But what I found really piqued my interest.
Then yesterday, being the day where I donated blood for the first time in two years, I was feeling even more scatter-brainy. I was perfectly alright, of course, but just didn't have the energy to pull together anything worth reading.
But today - today is my oyster, and I'm going to crack it with the power of my words.
I wrote on Monday about how Mercury is due to fall into retrograde. Well, my good friends, that has happened.
At 9:00 this morning, the astrological world**1 as we know it was thrown into pandemonium caused by the planet of communication, truth and travel going all wonky.
When I realized this impending situation on Monday, I immediately set about finding a Quick and Dirty Guide to Surviving Mercury Retrograde.
I wasn't disappointed when I stumbled across Gala Darling's article of just that name. She offered some helpful tips, including:
* Be sure not to take things too personally.
* Finish projects you started in the past.
*Allow yourself to be urged in unusual directions - you might learn something new!
While all of these tips are helpful for getting through this month-long period of disenchantment, I wanted more information. I don't want to survive Mercury Retrograde - I want to thrive in it!
So, I settled back in for more research.
And it turns out that Gala Darling kind of knows what she's talking about, and had the same revelation. Mercury Retrograde can be pretty draggy - lets spice it up!
She offered an article called "10 Magical Ways to Make The Most of Mercury Retrograde." I was thrilled! Packed to bursting with all sorts of wonderful ideas to keep negativity at bay, here's her list:
From: http://galadarling.com/article/10-magical-ways-to-make-the-most-of-mercury-retrograde
1. Renew your vows.
You lovebirds! If you’re already in a committed relationship, marriage or partnership, this is the perfect time to renew your promises to one another. You could have an elaborate ceremony or you could keep it simple: go to the restaurant where you had your first date, look at old photos, talk about how far you’ve come since you met. Bless!
2. Clean out your closet.
I did this last Tuesday & it was a bit of a life-changer! The energy of Mercury retrograde is fantastic for trimming the fat, so to speak, so you’ll have lots of astrological help as you go through your wardrobe & cull it mercilessly! If you need a bit of help doing it, check out my Wardrobe Taming series! (Blast from the past, baby!)
3. Look up an old love or your ex-best friend.
This is an excellent time to revisit those old relationships & see where the land lies. You don’t need to resuscitate them, of course, & often things we try to start during Mercury retrograde end up being short-lived anyway, but there can be a lot to learn from reuniting. You could find that the closure is exactly what you needed.
4. Forgive & forget.
Mercury retrograde encourages us to tie up loose ends, & the ultimate loose end is sourness or bitterness towards someone else. Holding a grudge is like drinking poison & waiting for the other person to die! It’s time to move on, & if you can’t forget, do your best to forgive.
5. Take a fabulous holiday.
Even though we’re usually not encouraged to travel during Mercury retrograde — simply because it’s something that is easily affected by the natural miscommunications of this period — if you can get away, you should! Honour any hankerings you might have for a bit of downtime. Go to a tropical island & lie on the beach for a week, or simply have a staycation at home. You’ll feel so much better for it!
6. Relax & take care of yourself.
The classic old checklist of getting enough sleep, staying hydrated & doing a lot of stretching absolutely applies during Mercury retrograde. If you’ve fallen off the H2O wagon, buy yourself a cute drink bottle & keep it on your desk! (I have a vampire drink bottle. I love it.) Make an extra effort to relax before bed, maybe by turning off the television & having a bath, & get your solid 8 hours. Stretch & move your body as much as you can.
7. Rejuvenate your living space!
If your house isn’t looking its best, now is the time to start dreaming about it! Your home should be a reflection of your most fabulous self: a place that you’re excited to return to. While it’s not the best idea to make big purchases during Mercury retrograde, it is a truly excellent time to do any research. Start investigating: look at Pinterest for interior decorating ideas, scope out websites for the best prices, & make a list of the things you’ll need. Once Mercury goes direct on the 26th of November, you can start to put your plans into action! (Funnily enough, I started doing this yesterday, without even thinking about it!)
8. Work on your CV or personal mission statement.
Mercury retrograde favours rewriting, revising or editing any documents. Why not put that energy to good use & rework your CV or personal mission statement? You could spice up your blog’s bio page or make some long overdue changes to your business plans. Mercury’s magic will help you out as you do it, & you might be astounded by what comes out when you sit down to start writing!
9. Read old journals.
If you go back to your old journals or notebooks during this time, you’ll be amazed by the things you read & the revelations that occur. It will be incredible to you to see how far you’ve come & how much growth has happened! (Plus, it’s usually pretty good for a laugh!)
10. Get a bit nostalgic!
Mercury retrograde is the best time ever to listen to old albums that you loved when you were a teenager, to watch movies that used to mean so much to you, & to revisit activities you have given up. Last night I went on a trip down memory lane listening to Tool, & as I write this, I’m playing Mellon Collie & The Infinite Sadness: still a fantastic album! Why not jump back into that sport or activity you loved when you were 19 years old?
Each and every one of these missives is something I can focus on during this time. Travel? Absolutely! We have a two-week long trip planned. Rejuvenate the living space? You absolutely know it! The new house is simply begging to be organized and turned from cluttered storage area to loved and cherished home. It's all going to be an adventure.
My friends, just because the stars tell you that today might be scary doesn't mean that you'll stop living it to the fullest, right?
Right.
I want to hear what you will be doing to combat Mercury's retrograde effects! What are your thoughts?
