Why retrograde occurs

Mercury also rules all formal contracts and agreements, as well as important documents such as book manuscripts or term papers, agreements, deeds, contracts, leases, wills, and so forth. Our mission has never been more vital than it is in this moment: to empower through understanding. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all.

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By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Mercury retrograde, explained without astrology. Reddit Pocket Flipboard Email. Next Up In Video. Delivered Fridays. Thanks for signing up! Check your inbox for a welcome email. Start out standing side by side with a friend.

Have a friend walk forward slowly. Now you walk forward at a faster speed. Watch your friend and think about how they are moving relative to you. At first, they move away, then as you pass them, they APPEAR to be moving backward relative to you - even though they are still walking forward. A site for ages 14 and up. Laura A. Whitlock Curator: J. Understanding what retrogrades mean in astrology how they impact our lives can change the way we experience these inevitable backspins.

A retrograde is technically an optical illusion that occurs when a planet's orbit aligns with ours in just the right way. It's similar to the way that when we're in a moving vehicle, a bus in the lane next to us might appear to move backwards momentarily when the speed and timing is just right.

In astrology, retrogrades are believed to signify a period of review, reassessment, and reimagining in the areas of life ruled by that planet. Retrogrades are a commonplace occurrence in astrology — in fact, we usually have at least one planet retrograding at any given time. These planetary backspins happen in cycles, and those are different for each planet. Mercury retrogrades are one of the most notorious of them all due to the fact that they occur three to four times a year — more frequently than any other planet!

Meanwhile, planets like Mars only backspin every other year. Retrogrades in astronomy may refer to an optical illusion — but in astrology, the effects of these planetary transits are considered very real.

During retrogrades, issues that we've tried to bury or ignore could come back to the surface to haunt us, forcing us to deal with them and find some resolution.

Even situations that we thought were finished could bubble up again in some way, requiring us to come to new conclusions or learn new lessons. You may notice that during certain retrogrades, you have a tendency to hit road blocks on projects, run into issues within relationships , or face personal crises and confusion.

Hale notes that retrogrades are "connected with karmic events in life," so rolling with the retrograde flow instead of trying to overcome it can help you feel more in sync.