What is Mercury Retrograde? At least three to four times a year, from our vantage point here on Earth, it looks like the planet Mercury is traveling backward, hence the term Mercury Retrograde.
During this time of apparent backward motion, astrologers started to notice repeating patterns and believed that the way we experience Mercury’s energy shifted.
Let’s take a look into the planet Mercury and what it represents in astrology-
Mercury: The Messenger of the Gods
Mercury is the divine communicator, a channel between the mortal and immortal worlds. In mythology, Mercury was considered the Messenger of the Gods and could pass down insights and information from the heavens.
Mercury rules over our mind, third eye, thoughts, and communication style. It also governs over technology, travel, contracts, media, communications, and transport. At times, it can have a playful, trickster energy that can inspire intelligent wittiness.
Mercury in Retrograde
Mercury enters retrograde three to four times a year, making it a normal part of its cycle through the cosmic skies. When Mercury enters retrograde, we may find communication a little more challenging. We could find it difficult to make decisions, or experience issues with technologies, travel, or contracts.
Ancient astrologers believed that when Mercury was retrograde, it traveled through the underworld, collecting lost, hidden, or untapped messages from deep within our subconscious.
For this reason, it is recommended to wait before signing contracts, having important conversations, buying expensive technology, or making travel plans until Mercury emerges from its journey, as upon its return from the underworld, it could have brought new information, changing how we feel and, consequently, our plans.
During Mercury Retrograde, we want to be mindful of:
- Signing long-term contracts
- Making long-term commitments
- Losing or misplacing things
- Miscommunications or saying something we don’t mean
- Posting something on social media or sending an email we didn’t mean to
- Technology mishaps
- Traveling – especially when it comes to the logistics
- Buying new technology, appliances, or watches
- Getting back with ex-partners
- Foggy, confusing, cluttered thinking
How to Use the Energy of Mercury Retrograde
While Mercury is moving through the underworld, it is a good time to slow down, go back over things, revisit the past, and pay attention to subconscious thoughts and programming. Mercury retrograde can be a healing and highly intuitive time when we use it this way.
Mercury Retrograde can also trigger our psychic abilities, guiding us to step away from the information in our seen world and instead rely on the information in the unseen world.
Our dreams may also become more prophetic at this time or give us deeper insights into our subconscious. (If you want to work deeper with your dreams during Mercury Retrograde, check out this workbook!)
To summarize, here is how we can use the energies of Mercury Retrograde in an empowering way:
- Listen and trust our inner world and intuition
- Pay attention to the messages in our dreams
- Reach out to old friends or business acquaintances
- Revisit projects we want to complete
- Connect with how we really feel
- Source information
- Reconnect with the things that are important to us
Trusting the Timing of Your Life
Mercury Retrograde tends to have a negative reputation, but everything is neutral in astrology. It’s what we make of the energy and how we choose to use it.
While Mercury Retrograde may not be considered favorable to sign long-term contracts, purchase expensive travel tickets, or buy a new computer, life happens, and sometimes we have to take action.
Trust the divine timing of the events in your life and connect with your own inner wisdom. After all, Mercury is the Messenger of the Gods, which means it is your own personal channel between yourself and the Divine. Lean on your higher self under these transits and flow from that guidance.
Mercury Retrograde Dates and Journal Prompts 2026
Mercury Retrograde is a time to become a more thoughtful and intuitive communicator, thinker, and decision-maker, and these journal prompts are designed to help you with that.
You can work with all the prompts during the retrograde period or choose one or two that resonate with you the most.
Mercury Retrograde Dates 2026:
- February 26-March 20: Mercury Retrograde in Pisces
- June 29-July 23: Mercury Retrograde in Cancer
- October 24- November 13: Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio
In 2026, all the Mercury Retrogrades fall solely in water signs, which means they will have an emotive and reflective tone to them. These journal prompts are designed to support you with that.
Journal Prompts February 26- March 20: Mercury Retrograde in Pisces
- Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Ask your spirit guides to come forward. Begin with the prompt- “My spirit guides want me to know…” and then begin free-flow writing. Trust what comes forward.
- Keep a dream journal for three consecutive nights (or for three consecutive dreams that you remember). On the following morning, read over your dreams. Do you notice any themes, messages, or symbols?
- Set a timer for 60 seconds. Draw whatever comes to your mind. Once the 60 seconds are up, reflect on what you have drawn. List 10 things that come up for you when you look at this drawing. Observe any insights.
Journal Prompts June 29-July 23: Mercury Retrograde in Cancer
- How do you long to be nurtured? Make a list of 10 ways. Think about how you can bring some nourishment into your daily routine.
- What are three things that make you feel safe and secure? Now write down three ways you can bring a sense of safety and security into your life.
- Place your hand over your heart and take a deep breath. Begin with the journal prompt “My heart feels…” and see what flows. Aim to write for at least 15 minutes.
Journal Prompts October 24-November 13: Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio
- Reflect on the ways you have transformed this year. Find 10 ways to feel gratitude towards yourself and the journey you have traveled.
- What is something you feel shame over? Write it down. Allow your feelings to circulate through your body. Breathe through it. When you feel ready, write a letter of forgiveness to yourself and/or the situation.
- Your intuition is a powerful source of wisdom. Begin with the journal prompts – “My intuition wants me to know…” and then see what flows. Aim to write for at least 10 minutes.
