Pop star Taylor Swift cut her hand while on her "The Eras Tour" in the U.S., blaming her misfortune on what is called Mercury retrograde, an astrological phenomenon that some believe affect those on Earth some 90.7 million kilometers away.
Her accident happened in the middle of Mercury retrograde—that is, the apparent backward movement of Mercury in its orbit as seen from Earth—this April 21 to May 15. Unfortunately for Swift and for many of us, astrologers believe this marks a possible period of some misfortunes.
"For those asking how I cut my hand, I’m totally fine and it was my fault completely - tripped on my dress hem and fell in the dark backstage while running to a quick change - braced my fall with my palm. It was all very Mercury in retrograde coded. Don’t worry about me I’m gooooood," she said, sealing the post with a kiss emoji.
Mercury goes into retrograde three times a year, said Filipino astrologer Resti Santiago, who told SPOT.ph that while troubles may happen during these period, it pays to know what we can do to minimize its effects on our daily lives—whether we believe it or not.
What is Mercury Retrograde?
When Mercury is in apparent retrograde, it's associated with problems with communications, traveling, or even understanding relationships in general, said Santiago. So why these specific issues? It's because astrologers rely on astrological symbolisms. In case you forget, Mercury is the messenger of the gods in Roman mythology so for astrologers, whenever it's in retrograde, "Mercury-related things are affected like messages, transmission, transportation."
"'Pag retrograde kasi, a planet is not functioning properly. If the planet is moving direct—opposite of retrograde—it functions properly. It achieves what it needs to do," said Santiago.
Take note of "apparent" in retrograde because Mercury—or any other planet, for that matter—doesn't really move in reverse; it only appears to do so in relation to Earth's movement.
While Mercury—the first planet from the sun—is millions of kilometers away from Earth, astrologers cite the theory of astromagnetism in explaining its effects to us humans. When planets align or interact in certain ways, it sends electromagnetic force towards the sun, which then sends it to Earth. We humans with neurotransmitters and receivers are receptive to this, said Santiago, citing the theory by astrophysicist Percy Seymour.
"Astrology is not due to gravity that's why distance doesn't matter; it's actually due to elecromagnetic forces and something else that we don't know yet," he said, with an emphasis on the last part.
Mercury retrograde happens three times a year. In 2023, it falls on these dates:
- April 21 to May 15
- August 24 to September 16
- December 13 to January 2
Swift's injury isn't the only unfortunate event related to Mercury in retrograde, said Santiago. He also cite its effect to SpaceX's rocket explosion just four minutes after launch, a Japanese company's failed attempt to land on the moon, and here in the Philippines, the New Year technical glitch that shut down NAIA on the first day of 2023.
"We astrologers are taking note of this because it implies nga that something can go wrong if there's Mercury retrograde."
What to Do When Mercury is in Retrograde
So whether you're a firm believer of astrology or a newbie who's covering all bases just to be safe, knowing when Mercury is in retrograde can be your guide on what to do during these times.
For starters, you can use it as a timing guide, said Santiago.
"Parang weather forecast. If you know when Mercury retrograde is going to be, there are certain things that may take place universally. There can be some disagreements—problems with computers, problems with gadgets or machines."
"The best use of Mercury retrograde for a total newbie is this: avoiding buying gadgets kasi we have seen in the past na problem with computers, machines, tech, comms, etc. Parang whatever your sign is, you can take note of that."
Take things slow too when Mercury is in retrograde, he said.
"Do not start major projects. Your world doesn't have to stop. Slow down because there's a tendency to make mistakes. Review whatever you are going to say, whatever you are going to sign. Lahat slow down... If you have no choice, do it pero review it carefully. Slow down your mental processes."
You can also go further and consult astrologers on how this phenomenon affects you personally based on your natal chart.
While Mercury retrograde is notoriously blamed for misfortunes all around, it's worth noting that all planets, when in retrograde, is perceived to have an effect on us, too, according to Santiago.
Be careful of your potential love life and relationships, for example, when Venus is in retrograde. In case you're curious, this will happen from July 23 to September 4 this 2023.
When Jupiter—a benefic planet meaning it's said to bring good fortune—is in retrograde, there would be delays in improvement or expansion of, say, businesses.
Don't be afraid that it happens every year—it's what you do that matters, said Santiago.
"As with all retrograde periods, may element na you have to introspect. Instead of reacting immediately, you have to look within, try to understand what's happening in another level. Slow down and think things over."
Scientific communities may reject star-gazing and talks of zodiacs, but for Santiago who has studied astrology for more than 30 years, "siguro magbasa ka muna ng more than 10 books written by astrologers."
"It's a form of science in the broadest sense of the word na meron siya building blocks na you have to know the basis so you can jump to another layer and layer and layer. The layers are so plenty na up to now I'm still studying different layers. So it's not right to dismiss it. It's not scientific to dismiss something that you have not studied," he said.
"You have to study first before you can say it's not true."
This story originally appeared on Spot.ph.
* Minor edits have been made by the Cosmo.ph editors.