I don't know if any of you are into astrology, but I like to stay on top of astrological patterns. I find it fascinating how the planetary interactions the astrologers describe seem to play out in day-to-day life.  For me, this is always most evident during Mercury retrograde.  Mercury retrograde is a roughly three-week period when it appears that the planet Mercury is moving backward. 

Since Mercury rules communication and technology, many astrologers say that you should avoid signing contracts or making major technology purchases during the retrograde. They also say that things and people from your past can become prominent during this time. I have seen this pattern repeatedly over the years, and once again, this pattern revealed itself over the last three weeks. Two ex-husbands, one ex-lover, one almost lover, one old friend, and a contractor who promised to work on my house four years ago but never got around to it all came back into my life.

It can be challenging to deal with these people from the past when they pop up. One ex, who used to thrive on creating stress in my life, called me, offering assistance I needed but had not requested. I was pleasantly surprised and oddly upset by the call. The other ex also offered help and declared his undying love. I was less surprised but equally upset. I won't go on because I think you get the point.

These blasts from the past occur in all of our lives. When these situations arise, writing can help us understand the associated emotions. Writing helps us obtain closure. Writing helps heal the wounds of the past. We also can express our appreciation for the past and how it has made us who we are today. No matter what happened in the past, we've all come out of it stronger and smarter. We've grown. Writing helps us to see how.

In addition to helping us obtain closure and understand our emotions, writing can also help us heal emotionally by providing a safe space to process and release our feelings. When we write about our experiences, we can tap into our subconscious and access emotions we may not have been aware of before. This can be particularly helpful when dealing with traumatic experiences, as it allows us to release bottled-up emotions and work through them at our own pace.

Moreover, writing can help us reframe our experiences and view them more positively. By reflecting on past challenges and how we overcame them, we can gain a sense of empowerment and resilience. This, in turn, can help us approach future challenges with greater confidence and self-assurance. Writing can be a powerful tool for emotional healing and personal growth.

Writing Prompt

For fifteen minutes, write about a person, place, or thing from your past that has come back into your life recently. Don't worry about grammar, spelling, and punctuation. (Remember, editing is a separate process from writing. If you try to edit while you write, you tend to lose the thread of your message.) Post your piece here if you care to share. I'd love to see some of your writing.

Updated: April 21, 2023