What happens when Mercury is in retrograde and how does it affect us? Many astrology advocates believe that the retrograde motion triggers a cycle of misfortune – but what does it really mean?
Mercury retrograde is an optical illusion which means it looks as if the planet is moving backwards from our view here on earth. Astrologers believe that during this perceived backwards motion, technology and communication could get disrupted, putting a damper on anyone's summer mood.
Take a look at everything you need to know about Mercury being in retrograde, including how you can harness its energy and what it means for you...
How can Mercury retrograde affect you?
Mercury is known by astrologers as the planet to rule expression and communication. It is thought that this retrograde motion will have a negative connotation in the astrological realm.
One of astrology's most nerve-wracking events, researchers have closely analysed what could happen during this three-week period.
Some astrologer believe it can lead to...
- Fallings out with friends
- Experiencing misunderstandings
- Travel, logic and communication getting disrupted
- Emails getting lost
- Flights being delayed
- Other misfortune
- Brain fog
- Anxiety
- Confusions around work projects
- Headaches
- Miscommunication
When will Mercury be in retrograde in 2022?
Mercury will go into retrograde three times in 2022. They are as follows, according to findyourfate.com:
• January 2022 Mercury retrograde – starting on 14th January in Aquarius and ending on 3rd February in Pisces
When Mercury retrogrades in a water-based star sign – like Pisces – it is believed that emotions and feelings could be compromised for those affected. Pisces are thought to be imaginative dreamers with strong emotions and feelings. Mercury retrograde in Pisces could cause a revamp of these passions by throwing logic and the sensible side of a Pisces into question. Some suggest that it would be a good time for a Pisces to focus on their internal selves as opposed to more external ventures.
• May 2022 Mercury retrograde – starting on 10th May in Gemini and ending on 2nd June in Gemini
• September 2022 Mercury retrograde – starting on 9th September in Libra and ending on 2nd October in Libra
How can you harness the energy of Mercury being in retrograde?
Are you looking to make the most of Mercury being in retrograde? According to Daisy Foss, an International Healer, the upcoming retrograde will occur under Mercury's ruling sign of Gemini, intensifying any desires for freedom or to explore.
Speaking to PsychicWorld.com, Daisy said: "The energy of Gemini is very flirty, romantic and clever, always seeing two sides to everything, however, combined with the broken cycle of its ruling planet in retrograde, these two weeks can be emotionally chaotic."
If you have a crystal at home, now is the perfect time to make use of those. "The crystal Amazonite is particularly potent during this time due to the strong Gemini energy whilst transitioning into June," advises Daisy.
"Through balancing masculine and feminine energies, Amazonite helps you to see both sides of any personal or interpersonal problems which is vital during this time of strained communication. Try warming up an Amazonite crystal by a radiator or candle to expel this calming and neutralising energy."
How can Mercury being in retrograde affect your friendships?
According to Daisy, Mercury being in retrograde could cause huge relationship challenges, such as cheating, betrayal or loss of intimacy. She says: "As this planet appears to retreat, it may feel like it's all going wrong in your love life, as you bring up issues and arguments from the past.
"Communication is key and with Mercury, the planet of communication, seemingly backtracking, you have to work extra hard! Focus on making your relationship stronger by talking, being honest and openhearted."
What else we know about the retrograde
Mercury is the planet closest to the sun and only slightly larger than the Earth's moon. It's also the fastest planet in our solar system, which means it enters retrograde around three to four times a year for three-week periods.
16 best family tents to buy for 2023
Four-person tent
This double skin design is one of the best family tents available, sleeping two to four campers comfortably for 3 season camping. Satisfied users have said it's "easy to assemble," "lightweight" and "good for short, family camping trips". Meanwhile, one camper added that they're beginners to camping and managed to get it up in 20 minutes.
The family tent features a communal area, two double bedrooms and a sunshade entrance. We like the 3000mm Hydrostatic Head for rain protection and bedrooms with sewn-in groundsheets and privacy doors.
For a family tent that requires little time to set it up, try Mountain Warehouse's Inflatable 4 Man Air Tent. It comes with inflatable means for easy pitching, as well as a pump and clip-in ground sheet to make the job a breeze.
Once it's up, you'll have a separate living and sleeping area to relax in, plus storage pockets to keep your essentials where you need them.
Eight-person tent
Decathlon Quechua Air Seconds 8.4 XL Fresh & Black Family Camping Tent
Made for large families of eight, this tent is very easy to set up and dismantle, with four bedrooms, a mosquito net window and storage pockets in the living room and bedrooms.
It's ideal if you want less heat and light in your tent, so you can decide when to wake up. One happy camper says: "Went up very well with simple easy to follow instructions, stayed in place during 40mph winds overnight."
Four-person tent
An inflatable tent can make your life easier, and this one does just that during the set-up process. It's quite large, so you'll need three people to pitch it, but our testers found this quick and easy to do. Putting it away was another kettle of fish, and they struggled to get it back in the bag, but once successful, they liked that they could carry it around like a backpack.
Its separate sleep pod and large porch area provided plenty of space, the windows let in natural light and the hook for hanging a torch proved handy.
Four-person tent
Coleman Meadowood 4 Person Large Tent With Blackout Bedrooms
This large family tent for four has an extended open front porch area offering more living space with protection from the elements during the great British summer. The front porch can be closed off for extra weather protection, too. The tent offers great head height throughout and a lightweight package, as well as several large windows for plenty of light.
The two bedrooms are extra-large and comfortably fit larger airbeds, while the BlackOut Bedroom technology blocks daylight and reduces the temperature during the day. You'll also find zipped window shades on the windows, ensuring flexible levels of privacy. The zipped cable entry points allowing access for powered accessories and multiple lantern attachment points are particularly handy.
This tent was so easy to pitch that our tester didn't have to consult the instructions and got it done alone. They were impressed with the poles and pegs' quality, too, with the poles almost slotting themselves together.
Once pitched, the tent's size was slightly disappointing, and the family of four felt a little squished. If it isn't raining, however, you can use the porch flap to add some more space. It's perfect for shorter stays and avoiding the faff involved in pitching a more complex tent.
Looking for a tipi that fits more than just two? This one from Robens will sleep six of you and features easy access through a vertical door. The eaves go around the tent to protect the door and walls from any wet weather, too. The groundsheet can also be rolled away at the door to make a safe area to use the stove or keep dirty gear separate.
On especially hot days, the nifty Internal Apex Vent Control can be adjusted to control the ventilation from the inside. One happy camper says they "love the room and space," as well as the tent being "straightforward to pitch".
Decathlon's highly rated inflatable two-bedroom tent for a family of four is spacious, portable and easy to set up. It's designed for those who like plenty of room, with blackout technology to keep the two bedrooms cool and dark. The sleeping areas frame the living room, which is large enough for a person to stand up.
The waterproof tent boasts a zip-in ground sheet, too. Happy campers say it's "well worth the money" and "kids love it".
No prior camping experience is required to put this tent into action. With clear instructions, colour-coded poles and pre-attached guide ropes, two people were able to pitch it in hardly any time at all. The inner pod was really easy to fit, too.
Inside, there wasn't enough height to comfortably stand, but it otherwise felt spacious. Expect ample room for two people in each pod, plus some storage space in the middle. Comfort-wise, it felt light and airy, and our testers liked that the door doubled as a shade. It's great value for just over £90.
One of Amazon's best-selling dome tents is a family-sized style that offers 360-degree views from the six windows. It's sturdy and easy to pitch thanks to the colour-coded poles.
The family tent comes as one extra large room with a removable partition curtain so you can separate it into two areas if you wish. It's 100% waterproof thanks to Coleman's Weather Tec system combined with taped seams and a fully sewn-in groundsheet to keep you dry.
Four-person tent
Decathlon Quechua Air Seconds 4.1 XL Fresh & Black Family Camping Tent
An inflatable tent designed fit for four campers wanting maximum comfort, this family tent features one bedroom and a spacious living room.
The fabric reduces heat inside the tent in the sun and the black fabric means the sun won't wake you up in the morning if you're spending the night outside. One happy customer says: "I’m blown away by how easy and quickly a tent this size goes up and down. It’s very spacious inside and the blackout bedroom is a great addition."
If you're in the market for something a little special, this tipi-style tent will tickle you pink. Its design lends it a glamping feel as well as making it easier to pitch, since it only requires one connecting pole. Our tester's children loved the removable top, which is intended for air circulation but doubles as a stargazing window.
This tent felt very spacious, with a good standing height, but this did make it quite heavy to carry. Another snag was having to zip in the ground sheet, which came separately to the rest of the tent. Still, all of that feels like a small price to pay for a beautiful, high-performing tent.
For super-fast pitching, a strong structure and full stand-up head height, look no further than Vango's Odyssey Air 600 SC. The six-person family tent comes with a pre-attached sun canopy and one of its best features is its pitching speed that means less time setting up and more time enjoying your camping holiday.
Helping you to feel at home, this tent offers full mesh doors, lantern hanging loops, storage pockets and large 'Diamond Clear' windows so you can take in the lovely views outside.
Small families looking to take their first camping trip will love Vango's Tay 300, an entry level three-person dome tent with just a 10-minute pitching time. It has a gothic arch pole design to increase stability and keeps the tent strong and sturdy during turbulent weather, while offering more headroom.
The Lights Out technology in the bedroom helps block out light so you can get a good night’s sleep and the large windows allow light into the porch area, giving you great visibility.
Small families will love Vango's Tryfan 300, which has an extremely roomy internal space and good head height. It offers plenty of air ventilation, with two extra large side vents and mesh door options.
The family tent pitches inner first and can be pitched inner only for when it's especially hot. A canopy provides additional space and shelter, and if the weather's bad, the vents can be securely closed using the zip panels, keeping you and your gear dry.
This tent did a great job of protecting our testers from the elements; not only did it keep them warm on a cold night, but it also came with cross-bracing straps that stopped the tent from bending in the wind. You can unclip said straps to free up more space, but there's plenty – two queen-sized bedrooms, a living area and storage pockets.
The instructions were mostly clear, though they didn't mention the front porch feature, and our testers pitched up with little difficulty. They did advise being careful with the poles, which felt like they could snap if handled with too much force. The pros far outweighed the cons here, though – this is a lightweight, spacious tent that's also made from recycled plastic for eco credentials.
Sleeping up to six glampers, this family tent features pre-angled FRP poles ensuring full headroom throughout. The yurt-style tent offers all the size and freedom friends need, while allowing you to connect with nature and share the outdoor fun.
There are PVC windows for internal light, toggle-up curtains for privacy and a wide, fold-flat entrance. A covered rear vent provides ample ventilation and easily adjustable fresh airflow.
