Mercury is in Retrograde, everyone flail around!
This week, particularly this day, is the convergence of many beautiful, strange things. It’s Rosh Chodesh Adar II, it’s International Women’s Day, and Mercury is in retrograde! Rosh Chodesh literally translates to “head of the month,” and what it really means is a new month in the lunar/Jewish calendar. Fun fact 1: new month also means new moon, which actually means no moon at all! A full moon means it’s the middle of a lunar month. And what is Adar? It’s the month of the Jewish calendar that contains the holiday of Purim, which is a topsy turvy time. I plan to blog more specifically about Purim when it happens, which is March 21st, but essentially it is the story of how the Jews were almost persecuted in Persia, and Queen Esther saved us all.
What this really means is that this whole month is meant to be a time where we indulge in happiness, silliness, and turning things upside down — more to come on my Purim-centric blog post, but be prepared for silliness to ensue! Fun fact 2: God is not mentioned at all in the scroll that tells the story of Purim; it is a story of human triumph (of course, we assume God was there, but weird that there’s no mention, that the miracle is human action and will). I love that International Women’s day is at the beginning of this month, because it is truly a time to celebrate women in Jewish history and culture, as well as globally in our time. Cheers to all of the women blessing the world with their beauty, wisdom, and awesome energy and accomplishments today and every day. Now to the real question…
What does it actually mean for mercury to be in retrograde? This time, I did a little research…and by that, I mean I read a few articles containing sensible horoscope material. Because even though I believe in science as fact, and religion as faith, astrology is still real people!
In all seriousness, (or at least the guise of it) I like astrology because it feels like a helpful lens through which to channel my energy sometimes. If I’m feeling lost, in a rut, stressed out, overwhelmed, or even merely kind of “blah,” I can turn to my horoscope, and apps/Instagram threads/articles about my sign, and gain a bit of insight or inspiration into how I’m feeling. My sister said something incredibly wise once (ok, not just once, obviously, but I mean pertaining to this subject…and I know I could’ve just deleted the once from before; now this whole parenthetical has gotten away from me so I must keep up with it. Never surrender, never go back!):
We are obsessed with the moon, and for good reason. If it can control the way the ocean flows, it clearly has a pull on human beings. I mean, every time the moon is big, or orange, or super, all of humanity stops, points, and stares: look at the moon!!
That may not be an exact quote, but you get the idea — my sister is brilliant, and the moon is amazing. So, I like astrology as an additional way to consider my life choices and experiences. Hang on now — I still haven’t answered the burning question! (Get it, burning, because Mercury is hot…ok sorry). Retrograde, in fact, doesn’t mean anything. The way that we see Mercury this month makes it look like it’s rotation has reversed, that it’s orbiting in the opposite direction. This is more a trick of the eye than anything else, but because can see it, it drives us wacky! Mercury in retrograde is attributed to all kinds of hijinks, disruptions in communication, follow-through, and general organization. It’s a time to blame our problems on the disruption of the solar system…or is it?
Knowing that retrograde is a cosmic myth doesn’t change how it makes us act, but it can change how we perceive and channel these disruptions. Instead of using it as an excuse to not answer emails or text messages, why not use it to re-evaluate our lives, specifically in the realm of communication? I’d like to challenge myself, and anyone willing, to be more mindful this month about the more mindless forms of communication we engage in on a regular basis. What information am I taking in when I scroll through Facebook, or zip through Insta-stories? How is it making me feel? How do I let it affect me?
The saying for the month of Adar is as follows:
Mishenichnas Adar marbin b’simcha משנכנס אדר מרבין בשמחה
When [the month of] Adar arrives, we increase our joy!
This is a challenge, in many ways, and I intend to take it on. We are celebrating women, it’s a new month, Spring is coming, and the potential for joy is all around. This phrase, which is also a song we sing as we celebrate the arrival of the new month, is bouncing around my head — racking my brain for ways to increase joy. It is not automatic, it implies that we do something to actively increase the joy in our lives. Just because the moon is new and the earth is rotating and warming (for Springtime, not making a statement about global warming — though that is also happening), does not mean our hearts and souls automatically warm up. In fact, I nearly entered deeper into a funk this week — of mourning, of winter, of rigid scheduling, of business. It often feels much easier to let the “universe” happen to us, to blame it on Mercury, the moon, and the bustle of everyday life. Using personal agency is much for fulfilling, and invigorating. So I’d like to shake myself out of it, and get instead into the funk of silliness, joy, celebration, rejuvenation, life lived out loud! Mercury is in retrograde, and I am here for it.
