Mercury goes retrograde for the last time in 2018 on November 17th until December 8th in the signs of Sagittarius and Scorpio.
Mercury retrograde often gets a bad wrap and is blamed for causing delays, miscommunications, and mishaps. While Mercury Retrograde can cause things to go haywire for a period, it is important to look at these moments as powerful messengers rather than annoyances.
Mercury is the planet associated with communication, and it is his divine mission to take messages from the gods and higher realms and deliver them so we can become wiser and more attuned to our highest destiny.
As the messenger of the gods, when Mercury is in retrograde, it is even more important to stop, look, and listen to what areas your life are being stirred.
The interesting thing about this November-December Mercury retrograde period and what makes it so pertinent, is that it happens a few hours after Venus moves out of retrograde.
Venus has been retrograde since October 5th, and instead of giving us a breather, the Universe has decided to turn Mercury retrograde right after Venus starts shifting direct.
This is a clear sign for us all that we have to continue to move slowly and pause before rushing ahead. Unfortunately, there is no escaping this slew of retrograde energy just yet.
For most of 2018, we have had many pivotal planets in retrograde, and this energy has created a stop-and-go type of year. We may have even felt held back, delayed, or sluggish when it comes to getting ahead or trying to make plans.
While this is how we are feeling on the outside, on the inside we have actually been very busy clearing out old outdated beliefs, uncovering wounds, mending heartaches, and tuning into the softer, stiller voice of our hearts.
Although we may feel that not much has changed on an external level, on an internal level it is likely that we have been doing a lot of growing and transforming.
As we prepare to wrap up 2018, Mercury going retrograde right after Venus seems like a clear sign that we have a little more growing to do.
Mercury wants us to dive in, uncover more from the depths of our soul, clear away more of the past, and really question or path and progress forward.
Mercury does this one last time before 2019, as it is a much faster moving year and we may not have a chance to do this type of work for a while.
Of course, Mercury goes retrograde at least 3-4 times per year, but 2019 doesn’t have anywhere near the number of retrogrades that 2018 had.
2019 is really an action-packed year, and we are going to be able to make a lot more forward moving progress.
Before we enter into this energy however, the Universe really wants us to be certain of how we are moving ahead, and what we are giving our energy to. The Universe wants us to pause and really be clear on what the path ahead may be.
This is not to say that we need to have it all figured out, but what these retrogrades have been doing is helping us to pause, and really think about what is important. They have been guiding us to take it slow and to question our actions rather than just forging ahead on autopilot.
When a planet goes retrograde, the ancients used to believe it was entering the underworld and moving into the darker depths in order to unearth and uncover subconscious wounds, messages, and points of healing.
With so much of this energy in 2018, we have really had to make peace with our shadows and dig through some uncomfortable skeletons that have been lurking in the closet.
This final Mercury retrograde period is going to be our moment to really clear through and stay open to the messages that Mercury finds while traveling through the underworld.
By pausing, taking things slow, and not rushing ahead, we will be more open to hearing the path that our soul is calling to us. We will also be more open to receiving signs, clues, and guidance from the Universe.
Ultimately, this Mercury Retrograde is not a good time to start new things, but, it is a good time to go back over things, it is a good time to revisit the past, it is a good time to question your actions and motives moving forward, and it is a good time to dig into your soul and work out how you are communicating with yourself, with others, and the world.
As the planet of communication, Mercury retrograde gives us the opportunity to improve how we communicate our message, our energy, and our vibrations into the world.
We are all responsible for creating life on this earth. All of our collective vibrations shape the sun, the moon, and the stars, and it is our responsibility to take charge of our vibrations and ensure they are harmonious, loving, supportive, and authentic to who we really are.
This Mercury Retrograde is a spiritual time. A time of self-exploration, and a time to pause and breathe before we kick into full gear in the new year.
