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Mercury – Image: FARMER’S ALMANAC
According to CBS News, during this period when we look up at the sky, it appears that Mercury is moving in reverse, but in reality, it’s not actually going backward.
Similar to Earth, Mercury has an elliptical orbit around the Sun. However, because it is situated between Earth and the Sun and moves faster, from our vantage point, Mercury seems to change direction as it orbits around Earth.
This “Mercury retrograde” phenomenon happens multiple times throughout the year, including the final retrograde cycle of 2022, starting on December 28.
The question is, does this have any influence on us?
In reality, many people tend to attribute unfavorable life events to “Mercury retrograde” when things don’t go as planned.
Explaining this, American astrologer Rebecca Gordon suggests that Mercury governs a crucial aspect of human life: communication. “When Mercury is moving forward in its natural motion, communication tends to flow smoothly. However, when Mercury moves out of its natural orbit, such as in the case of retrograde motion, there’s a tendency for various kinds of crosswires and miscommunication,” Gordon explains.
She emphasizes that the key during these chaotic times is to take things one step at a time: “My advice is that if you slow down a little during Mercury’s retrograde, everything will become much smoother.”
However, astrophysicist Jackie Flaherty completely disagrees that humans on Earth could be affected by Mercury’s movements.
“It’s millions of kilometers away from us, and it’s a very tiny rock, so it won’t affect you, your body, or your world. It’s too far away. It doesn’t exert any gravitational force on your body,” Flaherty asserts.
She emphasizes that whatever is happening in human life, responsibility and outcomes usually depend on each individual.