Mercury Retrograde – Time to Go Shopping!

Perhaps you have been blissfully unaware that Mercury has been retrograde since May 29th?

Not to worry – you can still blame miscommunications, travel delays, and having to do everything twice on Mercury until June 22nd when it finally goes direct again.

And, of course you can always anticipate the next Mercury retrograde from September 27 to October 17!

However, there are steps you can take to make this and the next Mercury retrograde more comfortable. But it may take a little shopping.

In Vedic astrology there are practices called “upayas,” or remedies to ameliorate the unpleasant effects of challenging planets.

Mantras are very effective upayas, and you can chant or use the Mercury mantra: OM Budhaya Namaha.”

But if you prefer shopping to chanting, there are always colors and gemstones that can help with a Mercury retrograde.

Green is the color associated with mercurial energy, and perhaps it’s time to add a bit of green to your wardrobe when Mercury is retrograde. And Wednesday is the day associated with Mercury, so buy something green on Wednesday. Simple enough.

For the most powerful way to work with Mercury energy, consider wearing a green gemstone – a ring, a mala, bracelet, or (if you’re feeling retro!) a headband.

The classic Mercury gemstone is the emerald, but if you need to scale your spending back, here are the other traditional gemstones and crystals to balance the effects of Mercury: peridot, green tourmaline, green zircon.

And these green stones may also be used in your Mercury jewelry: aquamarine, green agate, jade, green onyx, serpentine, malachite, and green amber.

Have fun – go shopping! But remember Mercury is retrograde so save your sales receipts in case you need to exchange.

There are gemstones for all the planets (and the chakras), and there is a separate branch of Vedic Astrology that specializes in gemstone prescriptions.

If you want to learn more about which ones may be best for your life and birth chart, you can consult a Vedic astrologer trained in gemstone therapy (like me!) or attend a workshop on the subject, like this one