First Mercury Retrograde of 2022 Explained

The first Mercury Retrograde of 2022 is here… Our cosmic messenger stations to go retrograde in eccentric Aquarius on January 14. It will finish the retrograde in the fixed earth sign of Capricorn on February 3.

Mercury goes retro 3-4 times a year. It is the most common planetary retrograde cycle there is. However, this retro journey is a big deal because of various planetary alignments happening in the sky.

What Does It Actually Mean when a Planet Goes Retrograde?

Retrograde motion is when a planet appears to go backwards in its orbit, when observed from Earth. Astronomers refer to this as “apparent retrograde motion,” because it is just an optical illusion.

In Astrology, the significance of planets’ retrograde periods is much deeper and more meaningful than just an apparent motion.

Retrograde periods are fairly rare occurrences. Most of the planets are moving direct most of the time, therefore direct motion becomes ‘normal’. Retrograde motion therefore becomes somewhat of an exception to the rule.

What Does Planet Mercury Represent in Astrology?

The planet Mercury governs over our mind, our thoughts, our learning abilities, processing of information, speech, communication and technology. Think of Mercury as a software to your physical body. It has a massive effect on how we interact with the world, how we process and express our thoughts.

If we look at the Mythology behind Hermes (the counterpart to Mercury), he had all the knowledge and was the traveller between two worlds.

Mercury takes our internal self and expresses it out into the world.

Our internal, private self is represented mainly by our natal Moon (Relevant article: Understanding Your Moon Placement: the Key to Unlock your Subconscious). The Moon governs over our creativity, our emotions, our feelings. And Mercury is the messenger who processes and expresses all of it out into the world.

Mercury Retrograde in a Nutshell

Mercury retrogrades are great for letting go of certain things, thoughts, limiting beliefs that are no longer relevant and stopping us from living our life to the fullest.

I always think of it as a software upgrade process on a smart phone. Just think about how many times you need to upgrade software on your phone or computer to ensure it performs at its highest capacity.

We are actually doing exactly the same thing when Mercury is in retrograde: we are updating and upgrading our lives so we can function better.

So it is only natural that during Mercury retrogrades things are slowing down. It takes time to upgrade the system to the next level. As with our smart phones, upgrading doesn’t happen instantly. It is going to take time to complete certain tasks. So it is vital to stay cool, calm and collected during Mercury retro season. Don’t be too harsh on yourself or others if things don’t go as smoothly as you have hoped for.

Mercury Retrograde: Survival Guide

Keywords to describe Mercury retrograde: re-evaluate, revisit, rethink, re-do, re-organize, rearrange, re-position, re-launch. So make sure you engage in these activities more often than initiating brand new things.

Mercury retrogrades are notorious for all sorts of delays and last-minute changes when it comes to travel, meetings and everything to do with communication. Be extra cautions when sending texts and emails. They may end up with the wrong person!

It is usually recommended not to plan any long distance travels during this time. You can, however, travel to the destinations you’ve visited in the past. At the end of the day, you are re-visiting the place!

 I had one of the best holidays during Mercury retrogrades when we traveled to the places we had visited previously.

Do not put your life on hold during Mercury retrograde! Just be aware of its influence and use this energy to your advantage. It can be a really productive time that gives you an opportunity to re-evaluate and re-organise certain areas of your life.

The Cosmic Weather Report

An interesting thing about this Mercury retro cycle is that it starts in the air sign of Aquarius and finishes in the earth sign of Capricorn.

This Mercury retrograde activates the ongoing Saturn – Uranus square. It goes retrograde right next to Saturn at 10 degrees of Aquarius, squaring Uranus at 11 degrees of Taurus.

At the end of this cycle, Mercury stations direct on Pluto at 26 degrees of Capricorn.

These are some pretty heavy influences.

We can expect the rise of investigative journalism. Some pretty shocking, scandalous wrongdoings and cover-ups involving the rich and famous and even governments might be exposed in the press since both Pluto and Saturn are involved.

Interestingly, Venus will be in retrograde at the same time as Mercury, going direct on January 29. This double retro cycle can certainly activate themes from the past especially when it comes to return of the exes…. They may just message you out of the blue. It is a very common occurrence during both Venus and Mercury retrogrades. And now they are both in retro…. This is a double whammy for sure!

---

Before we dive in, be sure to check your Ascendant, Moon and Sun signs to get a full picture. When you read a horoscope for your Sun sign only, you only get a glimpse of what’s in store for your personal and professional life. Your Sun sign (related to the day you were born) might be an important component of your identity, but it’s only a small fraction of the whole story. Very often, your Ascendant (or Rising sign) is the most accurate representation of you as an individual, as it rules your first house of the self and therefore has the biggest impact on your personal horoscope. 

The Moon sign represents your emotional and psychological imprint and is worth checking out as well, especially if your primary focus at present is on matters of the heart. (Related article: Big 3 in Your Birth Chart: Why It Is Crucial for Unlocking Your Destiny )

---

Mercury Retrograde  – What’s in Store for Aries

This Mercury retrograde is happening in your 11th house of social groups, networks, big gains, long-term goals and aspirations. Now is a great time to re-evaluate your social circle.

Perhaps it’s time to distance yourself from certain acquaintances? This retrograde can open your eyes to who your true friends are.

Focus on re-evaluating your previous social goals, rather than just constantly networking and socialising.

You can bump into an old friend or reconnect with a working colleague from the past. Pay attention to these reconnections as they may be beneficial for your current situation and perhaps you guys can collaborate or a project or even start a new business venture together. Just wait till Mercury goes direct on February 3 before the actual project launch.

What’s in Store for Taurus

This Mercury retrograde is activating your 10th house of career and public image.

You may hear from your previous boss who can even offer you a new job!

Now is a great time to re-asset and re-evaluate your public image. There might be some frustrations with regards to communication at work. Be extra cautious when sending emails! They may end up with the wrong person by mistake. Now is not the best time to start a brand new job. However, you can successfully reapply for a job that you really wanted, but didn’t get in the past.

What’s in Store for Gemini

This Mercury retrograde is happening in your 9th house of higher education, international travels and spirituality. Now is a great time to re-evaluate your belief system. It is actually a good period for travelling to a place you have visited in the past. Perhaps you were working on writing a book some time ago but never managed to finish it? Now is a great time to pick it up again so it can finally see the light of day.

You may feel a strong urge to go back to a meditation class you used to attend in the past. Go for it! Reconnecting with your higher self is especially favoured at this time. You may discover some valuable insights that will help you see your past mistakes from a different angle.

What’s in Store for Cancer

This Mercury retrograde is activating your 8th house of of intimacy, hidden past traumas, shared resources and taxes. Use this time to re-evaluate your closest intimate relationships. You can experience a breakthrough when it comes to healing past traumas and emotional wounds. It is a great time to re-visit your trusted therapist and continue working on your healing.

The issues surrounding your shared resources with your partner maybe highlighted at this time. It can be a good time to re-apply for a business loan or credit card you didn’t manage to get in the past. However, it is advisable to wait until the end of the retrograde to apply for new loans or grants.

What’s in Store for Leo

This Mercury retrograde is activating your 7th house of partnerships, clients and the public.

You may feel a deep desire to reevaluate your past relationships. Be warned that there might be some issues and tensions in relationships caused by miscommunication.

Don’t forget that Venus is still in retrograde in Capricorn. It is not advisable to start a brand you connection at this time. But don’t put your love life on hold entirely, either!

This Mercury retrograde can be an excellent opportunity to re-evaluate and reset current partnerships.

Since both Venus and Mercury are in retrograde until January 29, there is a really big chance you may hear from your ex at this time. Bear in mind this isn’t always a good thing… It may be a test from the Universe to see if you learnt the lesson and are now ready to move on to bigger & better things, dear Leo.

Mercury Retrograde  – What’s in Store for Virgo

Well, Virgos, this is your house and Mercury is your ruling planet! You may reap the biggest rewards during this Mercury retrograde, than any other sign of the Zodiac.

This Mercury is happening in your 6th house. It is an excellent opportunity to re-organise your workspace. It can be a pleasant, even therapeutic activity for you, dear Virgos.

Remember you may be having some issues and last-minute changes to your schedule. Don’t be surprised if appointments get missed and people forget to show up at important meetings.

In terms of health, don’t panic if something unexpected comes up in this area. It is absolutely vital to get a second opinion when Mercury goes direct. Medical mistakes can happen at this time so it is important to double check everything at this time before you start to panic!

This retrograde can be super beneficial for you if you are planning to re-evaluate your health regimen. Perhaps the diet you’ve been following for a while is no longer working for you. Maybe you need to switch up your exercise routine to achieve better results with your training?

What’s in Store for Libra

This Mercury retrograde is illuminating your 5th house of fun, creative hobbies, love, romance and children.

It’s time to step back and hit reset button if you are feeling creatively stuck. Strengthen your muscle of re-focusing. Now is an excellent opportunity to pick up your favourite hobby that you put a side due to your busy schedule.

If you have children, it’s time to focus on them. Spend more time with your kids. Go, visit their favourite places and have fun!

What’s in Store for Scorpio

This Mercury retrograde is happening in your 4th house of home and family of origin.

Now is a great time to plan home renovation, just don’t start it while both Venus and Mercury are retrograde! You may regret it afterwards.

It could be a great time to re-visit your family and place of origin.

You may feel a strong urge to re-evaluate your outlook when it comes to home and family. Perhaps you want to move to another house or even different location in 2022?

Just make sure you plan everything well ahead and remain cautious. Wait till Mercury goes direct to execute those relocation plans to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible.

What’s in Store for Sagittarius

This Mercury retrograde is activating the 3rd house of your chart. Excellent time to re-evaluate your involvement with your local neighborhood, siblings, schoolmates, and extended family. You may also feel a strong urge to go back to school. 

This is a Gemini house ruled by Mercury. Your communication can suffer quite a bit during this time. Be extra cautious when sending texts or emails! They may end up with the wrong person.

Do double check important business emails for typos and spelling mistakes. Double and triple check your schedule and appointments’ times to ensure you don’t miss an important meeting.

What’s in Store for Capricorn

This Mercury retrograde is activating your 2nd house of income, personal possessions and values. There might be a significant shift in your income. You may have to re-evaluate the way you are currently making the living. Perhaps it’s time to let go of the old ways of earning money and start thinking about new potential streams of income. 

Bear in mind, there might be some delays in payments owed to you. Make sure you have sufficient funds put aside to cover essential expenses in case these payment delays occur.

Mercury Retrograde  – What’s in Store for Aquarius

This Mercury retrograde is happening in your 1st house of the self, dear Aquarius. It is a big deal. You might be going through an identity crisis of some sort. You may feel like now is the time to let go of the ‘old you’ and start working on your brand new image. You may feel the need to let go of old belief systems, thinking patterns, or even addictions that are no longer serving your highest good. A major overhaul of your entire lifestyle and self-image is on the horizon for sure. 

What’s in Store for Pisces

This Mercury Retrograde is happening in the most hidden part of your horoscope. 12th house rules over subconscious, intuition, psychic realms and isolation, among other things. This retrograde cycle is helping you release what’s no longer serving your highest good.

Reflection and meditation can be especially beneficial at this time. 

You may feel the need to retreat and go inward. It can be a great time to get back to one of your spiritual practices that you may have put aside due to a busy schedule. Make sure you set aside time to meditate and rejuvenate daily. You may be having some vivid dreams about past situations and people. Dream journaling could be a great practice to help you analyse and process these flashbacks.

Spend time alone. Listen to your inner voice. You may receive some unexpected solutions to your current problems.

The Cosmic Takeaway

As you can see, Mercury retrograde can be a super beneficial time to re-evaluate and re-structure your life for better results. There is no need to put your life on hold!

Re-evaluate, revisit, rethink, re-do, re-organize, rearrange, re-position, re-launch. Just make sure you engage in these activities more often than initiating brand new things.

Mercury stations direct on February 2. After February 3 all planets will be direct until May 10! This is a much awaited window of opportunity to get ahead in all areas of your life. The wind will be finally in your sails after a slow start to the year! Great time to start a relationship, launch a new business or start a new job. All these projects you’ve been revisiting and reevaluating during Mercury retro will be finally good to go!

Treat this window of opportunities as the green light from the Universe. Use this time wisely to get ahead in life and love in 2022 and beyond.

---

Check where this transit falls in your Birth Chart. The house and any personal planets activated by this transit will play a significant role in your personal and professional life. 

Use this free Birth Chart calculator to create your Natal Chart in case you haven’t had a chance to get it yet.

N.B.: Remember that it’s ideal to have your EXACT time of birth on hand. Use 12 p.m. noon if you have no way to get this information. The best option, of course, is to get a personal reading with a professional astrologer who can provide birth-time rectification. Birth time and birthplace are crucial pieces of information for your Natal Chart, as they determine the unique position of the houses and planets that can help you understand transits and their impact on your personal journey.

---