Mercury Retroshade Is Upon Us — And It Might Actually Be Worse Than Mercury Retrograde

Just when you thought the wrath of Mercury's retrograde was over, you realized the ~retroshade~ period is only just beginning. If you're currently wondering how long Mercury retroshade summer 2019 will last with the taxed desperation of someone whose just run a marathon in a tropical storm, I hear you. It's been a rough summer with the Mercurial planet making communication harder than it should be and literally screwing with all of your devices both literally and metaphorically. Mercury retrograde may have ended on Jul. 31, but the planet's effect on our lives and wellbeing isn't quite over yet thanks to the post-shadow period it goes through as it turns back direct after a retrograde. Before you pack your bags for life on a new planet, let me make the argument that you can handle the retroshade, and actually should look forward to getting through it.

Mercury's retroshade period will be in effect until Aug. 15. This period describes the time after the retrograde when Mercury appears to slow down exponentially, before moving forward again in its rightful motion. Bustle talked to astrologer Kyle Thomas about what we can expect from this period to prepare ourselves, and thank goodness we did. According to Thomas, this period is even more powerful than retrograde. "As Mercury slows down, just prior its retrograde motion, the contributing factors and the experiences of the cycle are strengthened," aka slow motion really drags out the complications that typically arise during retrograde.

Worse, this period can actually accentuate some of the issues we've already been dealing with over the course of July. "Errors in communication and travel that may have occurred during the pre-shadow and retrograde phases" will reappear, but according to Thomas, we'll be motivated to fix these things or address them in different ways so that we are able to function better in our lives moving forward. Essentially, the retroshade period gives us an opportunity to come back to the same issues with a more progressive attitude. Instead of trying to power through or dodge complications, we're going to want to rethink our approach to ensure that the 2019 summer retrograde actually made us more durable, efficient people who deal with stress and disorder with grace.

"With Mercury being in Cancer," Thomas says, "we again are feeling our minds and thoughts consumed with our emotions and we are more intuitive now and seek to balance our heads and our hearts." The weight of all that we've experienced this summer is weighing on us during this time, and though it might feel overwhelming, it's actually a great opportunity for growth. Thomas also assures us that "as we move through the beginning week of August, you’ll be feeling more confident about the messages you are receiving from the universe." And by the time that Mercury "dances on into Leo and beyond, we will again be ready to communicate and function more effectively," only this time, we'll be more ready to handle mishaps and hiccups.

Most importantly, we won't be fazed or thrown off our games by the presence of a complication. With the help of that brave Leo energy, we'll all be closing out the summer with a shared confidence that we'll be grateful to have earned. Will we all walk into Virgo season like we're getting off a roller coaster? Definitely. Expect wind blown hair and a wild look about you, but know that this prolonged Mercurial retrograde and retroshade period really made you better at being you this summer, and you'll take that with you into the fall and beyond.