Mercury ‘retroshade’: Sorry, but this pre and post shadow period means Mercury retrograde is already here

While Mercury, the wily planet of communication, doesn’t station retrograde until November 9th, we’re locked and loaded to experience a lovely little preview of its hijinks. We’re talking shadows, folks, as we will feel effects of the slowdown for up to two weeks before and after, a charming/jarring little prologue/epilogue known as the pre- and post-retrograde shadow period.

Or, if you’re the whimsical type, Mercury “retroshade.”

What is retroshade?

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Mercury retroshade refers to the two weeks immediately preceding the transit and the two weeks following it. Known as the pre- and post-retrograde shadow, these bookends bring the same emotionally congested and off-kilter energy as the retrograde transit, but offer lessons in preparation and integration.

In this latest round, Mercury’s pre-retrograde/retroshade shadow begins on October 21, and the post-retrograde shadow extends through December 16.

The fastest-moving planet in our solar system, Mercury, goes retrograde three to four times a year.

When you factor in the shadow periods of the retrograde, we spend up to six months a year at the mercy of Mercury’s slowdown showdown.

When does retroshade start?

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Mercury begins its pre-shadow phase when the planet crosses the zodiac degree in which it will eventually station directly.

When Mercury officially stalls out in the sky, we give it the doom-leaning name “the storm.” This takes place twice — the day the planet turns retrograde and the day it turns direct.

The day before, the day of, and the day after are all a part of this storm energy, and it’s when things are extremely chaotic and confusing. You can’t see the forest through the trees nor the stars through the cosmic debris.

From the day it turns retrograde until the day it turns direct, Mercury is in its official retrograde period, generally lasting about three weeks. During this handful of weeks, everything that was slowing down and causing confusion in the pre-shadow calls for a review.

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Frustrations, delays, obstacles, and exhaustion, guaranteed.

After Mercury turns direct and undergoes the second storm, it will gradually regain speed until it crosses the degree it initially stationed retrograde in. This is called the post-shadow phase or, again, “retroshade.”

Everything that broke down during the pre-shadow and retrograde will finally become clear as you sort yourself out of the rubble and find a better path forward.

What can we learn from Mercury retroshade?

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Many an astrophile considers Mercury retrograde a three-part series: setting the stage (pre-shadow), a chaotic climax (retrograde), followed by a little tidy-up after the main event (post-shadow)

As the planet readies itself for retrograde, the pre-shadow can amplify anxiety and make unresolved issues, looming exes, and general emotional chaffing more present and pressing; cue the overthinking, the messy expressions, and the questionable logic.

In contrast, the post-retrograde retroshade can bring clarity and finality to circumstances we may have been battling during the storm surge and its fallout.

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Even and especially in slow motion, astrology is not malevolent but momentous, pushing us forward, oft uncomfortably, toward personal evolution.

When is the next Mercury retrograde?

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The next Mercury retrograde, and the last one of this year, goes down, or back as it were, in Sagittarius and Scorpio from November 9th to November 29th.

The pre-retrograde/retroshade period will extend from October 21 to November 9, and the post-retrograde period will reign from November 29th to December 16.

Look alive, folks!

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Astrology 101: Your guide to the stars

• The 12 zodiac signs
• What are the astrology houses
• Here’s what each planet represents
• Sun, moon, and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3

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Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience. To book a reading, visit her website.

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