Cosmos in the Microwave… Again

In this episode of Marionette Dolls, Sarah and Crystal take a deeper dive into why Mercury Retrograde feels so real — even if it isn’t physically affecting your phone, your plans, or your relationships.

We explore how the brain searches for patterns when life feels chaotic, why uncertainty can feel unsafe, and how belief systems can shape perception, communication, and behavior without us realizing it.

Sometimes the cosmos isn’t actually in the microwave…
But we might still feel overheated, overwhelmed, or out of sync.

Join us as we talk about reflection, ritual, and reclaiming control — without giving it away to the stars.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back to the dollhouse.

SPEAKER_02 0:02

I'm Crystal and I'm Sarah, and we are the Marionette of the Well just how to twist the child. Make the angel feel like a lucky jug. I should run but here I stayed applauding your wicked little plan.

SPEAKER_01 0:33

Welcome back, beautiful babes and dudes. If you're listening, I'm Sarah and I have a cold, so I apologize in advance for my rough ass voice. But I did secure an interview for grad school.

unknown 0:49

Woo!

SPEAKER_01 0:50

Yeah, so this week is full of anticipating anxiety, and hopefully Mercury does not ruin my interview for me. Because the cosmos are in the microwave again.

SPEAKER_00 1:07

Oh, and you're and you're graduating soon too. I am. I do have my dates.

SPEAKER_01 1:12

If you're not invited, sex to be. I don't even know if there's a maximum people you can submit. And who wants to come out and see little old me? Me. You? Yeah, I'm so excited. I guess you can come if you want to.

SPEAKER_00 1:28

Me or your husband, I'm going.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

It's gonna be like 9:30 in the morning on a Saturday.

SPEAKER_00 1:31

Oh, I think.

SPEAKER_01 1:32

You'll be working. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

Just record it for me.

SPEAKER_01 1:35

Okay, I got you.

SPEAKER_00 1:37

Alright, so, anyways, every time Mercury goes into retrograde, I swear it feels like my life starts glitching in ways that don't feel random. My phone will stop connecting to Wi-Fi. Someone will misunderstand something I said over text. I'll forget something important. And then suddenly it's like all of these unrelated stressors are stacking up on top of each other. And even when I know, logically, that retrograde is an optical illusion, that Mercury isn't actually moving backwards, it still feels like something is off. It feels coordinated somehow, like there's a pattern or a theme running through the week. And I don't think that it's just about astrology. I think it's about how uncomfortable it is to sit with the idea that sometimes bad things just happen without a shared cause.

SPEAKER_01 2:26

Yes, because randomness is psychologically threatening. It's not just inconvenient, it's destabilizing. Your brain is constantly trying to predict what's going to happen next so it can prepare you emotionally and physically. And when multiple stressful events occur together, even if they're unrelated, the brain doesn't want to treat them as coincidence. It wants to organize them into something meaningful. It wants to say this is happening because of something. Because there's a cause, then maybe there's a way to anticipate or manage it. Retrograde becomes that cause, not because it's physically influencing technology or communication, but because it gives a name to the instability.

SPEAKER_00 3:04

So instead of thinking this is just a rough week, it becomes this is retrograde week. And that feels more contained somehow, like if there's a label for it, then there's also a timeline, a sense that it it will pass. It turns a vague feeling of overwhelm into something structured, even if the structure is symbolic.

SPEAKER_01 3:24

Exactly. The brain prefers a false pattern over no pattern at all, because no pattern means unpredictability. And unpredictability is something the nervous system often interprets as potential danger. From an evolutionary standpoint, assuming that events were connected even when they weren't was safer than missing real the real threat. So our brains become very good at linking things together, especially under stress.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

So if you're already overwhelmed or anxious, your brain might be even more motivated to find the connection. Like it's trying to solve a puzzle that doesn't actually have one picture.

SPEAKER_01 3:59

Yes, and that's why retrograde resonates culturally. Not because it's scientifically accurate, but because it reflects an emotional truth that sometimes everything feels unstable at the same time. Naming that instability can reduce anxiety, even if the name isn't based on physical mechanism.

SPEAKER_00 4:15

Because without a story, it's just noise, and noise feels unsafe.

SPEAKER_01 4:20

Right. Your brain is always asking, what does this mean? So when multiple stressful things happen close together, it doesn't want them to remain separate. It wants one explanation that ties them together into a narrative. Retro became that narrative.

SPEAKER_00 4:34

I think one of the parts of astrology that really hooks people isn't even the dates. Like when retrograde starts or ends, it's actually the readings. Because sometimes I'll read something like you may be feeling misunderstood lately, or you're craving stability but struggling to find it. And it hits in this way that feels almost invasive. Like it feels like someone sat down and watched my week unfold and then wrote a summary of it. And logically, I know that's not possible, but emotionally there's this moment where it lands in a way that feels personal, like it's naming something I haven't even said out loud yet.

SPEAKER_01 5:11

Yes, and that reaction is actually something psychologists have studied for a long time. There's a phenomenon called the Martin effect, sometimes called the Foyer effect, where people interpret vague and general statements as being highly accurate for them personally. In one of the earliest studies, participants believed they were receiving personality descriptions based on individual assessments, but in reality, everyone was given the same text, and despite that, most people rated the description as extremely accurate. Statements like you have the tendency to be critical of yourself, or at times you're outgoing, while at other times you prefer solitude were interpreted as uniquely descriptive.

SPEAKER_00 5:47

So the statements weren't tailored, they were just broad enough that anyone could see themselves in them.

SPEAKER_01 5:53

Exactly. And your brain fills in the rest. When you read something open-ended, like you maybe experience emotional tension, your mind automatically searches your recent experiences for anything that fits. Maybe it's an argument you had or stress from work or something unresolved from your past. The statement feels personal, not because it was written for you, but because it supplied the context that made it relevant.

SPEAKER_00 6:16

So it's less like the stars are revealing something about me and more like I'm projecting something onto the statement and then recognizing it.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

You're completing it with your own experiences. Your brain is constantly trying to connect information to your sense of self. It's called self-referential processing and it's very normal part of cognition. But it means that when you read a general statement, you don't experience it as general, you experience it as applicable.

SPEAKER_00 6:42

Oh, and I think that becomes even more powerful when you're already overwhelmed because then it's not just information, it's validation. It feels like someone or something understands what you're going through.

SPEAKER_01 6:54

Right. And that feeling of being understood can be very soothing. Once you've matched the statement to a real experience, it's no longer abstract. It's emotional. And emotional resonance makes something feel accurate, even if it wasn't designed to be specific.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

So if the reading says communication might be difficult, and I just had a misunderstanding with someone, that statement now feels predictive, even though misunderstandings happen all the time.

SPEAKER_01 7:23

Yes, and that's where something called illusionary correlation comes in. That's when we perceive a relationship between two things that aren't actually related. For example, you might associate your ex texting you with retrograde starting, even though your ex might text periodically, regardless of the planetary movement.

SPEAKER_00 7:41

But because it happened during retrograde, it feels connected.

SPEAKER_01 7:44

Exactly. Your brain links events because they occur close together in time. And once that link is formed, confirmation bias can strengthen it.

SPEAKER_00 7:53

So now when something stressful happens during retrograde, it stands out more than when things go smoothly.

SPEAKER_01 8:00

Yes. You pay attention to the evidence that supports the belief and filter out the evidence that contradicts it. So if five conversations go well and one goes poorly, the difficult one becomes confirmation that retrograde is affecting communication.

SPEAKER_00 8:13

So if my text ends without an issue, I don't think Mercury must be helping me today. But if someone misunderstands me, suddenly it's evidence.

SPEAKER_01 8:22

Right. Your attention becomes selective. It's similar to when you buy a new car and suddenly start noticing that model everywhere. The car is always been there, but your brain just started filtering for them.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

And I think social media amplifies this too, because if everyone around you is posting things like retrograde, it's already messing with my life, it creates this shared narrative that makes those connections feel even more real.

SPEAKER_01 8:47

Yes, social reinforcement can normalize those associations. If other people are interpreting interpreting their experiences through the same lens, it can strengthen the perception that there is a collective pattern.

SPEAKER_00 8:59

So now the statement feels personal, that even that event feels connected, and the belief feels socially supported.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

And all of that can make astrology feel eerily accurate, not because it's forecasting events, but because it's reflecting experiences you were already having and organizing them into a narrative that feels meaningful.

SPEAKER_00 9:18

So it's not necessarily revealing something new, it's just structuring something I already noticed. I think what's really getting me now is that it's not just these connections feeling accurate. It's that they feel relieving. Like there's this moment when something stressful happens and you connect it to retrograde where it almost feels like your shoulders drop a little bit, like you can finally exhale. Because now there's an explanation. I don't think I realized how much emotional weight that explanation was carrying until we started talking about it like this.

SPEAKER_01 9:55

Yes, because that emotion exhale is part of your brain's reward system activating. When you make sense of something confusing or unpredictable, your brain releases dopamine. And dopamine isn't just about pleasure, it's about prediction and pattern recognition. It's the signal that says, we figured something out. So when you connect to events like your phone glitching and retrograde starting, your brain experiences that connection as a solved problem.

SPEAKER_00 10:19

Even if it wasn't actually a problem that needed solving in the first place.

SPEAKER_01 10:23

The brain isn't evaluating whether the connection is uh scientifically accurate, it's responding to the reduction in uncertainty. The aha moment feels good because it replaces confusion with understanding.

SPEAKER_00 10:34

So when I say something like, of course my phone died today, retrograde started this morning. My brain is basically rewarding me for finding a pattern.

SPEAKER_01 10:42

It's reinforcing the behavior of meaning making and reinforcement strengthens repetition. The more often you connect stressful experiences to retrograde, the more likely you are to do it again the next time something confusing happens. So belief becomes habit. Because each time you match an experience to retrograde, you get a small chemical reward for reducing uncertainty.

SPEAKER_00 11:04

And I think that's important because sometimes the explanation doesn't feel accurate, it feels calming. Like it turns chaos into something manageable.

SPEAKER_01 11:12

And this is where reinforcement learning comes in. Your brain learns from what reduced reduces stress. If connecting an event to retrograde decreases anxiety, even temporarily, your brain will remember that.

SPEAKER_00 11:24

So the next time something stressful happens, it might automatically reach for the same explanation.

SPEAKER_01 11:30

Exactly. It's like stress is explanation, which equals relief, and relief is reinforcing.

SPEAKER_00 11:37

This is starting to sound a lot like gambling.

SPEAKER_01 11:41

It's actually very similar. There's a concept called variable reinforcement, which is the same mechanism that keeps people engaged with slot machines. If something works every time, it becomes predictable and eventually less compelling. But if it works sometimes unpredictably, it becomes very difficult to ignore.

SPEAKER_00 11:59

So if retrograde explained everything perfectly every time, we might actually get bored with it.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Yes, but because it only seems to fit occasionally, like when tech glitches or someone from your past reappears, those moments stand out. They feel meaningful.

SPEAKER_00 12:17

So when something stressful happens during retrograde, it's like hitting a jackpot.

SPEAKER_01 12:21

Even if there were dozens of neutral or positive experiences during that same time period, the moments that align with the belief are more memorable.

SPEAKER_00 12:30

So now the brain remembers retrograde started, my ex texted me, my email got misinterpreted, but it it forgets that the meetings went fine, the text that went through, plans that worked.

SPEAKER_01 12:43

The belief becomes reinforced by selective memory and the intermediate success. When events seem to match that expectation, it makes it feel predictive.

SPEAKER_00 12:54

So it's not that retrograde is constantly causing problems, it's that occasionally something happens that fits the narrative and that moment sticks.

SPEAKER_01 13:02

Yes, and because it sticks, it straightens the association. Over time, the brain updates its model, retrograde equals communication issues, even though the underlying event might have occurred regardless.

SPEAKER_00 13:14

And I imagine this might be even stronger for people who grew up in environments where unpredictability felt dangerous.

SPEAKER_01 13:21

Yes, because for someone with trauma, uncertainty isn't just uncomfortable, it can feel unsafe. So finding a pattern that seems to predict when things might go wrong becomes emotionally protective.

SPEAKER_00 13:31

So retrograde might feel like a warning system. A way to anticipate instability. So now belief isn't just cognitive, it's chemical.

SPEAKER_01 13:40

It's reinforced by the brain's reward system.

SPEAKER_00 13:44

So the universe didn't validate me. My dopamine did.

unknown 13:48

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 13:49

So this part is where I feel things get a little uncomfortable because up until now we've been talking about how belief can feel relieving, like it's giving structure to chaos, or help us make sense of something stressful. But what happens once we've said that the belief out loud, like if I go online and post something like retrograde is already messing with my communications this week, it feels harmless in the moment. Like I'm just venting or joking. But now I wonder if saying it publicly actually changes how my brain processes what happens next.

SPEAKER_01 14:23

It's because once you say something out loud, especially publicly, your brain becomes invested in maintaining consistency between what you believe and what you've expressed and what you've experienced. And when those things don't line up, it creates something called cognitive dissonance, which is the mental discomfort that comes from holding two conflicting ideas at the same time.

SPEAKER_00 14:44

So if I've already told people that retrograde is affecting communication, and then later I have a really smooth conversation with someone that creates a contradiction.

SPEAKER_01 14:54

Exactly. Now your brain has to reconcile. I said retrograde make communication difficult, and that conversation went really well. And holding both of those at once feels uncomfortable.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

So instead of questioning the belief, it might just explain the experience differently.

SPEAKER_01 15:10

It might say, well, that conversation went well despite retrograde, or maybe the effects haven't started yet. The brain updates the interpretation of the event instead of the belief itself.

SPEAKER_00 15:20

So instead of changing the belief, we change reality to match it.

SPEAKER_01 15:26

Exactly, because consistency reduces dissonance, and the more publicly or emotionally invested you are in a belief, the more motivated your brain is to protect it.

SPEAKER_00 15:35

That makes me think about how sometimes people enter retrograde already expecting things to go wrong, like okay, communication's gonna be off this week, so I I need to be careful. And then I find myself being more anxious in conversations like already watching for misunderstandings before they even happen.

SPEAKER_01 15:53

And that's where expectations start influencing behavior. If you expect miscommunication, you might hesitate, overexplain, respond defensively, or read neutral tones as negative. And those behaviors can actually create misunderstandings.

SPEAKER_00 16:07

So now the belief is shaping how I interact with people.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Uh and that's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Your expectation influences your behavior, your behavior influences the interaction, and the interaction confirms your expectation.

SPEAKER_00 16:20

So retrograde didn't ruin the conversation. My anxiety about retrograde might have.

SPEAKER_01 16:26

Yes, the expectation becomes part of the outcome.

SPEAKER_00 16:29

So now it feels predictive. Like retrograde really does cause communication problems, even though the belief shaped the behavior that shaped the experience.

SPEAKER_01 16:40

And this loop strengthens the belief over time.

SPEAKER_00 16:43

And I imagine this becomes even more complicated if the belief is tied to identity. Like if astrology is part of how someone understands themselves.

SPEAKER_01 16:53

Because now changing that belief isn't just about updating information. It's about protecting identity. If you said I'm a very intuitive person or I understand these patterns, questioning the belief can feel like questioning yourself.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

So it's not just cognitive, it's emotional.

SPEAKER_01 17:10

Yes, an emotional desperate makes beliefs more resistant to change.

SPEAKER_00 17:15

So at this point, retrograde provides an explanation. The explanation reduces anxiety. Saying it out loud creates a commitment, and expectation shapes behavior.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

Which means belief isn't passive, it's active. It's influencing perception, attention, and interaction.

SPEAKER_00 17:34

So belief becomes part of the system that produces the outcome. And I I I think this is where things start to hit a little deeper because we've been talking about how everyone's brain dislikes uncertainty. But I don't think everyone experiences unpredictability the same way. For some people, not knowing what's going to happen next is inconvenient or stressful, but for others, it feels genuinely threatening. Like there's this immediate shift in the body where uncertainty doesn't just mean discomfort, it means danger.

SPEAKER_01 18:07

Yes, and that difference is often related to something called intolerance of uncertainty, which basically refers to how distressing it feels when outcomes are unclear or unpredictable. Some people can tolerate not knowing, they can think I'll handle it when it happens, but others experience unpredictability as something their nervous system needs to resolve immediately.

SPEAKER_00 18:25

So if you grew up in an environment where things were inconsistent, like moods change quickly or punishment didn't follow clear rules, not knowing what's coming next could feel unsafe.

SPEAKER_01 18:37

In environments where safety was unpredictable, where yelling could start suddenly or affection could disappear without warning, your brain learns that uncertainty is risky. It becomes important to anticipate changes in tone, timing, or behavior.

SPEAKER_00 18:50

So hypervigilance develops as a way to stay ahead of danger.

SPEAKER_01 18:55

Yes, hypervigilance isn't as is essentially your brain trying to predict threats before they happen. It's consistently scanning for patterns that might signal what's coming next.

SPEAKER_00 19:05

Which means that unpredictability becomes exhausting because you're always trying to figure out what's about to change.

SPEAKER_01 19:12

And anything that offers prediction, even symbolically, can feel stabilizing.

SPEAKER_00 19:18

So retrograde becomes like a warning label like this week might be emotionally unstable, communication might be difficult, expect delays.

SPEAKER_01 19:28

And for someone whose nervous system craves predictability, or that feels useful. It turns uncertainty into expectations.

SPEAKER_00 19:35

Which makes the chaos feel less random.

SPEAKER_01 19:38

Because the brain's goal isn't always accuracy, it's safety. And predictability feels safer than randomness.

SPEAKER_00 19:45

So if I think retrograde might bring miscommunication, I might prepare emotionally for conflict.

SPEAKER_01 19:53

And when conflict happens, it feels expected instead of shocking.

SPEAKER_00 19:57

So it doesn't hit us hard because we were already bracing for it. Being warned feels better than being blindsided, that's for sure. So even if the warning isn't scientifically grounded, it still changes how the nervous system responds.

SPEAKER_01 20:11

Expectations shapes perception, and perception shapes emotional response.

SPEAKER_00 20:15

So this is less about believing Mercury affects communication and more about needing a framework for when communication might go wrong.

SPEAKER_01 20:24

Retrograde becomes a coping structure, a way to anticipate anticipate difficulty.

SPEAKER_00 20:30

And I imagine this might be especially relevant for people who experience chaos growing up because unpredictability might just feel uncomfortable. It might feel unsafe.

SPEAKER_01 20:40

Yes, and belief systems often flourish in environments of instability because they provide explanations, and explanations reduce anxiety.

SPEAKER_00 20:48

So retrograde isn't solving the problem, but it's helping people emotionally prepare for it. Okay, so I think this is where it gets really interesting because up until now we've talked about how the brain hates uncertainty and tries to find patterns in what's happening. But I'm starting to wonder what it's actually doing with those patterns. Like, why does it need them so badly? Why is the brain so motivated to explain things or connect events that might not even be related?

SPEAKER_01 21:17

Because your brain isn't just reacting to what's happening in the moment. It's constantly trying to predict what's about to happen next. There's a theory in neuroscience called predictive processing. And it suggests that your brain is continuously creating a model of reality based on a past experience. It's asking questions like, what usually happens in situations like this, or what should I expect from this interaction? Then it uses those expectations to guide perception and behavior.

SPEAKER_00 21:44

So it's less like we're responding to the world as it unfolds and more like we're anticipating it, trying to reduce surprise before they happen.

SPEAKER_01 21:53

Surprise indicates that your prediction was wrong. And prediction errors are stressful for the brain, so it tries to minimize them by. Updating its expectations based on previous experiences.

SPEAKER_00 22:03

So if I've had arguments in the past where communication felt unclear, my brain might expect tension in similar situations, even before anything actually happens.

SPEAKER_01 22:14

Yes, and that expectation can shape how you interpret what comes next. If you anticipate conflict, you might read uh neutral tones as irritation or interpret silence as judgment. So expectation changes perception. And perception then influences behavior.

SPEAKER_00 22:30

So if I expect communication problems during retrograde, I might approach conversations more cautiously or even defensively.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

You might hesitate, over-explain, or assume negative intent, all of which can influence how the interaction unfolds.

SPEAKER_00 22:47

So now the prediction becomes part of the reality.

SPEAKER_01 22:50

Exactly. Your expectation shapes your behavior. Your behavior shapes the interaction, and the interaction confirms your expectations.

SPEAKER_00 22:57

So it feels like retrograde predicted the outcome when really the belief influenced how I responded.

SPEAKER_01 23:04

And this is why predictive processing can make beliefs feel accurate, because it's guiding attention and behavior in ways that align with that expectation.

SPEAKER_00 23:12

So when someone says retrograde always brings back my ex, it might not be the retrograde causing reconnection. It might be that they're more likely to check old messages or respond to a text they would normally ignore.

SPEAKER_01 23:25

The expectations increase the likelihood of certain actions, which then produce outcomes consistent with the belief.

SPEAKER_00 23:31

So belief becomes part of the model the brain uses to forecast what's coming next.

SPEAKER_01 23:36

And even if the belief isn't scientifically accurate, it still influences perception.

SPEAKER_00 23:41

So retrograde can function like a prediction system, even symbolically.

SPEAKER_01 23:46

Exactly, and that symbolic prediction can reduce uncertainty by giving people expectations about what might happen.

SPEAKER_00 23:52

Which makes the future feel less surprising. Even if the expectation isn't grounded in planetary physics. Okay, so this is where I feel like things can get a little complicated because up to this point we've been talking about astrology as something that can provide structure or meaning, especially during stressful periods. But now I'm wondering, when does something move from being metaphorical to being treated like an actual cause? Like when does a story about emotional cycles become an explanation for why events are happening?

SPEAKER_01 24:27

Yes, and that distinction is really important because there's a difference between using something symbolic and using it as our mechanism. A myth, for example, is a symbolic system. It helps people interpret experiences, reflect on emotional states, or organize what feels chaotic into something understandable. But it doesn't claim to physically influence outcomes.

SPEAKER_00 24:49

So a myth might say this represents transformation, or this symbolizes a period of challenge.

SPEAKER_01 24:57

Right. In its framework for meaning making, pseudoscience, on the other hand, makes causal claims. Without empirical evidence, it says this thing directly causes that thing.

SPEAKER_00 25:08

So if someone uses retrograde to remind themselves to slow down or be patient, that's reflective. But if they say retrograde caused a misunderstanding or delay, that's attributing to causation.

SPEAKER_01 25:20

And that's where the line starts to blur because symbolic meaning can be helpful. It can prompt reflection or emotional awareness, but causal explanations without evidence can shift responsibility outward.

SPEAKER_00 25:32

So instead of thinking, I misunderstood that email, it becomes retrograde made communication difficult.

SPEAKER_01 25:38

And that can reduce self-blame and in the short term, but it can also reduce agency because now the cause is external.

SPEAKER_00 25:47

So myth can help us reflect, but pseudoscience can sometimes make us feel stuck.

SPEAKER_01 25:54

Yes, because if external forces is responsible, there may be less motivation to adjust behavior.

SPEAKER_00 26:00

And I think this is where it gets tricky because people don't always distinguish between symbolic meaning and physical cause.

SPEAKER_01 26:07

And socially those ideas can blend together, especially when astrology is presented in authoritative language, like this transition will affect your communication style.

SPEAKER_00 26:17

That word implies cause.

SPEAKER_01 26:19

And implied cause changes interpretation.

SPEAKER_00 26:22

So this isn't about dismissing mythology. It's about recognizing when something is being presented as science.

SPEAKER_01 26:30

And understanding that difference allows people to keep the reflective benefits while maintaining agency.

SPEAKER_00 26:35

I think this is the part where I don't want people to walk away feeling like the takeaway is astrology is pointless. Because even if Mercury isn't physically influencing communication or technology, it still seems like retrograde does something emotionally for people. Like when someone sees that it's starting, they might think, okay, maybe I need to slow down this week, or maybe I should double check my plans. And even if that's symbolic, it can still change how they behave.

SPEAKER_01 27:02

Yes, and that's where rituals come in. Rituals are structured behaviors or beliefs that can help regulate stress or uncertainty. They don't have to change external events to change internal experiences.

SPEAKER_00 27:13

So lighting a candle before bed, journaling during a full moon, or using retrograde as a reminder to be patient, those might not affect planetary motion, but they might affect how someone feels.

SPEAKER_01 27:26

Exactly. Rituals can create predictability, encourage reflection, or signal transitions. And predictability helps regulate the nervous system. So retrograde might become like a schedule pause. Yes, instead of thinking everything is falling apart, something someone might think this is a time to check in.

SPEAKER_00 27:45

Which could encourage them to revisit conversations, review plans, or approach stress more intentionally. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 27:53

The belief becomes a behavioral cue.

SPEAKER_00 27:55

Not because the planet caused the problem, but because the ritual prompted reflection.

SPEAKER_01 28:00

Someone might say, I'm being extra careful with communication this week, and that might actually reduce conflict.

SPEAKER_00 28:06

So intention influences behavior, and behavior influences outcome. Exactly. So retrograde can function like a coping strategy, a reminder to slow down, think, and prepare.

SPEAKER_01 28:19

It can provide a structured way to process emotions or anticipate challenges, even if the underlying cause is symbolic.

SPEAKER_00 28:25

So the ritual might be helpful, but the causal explanation might not be accurate.

SPEAKER_01 28:32

Yes, and separating those two things allows someone to keep the reflective benefits while maintaining agency.

SPEAKER_00 28:39

So instead of saying retrograde made me anxious, it becomes retrograde reminding me to notice my anxiety.

SPEAKER_01 28:45

The ritual becomes a tool, not a force.

SPEAKER_00 28:48

I think this is the part that people need the most. Because if talking about how belief can shape perception, memory, or even behavior, then the next question becomes: how do we hold on to the reflection without giving away our control? Because sometimes explanations can feel uncomfortable or comfortable, and they can also make things feel out of our hands.

SPEAKER_01 29:11

Yes, and that's where the concept of locus of control comes in. Locus of control refers to where you believe the cause of events come from, whether outcomes are influenced by your own actions or by external forces.

SPEAKER_00 29:22

So an internal locus of control would be something like my choices affect what happened next. And an external locus of control might be external circumstances determine what happens.

SPEAKER_01 29:34

Yes, and neither is inherently bad. Sometimes recognizing external factors is accurate and important. But even if it starts feeling externally caused, like planetary movements or fate, it can reduce the sense that your actions matter.

SPEAKER_00 29:49

So if I think retrograde is affecting my communication, I might feel like there's something nothing I can do to improve it.

SPEAKER_01 29:56

Whereas if you think communication has been challenging lately, you might ask, did I clarify what I meant? Did I listen carefully? Should I check in again? Which increases agency.

SPEAKER_00 30:07

So reclaiming control might mean using retrograde as a reminder to reflect, but still taking responsibility for what we can influence.

SPEAKER_01 30:17

Exactly. You can say this is the time to be mindful of communication without saying a planet is causing my miscommunication. So it becomes an invitation and not an explanation. And that shift can reduce helplessness and encourage problem solving.

SPEAKER_00 30:30

So if I notice tension during retrograde, instead of thinking, here we go again, I could think maybe I should check in with myself before responding.

SPEAKER_01 30:39

Reflection with agency.

SPEAKER_00 30:41

Which feels less like being controlled by the cosmos and more like choosing how to respond to stress.

SPEAKER_01 30:49

And that's where the benefits lie. Belief systems can prompt awareness, but awareness becomes empowering when paired with action.

SPEAKER_00 30:56

So retrograde can be a cue to slow down, but not a reason to give up control. Exactly. I think that's where it's been really interesting about this conversation for me is that no point did it feel like we were trying to take something away from people. Because when we talk about retrograde, our astrology in general, what we're really talking about is a very human need for explanation. Like this is deep discomfort that comes up when things feel random or unpredictable. And I noticed that in myself all the time, when multiple stressful things happen in the same week, my phone glitches, I have an argument, something from my past resurfaces. It doesn't feel like coincidence. It feels like there has to be a connection. Like there has to be something larger tying all of this together. Because if there isn't, then it's just chaos, and chaos is scary.

SPEAKER_01 31:48

Because chaos means we don't know what's coming next. And not knowing what's coming next is something the brain often interprets as potential danger. We've talked about how your nervous system constantly is trying to make predictions about the future, trying to stay one step ahead of anything that might hurt you. And when things happen that doesn't fit into predictable patterns, your brain starts searching for meaning. It wants a story that turns a series of unrelated stressors into something understandable. Retrograde can become that story, not because it's physically influencing events, but because it organizes those events into a narrative that feels less overwhelming.

SPEAKER_00 32:24

So even if Mercury isn't actually doing anything, the idea of retrograde still gives us a way to interpret what's happening emotionally. It turns everything is falling apart into this is a difficult period, but maybe I should slow down. And that shift alone can change how we respond. It can make us more reflective and more patient. So the meaning still matters, even if the mechanism isn't scientifically supported.

SPEAKER_01 32:50

And that's where the distinction between meaning and mechanism becomes really important. Something that can be psychologically meaningful without being a literal cause, retrograde might not be creating communication breakdowns, but the belief that communication could be challenging might encourage someone to think before responding or check in with themselves emotionally. In that sense, the symbolic meaning can influence behavior, not because the planet changed anything, but because the belief prompted reflection.

SPEAKER_00 33:17

So instead of saying retrograde caused this argument, and it becomes more like I've been under stress lately. Maybe I need to approach this conversation differently. And that feels a lot more empowering because now there's something I can do.

SPEAKER_01 33:32

And at the end of the day, the goal isn't to eliminate meaning, it's to recognize where meaning is coming from. Because when you understand that reflection doesn't require a physical cause to be meaningful, you can help the ritual, the awareness, the emotional insight without surrounding your sense of influence over what happens next.

SPEAKER_00 33:48

So the cosmos might not actually literally be in the microwave, but sometimes we feel overheated, overloaded, or out of sync, and having language for that experience, even metaphorical language, can help us pause and notice what's happening internally instead of reacting automatically.

SPEAKER_01 34:06

Reflection becomes empowering when it's paired with choice. When you recognize that noticing a pattern doesn't mean you're controlled by it.

SPEAKER_00 34:13

So notice the patterns, but don't give away your control.

SPEAKER_01 34:18

Yes. Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Marionette Dulse. Move gently, reflect often, and decide which strings you're ready to release. And until next time, but please don't put aluminum foil in the cosmic microwave. Yeah, or any microwave for that matter.

SPEAKER_02 34:34

Bye bye. Thank you for listening. Please like and subscribe. Please follow us on social media. I just don't need to. Okay. It toast the truth with poison blood. Make wrong feel beautiful.