3 Ways To Avoid Being Misunderstood In Mercury Retrograde's Shadow Period

The latest Mercury retrograde period is finally over as of Friday, June 3 (whew!), but we're not out of the woods yet. Each Mercury retrograde comes with a "shadow" period in the two weeks before and after the planet's backspin, so it's in your best interest to keep your wits about you in the coming weeks.

Since Mercury retrograde is infamous for causing communication issues, here are some tips for navigating your relationships—romantic and otherwise—until its shadow period is really over.

Retrogrades are an excellent time to review, reassess, and revise—and in this case, their shadow period offers us the chance to get clear on our most important connections. So one of the best things you can do during Mercury retrograde's shadow period is reflect on all that you've learned or realized about your relationships since the retrograde began in early May. As astrologer Jennifer Racioppi tells mbg, your reflections can guide you towards future action—and then it's up to you to "score the touchdown" so to speak.

From exes coming back around, to communication mishaps, what did you experience this retrograde? What can this teach you about your relationships, what's working in them, and what isn't?

Much of the confusion Mercury retrograde causes will still be felt during the shadow period, so rather than diving into making big changes, take time to slowly but surely integrate your reflections and lessons. Racioppi recommends taking the next few weeks to mull over any big relationship moves.

By all means, put together a plan of action based on your reflections—but don't feel like you need to do anything drastic just yet. This brings us to our next point...

Again, we're very much not out of the woods yet, so many of the rules of thumb for Mercury retrograde still apply during this time, like thinking before you speak, being wary of blasts from the past, and double-checking everything before you hit send.

If you find yourself struggling to communicate effectively, know that it's fine to hold off on any major conversations for the next couple weeks if you can. And if you do have to tackle a big discussion with a partner, friend, or family member, consider having a script of talking points to avoid getting lost in translation.

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