The second Mercury retrograde of 2022 begins May 10 in Gemini and ends June 3 in Taurus. How will you navigate those three weeks? With patience! Learn more about the May-June Mercury retrograde and how to cope by zodiac sign.
Signals scramble and systems go sideways as Mercury flips into its second retrograde of the year. The May-June 2022 Mercury retrograde begins May 10 in Gemini, then slip back into Taurus from May 22-June 3.
The first Mercury retrograde of 2022 was in Aquarius and Capricorn from January 14 to February 3. So once again, the communication planet backs up through a pair of zodiac signs, bringing two distinct waves to its dramatic effects.
Until May 22, we may feel a double dose of communication chaos, as Mercury retreats through its home sign of Gemini. Expect friction in peer partnerships and do your best to avoid getting roped into taking sides. Triple-check your words before posting, sending or signing anything. Since Gemini rules transportation, try to hold off on purchasing anything with wheels until early June. Got an unfinished manuscript, podcast or workshop idea? Blow off the dust: This is an excellent time to take a deeper look and make revisions.
On May 22, the buzzy planet backs into reality-checker Taurus, throwing everyone’s sense of security into a bit of a tailspin. Budgets, schedules and relationship rules will demand keenness and clarity. Assume nothing and try to stay nimble—even while everyone around you is stubbornly digging in their heels!
How does Mercury Retrograde affect me?
Messenger Mercury is the ruler of information, communication and our intellectual processes. The closest planet to the Sun, Mercury orbits through each zodiac sign for approximately three weeks. These cycles shape our cultural interests. From the topics we buzz about to the ways we communicate, whatever sign Mercury is occupying plays a role.
Each year, Mercury turns retrograde for three cycles, appearing to travel backward through the zodiac. During these reverse commutes, it lingers in one or two signs for approximately ten weeks. While the scrambled signals can be agonizing, we have a chance to dive into deeper discourse. People from the past may reappear, like old friends, estranged relatives and exes with unfinished business.
Mercury Retrogrades in 2022
Mercury has three full retrograde cycles in 2022. Each begins in an air sign and backs into an earth sign. Our social interactions and collaborative ventures may hit a sudden roadblock in these moments, sending us back to the drawing board to review plans. Don’t be deterred by these forced pauses. When Mercury flips into reverse, it blesses us with an important timeout to review, revise, revamp (and all the other “re” words).
While reversing through air signs, Mercury retrograde tightens up regulations around people and messaging. Is everyone pulling their weight? Are you all on the same page and using up-to-date technology? Have you properly stored and protected your data? When Mercury backs up into earth signs for the second half of each retrograde, put on a project manager’s hat. Review budgets, timelines and environmental impact. Create guidelines so everyone knows where their limits lie.
What are the Mercury Retrograde dates for 2022?
Mercury begins and ends the year in Capricorn, the eldest earth sign and ruler of time-honored wisdom. In a year chock full of ethereal magic and interstellar developments, the messenger planet reminds us to keep Earth (our home planet) at at the forefront of our thoughts. What impact will our new ideas have on the environment? Issues of sustainability and eco-responsibility remain top priority. With Mercury’s localized focus, changing systems at the neighborhood and community level can have a major worldwide impact.
The May-June 2022 Mercury retrograde is from May 10 to June 3.
See all the Mercury Retrograde dates for 2022 here
Learn about All the Planet Retrogrades in 2022 here
What shouldn’t I do during the May-June 2022 Mercury Retrograde?
We get asked this all the time. The short answer is: life doesn’t stop for a Mercury retrograde.
Just take extra care with whatever you have planned. For example, if you’re planning a move, maybe you pack valuables and delicates separate from the big pieces. And give yourself extra time for the process because it might take longer than you expect to pack and haul. Ask for help if you need it.
So while there’s no need to panic, pace yourself during these data-skewing, three-week cycles. Focus on all things with the prefix “re,” such as revising, reviewing, redesigning and reconsidering. Pay closer attention to your inner world and get in touch with your thoughts, which signal all your feelings. Is it time to update certain beliefs? Mercury retrograde can help!
Read more here about what to do during a Mercury Retrograde
How do I find my Mercury sign?
You may be interested to learn more about how Mercury factors into your birth chart, beyond your Sun (zodiac) sign.
Because Mercury travels in such close connection to the Sun, your natal Mercury sign will never be farther than one sign away from your natal Sun sign. Find out what sign Mercury was in when you were born with our cosmic calculator.
Want to learn more? Discover how the speedy planet shapes your thought processes, systems and communication style with our pocket course, The Mercury Code!
What the May-June 2022 Mercury Retrograde means for my zodiac sign
Make sure you’re fully cleared for takeoff before you hit the runway, Aries. Mercury is retrograde in Gemini and your communication house May 10-22, multiplying the mischief it wreaks on your interactions. Hold off on the big announcements until next month if you can. From May 22 until June 3, Mercury will reverse through Taurus, disrupting your second house of work and money. Keep a close eye on your budget and a cool head on those company Zoom meetings. If you’re working with people IRL again, practice extreme restraint since conflict with colleagues and clients could erupt faster than usual.
The May-June 2022 Mercury retrograde reverses through Gemini and your finance zone May 10-22 (keep an eye on your budget and bank statements), then it will dip into Taurus for the duration of the retrograde, until June 3. During the back half, you could feel especially misunderstood. Put your head down and finish up any behind-the-scenes work or half-done projects. When Mercury turns direct (forward) in your sign on June 3, you can make your grand debut again.
Even the best-laid plans can be foiled by the disruption of the May-June 2022 Mercury retrograde. And this phase is even dicier since Mercury will reverse through Gemini May 10- 22, which can leave you feeling wildly misunderstood or cause your messaging to fall flat. After that, Mercury will dip further back into Taurus and your foggy twelfth house, scrambling signals even more. Your best bet? Wait until the quicksilver planet turns direct (forward) on June 3 before you start spreading the news or making any grand pitches.
You may need to remind yourself of this more than once when communication and technology planet Mercury turns retrograde from May 10 to June 3. Mercury will reverse through Gemini and your foggy, reflective twelfth house until May 22, making you both nostalgic and a bit scattered. Take lots of mental breaks to avoid burnout and spend time near water if possible, Cancer. How about a couple siestas too? Your dreams could be prophetic and might help you gain closure, so keep a journal bedside to record anything you remember upon waking. When Mercury reverses into Taurus and your eleventh house of friends from May 22 to June 3, take a timeout from any draining or demanding members of your inner circle.
The quicksilver planet reverses through Gemini and your eleventh house of friendship and tech from May 10 to 22. Thinking of taking a digital detox? This is an ideal time for that, as well as a timeout from the drama queens in your circle, Leo. When Mercury retrogrades back into Taurus and your career zone from May 22 to June 3, work matters could get stressful and challenging. Put on your master planner hat and get ready to play project manager. With Mercury gone rogue, it will take resilience and careful monitoring to keep a big project on track!
Your ruling planet, Mercury, is clocking out for most of the month, turning retrograde on May 10 and scrambling signals with communication, technology and travel. Mercury will back through Gemini and your career zone until May 22, then it will slip back into Taurus and your expansive ninth house for the duration of the retrograde. Hold off on any big decisions or commitments until June 3. You’re fine to explore your options and conduct due diligence, Virgo. But save the risky moves and big life changes until next month if you can!
Mercury is retrograde in Gemini and your risk-taking ninth house until May 22, which could make you a little too impressionable when someone shows up with a slick sales pitch. Stay excited but skeptical enough to do some behind-the-scenes research and make sure this offer is legit! Mercury will back into Taurus and your eighth house of joint ventures and long-term finances after May 22. Strengthen your passwords and guard against identity theft as secret information could leak now. You might hear from a tempting but toxic ex when Mercury backs into this scintillating sector. Think twice before you go there again, Libra, during the May-June 2022 Mercury retrograde.
Mercury will reverse through Gemini until May 22, then Taurus for the duration—the two signs that rule the most committed zones of your chart. Prepare to do some deep work getting your closest relationships on track, calibrating the fine balance between your needs and theirs. It might get a little hairy at moments, Scorpio, but it will be well worth the effort if you emerge with a mutual new respect and understanding for each other when the May-June 2022 Mercury retrograde is over.
If you’re rushing to make things official in relationships, the stars will pump the brakes on May 10, when Mercury—planet of communication, technology and ideas—starts its second retrograde of the year. Mercury will reverse through Gemini and your partnership sector until May 22, a moment to renegotiate contracts and be extra vigilant about commitments. Be patient with your closest people as you’ll be prone to bickering and misunderstandings, Sagittarius. From May 22 to June 3, Mercury backs into Taurus and your well-being sector, forcing you to be mindful of your diet, exercise, sleep patterns and overall stress levels. Guard your health with extra care: Wash your hands and even wear a mask in crowded places if you feel like some extra coverage, mandates or no.
The signal-scrambling cycle of the May-June 2022 Mercury retrograde can cause you to second-guess yourself or make decisions before you have adequate information. Pause and be thorough before you sign on any dotted lines, Capricorn. Mercury is retrograde in Gemini and your analytical, health-conscious sixth house until May 22, then it will back into Taurus and your fifth house of romance and drama. Use the Gemini cycle to make sure all your paperwork, systems and well-being are in order. Guard against stress and the impact it might have on your health. When Mercury slips into Taurus, an ex could resurface and tempers can flare. Keep those knee-jerk reactions in check. If you’re considering giving an old flame a second chance, take your time and make sure those past issues have really been resolved.
The May-June 2022 Mercury retrograde, in Gemini May 10-22, can cause mischief in your romantic, attention-seeking fifth house. An ex could resurface, or you could have a tense encounter with a dramatic diva type. Your own playful pranks could be taken the wrong way now, so save the jokes until after this phase or you could end up offending someone or, worse, canceled! From May 22 to June 3, Mercury will back through Taurus and your domestic fourth house. Be extra mindful with relatives and roommates as tension could spike under your roof.
Your “friends and family” zones of your chart are Mercury’s target for the May-June 2022 Mercury retrograde, Pisces. From May 10 to 22, Mercury will back through Gemini and your domestic zone, then it will reverse into Taurus and your social sector for the duration of the retrograde. Apply extreme patience with all the people around you this month, Pisces, because you could easily be misunderstood and triggered—and vice versa.
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