Mercury turns retrograde in Aries

Mercury now turns retrograde at 9° Aries 36′.

Mercury is retrograde from March 15, 2025, at 9° Aries 36′, until April 7, 2025, at 26° Pisces 49′. In other words, Mercury begins its retrograde cycle in Aries and ends it in Pisces.

Mercury Retrograde Cycle from March 15 to April 7, 2025:

Mercury Retrograde Cycle: March to April 2025

• On March 1, 2025, Mercury enters the Retrograde Zone (pre-retrograde shadow) at 26° Pisces 49′
• On March 15, 2025, Mercury stations and turns retrograde at 9° Aries 36′ Rx
• On April 7, 2025, Mercury stations and turns direct at 26° Pisces 49′
• On April 26, 2025, Mercury leaves the Retrograde Zone (post-retrograde shadow) at 9° Aries 36′

Mercury Retrograde

The year 2025’s first retrograde Mercury cycle occurs from March 15th to April 7th.

Mercury’s shadow period begins on March 1st and ends on April 26th. Note that the shadow period begins before Mercury turns retrograde–when Mercury first passes over the degree that Mercury later returns to in retrograde motion. The shadow period ends when Mercury again passes over the degree at which it first turned retrograde. The shadow period is different than Mercury’s storm period in astrology, which refers to the period when Mercury is moving especially slowly.

Note that Mercury’s post-retrograde shadow is generally better for new long-term endeavors than the pre-retrogrades shadow. For new enterprises in the pre-retrograde shadow, the venture’s secondary progressed Mercury will turn direction (retrograde) in the coming years, which may not be ideal.

Also consider that things are most wonky on and around the days of the stations whether Mercury is turning retrograde OR direct (the start and end dates of the retrograde cycle) as the shifts occur, after which we grow more accustomed to the energy.

Mercury is retrograde approximately three times a year for approximately three weeks each time. As such, retrograde Mercury is a fairly common occurrence (Mercury is retrograde approximately 18% of the time).

As the planet of communication, Mercury retrograde tends to breed a certain level of confusion. Mercury rules our “lower” mind–how we perceive and interpret information that we receive from our environment, and how we relay that information to others. Mercury has rulership over such things as speaking, negotiating, buying and selling, listening, formal contracts, documents, travel, the mail and shipping, and so forth. All of these areas of life are affected when Mercury is functioning in a sluggish state. Decision-making is challenged during Mercury retrograde.

Needless to say, it is not advised to sign contracts, engage in important decision-making, or launch a new business. Delays and challenges are more probable with Mercury retrograde. It’s a time when being careless with money, our personal information, or paperwork can be costly.

While Mercury is retrograde, we may be rethinking a previous opinion or idea. Looking to the signs and houses it transits can give clues as to what we may be reconsidering. In Aries this time, we might look at past decisions and ideas from a new, possibly enlightened perspective. This is a time for reconsidering an initiative or venture. It’s strong for returning to an old project or pursuit.

It can be a time of tension, however, as Mercury in Aries wants immediate answers and retrograde Mercury can point to delays and indecision. The curtness of Mercury in Aries communications is magnified, making it necessary to be especially careful with our choice of topics and wording. The chances of sharp or brusque comments doing some damage run high.

While Mercury is retrograde in the sign of Aries, we may be returning to past projects and refining or tweaking them. We can find usefulness in old or past ideas and recycle them in new ways, even though Mercury in Aries prefers the new to the old. We might consider renewing past ventures where we may have had false starts, but this should be done in a new way for things to work this time around.

With Mercury in Aries, we prefer to learn from hands-on experience rather than instruction, and not listening during this Mercury retrograde period can be especially costly.

Keep in mind that Mercury in Aries’ haste to communicate (or perhaps more accurately, to get communications out of the way) can work against us or can be more consequential during Mercury retrograde — there can be texts or emails sent to the wrong people, for example, or quick commentary that’s considered careless.