Mercury Retrograde in Capricorn 2023

The final Mercury Retrograde of 2022 begins December 29th in the determined sign of Capricorn and lasts until January 18th, meaning we start the New Year with an interesting spin on our communications. Mercury rules all forms of energy exchange. Including your speech, emails, all forms of technology, and your ability to process or reprocess information. It also affects our travel plans, so you may want to double-check your flight status or at least plan for some delays. This pesky transit can cause all kinds of mishaps, and it can also bring an opportunity for inward contemplation at the end of the year.

The silver lining of this often-feared transit is that it provides a space for you to reprocess and reevaluate the past. Let this energy help you reflect on conversations you’ve had with yourself, or others, this year that need closure. What have you learned about yourself this year? What perspectives have been shattered, and what new ones appeared in their place? What have you told yourself about your potential and path? Do you want to adjust your narrative heading into the new year?

Taking place in Capricorn, this transit places the focus on our career and life’s purpose. It may cause you to question your direction in life or feel the overwhelming need for more clarity around your path forward. You may even feel lost and confused as you think about your purpose this year, and the answers may be hard to find. Know that, like everything, any feelings of misalignment will pass, but while they are here, it’s a great time to ask yourself if you are aligned with your life’s purpose. Do not force the answers. Let them come naturally as you begin 2023.

If you do find yourself in a downward spiral about the trajectory of your life, ground your body and connect to the Earth element. Practice yoga, breathwork, and meditation to hear the wisdom of your body and cut out the external noise. Notice the streams of consciousness coming to you from all directions and know that you have the ability to stay centered through them all. Learn to be your own rock and feel your strength. When plans get derailed, or life begins to feel confusing, connect with your body through your breath. Stay grounded through this transit and harness its energy to help you dive inward to find messages that are normally hidden from your conscious view. 

As we approach this transit, give yourself time each day with your journal. Mercury is the messenger planet and gifts us the opportunity to look deeply inward. See this as a golden opportunity as we close 2022 and begin 2023. Learn things about yourself and ask yourself what you really want out of life in the New year. How can you feel aligned with your purpose and centered in your body? How can you set your vibration so it remains unaffected by any chaos around you? This is also a great time to write mantras and affirmations that can bring you back to your strength and power when you feel lost or confused. 

And yes, you can write New Year’s intentions with this transit occurring IF you feel clear in your mind and grounded in your energy. It can be a powerful time to hear your intuition as it speaks loudly to you. Just know that your worries and fears may be speaking more loudly too. Make sure to focus on the messages of your soul and Higher Self and not your mind. It’s important to remember that your thoughts are just thoughts. They don’t define who you are. They can be directed to help you manifest the life of your visions, but they don’t now control you. As you write your intentions, notice any fears coming up and give them space. Write them on another piece of paper and see them fully. Give them attention and learn from them, but do not let them influence your intentions. Instead, feel your heart and your soul, bringing you visions that align with your purpose. Decide how you want to feel this New Year, and let those feelings set your vibration and intentions as we all wade through this transit into the New Year.

Below are a few things to focus on and avoid this final Retrograde of 2022:

DO

Double-check your schedule. Mercury Retrograde can cause miscommunications about important meetings and events. Confirm your reservations, plane tickets, dates with other people, and of course, your New Year’s plans. If you find yourself with an hour free because of a last-minute cancellation, spend the time on something which feels more aligned than the original meeting.

Protect yourself with crystals. Mercury Retrograde can bring about frustration and impatience in even the most positive person. You may even find yourself on the receiving end of some of this energy as the people around you feel the effects of this transit. Use crystals to protect your energy, like obsidian, smokey quartz, black tourmaline or shungite. You can even place some in your pocket, and they’ll create an invisible shield around you, deflecting any negativity.

Connect with yourself. Mercury Retrograde has the tendency to disconnect us from others by breaking our systems of communication. If you find yourself without email or social media for a day, take the time to connect with yourself and nature. Spend the day journaling, meditating, or just quietly contemplating by the ocean or in the trees.

Stay grounded. Connect with your body’s wisdom with Yoga through this transit. It will also help you connect with your breath and remain calm when faced with adversity. Challenge yourself to show up on the mat each day. The limitations you work through on the mat while remaining calm will help you off the mat when Mercury Retrograde brings you something unexpected. Sign up for our next Yoga Challenge (starting on the first day of Mercury Retrograde!) to help you stay aligned all the way through.

Trust the redirect. Mercury Retrograde breaks things that are not aligned perfectly, allowing for new alignment to be built. It often redirects our attention and focus to something else through its meddling with our systems. Trust the redirection of your energy and even if you don’t quite understand it, know that something better is coming your way.

DON’T

React without thinking. Surprises may come up during this time which can catch you off guard. If something pops up in your world, take a step back and try to observe your first reaction. Align with Capricorn to go inward and feel your strength. You are your own rock, and self-reliance is key when working with this transit.  

Force what is not working. We naturally want things to work out. Whether it’s an app on your phone or a relationship with another, it’s easy to get lost in trying to make it work. Often, when we try to force things, we end up just making them worse for ourselves and others. If you feel you’re trying to force something, take a break. Let whatever it is have some space to reset, then visit it again with an open mind and a new perspective.

Focus on problems. Challenge yourself to focus on solutions instead of problems. Likewise, focus on what is working and how there is perfect alignment in your life, even during Mercury Retrograde. Become inspired by what flows no matter what and channel that energy into creating solutions to problems illuminated by this transit.

Call your ex. Seriously. If you feel the need for emotional closure, try to journal about it first with yourself, then wait until after Mercury Retrograde to reach out to anyone. Mercury Retrograde in Capricorn is not the time to make long-term commitments to anyone but yourself. Additionally, this transit is notorious for miscommunication making heartfelt talks challenging. Spend time on yourself this transit. Your relationships with everyone else will be better off for it mid-January when Mercury turns direct.