Journaling Through the Mercury Retrogrades of 2023: Prompts and Dates to Remember

Dates for Mercury Retrograde in 2023

(Pacific Time)

• December 29, 2022- January 18, 2023, in Capricorn
• April 21, 2023 – May 14, 2023, in Taurus
• August 23, 2023- September 15, 2023, in Virgo
• December 12- January 2, 2024, in Capricorn and Sagittarius

Mercury: The Messenger of the Gods

Mercury is the divine communicator, a channel between the mortal and immortal worlds. In mythology, Mercury was considered the Messenger of the Gods and could pass down insights and information from the heavens.

Mercury rules over our mind, third eye, thoughts, and communication style. At times, it can have a playful, trickster energy that can influence our experience with technology, travel, and contracted agreements.

Mercury enters retrograde about four times a year, making it a normal part of its cycle through the cosmic skies. When Mercury enters retrograde, we may find communication a little more challenging. We could find it difficult to make decisions, or experience issues with technologies, travel, or contracts.

Ancient astrologers believed that when Mercury was retrograde, it traveled through the underworld, collecting lost, hidden, or untapped messages from deep within our subconscious.

For this reason, it is recommended to wait before signing contracts, having important conversations, or making travel plans until Mercury emerges from its journey, as upon its return from the underworld, it could have brought new information, changing how we feel and, consequently, our plans.

How to Use the Energy of Mercury Retrograde

While Mercury is moving through the underworld, it is a good time to slow down, go back over things, revisit the past, and pay attention to subconscious thoughts and programming. Mercury retrograde can be a healing and highly intuitive time when we use it this way.

Mercury Retrograde can also trigger our psychic abilities, guiding us to step away from the information in our seen world and instead rely on the information in the unseen world.

Our dreams may also become more prophetic at this time or give us deeper insights into our subconscious. (If you want to work deeper with your dreams during Mercury Retrograde, check out this workbook!)

Mercury Retrograde tends to have a negative reputation, but everything is neutral in astrology. It’s what we make the of the energy and how we choose to use it.

While Mercury Retrograde may not be considered favorable to sign long-term contracts, purchase expensive travel tickets, or buy a new computer, life happens, and sometimes we have to take action.

Trust the divine timing of the events in your life and connect with your own inner wisdom. After all, Mercury is the Messenger of the Gods, which means it is your own personal channel between yourself and the Divine. Lean on your higher self under these transits and flow from that guidance.

Mercury Retrograde Journal Prompts 2023

Mercury Retrograde is a time to become a more thoughtful and intuitive communicator, thinker, and decision-maker, and these journal prompts are designed to help you with that.

You can work with all the prompts during the retrograde period or choose one or two that resonate with you the most.

Journal Prompts: Mercury Retrograde April 21- May 14, 2023, in Taurus

• What three things do I need the most right now? How can I take action to give myself these needs?
• I deserve to be wealthy. Write down what thoughts come up for you as you read that statement.
• Ten ways I can improve my relationship with money…
• What three things bring you the most pleasure? How can you take action to bring more pleasure into your routine?
• Identify three self-limiting beliefs about yourself and how they may hold you back. Is there a way to reframe these beliefs?

Journal Prompts: Mercury Retrograde August 23- September 15, 2023, in Virgo

• What are some things you do well that you often overlook or dismiss?
• How do you typically respond to your own mistakes or failures? Can you reframe these situations with a more self-compassionate lens?
• What are three things you can do to prioritize your health and well-being?
• How do you feel when you have to ask others for help? Experiment with breaking free of some of these blocks to receive help when needed.
• Set an intention for each day this week, and then plan your daily schedule around that intention. See how it helps shift and change your week.

Journal Prompts: December 12- January 2, 2024, in Capricorn and Sagittarius

• What would it feel like to achieve your goals? Take a moment to visualize this. How can you bring these sensations into your body every day?
• Reflect on three things that happened this year that inspired the most growth. Honor yourself for making it through these situations.
• What area of your life would you like to improve and why?
• Keep a 5-minute journal practice every day this week. At the week’s end, reflect on anything you have learned about yourself.
• Place your hand on your heart. Without getting stuck in your head, write down the first three things that come to you after reading this – “My intuition wants me to know…”

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