Mercury Retrograde and Tarot — What the Cards Say About This Infamous Transit
By Aimee Friedrich — Black Salt Tarot
Few astrological events capture attention quite like Mercury Retrograde.
The moment it's announced, social media fills with warnings — don't sign contracts, back up your phone, brace for miscommunications and travel chaos. People who don't follow astrology at all somehow know about Mercury Retrograde.
But what does it actually mean? And how can tarot help you navigate it?
What Mercury Retrograde Actually Is
In astrology, Mercury governs communication, technology, travel, contracts, and the thinking mind. Several times a year — usually three to four times — Mercury appears from Earth's perspective to slow down and move backwards through the sky. This optical illusion, caused by the varying speeds of Earth and Mercury in their orbits, is what we call retrograde.
When Mercury is retrograde, the themes it rules tend to go haywire. Messages get miscommunicated or lost. Technology glitches. Travel gets complicated. Old situations, people, and conversations from the past resurface unexpectedly.
The Shadow Side — and the Gift
Most of what you read about Mercury Retrograde focuses on what goes wrong. And yes, it can be a chaotic period if you're pushing forward aggressively and expecting everything to go smoothly.
But there's another side to it that doesn't get nearly as much attention.
The re in retrograde is the key. This is a period for reviewing, revisiting, reflecting, and reconsidering. Things that were left unresolved get a second chance. Conversations that needed to happen find their way to the surface. Old connections reappear because there's genuinely unfinished business.
Mercury Retrograde, when worked with rather than against, is one of the most powerful periods for inner work, reassessment, and clearing.
Tarot Cards That Often Appear During Mercury Retrograde
Certain cards have a particular resonance with Mercury Retrograde energy. If any of these are showing up frequently in your readings during this transit, pay close attention.
The Hermit — withdrawal, inner reflection, stepping back from the noise. A natural fit for retrograde energy. If this card appears, the period is asking you to slow down and go inward.
The High Priestess — trust what you know beneath the surface. During Mercury Retrograde when communication is murky, the High Priestess asks you to rely less on what's being said and more on what you sense.
The Moon — illusion, uncertainty, things not being what they appear. Mercury Retrograde and The Moon together are a strong signal to avoid making major decisions based on current information — wait until things are clearer.
The Wheel of Fortune — cycles turning, what's meant to return will return. This card during retrograde often speaks to people or situations from the past reappearing for a reason.
The Hanged Man — surrender, pause, a different perspective. Don't fight the slowdown. Use it.
The Eight of Swords — feeling mentally trapped or confused. If this card appears during retrograde, be especially careful about the stories you're telling yourself. Your thinking may be less clear than usual.
How to Use Tarot During Mercury Retrograde
Tarot is particularly useful during Mercury Retrograde because it gives you a way to access clarity when everything else feels murky.
A simple daily one-card pull during retrograde can be enormously helpful — just ask: "What do I most need to be aware of today?"
You might also try a simple three-card spread specifically for the retrograde period:
Card 1: What is Mercury Retrograde asking me to review or revisit?
Card 2: What needs to be released or cleared during this period?
Card 3: What will become available to me when Mercury goes direct?
What Not to Do During Mercury Retrograde
The classic guidance exists for good reason. During Mercury Retrograde it's wise to avoid signing important contracts if possible, avoid making irreversible major decisions, double-check all communication before sending, back up your technology, and build in extra time for travel.
None of this is absolute — life doesn't stop for retrograde. But a little extra care and attention during this period goes a long way.
Working With the Energy Rather Than Against It
The most powerful shift you can make during Mercury Retrograde is moving from resistance to curiosity. Instead of dreading what might go wrong, ask: what is this period asking me to revisit? What conversation needs to happen? What have I been avoiding looking at?
The chaos of Mercury Retrograde is often pointing directly at something that needed attention anyway.
Would you like personalised guidance on navigating Mercury Retrograde — or any astrological transit — through a tarot reading? I'd love to help.
[Book a reading with Aimee → blacksalttarot.com/book-appointment]
Black Salt Tarot — honest, intuitive tarot readings online and in-person NSW.
