Mercury retrograde 2021 begins on May 29 at 24° Gemini and ends on June 22 at 16° Gemini.

Mercury retrograde is generally associated with communication and technology breakdowns, nervous anxiety, travel delays, and lost items. Mercury retrograde May 2021 is square Neptune which means you cannot trust what you hear or read. It brings lies, deception, confusion, fraud, conspiracy theories, and propaganda.

More detail about Mercury retrograde May 2021 follows some general information at retrograde Mercury in transit. Information about Mercury retrograde in the natal chart can be found at the end of this article.

Mercury Retrograde Meaning

Transiting Mercury in retrograde is a regular cycle occurring three or four times a year for about 24 days. While this is more frequent than any other planet, Mercury is still only retrograde 19% of the time. This is far less than Jupiter outwards, but more than Venus and Mars.

The retrograde Mercury phase is just one part of the retrograde cycle. The whole cycle includes Mercury going direct, retrograde, and direct again over the same degrees, or the retrograde zone. The two direct phases are called the shadow periods. The illustration below shows the apparent retrograde motion of Mercury as seen from Earth.

Retrograde Mercury brings communication and technology breakdowns, nervous anxiety, travel delays, and lost items. There is a feel of a difficult Mercury–Saturn aspect to Mercury in retrograde. You can also expect to dwell on things, reminisce about the past, or unexpectedly meet up with people from your past. While the retrograde period might be good for flicking through old photo albums, it is generally considered more of a nuisance than a benefit.

Mercury transiting in retrograde motion can play havoc with your thoughts, communications, travels, and electronics. Take extra care with your words and try not to react too quickly in any arguments or if provoked. Take some time out if you start to feel overwhelmed by the hectic pace. Double-check all of your emails and posts on Facebook before hitting the send button.

Business negotiations will be in a state of flux so avoid signing contracts. Some important details will not yet be available, and others may be unreliable or dishonest. If going on a road trip then make sure you get your car serviced beforehand. The riskiest times for decision-making, negotiations, communication, and transport are the few days on either side of the exact retrograde and direct stations. However, care should still be taken during the retrograde period.

Mercury Retrograde May 2021

The retrograde phase is just one part of the Mercury retrograde cycle. The whole cycle includes Mercury going direct, retrograde, and direct again over the same degrees, or the retrograde zone (16° to 24° Gemini). The two direct phases are known as shadow periods. The three phases of Mercury retrograde May 2021:

1. May 14 to 29 – The first shadow phase from Mercury entering the retrograde zone until Mercury stationary retrograde (16° to 24° Gemini).
2. May 29 to June 22 – The Retrograde phase lasts from Mercury stationary retrograde until the Mercury direction station (24° to 16° Gemini).
3. June 22 to July 7 – The second shadow phase lasts from Mercury stationary direct until Mercury leaving the retrograde zone (16° to 24° Gemini).

Mercury Enters Retrograde Zone

Mercury enters the retrograde zone on Friday, May 14, 2021, at 16°07′ Gemini [see chart]. During the first shadow period, you will get an idea of the thinking, communication, or transport issues that will arise during the retrograde phase.

Mercury Stationary Retrograde

Mercury stations retrograde on Saturday, May 29, 2021, at 24°43′ Gemini. The most important influence on Mercury retrograde May 2021 is the testing red square aspects from Mercury and Venus to Neptune. The green quincunx aspects to the Moon and Pluto adds to the challenges. There are more positive blue sextile aspects but with much larger aspect orbs, they are weak in comparison. The fixed stars that align with Mercury reinforce the deceptive and unfortunate influence of the aspects.

Planetary Aspects

Mercury conjunct Venus makes love relationships, socializing, finances, and business matters major themes of Mercury retrograde May 2021. This alignment usually helps you share your affections and brings harmonious interactions. But this conjunction square Neptune and quincunx Pluto is more likely to bring lies and deception.

Mercury square Neptune stays within a two-degree orb from May 25 to June 9. Climaxing on May 22 and June 5, it causes confusion, deception, insecurity, and misunderstanding. Distorted thinking can complicate discussions and business dealings. So it is important to listen carefully and speak in simple, clear terms. Allow no room for misinterpretation. If you must deal with any important business, government, or legal matters, seek professional advice or help from a trusted friend.

You really must avoid treachery and scandal. Even little white lies could lead to major embarrassment or the need for more convoluted cover-ups. Avoid conspiracy theories or strange and extreme spiritual and religious views. Protect yourself against loan sharks, pushy salespeople, cult leaders, and psychic vampires. You may be more susceptible to infection, poisoning or overdose.

Venus square Neptune gives a heightened need for tenderness but also increases the risk of over-idealization. A tendency to form a distorted image of someone else could lead to disappointment, scandal, and being taken advantage of. Matters of trust may become an issue in relationships. Having an affair during Mercury retrograde 2021 would prove difficult to hide.

Low self-esteem and feelings of insecurity are possible. You could feel that others are looking at you oddly or are thinking you are strange in some way. It is important to realize that any such impressions are distorted and do not match reality.

With both Mercury and Venus square Neptune, it is very easy to become confused, deceived, and generally get the wrong impression. This applies to your thoughts, communications, love life, finances, business dealings, and also your health and diet.

Moon quincunx Mercury can make you cunning, astute, excitable, restless, inconsistent, and nervous, with a tendency to gossip. An imbalance between your intellect and emotions can make it difficult to solve problems. You may speak before thinking or blurt out secrets.

Avoid reading more into things than is actually there. Sometimes, reading between the lines is revealing. Just make sure you also read what is on the lines. Your true feelings may be hidden from you. If so, it will become harder to understand and express your feelings.

Moon quincunx Venus increases your need for love and affection but can also increase relationship tension. The other person will usually be a female or close relative such as your mother, but may also be an intimate male friend or lover. Any tension would probably be due to an imbalance involving emotional support and love. The amount of love received is not the same as the amount given.

Continued tension can escalate to a tipping point where something must give to restore the balance. This can range from an argument to a love affair. A secret friendship or affair would usually be with a friend, colleague, or relative of the partner being cheated on. You could also seek emotional comfort in sweet food or drugs. Even if you are single, you may still experience an internal imbalance involving self-love and how you feel about yourself.

Mercury quincunx Pluto gives serious, dark, and intense thoughts. It makes it harder for you to think and communicate in a direct fashion but is good for research and investigation. Beware of becoming involved in plots and schemes because of a tendency to get involved in complex disputes and arguments that are difficult to resolve.

The words you say can create intrigue but also confusion and fear. You could be accused of things you did not do or at the very least, make people become suspicious of you. Be extremely clear in your intentions and with your words. You must definitely avoid intentional deception or fraud.

Venus quincunx Pluto makes friendships and love relationships even more complicated and complex. You could get involved with people who are difficult to get along with but are hard to get away from. You may be fascinated by them or circumstances force you to be together or work together.

For karmic reasons, certain people may come into your life, cause drama and then leave. You could also form relationships with people who try to control you, invade your privacy, and take away your freedom. On the other hand, you might become possessive and demanding of your loved ones, becoming jealous and interfering, or too demanding of your friends.

The Fixed Stars

Mercury stations retrograde is in the Sign of Gemini. But as the star map below shows, it is in the Constellation of Taurus. This is because the precession of the equinoxes has moved the Sun Signs almost a whole Sign out of alignment with the Constellations from which they were named, over 2000 years ago.

More specifically, Mercury and Venus are between the Horns of the Bull. They also align with the Belt of Orion. These degrees are the busiest in the sky for major fixed stars. But unfortunately, as you might expect for the tip of a raging bull’s horn, the influence is combative and violent.

22♊41 – δ Orionis, Mintaka
22♊51 – β Tauri, El Nath
23♊16 – ι Orionis, Ensis
23♊45 – ε Orionis, Alnilam
24♊43 – Mercury Retrograde
24♊58 – ζ Orionis, Alnitak
25♊04 – ζ Tauri, Tianguan (El Nath)
25♊34 – Venus
26♊41 – κ Orionis, Saiph

Fixed star Alnilam gives fleeting public honors. ^[1] Alnilam gives a combative nature with the tongue, and sometimes manually too, which can lead to misfortune. ^[2]

With Mercury (0°57′): Hasty, quick temper, quarrels with associates, domestic disharmony through actions, troubles through writings, and the opposite sex. ^[1]

With Venus (1°49′): Trouble through love affairs, scandal, enemies among women. ^[1]

Orion’s Belt gives strength, energy, industry, organizing abilities, notoriety, good fortune, lasting happiness, a sharp mind, and a good memory. ^[1] It was said to presage those who were “passionately devoted to hunting, but not noble hunting with falcon or bow”. ^[3]

Constellation Orion is said to give a strong and dignified nature, self-confidence, inconstancy, arrogance, violence, impiety, prosperity in trade and particularly by voyages or abroad, but danger of treachery and poison. ^[1]

Fixed star Tianguan (Al Hecka) gives violence, male violence, and danger of accidents. ^[1] Al Hecka is counted as an unfortunate star. It gives the same combative nature as Alnilam ^[2]

With Mercury (0°21′): Hasty temper, selfishness, greed, dissipation, legal and business troubles, poor health, domestic troubles and separation from wife or children, low companions, loss of wealth, and poverty. ^[1]

With Venus (0°30′): Unfortunate, low companions, bad environment. ^[1]

Mercury Direct June 2021

Mercury stations direct on Tuesday, June 22, 2021, at 16°07′ Gemini. Thankfully, as the chart below shows, the only major aspect to Mercury direct is the harmonious blue trine aspect to Saturn.

Mercury trine Saturn is like the polar opposite of Mercury square Neptune. You can now trust that what people say is the truth. You can also trust your own judgment. With good concentration and attention to detail, you will get things done neatly, without mistakes, and on time. So this is a good time for sustained mental work like study or doing your tax, making important decisions, and for serious discussions, negotiations, and business dealings.

With common sense and an eye toward practical results, this is also a good time to make long-term plans and to sign contracts, especially those involving real estate and shares. You can also be confident about making commitments to others at this time. Whatever you put your mind to should lead to permanent results and achievements. New friendships and partnerships should be lasting and dependable.

• Mercury leaves the retrograde on Wednesday, July 7, 2021, at 24°43′ Gemini. [see chart].
• For more detail on how Mercury retrograde May 2021 aspects your birth chart, see Mercury Transits.

Mercury Retrograde 2021 Dates

• January 30 to February 21, 2021 – 26° to 11° Aquarius.
• May 30 to June 23, 2021 – 24° to 16° Gemini.
• September 27 to October 18, 2021 – 25° to 10° Libra

Natal Mercury Retrograde Meaning

Natal Mercury in retrograde motion suggests there may have been a problem with how you thought and communicated in an earlier life. Perhaps you gave someone bad advice that had critical repercussions. Perhaps you were prone to making costly mistakes. Maybe you wrote slanderous material about someone in a book or newspaper, or verbally teased and abused people.

Whatever the circumstances of the previous significant incarnation, you come into this life with those bad memories etched in your soul. You probably don’t recognize them as memories but as déjà vu or unexplained guilt. A repeating theme of challenging events related to your past is likely, especially when young. The aim is to perfect those areas of thought and communication which once let you down. As your communication skills improve with experience, your karmic debt will be repaid and you can get off the roundabout.

Natal retrograde Mercury can show as learning difficulties, especially with reading, writing, and comprehension. You could be a shy, quiet person whose thoughts have turned in. Hesitant to speak up for yourself, you may miss out on many opportunities in life. This difficulty in expressing yourself can make you feel awkward in company, and lead to low self-esteem. You may experience teasing or verbal abuse, be nagged and criticized, or fall victim to slander and lies. Contracts may also cause problems and like so many things, lead to complications further down the track.

Retrograde Mercury only lasts for about three weeks so Mercury is going to turn direct at some stage in your progressed chart (where one day equals one year). After a couple of years, you will notice that your communication style improves and you can express yourself more freely. However, the opposite can also occur and someone with Mercury direct in their natal chart may experience progressed Mercury in retrograde motion later in life. I experienced this from age 13 to 37 and it was very profound. I even stopped reading books.

If you have Mercury retrograde in your natal or progressed chart then you can expect to make more rapid progress during transits of Mercury in retrograde motion. Use this ephemeris to see if Mercury changes direction in your progressed chart.

References

1. Fixed Stars and Constellations in Astrology, Vivian E. Robson, 1923, p.55, 125, 128, 156.
2. The Living Stars, Dr. Eric Morse, 1988, p.39, 135.
3. Fixed Stars and Judicial Astrology, George Noonan, 1990, p.59.

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