Retrogrades in Astrology can be looked at in two forms the Birth Chart and through Planetary Transits. Each of these types gives us a different feel so one could be felt collectively and the other in a Personal Chart.
One of the more prevalent planets to be Retrograde Natally happens to be Mercury. If you're born with Mercury Retrograde in reverse, you are in the 20 percentiles of the population to have it in your chart, which is expected considering Mercury's orbit with the Sun. This planet goes retrograde approximately three to 4 times a year, so the chances of having Mercury Retrograde in the Natal Chart are relatively high.
Mercury in Astrology is the way we think, speak, and understand our environment, so whenever this planet's expression turns inward, it brings out a person's non-linear side. The cool thing about having a Retrograde planet in a Birth Chart is that it allows you to be unique in that way, which does become a strength in the long run. With Mercury Natal RX, there is a more internal process of how the planet works.
Sure, it isn't easy having Retrogrades in your chart, especially with a personal planet like Mercury, so work through your struggles the best way you can at your own pace. It takes time to get where you want when there are difficult placements in your Natal Chart, but having planets in Retrograde doesn’t mean you are doomed in any way.
Natal Mercury Retrograde Experiences
Retrogrades have a unique way of playing out in our charts, but it isn't a one-size-fits-all condition. Everyone experiences their Natal Retrogrades differently, so you could have 4 of these themes while someone else has 8. It all depends on how Mercury is situated in your chart.
There are some things to consider when looking at your Retrograde because not all are created equal. Depending on what Sign Mercury is in plus Aspects, the conditions could be a breeze or feel more complex.
Here are some things to consider:
Is your Mercury in a Conjunction with the Sun? In other words, it could gain strength by being in something called a Cazimi, which is when these two planets are in exact conjunction by degree and seconds.
Alternatively, if your natal Mercury is within 17 degrees, it could feel burnt out or overpowered by solar energy in a situation called under the Beams.
Do you have any Conjunctions to other Planets? This could amplify your condition.
What kind of aspects is forming to Mercury from other planets; is there a lot of Trines and Sextiles or Square plus Oppositions?
With regards to placement, which house is the planet in? The houses are crucial because it could be in one it enjoys or another place it would rather not hang out.
The same goes for Sign, element, and mode; you want to look at what they are in as well.
The kind of Mercury Retrograde you have in your chart can vary, so check out some of these combinations to better understand how your Natal Inverse placement works. Having an Inverse Mercury can amplify this planet's effect in your life, and because it is in front of the Sun, you will feel the waves of the planet more than people who are born during Mercury Direct.
Natal Mercury Retrograde Themes
Here are some of the themes you could experience with this Inverse Cycle in your Natal Chart:
When it comes to being outgoing, most people with this particular Retrograde can be more introverted; there is a chance for some to become ambiverts. A smaller percentage of them convert into extroverts.
It causes one to be more in touch with their intuition and gut instincts, which is not Mercury's style.
People might have difficulty assimilating to what's considered the "Norm," which could cause them to be deemed unique, on the fringes, or statistically an outlier.
Because these individuals are more profound thinkers, they could find themselves going over things in their head, which causes them to go on a loop and ruminate about something that made them feel uncomfortable.
At times you could feel like it's hard getting the words out the way you're thinking about it in your head.
Your sense of humor is offbeat and sometimes more vivid than others
It's a good idea to give yourself more time to read things thoroughly and take a moment to complete a task because you could be the spacy type. So when it comes to documents, writing, and other work, you could find yourself going over it again and again.
Blind spots are something to be aware of because they could fog your judgment regarding others or your behavior.
Sometimes you could come off wrong to others because your communication style is on a different level.
Comprehension, verbal cues, reading the room, and overall how you take in data can sometimes be flipped. In other words, how you receive, information could be different than others.
Seeing things from a different perspective than others could make you something of a genius
Your communication style could seem quirky until people get to know you
Try to have a better relationship with your conscious mind
People born with Mercury Retrograde in the Natal Chart have the ability to be ultra-talented when it comes to writing, music, singing, poetry, math, marketing, becoming excellent public speakers, and anything techy.
Understandably, having challenges in your chart can be sucky, but it's actually something that will help you in the long run. This is because it gives you a higher chance of success. After all, you have to work harder than others, which means you go after what you want and don't back down easily.
You could seem more balanced when Mercury is in Retrograde. This is because you tend to do better when the planet isn't direct. After all, it's the frequency you're born with; therefore, you can adapt better than others.
Will My Natal Retrograde Go Direct?
Even though you are born with this Retrograde, it doesn't mean it won't go direct at some point in your life. This happens because our Natal planets go through their own growth period, which causes them to transition out of Retrogrades. We can look at this using a technique called Progressions.
In Progressions, it goes by a day equals a year. So say you were born four days before Mercury goes direct; this would mean that your Natal RX went out of Retrograde when you were four years old. If Mercury went out of Retrograde 25 days after your birthday, then that means at Twenty Five, your Natal Inverse Cycle ended.
If your Mercury goes Direct by Progression, you could notice that things in this area of life open up for you. So, if you felt blocked or stagnant in that area, you could see that over the next few years, things are slowly falling into place.
Is Your Mercury Retrograde Due To Past Life Karma?
Retrogrades in your Natal chart could feel stifling, but they serve to help your growth on a spiritual, psychological, emotional level and help you evolve as a soul. Think about what lessons your soul needs to learn for progressive purposes, what you might not have understood in a past life, or even what you need to currently master.
With Mercury or any planet in Retrograde, your soul could be working out circumstances from a previous life. When it comes to this particular celestial body, there could have been situations where you were stifled or overly dominant in conversations. In this life, you are working on balancing how you use your voice, whether that is about finding your expression or learning how not to control the narrative.
Another situation that might have popped up could have been your decision-making abilities. You could have been the type to rush in and not use your analytical skills, causing havoc, or you could have been stuck on a loop that made it impossible to make a decision.
These examples provided are just a few of the lessons that could come up.
Agility Is Found in Your Natal RX
Remember being born with Mercury Retro isn't a bad thing by any means. This allows you
to persevere and get in touch with your agility. Yes, that isn't the easiest and can feel like a significant uphill battle, so do your best to be kind and cut yourself some slack on those hard days. However, the more you push through your obstacles, you will reveal you're true potential.
Famous People Born With Mercury Retrograde.
Ansel Adams(Photographer), Rihanna Allan Alda, Donald Faison, Pamela Anderson, John Cena, John Oliver, Monica Lewinsky, Maya Rudolph, Kobe Bryant, Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Tim Burton, Blair Underwood, Kel Mitchel, Monica, Miley Cyrus, Garcelle Beauvais, Ben Stiller, Janelle Monae, Howard Hughs