little longer right now, and that’s okay.
Keep Perspective: Remember that inconveniences are just inconveniences. Your phone glitching is annoying, not a cosmic attack.
I also found that dressing in colors that make me feel good helped during retrograde chaos. When technology is betraying me, at least I look put together. (Shallow? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.)
What About Those Celebrity Examples?
Every article about mercury retrograde mentions celebrity mishaps, and honestly, I’m over it. Yes, famous people experience communication problems and technical difficulties during these periods. They also experience them outside these periods. Correlation isn’t causation.
But if you’re curious about astrology and relationships, I did write about celebrity couples and zodiac compatibility, which at least examines long-term patterns rather than isolated incidents.
The mercury retrograde truth is that we remember the dramatic stuff-the Twitter rants, the cancelled tours, the public breakups-and forget about the hundreds of uneventful days. Confirmation bias strikes again.
How Different Cultures View Retrograde Planets
This isn’t just a Western astrology thing, by the way. I got curious about how different cultures interpret constellations and found that retrograde planets show up in Vedic astrology too, though with different interpretations.
Some traditions see retrograde periods as times of internal focus and karmic lessons. Others view them as opportunities for course correction. The common thread seems to be: slow down and pay attention.
Whether that’s universal wisdom or universal human desire to find patterns in chaos, I’ll leave to people smarter than me.
The Bottom Line on Mercury Retrograde Truth
After tracking three retrogrades, reading approximately one million articles, and having countless conversations about this (including several with people who definitely thought I was overthinking it), here’s my take:
Mercury retrograde is simultaneously overhyped and underexamined. The truth is messier than either “it’s totally real and ruins everything” or “it’s complete nonsense and you’re stupid for thinking about it.”
Does Mercury’s apparent backward motion create gravitational or electromagnetic effects that disrupt your phone? Probably not.
Does having a cultural framework for expecting and preparing for disruptions during certain periods lead to better outcomes and less stress? Maybe yes.
Does it matter which one is true if the practical result is the same? That’s where I’m genuinely still figuring this out.
What I do know is that backing up my files, being more careful with communication, and cutting myself some slack during these periods has made my life easier. Whether I’m responding to planetary influence or just using astrology as a helpful organizational tool-honestly, I’m fine with not knowing.
The mercury retrograde truth isn’t that Mercury controls your life. It’s that paying attention to patterns, preparing for potential chaos, and building in grace for yourself and others is never a bad idea. If you need a planet’s permission to do that, then sure, blame Mercury.
Just maybe also acknowledge that you’re the one making choices, responding to situations, and navigating challenges. Mercury’s just out there doing its orbital thing, completely unconcerned with your group chat drama.
Your Mercury Retrograde Game Plan
So here’s my actual advice, regardless of whether you believe any of this:
Back up your important stuff regularly. Communicate clearly and confirm details. Don’t make impulsive decisions during high-stress periods. Be patient with technical difficulties. Give people the benefit of the doubt when communication feels off.
This is good advice during mercury retrograde. It’s also good advice literally always.
Maybe that’s the real mercury retrograde truth: we all need reminders to slow down, pay attention, and not let small chaos become big drama. If astrology provides that framework for you, great. If it doesn’t, the practical habits still apply.
And if your ex texts you during mercury retrograde? That’s not the universe giving you a sign. That’s just your ex being your ex. Don’t respond.
(You can blame Mercury later if you do, though. I won’t judge.)
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to back up my files because mercury goes retrograde again next month, and whether or not I fully believe in this, I’m not about to lose three months of work to find out. That’s not cosmic alignment-that’s just common sense wrapped in astrology language.
And honestly? That might be exactly what the mercury retrograde truth has been all along.
