Surviving Mercury Retrograde: Keeping Your Magick (and Sanity) Intact This Thanksgiving
Ah, Mercury Retrograde. That little cosmic prankster strikes again from November 9 to November 29, 2025, just in time to crash the annual family Thanksgiving dinner and stir up your aunt’s political tirades and your cousin’s conspiracy theories. “Please pass the potatoes, but hold the political commentary.” If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if the universe handed humanity a group chat full of autocorrect fails and emotional triggers, Mercury Retrograde is it.
I’m fortunate enough that the people who like to discuss and argue politics in my family aren’t ones I see at Thanksgiving. I also know not everyone has this experience with their family, but this year could be a little different given what’s happening right now.
But before you start prepping for planetary apocalypse and dinner talk fallout, let’s talk about what this energy really means and how you can protect your peace, power, and pumpkin pie this season.
What Mercury Retrograde Actually Messes With
Mercury rules communication, technology, travel, and contracts, basically everything that keeps your daily life from turning into a chaotic sitcom. When it goes retrograde, all of that slows down, tangles up, or just plain glitches.
Emails disappear. Flights get delayed. Words get twisted. Exes suddenly text “Hey stranger.” You know, typical Mercury chaos.
During a holiday season already filled with emotional baggage and forced small talk, this one’s especially potent. It’s like the cosmic version of bringing cheap wine to dinner and accidentally starting a debate about the economy.
This Retrograde’s Vibe: Emotional Reflection Meets Cosmic Miscommunication
This retrograde starts in Sagittarius and backpedals into Scorpio, meaning you’ll feel a mix of philosophical over-explaining and deep emotional triggers. Translation: you might find yourself defending your worldview at the dinner table like you’re in a TED Talk no one asked for.
But here’s the secret to surviving this retrograde…you don’t have to engage. Mercury wants you to rethink, not react. It’s a time for internal reflection, not external fireworks.
I know that when someone starts saying something that triggers you and you’re thinking “I KNOW you aren’t this gullible” you’re going to way to say something and jump into the a conversation, but you REALLY don’t have to! You can literally save it for a private rant in the car on the ride home.
Witchy Survival Guide for Mercury Retrograde
🕯️1. Protect Your Energy Like It’s the Last Piece of Pie
Before heading into any potentially messy gathering, do an energetic cleanse. Light a white candle, waft some rosemary smoke or incense around you, and visualize a white and golden bubble of light surrounding you. When the visualization is strong, set your intention by saying: “I am grounded, calm, and untouchable by chaos.”
You can also wear black tourmaline, hematite, or obsidian jewelry to keep yourself shielded from passive-aggressive family energy and electronic meltdowns. You can also blend together a little bit of lavender and sandalwood essential oils and wear them as a perfume. The lavender helps keep you calm while the sandalwood is grounding and protective, perfect for keeping other’s energies from getting to you.
🌚2. Do a Retrograde Reflection Ritual
Mercury Retrograde isn’t a punishment, it’s a cosmic audit. It’s asking you to review, revisit, and revise. While you can do this any time during Mercury, Wednesday, the day the is connected to Mercury, is perfect.
Try this:
Write down three areas of your life that feel “stuck” or misaligned.
Under each one, jot down what you might need to rethink. This could be your approach, expectations, or communication style with others involved.
Light a grey or silver candle for Mercury, meditate for five minutes (or however long feels right for you in the moment), and ask, “What am I missing that I need to understand?”
You can also pull a few tarot or oracle cards here as well if you feel they will help. Journal whatever thoughts, visions, or words come to mind.
🙅🏻♀️3. Avoid the Drama Triangle
Mercury Retrograde during Thanksgiving is like a cosmic test of your boundaries. Family conversations can quickly turn into emotional dodgeball. Here’s the witchy rule: don’t play their game.
Before walking into any gathering, set an energetic intention: “I’m here to enjoy food, love, and laughter, not debate policy or fix anyone’s karma.”
If things start to heat up, imagine yourself surrounded by mirror energy…I like the imagine myself wearing a body suit that looks like a disco ball. It reflects negativity back to the sender while you stay cool and calm since nothing can get to you inside.
And if all else fails, excuse yourself to “check on the moon energy” (aka, sneak outside with your drink and breathe).
💻4. Keep Tech Magickal, Not Messy
This is just a standard thing that you should get in the habit of when you know Mercury Retrograde is on the way. Back up your files. Double-check travel plans. Don’t sign contracts or make major purchases if you can help it. Mercury loves tech chaos, so ground your energy before doing anything digital.
A simple charm: place a small piece of hematite next to your computer or phone to stabilize your communication and prevent electronic “mishaps.”
🧙🏻♀️5. Remember: You’re the Alchemist, Not the Victim
Mercury Retrograde isn’t out to destroy you, it’s inviting you to slow down, think deeper, and reconnect with your truth. When everyone else is spiraling, you’ll be the calm witch sipping tea and smiling knowingly because you get it.
Use this energy to journal, redo your altar space, or reconnect with your ancestors, after all, they’ve survived far worse than bad Wi-Fi and awkward dinner convos. Keep things in perspective and know that it’s OK to put things on pause until the chaotic energy passes.
But I would be greatly remiss if I didn’t mention a very important caveat to the dance of Mercury Retrograde; Where energy goes, intention flows. If you spend all your time expecting things to blow up in your face at every turn, eventually they will. So focus on things being calm and blips being small. See yourself as gliding through this time without issue, regardless of what everyone else around you is experiencing.
A Thanksgiving Spell for Peaceful Communication
If you are planning to head out for a Thanksgiving gathering that you are worried about turning into a war of words, doing this ritual the night before or the morning of the event can be helpful to set the tone for keeping you calm and protected energetically.
You’ll need:
1 grey candle (for Mercury)
A small bowl of salt water (for purification)
A sprig of rosemary (for peace)
A quartz crystal (for clarity)
A black tourmaline (for grounding and protection)
Light the candle and say:
“Mercury, messenger and mind,
Help my words be calm and kind.
In truth and peace let me be heard,
Bless every action, thought, and word.”
Dip the rosemary in the salt water and circle it around the candle’s flame three times. Let the cancel burn down naturally (if you’re doing this on short notice, burn the candle and meditate with it for about 10 minutes and then snuff it out - you can relight it when you’re home later to let this overall energy surround you in general for the rest of this Retrograde). Keep the crystals in your pocket when heading to your dinner, party, or gathering.
This retrograde doesn’t have to be a cosmic nightmare, my Darklings. Think of it as your celestial reminder to slow down, speak softer, and choose peace over pettiness.
So tell me, what’s your go-to ritual or tool when Mercury Retrograde hits hard? Do you lean into the chaos or cast for calm? 🌒
