Tips to Avoid Overwhelm during Mercury Retrograde

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By Allyson O’Hara-Cribdon

On 13 December, the Messenger of the Gods, Mercury ♑, entered the Retrograde (Rx) Phase of his final retrograde journey of 2023. Even though many may blame our winged friend for miscommunications (what was that text truly saying?), for travel delays (holiday season queues always bring holiday cheer!), and for technology having unexpected issues (how did the Smartphone screen break?), the learning journey that Mercury Rx provides is exciting: these next few weeks will reveal amazing opportunities to create more empowered, authentic modes of communication. This is reason enough for celebration.

However, when Mercury Retrograde occurs, we can feel a bit unbalanced and overwhelmed as we retrace old ground, reflect over our lives so far for clues about where we can improve ourselves, and travel through our lessons toward gaining greater clarity about becoming the highest versions of ourselves. Mercury loves taking things apart and putting them back together again: he enjoys changing and leveling things up! We will be engaged in exactly this process during his retrograde journey: we are essentially transforming and evolving, so a little disharmony can naturally occur. The hungry caterpillar needs to break free of his cocoon in order to fly as a magnificent butterfly.

That said, a few easy tips can assist you to avoid overwhelm successfully during this holiday season Mercury Retrograde (see “Woo Hoo! Mercury Retrograde is Here to Empower You!” for additional details).

Tip #1: Take small breaks just to Breathe throughout the day.

With so much scattered mind-energy surrounding as we double- and triple-check correspondences and try to avoid brain-fog, pausing for even one minute to inhale and exhale deeply five time can make a significant difference in the way we feel and perceive the world around us. We can thus make better decisions from a calmer, more empowered place.

Suggestion: Set a timer for once every hour, or ideally every 20 or 30 minutes, to pause to breathe for 1 minute, or longer if time allows. The 20- or 30-minute is optimal as it allows whatever you were focusing on or studying to ground into your long-term memory. Our beautiful minds also thrive on variety, so a little change at these intervals will improve our brain health.

Tip #2: Keep Hydrated throughout the day.

This goes without saying, but we often forget how important hydration is; keeping hydrated during Mercury Rx is even more vital. With all the sparkling electro-magnetic vibrations caused by the increased mental activity flowing through us and being carried via our nervous systems to our cells, water – especially naturally mineralized water – will help harmonize the current. Once again, as our nervous system calms, we can make better choices.

Suggestion: Set a timer for once every hour to drink a glass of pure or naturally mineralized water. Before you drink your water, spell your water with a positive affirmation – for example, I experience joy in simple pleasures – or word – such as Happiness and Love. Then, as you are savouring your water, imagine that this positivity is cascading through your system. You will be amazed at how you will feel by the end of your day.

Tip #3: Spend Time in Nature daily or bring Nature into the Home.

During this period of shifting our outdated modes of communication and adopting new, healthier modes of expression, we may feel unbalanced. Mother Nature naturally grounds any excess energy and transmutes it to where it is needed, making us feel more alive and joyous.

Suggestion: Schedule a time during your day to take a walk in a natural setting such as in a park or by the ocean; make sure to schedule this as you would any client or professional appointment as spending time in Nature is just as important.

As you walk, randomly observe what is stimulating your physical senses. What do you see? A squirrel running up a tree? What do you hear? A bird’s sweet melody? What you smell? The aroma of the hot tea from your travel mug? What do you taste? The lingering essence of the peppermint candy cane you stirred in your hot cocoa? What do you feel? The fuzzy texture of your knit gloves? Engaging in the full sensory experience naturally calms and centres you.

You can also bring Nature into your home. Fresh flowers with a fragrance bring joy that permeates toward every corner of the home. At this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere, you can find various wreathes of pine, cedar, and fir with which you can adorn your dining room table; this traditional fare naturally invites the festive season in. As with a walk in Nature, each time you pass notice one of these natural elements, go through the sensory process and allow yourself to relax and ground.

Tip #4: Get Plenty of Sleep.

Once again, with the increased mental activity of this Phase, the brain requires adequate time to detoxify, which occurs during our sleeping hours. When you experience a good night’s deep restorative sleep, you wake up refreshed and invigorated, which lends itself to your making decerning, empowered choices.

Suggestion: As Mercury Rx addresses our modes of organization and as the Messenger of the Gods travels through Capricorn, associated with structure and long-term intentions, during the first part of his journey, this is a favourable time to experiment with a new bed-time routine. This may involve limiting your screen time before bed to allow your eyes and brain to rest or preparing your outfit for the next day so that you feel less rushed in the morning and can take time to savour your morning beverage. This may involve going to bed earlier or enjoying a relaxing bath with detoxifying salts and essential oils before going to bed. Let your Intuition guide you toward what the perfect bed-time routine is for you and try it out. You may be thankful you did.

Tip #5 Communicate with your Intuition and Higher Self.

We create greater awareness as we converse with out Intuition – our connection to the Divine and Spiritual Realm – as we can ask for guidance and assistance for navigating this time. But, we have to follow through with the answers we receive so that Spirit knows that we are listening and can put more opportunities for abundance and ease in our path. Spirit is our co-creative partner with an infinite amount of inspiration; we solely need to tune in to receive this wealth of wisdom. Did you know that we create new neural synapses and pathways as we converse with higher vibrational frequencies? How cool is that: we can improve our brains as we enrich our spirit and calm our emotions! This will obviously assist us in making empowered choices.

Suggestion: You can connect with your Intuition and with Spirit in many ways, some of which we have touched on in the other Tips. You can easily incorporate tuning in to your Intuition when you pause for your minute-breath, just add in the focused thought-feeling that you wish to converse with your Higher Self or Universal Consciousness. Whilst you stroll in Nature, acknowledge and appreciate the vitality in every living thing as connected with the Energy of All. Be creative and curious, allowing yourself to be guided toward the best way that you can connect in with your Intuition and converse in a language that you can understand. Your perspective of life will be forever changed.

Tip #6: Use the Resources in Our Magical Satchels.

We all possess resources that can help us gain Clarity and navigate this Phase effectively and easily. These resources can include drawing clarity oracle or tarot cards in the morning as indicators of what the themes of your day may involve; as you review your day in the evening, note how these themes played out and how successful you were. Carrying around and/or holding crystals to amplify the qualities we need strengthened assists in shifting our energies toward harmony and calm. Using calming essential oils offers another layer of energy to relax our precious minds. Journaling about what is transpiring in our environment also allows us to release what we may be holding within. Experiment with various resources to see what works its magic for you.

Suggestion: Create your personal Mercury Rx Magical Satchel that is readily available for you when you begin to feel overwhelmed with your environment. In a visually pleasing box or on a separate bookshelf or sacred space, place items that make you feel happy and joyous and items to help you calm yourself. These items might include a picture of your children as smiling babies, a bottle of lavender or rose essential oil, an amethyst palm stone, a deck of oracle cards, a favourite pen and tactilely pleasant journal, a box of triple-layer Kleenex, and an apricot-coloured seashell that holds happy travel memories. Whatever you are guided to place in your Magical Satchel is perfect for you. Just remember to use the resources when you need to!

Tip #7: Celebrate All Successes, no matter how minute.

To strengthen our motivation and to lift our vibrations, celebrate any success, even small ones, which could include solely becoming aware of something – some pattern or habit – that needs to shift. When we celebrate and embrace joy, we naturally vibrate at a higher frequency, allowing us to access clear directions on our magnificent unfolding paths, causing us to feel empowered and to make decisions accordingly.

Suggestion: A celebration can include anything from taking some time out to read a favourite book, sitting on the patio with a fine beverage with a little umbrella to add some fun, indulging in a leisurely bath, taking a well-deserved nap with your favourite pillow and blanket, to sitting in front of the hearth to enjoy the crackle of the fire’s flames. Choose a way to celebrate that appeals to you and take the time for you to enjoy your successes: you deserve it!

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