It’s that time again—Mercury’s three-week backpedal, aka Mercury Retrograde. There are few astrological transits more frustrating than the communications and tech snafus of Mercury Retrograde, but fret not. If Mercury Retrograde is messing with your life, we have a few crystals that can help!
What is Mercury Retrograde?
Simply put, when “Mercury is in retrograde,” life gets a bit more complicated. Mercury Retrograde is a phenomenon that occurs when Mercury’s 88-day orbit lines up with Earth’s 365-day orbit in such a way that it appears to move backwards.
Of course, this is merely an optical illusion as Mercury overtakes the Earth in its orbit. Astrologically speaking, however, this retrograde motion can bring with it a string of difficulty in communication and organization for even the most type-A people.
Common occurrences during this time are: misunderstandings, 404 errors, dropped calls, social media outages, miscommunication, traffic jams and cancelled flights, just to name a few.
Mercury Retrograde also has a reputation for impacting people’s moods, causing brain fog, amping up anxiety, and flaring tempers, making it even more important to protect yourself during this time.
What Crystals Can Help During Mercury Retrograde?
1. Clean Up Your Energy with Clear Quartz
First up (and possibly best known) is Clear Quartz. Clear quartz is tied to illumination and healing, and can amplify the effects of other stones and crystals. Use Clear Quartz to cleanse negativity, promote harmony, and manifest positive intentions. Keeping this around while Mercury is in Retrograde will help you see through conflict and create more positive energy during challenging times.
2. Beat Insomnia with Amethyst
February’s birthstone and a violet member of the Quartz family, Amethyst alleviates stress and anxiety, promotes sleep, and soothes irritability. Pair Amethyst with lavender to wipe out worry and catch some much-needed rest.
3. Soothe Overwhelm with Aquamarine
Known for its calming and protective properties, as well as its empowering qualities, Aquamarine is a great to have around if you’re sensitive or have a lot on your plate. All eyes on you? No problem! Aquamarine also promotes tolerance and fair judgement, protects relationships, and quiets busy minds.
4. Practice Self-Care with Rose Quartz
Counteract Mercury Retrograde’s communications snafus with the powerful energy of Rose Quartz. Commonly associated with love and romance, Rose Quartz attracts all kinds of love, including self-love. Known for its calming and reassuring energy, Rose Quartz is a great choice if your self-confidence needs a boost during this time.
5. Reset Your Mindset with Selenite
Confused about which steps to take next? Selenite is for you. Named after Selene, the Greek goddess of the moon, Selenite is most commonly sought out for cleansing, purification, and increased clarity. Use in conjunction with daily meditation to amplify discernment and get a better perspective of difficult situations. Hold it or keep it close to regulate the nervous system and quell that anxiety that comes with these planetary problems.
6. Calm Conflict with Amazonite
Amazonite is a soothing stone, ideal for calming thoughts and emotions. If Mercury Retrograde leaves you frustrated and feeling the urge to react to relationships, give Amazonite a try. In addition to balancing masculine and feminine energies, it can also heighten trust and regulate emotional blockages. Amazonite is wonderful stone for healing communication challenges, which generally occur when Mercury is out of wack.
7. Detoxify with Garnet
Garnet has a reputation of transmuting negative energies to a more beneficial state. Historically, Garnet has been used to detoxify the body and assist in times of malaise. Use as a protective talisman against the lure of bad habits and to reinforce healthier lifestyle choices.
8. Express Yourself with Sodalite
This stone is so delightful (get it), a gorgeous blue, Sodalite is known as the stone of communication and confidence. It provides clear expression of thoughts and feelings, aids in written and verbal communication as well as assists in releasing fear of judgement. It’s also great for self-acceptance, bringing peace and inspiration to one’s life. Since Mercury messes with communication so intentsely, having Sodalite on your wrist or in your gemstone arsenal is essential.
Mercury Retrograde is Only a Warning, Not a Worry
Mercury Retrograde is an intense period of energetic change, not a harbinger of doom. While there is anecdotal evidence that planetary alignments can affect mood, mind, and body, it shouldn’t make you anxious or fearful. Think of astrology as a weather forecast rather than divine prophecy. Get a few of the crystals above and move the Mercury Retrograde with ease!
