Horror-scopes: Retrograde Nightmares and What They Mean
It has been found that people from all over the world have been having more vivid dreams brought about by stress. There have been reports of people recalling dreams that are not just embarrassing, but also terrifying.
The key spiritual idea of a retrograde is going back in time and going through various aspects of your life, which can vary depending on which planet is retrograde.
For instance, Neptune is in retrograde for half of the year. This planet is renowned for its artistic and healing abilities. But in retrograde, these distinctions vanish and we become vulnerable to deceit and illusion.
Neptune explores the perfect universe and thus engages in a great deal of fantasizing and dreaming. We actually have a tendency to overindulge when we are most affected by Neptune.
We can also look to Pluto for bad dreams. The most intense days of Pluto's retrograde are when we have our darkest dreams, like dying or losing a loved one. Pluto's retrograde, like Neptune's, also lasts half a year. This makes the effects on our lives much less intense than some of the shorter retrogrades.
Mercury Retrograde
Ever heard someone say “I blame it on mercury retrograde.” ? A lot of people say this when we seem to reach that point in the year where life just seems to be in a funk. It turns out, nightmares are actually more common during this time.
Mercury retrograde is notorious for interfering with communication, travel, and technology, making a lot of things more complicated and confusing than they actually are. However, it does more than just make things difficult when you're awake; it also impacts your sleep, specifically your dreams.
How does it affect your dreams?
Mercury governs your thoughts, cognition, and even your neural pathways. It controls your wit, communication style, and ideas you have.
Since Mercury governs your nerves and brain, it can cause you to sleep less. It can also interrupt your sleep, making it more difficult to fall into a deep sleep and get the rest you need after a long day. Lack of sleep causes exhaustion, fatigue, and irritability, but it can also negatively affect our dreams.
Here are some dream symbols to watch out for and compare in an astrology dream dictionary:
People you know
This may be one of the most common types of dreams, but it is still notable. There could be an unresolved issue or maybe that person wants to tell you something, and your subconscious is trying to show it to you. This could also be a partnership problem that needs to be resolved or a relationship problem that you need to fix.
An authority figure
It's also not uncommon to have dreams about authority figures like your parents, boss, professor, or anyone you know with a higher professional ranking. This kind of dream could be telling you that you need to be mindful of an area of honesty, integrity, or even karma in your life. Reflect on the areas of your life that may need some fixing.
THE POSITIVE SIDE OF LUCID DREAMING
While you’re a bit disappointed (we know) that lucid dreaming is not some kind of supernatural power, science has proven that it can provide significant benefits for you.
What else to expect
We will be entering our first mercury retrograde for 2021 very soon, so here’s a quick guide on how you can get through it.
Be careful with tech
Aquarius is the most technologically savvy sign of the zodiac, and the swift planet's retrograde is known to wreak havoc on our technology — so any gadget-related mishaps are expected but will not be less frustrating.
Exercise caution by checking your emails and messages twice before sending them out, and always backup your work on your harddrive or cloud.
Rekindle friendships
Mercury retrogrades normally give us the urge to reach out to old friends, colleagues, and family members. These may be people we were once close to but lost touch with over the years, or just people that we have been wanting to catch up with. But this time of the year, you might find yourself wanting to be in groups rather than have individual gatherings.
Hop on a Zoom call with some good friends and enjoy the time you have together.
Support an organization
Since the Aquarian is altruistic and philanthropic, this transit is likely to focus on humanitarian issues and concerns. As a result, activists and humanitarians will feel a boost of energy and motivation to call for more structural change and to defend the rights of others.
You can join in and make the most of this Mercury retrograde by taking time to reflect on how you've been giving back and looking for ways to help, no matter how small. There are still many ways to support organizations and social enterprises even during the pandemic.
Think carefully
Think before you speak. Take a few deep breaths and gather your thoughts, especially if you're at a loss for words. If you're talking with someone, take breaks in the discussion. If you’re giving a presentation, pace yourself and give yourself more time to prepare.
During this time, we may have a higher chance of being careless and missing out on small details. Always pay attention.
It may sound like these retrogrades are such a negative and challenging time to be in. But bad dreams do not always have to have bad interpretations. It may not be the best time to make big decisions, but it gives us the chance to confront our emotions and address underlying issues we may not have noticed before.
It may be a good time to think about what your subconscious is trying to tell you so you can reorganize your thoughts better. Nightmares may also be caused by both conscious and subconscious fears. Consider how you feel and whether it applies to another aspect of your life that you believe requires attention.
