The next Mercury retrograde of this year begins today, August 23 and ends on September 15, 2023. With Mercury joining this cosmic slowdown, we now have 5 planets in retrograde motion. Uranus will join the party on August 28 and while Venus will be turning direct on September 3, Jupiter will orbit retrograde the next day. But let’s concentrate on the matter at hand.
Mercury - when Mercury is in Virgo, the planet of communication is in its home zodiac sign. This means that we can expect communication and information to flow as they should, if not better than usual. However, when Mercury is retrograde in Virgo, we can expect a lot of setbacks to occur in many aspects of life. The reason being is that we will begin to see a slowdown in events, travel, and relationships. People will become a little bit more confused, as they long for the clarity that this transit brings in its forward motion.
The good side to this transit is that it is an amazing time to tend to projects that have been put on the back burner. Since Virgo is an analytical sign, this retrograde period will give us a moment of reflection in which we can find peace of mind regarding past hurts and emotional upsets. We can heal the past, but only if we are open to it.
The retrograde will be most intense for Gemini and Virgo. Being that both of these zodiac signs are ruled by the planet Mercury, they will be most impacted during this period. This transit can turn their worlds upside down. It will be most challenging for the mutable signs of Sagittarius and Pisces. They will be urged to change on a deep level, which could affect their interpersonal relationships as well as their career.
Here are some important dates to keep in mind during this period:
September 4: Mercury retrograde shares a harmonious trine with Jupiter in Taurus. This will serve as an expansion of the mind and spirit. It’s a wonderful time to soak up new information and try to absorb different philosophies. If there is a subject that you’ve always wanted to learn about, now is the time to bust the book open and become passionate about the topic.
September 6: Mercury retrograde aligns with the Virgo Sun. This aspect is called “cazimi,” because it is the most powerful and potent of the entire retrograde. If you were wanting to make plans for the future, now is the time to take out your calendar and commit to a date. This is also a wonderful time to sign contracts and make deals happen.
September 11: Mercury retrograde shares a semi-sextile with Mars. This will give us a lot of power and authority in the words that we speak. We will command attention and be able to take action around the promises that we make.
To read your Mercury Rx horoscope for all the signs, click here.