Mercury Retrograde is a three-week astrological cycle where the energies associated with Mercury, i.e. communication and the mind, tend to create an atmosphere that can feel slow, heavy, or even stormy and negative. Life can seem to flow slowly, or in a confusing way, and it can seem like everything seems more strenuous than usual.

These curious changes are the result of an energetic shift in consciousness during Mercury retrograde: the subconscious can seem to become dominant, as if it is the main influence on your consciousness. However, the conscious mind, which is normally in charge, seems to be less available to you.

This reversal may explain the perception, often noted during Mercury retrograde, that things feel like a dream. This is because in a dream the subconscious is dominant and the conscious mind is less present. The difference here is that during Mercury retrograde, you’re actually awake, so you notice things coming up from your subconscious that you wouldn’t normally see or feel.

During this retrograde time, you may have assumed that your high feelings originate entirely from within your own personality. However, while your emotions and thoughts are your own, understand that planetary energies may be affecting and amplifying certain hidden patterns within you. And also, the energetic influences of an entire population affected by this subconscious/conscious shift can create an unusual energetic atmosphere, and this can affect you as well.

In general, you are cautioned against making any major purchases or signing major contracts during this period. This is because when you are more influenced by the subconscious than the conscious mind, deeper hidden forces can affect your perception and judgment. These deeper subconscious patterns, whether in other people or in yourself, can lead to unwanted results. However, if you treat yourself with kindness and care during this period, you will be fine, and you may even benefit from the opportunities that Mercury retrograde offers you…

Your discoveries about your subconscious self during Mercury retrograde can be eye opening and healing. Although being aware of your deeper mental and emotional patterns would be helpful at any time, during this unusual three-week period you can see, feel, and hear the workings of your emotions and mind more easily than usual. This is due to the tendency during Mercury retrograde for your subconscious to be more prominent than usual. And that can be an advantage for you…

When you consciously listen to the voice of your inner self speaking, you have an empowering strategic advantage, because you can respond to subconscious patterns in a new way. You can introduce conscious and positive thoughts. You can have a conversation, and this brings the voice of your conscious self into the subconscious self. Without the conscious self to introduce new ideas, negative patterns in the subconscious can keep repeating themselves automatically.

Of course, your subconscious never announces: “This is the subconscious speaking.” Instead, you may find yourself saying negative things to yourself, without consciously choosing to make such statements. This is how you notice your subconscious patterns.

During the retrograde period, your self-talk may be more insistent, as if it were stronger, and as if the emotional intensity of the beliefs were more forceful. That’s why it benefits you to know when retrograde cycles are occurring, so you don’t get stuck in retrograde tendencies of feeling sluggish, confused, or leaning toward negativity. You can easily do an online search to find Mercury retrograde dates.

It is during Mercury retrograde that negative inner voices may seem most prominent in your consciousness. So what do you do when the voice of your inner self insists that life is horrible, or that you are no good, or that the people in your life cannot appreciate you?

First, you acknowledge the negative statement, without agreeing with it. You notice that your emotions and your mind insist on affirming things about your life…

And you listen to your inner voice, but in a new neutral way:

1. You listen to the statement as if you were a reporter on the scene. You are not emotionally involved with the statements, and are just listening to them.

2. You notice the sound, or tone, of the inner voice. And this is something you may not have noticed before, because we usually hear the words from our inner voice, rather than the tone. When you realize that the tone is angry, fearful, or sad, you are empowered, because you are noticing the tone of voice, not getting caught up in the message.

3. So what do you do when you’ve noticed your inner self having negative or limiting thoughts about your reality and you hear the tone of voice being used? You approach the voice as if you were a reporter:

“So, inner voice, you’re saying that…________________…”

Your ability to listen neutrally and play back the statement actually shifts the emotional statement to a different, less emotional part of the brain. And when you consciously notice the emotionality of the statement, you are also experiencing it with a different part of yourself. The simple fact that you are now consciously noticing the tone of voice means that you are not caught up in emotional control of the negative message.

4. You may be inclined to tell your inner voice that it is wrong, but this would create resistance. What are your options here? Put on the best friendly coach or counselor hat you can handle, and just listen to the voice. Ask the voice to share your concerns. As the inner voice speaks, simply respond with friendly but neutral responses that show you care and are listening, such as “Tell me more” or “I’m listening.”

Keep in mind that you remain neutral: you disagree and don’t jump in to help. You are not doing the inner voice wrong either. When your answers have calmed the voice, at least a little, you can offer some new possibilities…

5. It shows the inner voice a range of possibilities. Imagine a scale, like a thermometer, except instead of showing temperature, this is a scale of the emotional range of possibilities…from lower, heavier vibrations to higher, lighter vibrations. Share this scale with your inner self without judgment.

6. Use your imagination to help the inner voice move up this scale. Gently move up a bit, toward a higher vibration on the scale. Don’t force your inner voice much higher on the scale, because radical change can create resistance. Moving up the scale a bit is actually a powerful thing, because a slight shift up helps your subconscious self recognize that you don’t have to be stuck in a negative state.

In other words, change is possible, when you approach it from a neutral attitude and when you change gently and gradually.

Help your inner voice to gently shift into a somewhat lighter or softer state. And once your inner voice realizes that this is possible, you begin to receive new messages, new thoughts, and new emotions of hope and possibility.

7. When you have raised your vibration, even a little, you will have learned an important lesson about consciousness, which is that any change that helps you get unstuck makes it easier to continue changing your reality. This is self empowerment.

In summary, although Mercury retrograde can affect many people emotionally and mentally, it offers you a unique opportunity to converse with your deepest subconscious. This can bring you emotional healing and deeper self-awareness. Although many people irrationally fear Mercury retrograde, this is because they don’t understand the opportunity this period offers.

Now you know how to use the time of Mercury retrograde to cultivate a deeper awareness. This allows you to generate discoveries and heal your useful inner being when you communicate with your subconscious.

May you be enriched and strengthened in all aspects of your life when Mercury retrograde offers you its fascinating gifts.

many blessings,

joel bruce wallach

Founder, Cosmic Living – spiritual instruction teleclasses and home study mp3