Only 1 Planet Will Be Retrograde In February, But It Could Cause A Lot Of Chaos

If you're into astrology, you might as well admit it. The first thing you do when something stressful, awkward, or inconvenient happens is ask yourself if Mercury is retrograde. After all, that would definitely explain the fact that you just texted your ex at 3 a.m. or you accidentally deleted an important document from your computer. In astrology, a retrograde is enough to send you into a total tailspin and there's no astrological term more universally feared than "retrograde." Luckily, much of that fear is overblown, and when you hear about what planets are retrograde during February 2021, you'll probably feel much more calm about the situation.

Truth be told, a retrograde does not mean that the world is about to come to an end. In fact, all a retrograde means is that a planet is slowing down its trip through the zodiac and taking a little detour backward. This can kick up energy from the past, such as unfinished business at work or a lack of closure from an old flame. This backward-energy also makes a retrograde a better time to review, redo, and reassess the situation instead of start from scratch. If retrogrades happen for a reason, it's so you can remember things that you've forgotten and catch errors that you've made before it's too late. Once you start utilizing a retrograde's energy to your benefit, you might even start to love it.

However, every retrograde is different, and some are so subtle you might not even notice them. If an inner planet stations retrograde (such as Mercury, Venus, or Mars), you'll probably notice its energy all the more profoundly, considering that inner planets move through the zodiac much more quickly. Outer planets (such as Saturn, Uranus, Pluto, and Jupiter), on the other hand, have a much more overarching effect while retrograde. These retrogrades last many months, therefore impacting your life over a long period of time and making the energy of their retrogrades less obvious.

Mercury Retrograde Will Begin On Jan. 30 And End On Feb. 20

Only one planet will be retrograde during the month of February, and you're in luck because it's the best retrograde of all: Mercury retrograde. Just kidding, because Mercury retrograde is known for being an incredibly confusing and error-ridden period of time. This three-week long communication crisis can turn your world upside down, but this inverted experience can be highly illuminating and revealing if you're willing to embrace it.

This particular Mercury retrograde begins at 26 degrees Aquarius on Jan. 30 and ends at 11 degrees Aquarius on Feb. 20. Aquarius is a fixed air sign that's concerned with community, humanity, innovative thinking, and rebelling against the status quo.

This retrograde might affect your social groups, revealing whether you truly feel a connection with the people you're spending time with. It might also reconnect you with communities from your past; communities that you've lost touch with. However, this retrograde could also make you feel left out of the party, as though your social life isn't up to par.

Tapping into your inner humanitarian, this retrograde might also reveal how your actions affect the world, prompting you to make better, more selfless and altruistic decisions. You may witness the way injustice has affected people in your community and the way it has possibly even affected you. This may inspire you to speak up on issues that matter to you, research more about the issues at stake, and get together with other likeminded activists in your area so that you can properly organize. This Mercury retrograde is a journey through the Aquarian perspective, so let it bring you closer to humanity.