spiritual travel
Mercury Retrograde: A Time To Revisit, Reflect And Realign
Has it felt like the universe has been playing a cosmic prank on you lately? Maybe your phone or computer has started acting up, or your travel plans have taken an unexpected turn, or maybe every conversation feels like a confusing game of telephone?
You’re not imagining any it, and you’re definitely not alone. Blame it on the astrological phenomenon known as Mercury Retrograde.
Mercury began its current retrograde motion in the sign of Leo on July 18, 2025. This phase will last for 24 days, ending on August 11, 2025, with Mercury still positioned in Leo as it returns to direct motion.
But this energetic shift doesn’t stop there. After Mercury stations direct, we enter the shadow period, also known as the post-retrograde shadow or retroshade. This phase usually lasts for about two more weeks, meaning the lingering effects of the current retrograde may continue through August 25, 2025.
Mercury retrograde occurs three, and occasionally four, times each year due to the planet’s swift orbit around the Sun. As the innermost planet, Mercury completes this journey in just 88 Earth days.
During its retrograde phase, Mercury appears to move backward in the sky from our earthly perspective, creating a temporary disruption in its usual energetic influence. Because it is the planet that rules communication, travel, and information, its retrograde motion often stirs up confusion, delays, and misunderstandings in these areas of life.
Inner Journey To The Mystical Isle Of Avalon
Sometimes when the pressures and demands of modern life become too much, I retreat to one of my favorite places in the universe: the mythical island of Avalon.
This legendary island of Celtic mythology is steeped in legends of healing, psychic learning, sacred crafting, and the life and times of King Arthur. Its name translates as “Isle of Apples,” emphasizing its association with fertility, abundance, and otherworldly beauty.
In folklore, Avalon, or Insula Avallonis, was a sanctuary of deep spiritual and psychic knowledge and was known as a training ground for pagan priestesses dedicated to the Great Mother Goddess. These women dedicated their lives to spirituality, honing their skills in clairvoyance, herbalism, weaving, and deep devotion to the Divine Feminine.
But Avalon was not only a sanctuary for women. Men were also an integral part of its story. Merlin the magician is inextricably linked to the history of the island, having trained the young Arthur there for his kingship.
Avalon is also entwined with many other tales woven through the lives of King Arthur, Guinevere, Morgan le Fay, Merlin, Nimue (the Lady of the Lake), and others. Legend also has it that King Arthur was brought to Avalon by his half-sister, Morgan le Fay, to heal after being badly wounded in battle.
The question of whether Avalon really existed straddles the line between myth and reality. Some historians and researchers speculate that Avalon may be based on a real place. Glastonbury, England, is often associated with Avalon because of its mystical aura and ties to Arthurian legend.
Mercury Goes Retrograde Today
Mercury goes retrograde today. This astrological phenomenon occurs three to four times per year, when the planet Mercury appears to move backwards through space. Energetically, it can be a period of frustration, error, confusion, and delay, and each cycle lasts about two to three weeks. Mercury retrograde begins again today and will last until September 14th.
In ancient Roman mythology, Mercury is a prominent god who rules business and finance, communication, travel, luck, swindlers, and thieves. He also serves as the guide of souls to the underworld and as a messenger of the gods. He is also known for his ability to take things apart and put them back together again. In astrology, the planet Mercury is therefore associated with communication, intellect, technology, and travel, so all of these aspects of life can be affected when it goes retrograde.
During Mercury retrograde, all aspects of communication, logic and reason can become more difficult and dysfunctional. Misunderstandings and mix-ups are more likely, and we are sometimes less able to think and express ourselves clearly. This can cause problems in our personal and professional relationships. We are also more prone to making mistakes or overlooking important details, leading to frustration and confusion.
Communication systems and technology are also affected by a Mercury retrograde. Digital communication devices and electronics may malfunction or break down, and internet and phone connections may be disrupted, making it more difficult to stay in touch. Travel may also become more challenging during this time, with delays, cancellations, and other unexpected obstacles.
The Spiritual Path Of The Wandering Nomad
A recent chat with a relative about my plans for the future reminded me of a first cousin who once remarked on my nomadic lifestyle, “You really don’t seem to stay in one place for more than ten minutes!” A friend once also pulled my leg about needing to buy a new Rolodex, because I was filling hers up with all my constantly changing addresses from all over the world (those were the days before contacts could be more easily stored on a smart phone).
According to Astrology, I was supposed to get settled early in life as a Cancerian, by creating a permanent home and haven, and having a family with several children. Well, this was never the case. I thought the desire to settle down might come as years passed, but it never happened.
I also never became broody. I would become motherly over a puppy, kitten or other young animal, but I never felt the desire to have children of my own.
Over many years of personal growth and spiritual exploration, I have gained a deeper understanding and greater clarity regarding the choices I have been making in this lifetime.
Astrologically, for example there is a strong Gemini influence in my natal chart which is contributing to my restlessness, as well as Leo fueling my creativity and my sense of determination. I am not am expert astrologer by any stretch of the imagination, but the way it was explained to me by a professional astrologer made perfect sense.
A past life regression session also revealed that I had conceived many children in previous incarnations and that the desire to have offspring of my own this time around was not a part of the blueprint.
I found the matter particularly challenging when I was younger. I would be dating a wonderful guy who really wanted to settle down with me and longed to have a family, but the mere thought of having my wings clipped by marriage and motherhood was always unthinkable to me. So, many good relationships ended because we really were not on the same page about settling down and having children.
The Universe Knows If You Just Need Your Hair Brushed
A spiritual teacher and metaphysical writer was waiting to board a plane. She had a spiritual book in her lap and was very intent upon what she was reading, until she felt summoned by Spirit to look up. When she did, she saw such a strange sight she had to try to keep from staring.
Humped over in a wheelchair she saw an elderly man. He was skin and bones, dressed in clothes that obviously fit when he was at least twenty pounds heavier. His knees protruded from his trousers, and his shoulders looked like the coat hanger was still in his shirt. His hands looked like tangled masses of veins and bones.
The strangest part of him was his hair and nails. Stringy, gray hair hung well over his shoulders and down part of his back. His fingernails were long and clean, but strangely out of place on an old man.
Beth looked down at her book as fast as she could, discomfort burning in her face, and tried to imagine what his story might be. She found herself wondering if she had just had a Howard Hughes sighting, but then she remembered that he is dead.
So, who was this man in the airport…an impersonator maybe? Was a camera on them somewhere, she wondered. There she sat; trying to concentrate on her book, to keep from being concerned about a thin slice of humanity served on a wheelchair only a few seats from her. All the while, her heart was growing more and more overwhelmed with a feeling of concern for him. Curiosity is a heap more comfortable than true concern, but suddenly Beth was awash with aching emotion for this bizarre looking man.
She had worked with Spirit long enough to see the handwriting on the wall. Beth had learned that when she began to feel what the universe feels, something contrary to her natural feelings, something dramatic is bound to happen…and it may be embarrassing. She immediately began to resist and started arguing with Spirit in her mind. “Oh, no, Spirit, please no,” she thought, but asked, “What are you calling me to do?”
The Mysteries Of Ancestral Roots And Past Lifetimes
In readings spirit will often show me the regions and nationalities of a client’s ancestry. For instance, if I see symbols of Scotland or Ireland, I will mention it to them, and they may already know that they have those regions in their bloodline, or they have always felt a strong resonance with that particular area.
I find this interesting, because it is often the case that a person’s ancestry and family origins in this lifetime often also has a metaphysical connection to their past lives. I have had flashes during psychic readings of certain events and scenes from a client’s past life in certain place, with the client then informing me that their ancestors in fact come from that area.
This made me ponder my own Celtic past lives and how this also happens to be where some of my ancestors originate from. This also brought me to think about our spirit guides and how they also tend to link to these ancestral regions. Ireland, for example, is a place that has always held a magical energy. Egypt is another place that generates very strong past life memory and associations for me.
I have also noticed that spirit often sends me people for past life readings who are also connected to these places and cultures. Wouldn’t it be fantastic if I knew some of my current clients in those past lifetimes. And did we also engage in joint spiritual practices back then?
I have always found it intriguing why psychics tend to find some people incredibly easy to read for, and others not. Sometimes, I feel as is if I have known a new client for years, as if I recognize them from a former life, with no logical explanation.
Astral Travel To Your Favorite Destination
Traveling to sacred sites has always been something I love doing, ever since I was a young girl. There is something undeniably magical about visiting a spiritual place that has much lore or mystical history associated with it. Some of my favorite destinations include Mount Shasta in Northern California, Sedona in the Verde Valley of Arizona, and Machu Picchu in the Andes Mountains in Peru.
These sacred sites are all home to powerful energy vortices and ley lines in the Earth’s electromagnetic field, containing more metaphysical energy than ordinary places. Visiting here feels as though you have stepped into a different dimension, or another place in time. Millions of people around the world travel to these locations in search of enlightenment and healing, gaining a broader perspective, raising their awareness, or simply to have a special spiritual experience.
With the advent of Covid-19, few people have had the luxury lately of air travel and long-distance trips. Many spiritual travelers are feeling frustrated and trapped. Some are going stir crazy not having the freedom to travel anywhere in the world. Even local excursions and short-distance trips are challenging these days. I enjoy traveling in the Mount Shasta area, for example, since it is not too far from where I live, but I am reluctant to stay over in a hotel during this time.
However, spirit recently reminded me that I could still travel to my favorite sacred sites by way of the astral realm. It made me think of the Celtic concept of the immram, which refers to the taking of a soul journey, a sacred pilgrimage, a wonder voyage to a sacred site where the soul needs to go. Spiritual seekers and metaphysicians have been taking these inner voyages on the astral plane through the ages.
We are not limited to the physical body or the mundane world. In the same way we can physically visit a physical place of interest, we can also journey there on the astral plane. Traveling in this way, we can journey anywhere we want to, while remaining in the physical comfort of our own home.