She's back. Mercury Retrograde is here again and ready to cause more chaos as it overlaps with Venus Retrograde. Starting on 15 March for Australians and most of the world (and 14 March for North and South America), it runs for a lengthy 23 days, finishing on 7 April. Of course, the preshadow period started on 1 March – this is the time where Mercury slows down and prepares to enter its backwards spin through the sky.

Ready to delve into what this period has in store? Here's what you need to know

Mercury doesn't literally move backwards – but it does disrupt communication

Mercury retrograde refers to the time period when Mercury appears to move backward in the sky from our perspective on Earth. Of course, it doesn't actually. It's just an optical illusion due to the angles and placements of the planets at that time. This happens roughly three times each year, but it can happen more often like we saw in 2024.

Although the planet isn't actually reversing its course, retrograde motions are said influence various aspects of daily life. Mercury is the planet that governs communications, transits, travel and technology – anything that involves the transit of something from A to B. So, when Mercury is in retrograde, these are the areas of life that can slowdown or suffer from crossed wires. Expect everything minor miscommunications among friends to all out travel delays. Some astrologers even go as far as saying that Instagram or Outlook outages are linked to Mercury Retrograde  It's one of the most notoriously fraught periods for astrology lovers.

What to expect from the March - April 2025 Mercury Retrograde

Be ready for things to get spicy, because this Mercury Retrograde starts off in Aries. Thankfully, the fire is eventually put out when Mercury moves into Pisces for the rest of the transit. Unlike some retrogrades, which can go on for months, Mercury Retrograde is short and sharp. It blows in like a whirlwind and straight back out again, leaving you to pick up the pieces.

A typical Mercury Retrograde would be considered a rough time, but a Mercury Retrograde that kick starts in Aries? Well, it's fiesty combination. Aries colours Mercury with its hot-headed influence at this time, imbuing the period with a sense of audaciousness. As such, this particular retrograde will have the most significant impact on our inter-personal communications and relationships.

Our Aries folks are energetic, fun-loving and immensely passionate. It's why we love them. But on the other side, Aries can be aggressive, deeply competitive, snappy and abrasive. Even without a retrograde transit, Aries energy can make the most rational person take things the wrong way. This will be tempestuous combination. Mercury Retrograde will open the door for misinterpretations and meanings lost in translation, and Aries will add fuel to that fire. At this time, it would be best to have any difficult conversations in person to avoid anyone inferring their own context in written messages. This applies to work conversations as well as  discussions with friends and family. Remember to never ever put anything in writing that could come back to bite you at a later date, because it almost certainly will.

You will also need to withdraw yourself from argumentative situations that have the potential to spiral out of control. Even if you know you're right, you have to weigh up the mental cost of pursuing a situation that will lead to resentment. You'll need to weight up whether continuing to argue could damage your relationship with this person longterm. Giving in doesn't mean giving up. Protect your energy.

The sharp edge of this retrograde is smoothed down once Mercury moves into Pisces. But you'll still need to be on alert. While the removal of the Aries energy in this transit will dial down the aggression, the introduction of Pisces dials up our sensitivities – turning anger to tears. Soften any hard truths if you're having be honest with those around you. Make sure any and all contract negotiations – maybe a loan for a new car, a payrise at work or a new rental agreement – are crystal clear before signing. Do not leave anything up to personal interpretation.

And of course, if you are planning some travel at this time, please give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport.

Image: Олег Мороз on Unsplash