Modern Witch's Guide to Mercury Retro 🔮
Happy Virgo Season, witches!
Of all the questions I receive about astrology, how to thrive amidst an impending Mercury Retrograde probably comes up the most frequently. As the Messenger Planet turned retrograde on Wednesday the 23rd until September 16th in the sign of the Virgin, it occurred to me that while I’ve discussed this common event in passing in many previous newsletters, I’ve never really explicitly wrote about my unique take on Mercury Retrograde — from how to handle them with grace, humor, and self-awareness to what to anticipate from each one uniquely. Certainly, with all the doom-&-gloom astrology out there, this uplifting post is long overdue! There’s a lot to say about this common and highly significant phenomena, so I’ve used bullet points to keep things concise. Bellow, you’ll find a plethora of information about Mercury Retrograde generally, as well as my hot take on what we can expect from this one in particular (and how we can work with it as opposed to against it.) Let’s dive in!
I’m a baby witch/astrologer who has never read Cosmo — what is Mercury Retrograde?
💜Planetary retrogrades refer to an optical illusion wherein — from our perspective here on Earth — a planet seems to pause and move “backwards” for a period of time before pausing again and resuming forward motion.
💜Of course, the planets are not actually changing direction —it’s a trick of the eye similar to the one you’d experience if watching a stationary object while moving forward — but it’s still considered astrologically significant when this occurs.
💜Planetary Retrogrades are highly cyclical and predictable. For the outer planets (Jupiter and beyond) these retrogrades occur annually and last for quite a few months at a time, with the outermost planets spending half the year or longer in retrograde motion. Outer planetary retrogrades are much less relevant on an individual level because a.) the outer planets inform our collective psyche and cultural trends much more than our daily life experiences and b.) they occupy such a large portion of the calendar year that even on a personal level, we become quite acclimated to engaging with the planet’s energy in that way. However, the dates at which the outer planets station retrograde and direct are noteworthy as moments where we feel that planet’s energy in a highly concentrated way which informs the astrology of the entire week (so for example, Jupiter turns retrograde on September 4th which makes that whole week very Jupiter-influenced. This amplifies cravings, appetites and wanderlust, and supports endeavors to generate abundance, knowledge or to build on our resources.) The week surrounding Neptune Retrograde or Direct might feel dreamy or unfocused but is great for magick, intimacy and artistry, while Saturn stations (like any Saturn transit) cue periods of maturation, learning and growth.
💜The retrogrades of the inner or personal planets (Venus, Mars and Mercury) are considered much more immediately impactful. Venus goes retrograde every 18 months for about a month and a half, and Mars goes retrograde roughly every 2 years for about 3 months. Mercury — the planet whose retrograde we’re discussing here — goes retrograde 3-4 times a year for 2-3 weeks.
Why all the hype?
🌻Mercury Retrograde garners the most attention partially because it’s common, occurring with the most frequency of any planetary retrograde and for a very abbreviated amount of time. We experience it often and when it does occur, we feel it very strongly because by the time we start to acclimate to the vibe shift, it’s over.
🌻Also, our modern world is very Mercurial. In astrology, Mercury governs mental clarity and cognitive function, interpersonal communication, connection and rapport (and the systems, technologies and contracts which support these), the flow and circulation of data and information, physical movement and travel, concepts, ideas, thoughts and verbal agreements, and essentially, all the ways in which our psyche intersects with the world around us. Sending a text, receiving an email, saving a document — it’s all Mercurial. So is buying a plane ticket, driving your morning commute to work, signing a lease, closing on a house, and even listening to your partner (and hearing them correctly while receiving their message.) Mercury oversees the cognitive functions which incline many of our daily actions and experiences, so when this planet’s out of whack or interacting with us differently, we notice.
🌻This impactful little planet does deserve the press. When the “Mercurial” figure in a narrative or piece of literature (think the diplomat, the jester, the messenger, the comedian, or the individual who can traverse opposing worlds or negotiate between them) is eliminated, that’s when all hell breaks loose. The most obvious example of this occurs in Romeo & Juliet with Mercutio’s assassination. Mercury isn’t necessarily the sexiest or most glamorous planet in astrology, but it’s influence and what it represents are important. Many great writers, thinkers, theologians and astrologers knew this!
Ok, so should I be scared?
☀No! In fact, it’s helpful to know the dates of Mercury Retrograde so we can time ourselves in such a way that we’re working with them as opposed to against them.
☀There’s pretty specific things traditional astrology would say not to do when Mercury turns Retrograde, and most of these have direct ties to the Mercurial systems and life areas mentioned above. Primarily, it’s not regarded as a good time to sign or solidify legal documents or agreements (including a marriage), to purchase expensive new technologies, vehicles or other major life resources, to make or execute travel plans, to initiate important dialogue, or to move forward with any new projects or ventures. We’re also told that we should triple-check our work throughout the entirety of the retrograde period — that e-mails have been sent, text messages received, back-ups properly saved, etc. — as well as before it begins (mainly that our communication technologies seem to be up and running and not in need of replacement or repair.)
☀If you’re a Mercury Retrograde purist — a decision every astrologer and astro-fiend must make for themselves — you may wish to follow these “rules” hard and fast, but admittedly, it would be quite difficult (if not impossible) to do so completely. In my opinion, it’s case by case. The tone of a retrograde and how it might express itself will vary dramatically depending on the sign it’s moving through and the planets it interacts with. In my astrology practice, these factors are considered to determine the best protocol when planning for an imminent retrograde (and the tone will change throughout as Mercury pings off different planets or enters into a new sign — more on this later.) I also find that Mercury wreaks the most havoc around the 24 hours that the planet stations retrograde and direct — the very beginning and end. If you’re going to select a time to follow the rules staunchly, it makes sense to do so around those dates (even if not the entire two/three weeks.)
☀A good rule of thumb is that if you’ve been planning something for a while and have done the proper research and preparation — whether you’re saving for a big purchase, signing a lease, working with a lawyer on a legal agreement, scheduling a trip, etc. — and you later notice the date happens to fall during a Mercury Retrograde period, there’s no reason to put it off or reschedule. It’s just a time to be careful about clumsily or impulsively engaging in the aforementioned, or doing so when ill-prepared.
☀It’s always good advice to be present and focused for life’s Mercurial elements — this means being a skilled and intentional communicator and planning accordingly when travelling, making big purchases or signing legal documents — but sure, especially so during Mercury Retrograde. We can reliably anticipate that dialogue or ventures initiated during this time will yield unexpected outcomes, quirky plot twists or surprising/ironic elements. This isn’t necessarily bad or negative, but it’s something to consider as this may* (or may not) be the energy you’d like to bring into a situation at the time of it’s conception (if you have control over the timing.) Even if you don’t, it’s helpful to know this so we can a.) have a solid back-up plan and b.) remain flexible.
*Yes, there are instances where this would actually be welcomed or beneficial, or not necessarily relevant one way or another.
☀Some doom-&-gloom astrology pushes the idea that certain events are statistically more likely to transpire during Mercury Retrograde — such as travel delays, car accidents, technology malfunctions or communication mishaps — and there is no evidence that this is the case. It’s more appropriate to say that if these do occur during Mercury Retro, they’re quirky, notable and memorable as containing a distinctive element of trickster energy (comedic timing, for example, or something about the dilemma was categorically unlikely but happened anyway.)
Is there anything Mercury Retrogrades are good for?
🌸Yes! Basically, anything that starts with the prefix “re” — reorganizing, recommitting to our routines and relationships, re-examining, resolving, renegotiation, revising and revisiting, recalibrating, regrouping, reassessing, remembrance, etc. It’s a really good time to circle back on things to ensure we’ve laid the proper groundwork and tied up any loose ends before moving forward.
🌸Mercury Retrogrades in an earth sign (like this one!) are fabulous for fortifying and restructuring. Mercury Retrogrades in air signs are good for reframing or re-examining ideas, concepts and mental programming, as well as repairing or laying the ground work for improved communication and rapport. Mercury Retrogrades in fire signs are dynamic and creative, often containing major breakthroughs or opportunities to transform and reshape. Mercury Retrogrades in water signs are evocative and tend to bring people back from our past; they’re excellent for emotional re-centering, relationship closure and integrating the deep wisdom of the heart.
🌸Often, Mercury will turn retrograde in one sign but move backwards into another — this is actually an easier energy to work with, as Mercury Retrogrades which occur entirely through one sign (especially if it’s fixed — Leo, Taurus, Scorpio or Aquarius) can trick us into thinking there’s only one perspective, set of protocol, or way of being, and embodying this too strongly can find us positioning ourselves poorly.
🌸Mercury Retrogrades through a mutable sign (Gemini, Virgo, Pisces, Sagittarius) can feel chaotic but get stagnant energy moving, often with a big burst of momentum accompanying the moment at which Mercury stations direct. Mercury Retrograde through a fixed sign (Aquarius, Leo, Taurus, Scorpio) are very good for organizing and getting our practical affairs in order, while Mercury Retrograde through a cardinal sign (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) can be frustrating as they feel like a call to action but they help us move forward once the Messenger God resumes direct.
🌸While we can seed new projects now, we do so most effectively by adjusting or taking stock of what’s already in the works as opposed to initiating completely new ventures from the ground up.
🌸It’s also a good time to do what we need to do to close out an old chapter, whether via a witchy ritual or the practical actions we take in the physical world.
🌸We might experience these periods as delays or moments of time where things aren’t moving as quickly as we’d like them to but sometimes, this is exactly what we need — these “setbacks” can leave us more time to ponder and prepare, even pointing us toward a better direction by providing clarity and guidance (depending on how we choose to use them!) Rather than getting annoyed, consider whether there’s a way you can use or benefit from the extra time a “delay” may buy you.
🌸Mercury Retrograde is a good time to intentionally slow our pace, embrace a vibe of levity and flow and adapt a strong sense of humor and flexibility. A big part of Mercury’s message is that we don’t always need to rush around and take ourselves so seriously!
🌸If you are experiencing communication difficulties during this time, circle back to the dialogue after the retrograde or try a different method of communication. If you’re travelling, moving, purchasing costly items or signing legal documents, triple-check that everything is in order.
What about the “Shadow Zone”?
☕”The Shadow Zone” is the period of time during which Mercury enters the degree it will later retrograde back to (in this case, 8 degrees of Virgo — the “pre” shadow zone) and it also comprises the two weeks following the retrograde where Mercury is returning to the degree it was at when it stationed retrograde (21 degrees of Virgo — the “post” shadow zone.) The Shadow Zone begins about two weeks before the retrograde starts and continues for about two weeks after.
☕Every planetary retrograde has a shadow zone, but it’s usually only considered relevant for the personal planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars.)
☕For Mercury Retrograde “purists,” protocol is ideally followed throughout the shadow zone period as well as the actual retrograde — by this logic, this would be a full month-and-a-half of avoiding travel, making big moves or purchases, etc., which isn’t necessarily practical for most of us. However, we can take certain precautions and know to triple-check ourselves when making plans during this window of time.
☕For me, it’s case-by-case — I interpret the shadow zone’s relevance on the basis of Mercury’s activity throughout these two-week periods, as well as the sign (or signs) it’s retrograding through (and the moment’s other astro-influences.)
☕Regardless, it’s good to know these dates because the moment Mercury exits the post-shadow zone is important; while astrologers agree there is a notable shifting of energy when Mercury stations direct, the moment Mercury leaves the shadow zone is also accompanied by a distinctive moment of clarity or a flash of insight. If anything unfolded during the retrograde that remained confusing, ambiguous or unfinished, it will usually resurface for resolution around this 24-hour period if it’s going to.
☕The two weeks between Mercury stationing direct and exiting the shadow zone are good for integration of whatever came up during the retrograde — as a result, the 24 hours around which Mercury leaves the shadow zone are good for re-framing a perspective or philosophy, returning to an unfinished conversation, completing or releasing a creative work, responding to a message, finalizing a document or decision, etc.
☕When Mercury enters the pre-shadow zone two weeks before the retrograde, we can expect agreements made or dialogue initiated during this time to reverse or yield unexpected results, strange outcomes or bizarre elements — again, this isn’t necessarily negative but it’s not always the kind of energy we want to bring into a legal transaction, a courtship, a business deal, a house closing, etc. It’s good to know these dates because we can reliably anticipate quirky outcomes (even if we don’t know exactly what will unfold, we can have grace and leave room for somewhat of a plot-twist.)
Tell me about this retrograde in Virgo!
✨This Mercury Retrograde began on August 23rd and goes until September 15th — the shadow zone began on August 4th and ends on September 30th.
✨As a result, Mercury will transit Virgo for an unusually long amount of time this year — the Messenger God typically spends about two weeks in each sign but will occupy Virgo for over two months in 2023 (since the end of July and until October 5th.) However, Mercury is quite happy here — Virgo is one of the signs over which this planet rules, allowing him to function optimally.
✨Because Mercury is amplified in Virgo, this means that this retrograde is also stronger, more potent and more palpable. I would definitely say this isn’t a good time to make big purchases, especially of vehicles or technology (Earth sign = conserving our resources with care), but I might recommend a slightly more purist attitude generally — especially by taking measures to guard against (or plan for) communication or technology glitches.
✨Mercury Retrograde in Virgo is fantastic for editing, troubleshooting, analyzing, refining, and tidying up duties and obligations quickly and efficiently. It can, however, find us nitpicking ourselves or obsessing over our so-called “flaws” (especially with the upcoming Saturn-influenced Full Moon.) If this happens and we find ourselves taking inventory of past “failures” or gathering evidence to support a sudden sense of inadequacy, we need only remember that the moment’s heightened analytical abilities and inclination toward retrospective thinking is actually beneficial and, if channeled productively, can help us reach a clean new perspective.
✨Most Mercury Retrogrades will feature an aspect that occurs three times — once before Mercury turns retrograde, once during the retrograde and once when the Messenger God has resumed direct. We should pay attention to the trends and themes that arise around these three dates and look for connecting patterns or re-emerging themes. Whatever this thrice-occurring aspect is, it sets the tone for the retrograde and informs our best protocol.
✨This Mercury Retrograde will make three trines to Jupiter, a very beneficial influence which actually makes this a wonderful four-week period for travel (contrary to what we would expect) — it’s also excellent for seeking out learning via books or taking classes, opening oneself to new or unfamiliar places, philosophies or schools of knowledge, generating abundance and prosperity and establishing alliances and interpersonal rapport. It’s particularly excellent for renegotiations within business, or to re-visit dialogue or planning with regard to finances or commerce. We can trust our creative instincts and business acumen throughout this retrograde, even if the terrain isn’t yet favorable to implement change or action.
✨The trend is that something is building over the course of the retrograde that was seeded around the first trine on August 10th — around the 4th of September, this trine happens again. The second aspect of the series would usually be a time where we can anticipate cloudiness or delays but with this beneficial of an alignment, this isn’t likely as much as our early efforts are producing unexpected outcomes, weird twists or quirky elements that we didn’t anticipate emerging — it might even seem like a setback but it’s actually good. The best thing to do around the 4th is to be observant and laid-back about whatever’s unfolding — know that you don’t have all the information and the situation has not yet revealed itself in it’s fullness. By the time Mercury forms the last trine to Jupiter once direct on September 25th, something significant is resolved and we reap the benefits of whatever was sowed late summer.
✨While essentially a helpful influence on this retrograde, Jupiter is an amplifier — we can expect the inconvenience or weirdness factor of anything that arises during this time to be overtly ridiculous or hyperbolically expressed. For example, a miscommunication occurs despite immense precautions taken to prevent this, or a very small detail becomes blown wickedly out of proportion.
✨Every Mercury Retrograde also features what’s called a cazimi, meaning a very close conjunction to the sun. This is because Mercury and the sun are always relatively close to one another from our perspective on Earth, with Mercury just a few paces “ahead.” This is a highly auspicious moment in the retrograde where we benefit from the quirky mad genius energy of Mercury — it’s also good for initiating deep dialogue (or a time where others are more likely to approach us with insight or clarity.) Even though situations aren’t likely to resolve fully around this date, it brings immense clarity and is fabulous for creativity, innovation and ingenuity, snazzy rapport, sound decision-making or the birth of a new mindset or perspective (even if it isn’t yet advisable to proceed, we can trust the ideas and instincts conceived within this 24 hour period.)
✨This Mercury cazimi is on September 6th and involves Jupiter, who also trines the sun which is expansive, enterprising and upbeat. It’s considered lucky but with Jupiter in Taurus and the sun and Mercury in Virgo, it’s not about sudden breakthroughs, being at the right place at the right time or taking a risk that pays off — rather, we’re seeing the fruits of intentional labor and deliberate effort and diligence (but yes, there’s probably something slightly magickal about it.)
✨Venus stations direct on September 3rd but is retrograde as well for the first week-and-a-half of Mercury’s backspin. As two of the most relational and diplomatic archetypes in astrology, Mercury and Venus share an affinity and while both retrograde, this is actually quite good for reconciliation, romance, and synchronistic meetings which yield unexpected (but likely satisfying) outcomes. Romance developments could occur or be found within really unlikely places — i.e. a friendship that’s seemed platonic forever or a random meeting that changes everything.
What can I expect personally?
⚡We can effectively garner insight into how a retrograde will influence us by seeing where it occurs in our personal birth chart.
⚡Pull up your natal birth chart if you don’t already have it saved somewhere (astro.com is easy and free) and locate where Virgo falls in your chart (look for the ♍ symbol on the outside of the circle.) Hone in on where 8 — 21 degrees of Virgo would roughly fall within that 30 degree section. The numbered pie slice occupying that zone is the house this Mercury Retrograde is activating! (It might also be activating two houses — for me, this Mercury Retrograde begins in my eleventh house and moves into my twelfth house. This just means that the tone of the retrograde shifts for you about halfway through.)
⚡If this Mercury is retrograde through your first house, you’re rethinking your identity in some important way — this could be anything from re-examining your goals and your idea of success to re-thinking your personal aesthetic (wait to get bangs until Mercury moves direct!) This two-week periods finds you realizing or processing a recent change and recalibrating from one personal era into another. It’s not a Mercury Retrograde to be impulsive or reactive — we can really burn bridges now and accrue debt by being too self-involved or hot-headed — and you might feel a strong call to action over the next few weeks, but it’s best to be cool, level-headed and not try to pull any stunts until after Mercury stations direct. When it does? You’ll experience a major boost of forward momentum, a push toward self-actualization and greater clarity around what that looks like.
⚡If Mercury is retrograding through your second house, it’s not a good time to make big purchases — especially of property or land. Decisions made or habits formed this retrograde are more likely to really stick — if not well-planned, your actions could have costly or unintended consequences that are hard to shake, so be especially careful with closing deals, signing legally-binding documents or even making verbal commitments. It’s a good time for budgeting, financial planning, taking stock of existing assets and investments, tracking your material growth and generally just recalibrating your money sitch. Depending on what Jupiter is doing and how the prosperity planet is interacting with your personal birth chart, it can be a good time to renegotiate around money matters or commerce. Working with plant spirits and medicines can be extremely healing, and if at all possible, get your hands in some dirt! This retrograde could find you pondering big questions about what you most value, and by the time Mercury moves direct, you’re likely to have a new sense of clarity around this.
⚡If Mercury is retrograde through your third house, the trickster god is more likely to wreak havoc on your interpersonal communication. This will be a really potent retrograde for you personally — the kind you might want to embody a “purist” attitude for — and your message (or that of others) is more likely to become lost in translation, whether due to poor cell service or ineffective listening skills. It’s best to hold off on important dialogue until after the retrograde and if you can’t, take extra precautions to ensure important messages are heard, understood and received. If you chronically don’t feel understood this retrograde — even by those who always seem to get you — try a different method of communication. This is the Mercury Retrograde most likely to conjure big mindset shifts or dramatic moments of clarity — especially around the time of the cazimi — and if you’re a professional writer or speaker, it’s awkward for actual execution but ideal for gathering ideas and allowing the inspiration to breeze in (and dabbling in a different medium could quickly lead to a breakthrough!) It’s not a good time to purchase new communication technologies or a new vehicle, and leave yourself some extra time if en route to an important meeting, obligation or work date — construction, or a frustratingly poor driver, could cause a significant delay at a comedically bad time.
⚡Mercury Retrograde through the fourth house isn’t a good time to move into a new space, to purchase property or real estate or to seek out a new roommate — if you do, simply expect delays or plot-twists (not necessarily unpleasant or negative — just not what you expected.) This is an evocative and emotional retrograde, with the potential to illuminate how old childhood patterns and wounds are still manifesting in your adult life. It’s great for talk therapy or other wellness modalities which require retrospective thinking (this includes cocktails with good friends who listen!) and it’s also a retrograde where people from your past are very likely to return, especially family members or friends from early childhood with whom you’ve lost touch. Revisiting property or buildings that were significant in childhood, connecting with living family and/or ancestor spirits, as well as honoring familial customs and traditions that feel nourishing and self-appropriate can bring clarity and healing now (the former only if safe, possible and appropriate!) Because you’re in the midst of a deep emotional re-centering and integration process, you might find yourself in need of extra self-care, cozy comforts and anything that makes you feel safe, held and secure throughout the retrograde — warm blanks, delicious comfort foods, and quality time alone or with the people in your innermost circle will soothe the spirit. Around the time of the cazimi or when Mercury stations direct, there might be a big intuitive hit about how to more effectively feng shui your space for optimal comfort — this could be something small (like purchasing a tea kettle) or something big (a home renovation project or a move.)
⚡Mercury Retrograde in the fifth house can find us re-thinking our aspirations, our creative path or our relationship to something we’ve made (if you’re a parent of small people or pets, this is a time where your “kiddos” can be likely to act up!) For optimal results, spend these 3 - 5 weeks refining and revising an existing creative work and release it when Mercury exits the shadow zone. Depending on what Venus and Neptune are doing, this period can draw us into quirky romances or find us revisiting exes or familiar romance dynamics from our past. This isn’t a bad thing, necessarily — sometimes it brings the very closure we need in order to move on — but it can find us in dynamics where we’re overlooking serious red flags or chasing emotionally unavailable crushes. It can be really good though — sometimes, Mercury Retrograde through the fifth house conjures healthy flirtations and stimulating crushes via strange circumstances or unexpected plot-twists, and though fun, these attractions won’t usually last as much as they help transition us from one romantic phase into another. Play, levity and fun are big themes here, and the Trickster God is likely to invite you to have a laugh alongside him, reminding you that not everything has to be taken so seriously. It’s an extremely innovative, creative Mercury Retrograde, and you can expect a boost in ingenuity or a creative breakthrough around the time of the cazimi. Re-visiting old habits or leisure activities you haven’t picked up in years can bring great joy and fulfillment, and it’s also possible that you stumble into a new passion or mode of self-expression via strange or unexpected circumstances.
⚡When Mercury Retrogrades through your sixth house, it’s a good time to recommit to your most important self-care routines and wellness rituals, especially if you’ve started to get lazy with these. If you have any specific wellness goals you’d like to accomplish, set these intentions and implement a plan at the time that Mercury exists the shadow zone. We can get work done very quickly during this Mercury Retrograde — it’s a good time to crack down on old projects, outstanding obligations or to revise or edit an existing piece of creative work — but because your analytical abilities are heightened and you’re more inclined toward retrospective thinking, it can be easy to fall into patterns of self-criticism, nit-picking oneself or overthinking elements from the past that are done and dusted (re-directing your thinking, however, can lead to great clarity, especially around the time of the cazimi.) Regardless of the larger astro themes in play, this is going to be a more potent retrograde for you personally — following the old-school protocol, even if you wouldn’t typically, might be advisable, especially around the days of Mercury stationing direct and retrograde. If you’re looking to adopt a new animal familiar (or even if you’re not), one could show up in a very unexpected way or at an uncanny moment.
⚡When Mercury Retrogrades the seventh house, it’s a three-week period of personal recalibration — if anything in your life has started to feel out of whack or off-balance, it becomes obvious now and propels us swiftly toward equilibrium. This is also the Mercury Retrograde most likely to wreak havoc on your one-on-one relationships — as you find that you’re recalibrating and returning to a state of balance, your relationships will take a moment to catch up (this includes both intimate and professional partnerships.) These adjustments bring clarity around which relationships function best when you’re at equilibrium and surprisingly, which ones don’t — these revelations might not be what you expected, but by the time Mercury stations direct, you’re more aware of which relationships most serve you and facilitate harmony and peace in your life. If possible/desired, this is a great retrograde for connecting with old friends or partners for clarity and closure, and it’s also great for reconciliation, releasing old grudges and clearing any relationship blocks that prevent you from moving forward. If partnered, it’s a great time for a verbal check-in, to renew vows or to re-adjust the relationship’s terms, but if entering into a new alliance whether personally or professionally, anticipate the roles or the terms to reverse. The point at which Mercury stations direct or the moment of the cazimi are excellent times to launch a diplomatic measure, and it’s also a time where others are likely to reach out in hopes of reconciliation.
⚡Mercury Retrograde in the eighth house is deeply transformational. Suddenly bored with anything that feels stagnant, we’re recalibrating very quickly — it’s almost as if others can’t keep up, and this can leave us slightly moody or feeling a little misunderstood. Asking for physical space and alone time are important when Mercury Retrogrades through the eighth house, and around the time of the cazimi, we develop a keen awareness of which relationships in our lives are the most deep, satisfying and capable of penetrating our surface (with very little tolerance for those we suddenly sense are superficial.) Around the 24 hours of Mercury moving direct, we enjoy a greater sense of intimacy and connection with the loved ones we most cherish, but be careful with merging assets or signing legal documents regarding inheritance money or sharing finances. There’s an intensity to this Mercury retrograde which inclines us toward mental spirals, research rabbit holes or obsessive/compulsive thinking — if channeled into something productive, it’s fabulous for investigative pursuits, gathering data or busting out work quickly. But acting probing or suspicious of loves ones, business partners or allies could alienate them and inflict irreparable damage. If you suspect something’s up, calmly gather evidence and initiate a level-headed conversation post-retrograde.
⚡Mercury Retrograde in the ninth house is the one most likely to find you stumbling accidentally into something that activates your soul purpose and connects you to your deeper mission or message. Ironically, you might also find yourself prone to looming restlessness or in search of deeper meaning or a sense of self-grandiosity — where you’re actually going to find it, however, is likely to surprise you. It’s a good time to rework a narrative or readjust (or at least re-examine) the philosophies, belief systems, or doctrines you’ve always accepted as truth (practices like EFT/tapping are really good for this retrograde) and while it’s a good time to seek out education via unconventional means (i.e., not in the classroom or a textbook) we should be careful now about buying too much into someone else’s teachings, message or life philosophies, as doing so can move us away from our own intelligence and leave us vulnerable to toxic gurus (especially if Neptune afflicts this Mercury Retro.) Around the time of the cazimi, anticipate a fresh perspective and new solutions breezing in, along with fresh dialogue which opens your mind and illuminates options you didn’t know were there. It’s not a good time for long-distance travel and if you must, plan accordingly for delays. If the instinct for physical travel does set in during this retrograde, make plans for a meaningful pilgrimage when Mercury leaves the shadow zone.
⚡If this Mercury Retrograde is activating your tenth house, take reasonable measures to insulate yourself from career-related mishaps, or delays within business or professional dealings. It’s not a good time for a massive career move or transition, but it is good for re-negotiations within business, re-thinking company values and policies or to initiate a re-branding campaign (but don’t launch until after Mercury moves direct!) It’s also a good time to re-think your personal career goals and objectives and to refine a tentative ten-year plan or revise your resume. If you’ve been pondering a social media sabbatical, this is an excellent time to retreat and unplug — if you’re an influencer, blogger, or your social media presence is otherwise linked intrinsically with your career, spend the retrograde plotting an exciting comeback while considering whether your representation on those outlets has been really aligned to your message.
⚡Mercury Retrograde in the eleventh house gets us re-thinking our friendship circle, our wider social group, or our role within our community. It’s awesome for interpersonal rapport and bringing in new friendships with those we wouldn’t usually consider kindred, but it’s also a time where miscommunication can plague the group chat or your wider circle of acquaintances, whether a text didn’t go through or something said in confidence was leaked. As we re-assess when (and with whom) we feel the strongest sense of belonging and acceptance, we garner a lot of clarity in these few weeks around who our core community is. We’re very likely to cross paths with old friends or acquaintances synchronistically, and it can be surprisingly stimulating to re-connect with these characters (even if only for a quick coffee date at lunch hour.) This is a fabulous Mercury Retrograde for harnessing the trickster magician’s mad genius energy: anticipate breakthrough solutions, bursts of ingenuity and innovation and sudden clarity as we view situations which once seemed loaded or complex with cool objectivity (especially around the cazimi.) This is definitely not a good Mercury Retrograde for purchasing new technologies, and we can almost reliably expect electrical glitches and technological malfunctions — thankfully, these issues tend to self-resolve as if by magick and are never without a cool lesson or quirky moral.
⚡If this Mercury Retrograde occupies your twelfth house, you might be feeling pretty sensitive, introspective, forgetful and mentally foggy. It’s great for psychic abilities, imagination, intimacy and artistry, and even if we aren’t typically, this retrograde makes us very aware of the subtle energy currents permeating our everyday environment. It’s not so great, however, for productivity and tackling practical tasks and obligations: in fact, if you can get out the door with your keys in your pocket, consider that a success! Obviously, life must go on — but try not to push yourself too hard to produce work or tick things off your to-do list. This three-week period is much better spent devoted to rejuvenation and rest, serving as a psychic and emotional reset. Because we can find ourselves in a dreamy haze, this is not a good 3-4 weeks to make legal agreements, solidify big decisions which are difficult to reverse, or to tend to practical affairs — if you must, have someone you trust double-check a document before you sign the dotted line. No matter how glamorous an offer may seem, failure to consult the fine print could leave you in a significant pickle post-retrograde.
Happy Retrograde!
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