Do you sometimes feel like your life is moving backwards? That things that you thought were completed and finished have cropped up again? You may be experiencing Mercury Retrograde!

I am not an astrologer but I have spent over two decades fascinated by the science of astrology. I am also highly affected by Mercury retrograde so I have studied this planetary movement extensively and tread lightly during this time.

Mercury retrograde occurs 3 times a year in 3 week spans. It’s when Mercury appears to be going backwards (it really is not). For the final time in 2013, we entered Mercury retrograde on October 21, 2013 and through November 10, 2013. During this time, you may notice that things are a bit topsy tursy. Mercury is the planet of communication, truth seeking, transportation and intelligence. This time is Mercury’s way of going back over territory to see if anything needs to be changed. It’s a time to review and revise anything that is not serving your best interest.

So what happens when Mercury turns retrograde?

• You miss appointments
• Your technology goes haywire (computers crash, files are not saved, connections are lost)
• Things become lost
• Things that you purchase don’t work
• Contracts that you sign have problems and need renegotiating
• New projects/jobs that you start are not what you thought they would be
• People say things they will later want to take back
• Relationships may end

So how do you handle Mercury retrograde without going bonkers? Here’s a few practical tips:

• Backup your computer files
• When traveling, give yourself extra time for delays
• Be very aware of your actions so that you don’t lose anything or get lose
• Reflect on the past to determine what is and is not working for you
• Your intuition will be heightened
• Think before you speak
• Try not to sign any contracts during this time
• Go back to work on projects that you have not had time for
• Don’t start anything new
• Don’t take things so personally (be flexible and understanding)
• Have considerable down time to reflect and review

So if you sense that things are coming undone or unraveling, take a look to see whether it is something that you really should have. It could be a message from Mercury giving you a do-over.

If you want to adorn yourself with crystals during this time, here are a few recommendations: Blue Lace Agate (to soothe frayed emotions), Black Tourmaline (for grounding your technology), Moonstone (eases anxiety), Pyrite (removes energy chaos), Rose Quartz (keeps your heart/emotions balanced), Selenite (helps you stay centered).

If you like essential oils, I recommend these (especially diffusing them in the air): Young Living Joy, Clarity, Peace & Calming, and Release.

And remember, if you expect Mercury to create upheaval in your life, the Law of Attraction genie will rock your world. So embrace these three weeks and give yourself a little downtime to look at how your life is going, tap into your heightened intuition, and then be ready to make change and start new things once Mercury is back on track.

Allie is a unique combination of self-empowerment coach (Certified Law of Attraction Counselor and Life Coach), energy therapist (Usui Reiki Master-Teacher, Integrated Energy Therapy Master-Instructor, and Advanced Crystal Master), award-winning book author, attorney and nationally-recognized animal advocate. Whether it’s wanting more freedom, creativity, loving relationships, financial security, wellbeing, relaxation, or adjusting to the energy of our new world … she looks at each person and animal holistically and creates a well-being plan. She holistically combines these methods to help people gain control of their lives and to help animals live with comfort in our hectic world. It worked for her and will work for you!  She particularly loves helping our animal companions because for those of us who have them grace our worlds, they are our soul mates.

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