Mercury retrograde might be over but the shadow period that follows it is not going to let you rest…
Whether you’re interested in astrology or not, there’s a good chance you’re aware of when Mercury retrograde is setting in, thanks to the credit it gets for all the chaos and miscommunication around you. The transit of Mercury is one of the most important astrological phenomena of the year and it is said to affect relationships, both with others and yourself. While Mercury retrograde is widely known and recognised for being a harbinger of chaos, people tend to forget that the cosmic event tends to have a prologue and an epilogue, known as ‘retroshade’.
The period that immediately precedes and follows a retrograde by two weeks is often known as the shadow phase or retroshade. Many astrologers like to believe that Mercury retrograde unfolds in three stages.
The first is the pre-shadow period, which happens before the retrograde and gives us an inkling of what to expect and how to prepare for when it sets in fully. It’s followed by the main event, which is when we encounter the main chaos and miscommunication set in motion by Mercury’s transit. The final period is the post-shadow, which happens once the planet is moving forward again. The pre and post-shadow periods are known as retroshade.
The Mercury retrograde in Virgo and Leo began on August 4 and would finally end on August 28. The post-shadow period, or the retroshade, will set in from August 28 and will last till September 11.
The retroshade helps us prepare and deal with the impact of the retrograde. The phase before it sets in can provide clues and forewarn us about what we can expect during the period. The period that follows the retrograde can offer you an opportunity to reflect and tie any loose ends in a way that allows you to grow and learn from them.
Mercury retrograde has been associated with chaos and miscommunication so the period following it is a sobering time to reflect on the past few weeks and make amends with others and yourself. August’s retrograde had us redefining relationships and revisiting people and habits we thought we had left behind. The retroshade period from 28 August can help you achieve closure and deal with any unfinished business that was kicked up during the retrograde. It can bring clarity and allow you to reconsider big and important decisions that could have been made during the chaos of Mercury’s transit through Virgo.
In the end, it’s important to remember that the retroshade period is there for you to correct course and reflect on what lies ahead.
Salva Mubarak is the Digital Editor of Manifest. In her free time, she likes to read murder mysteries, discover new KitKat flavours, and rank movie makeovers (not necessarily in that order). View Profile
