Unlocking Mercury Retrograde
Turn chaos into your superpower with feminist astrologer Babs Cheung
You’re gonna want to check out this awesome bonus convo I just had with the brilliant Babs Cheung. You can watch the interview or read the transcript, whichever works for you, but trust me—you don’t want to miss it. We dove into the mystery of Mercury retrograde (finally!) and debunked all those “computers hate me” myths. Spoiler: it’s more about those little life annoyances piling up and bam, you’re snapping at your partner. But don’t worry, Babs shared how you can actually use Mercury retrograde to your advantage. 💪
Whether you’ve been curious about the whole retrograde thing or just want to know if you’re secretly a retrograde superhero, this convo is for you.
[Listen to Babs’ full episode on Feminist Founders podcast]
Becky Mollenkamp: Hi, Babs. I'm so excited to talk about Mercury in retrograde because I hear about it all the time, but I don’t know if I actually understand what it means. My understanding is that it means computers don’t work right, but I’m certain it’s more than that. For anyone listening, make sure you’ve heard Babs’ main episode on the podcast, Feminist Founders. It was fantastic. This is just a little fun bonus to learn about Mercury in retrograde because it’s such a common topic. So, Babs, tell people what it is.
Babs Cheung: Hahaha. Right, okay. Mercury retrograde is a fantastic time to do things you suck at doing. It’s the best time for that because what’s happening is that Mercury is essentially moving forward for a number of degrees and then starts moving backward in degrees. When that happens, there’s a slowing down, like a molasses effect.
The reason why technology glitches and communication goes haywire is because Mercury rules over our modern society—things like short commutes, technology, communication skills. All those things go haywire because we’re impatient with each other over small annoyances that build up. You stub your toe here, there’s traffic, they’re out of your favorite juice. Those slow annoyances add up, and then bam, you yell at your husband. That’s Mercury retrograde. It’s a marathon of trying to get through little annoyances and hoping they don’t build up into a big explosion.
During this time, it’s best to work on things you’re bad at, intentionally, because it gives you a set of conditions that allow you to go slow and not be too hard on yourself. It’s Mercury retrograde, after all. You become better because you get used to failing. Confidence comes from competence, and you gain competence by trying again and again. Eventually, you get good at it.
A great example is when Moynihan Station in New York was just built. There was no rhyme or reason for where people lined up—no announcers, nothing. It was a wild ride. I had to commute in and out every two weeks, so I challenged myself during Mercury retrograde to make Moynihan Station my bitch. I showed up two hours early, talked to people, learned the lay of the land. Eventually, I knew it so well I could tell others where to go, and I made transfers seamlessly. Did it hurt at first? Yes. But Mercury retrograde is a great time to relearn something—anything with the prefix “re” is good: relearn, restudy, realign, research.
Becky Mollenkamp: Is it something that happens on a regular basis? Can you plan for it? How do you know when Mercury is going to be in retrograde so you can plan to do those “re” things?
Babs Cheung: Yeah, Mercury retrograde happens three to four times a year, which means about 40% of us were actually born during a Mercury retrograde. If you were born during one, it affects you for 10 extra days on the front and back end. But the cool part is you gain a superpower. For 60% of the time, things don’t add up for you; it’s like swimming through molasses. But during Mercury retrograde, it’s like your home field advantage. You feel like the brakes are off, and you can go really fast. I remind my clients born during Mercury retrograde to make a list of things to knock out because it’s their time. And they do—they love it. For the rest of us, we just try to get better at something we’re bad at.
Becky Mollenkamp: So if you ever get your chart done, it’s a good idea to ask if you were born during Mercury retrograde because it might change your relationship with it. And also ask about upcoming Mercury retrogrades so you can plan for them. Now, the last thing I’ll ask is, are there certain things you should avoid during Mercury retrograde because they might cause more stress?
Babs Cheung: Yeah, definitely. The general rule of thumb is you shouldn’t start anything new during Mercury retrograde because there’s often information that’s either misunderstood or missing. That’s why people say, “Don’t sign contracts.” But there are loopholes! For example, if it’s a renewal contract, that’s fine because it’s a renewal, not something new. But if it’s a new contract, make sure you triple-check everything.
There’s also a theme attached to each Mercury retrograde. At the time of this recording, Mercury is retrograding in Leo and Virgo, so if you’re part of the 60% who needs to relearn or redo something, you should focus on Leo and Virgo themes. For example, if you’re not an organized person, Virgo is a great time to work on organization. If you want to tap into your creativity or explore childhood hobbies, that’s Leo. It’s always best to stay within the theme of the zodiac sign Mercury is retrograding in.
Becky Mollenkamp: Wow, that’s a lot of helpful information! And yes, people may feel a little overwhelmed by it all, but that’s why understanding astrology at a deeper level, with support, is so important. It’s so much more than just your sun sign. And if astrology appeals to you, if you’re interested in things like how to maximize your Mercury retrograde, reach out to Babs. I’ve done it, and it changed the way I approach planning. So thank you, Babs, for talking about Mercury retrograde and giving us a deeper understanding of how it works on a practical level.
Babs Cheung: I think the listeners got it. I believe in them. I think they got it!
Becky Mollenkamp: I think they got it too! And if you're the self-study type, go for it. If you want support, Babs is great at providing that. Thanks again for your time, Babs!
Babs Cheung: Yes, totally. Thank you!