Horoscopes For Mercury Retrograde

Surface of Mercury image via: NASA/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/Carnegie Institution of Washington

It’s here!  Mercury retrograde is upon us until December 21^st PST.  Mercury retrograde is the astrological event even muggles know about, it’s a time when you can blame a planet for your woes.  As for you all starlites, what I hope for you (and am working on myself) is that instead of placing blame on Mercury we use the planet as a mirror for reflection of our lives.  It shows us where to pause.  This is the opening where we can create the lives our heart desires, we just have to remember to observe our surroundings during retrograde before we make our mad dash into this magical space.

Aries

Aries, it’s been fireworks for you for the past year with Uranus in your sign trining Saturn in fiery Sagittarius.  Revolution is afoot with your life structures.  This chaos might be stressful for other signs, but for you while you may feel stressed you also secretly thrive on the energy.  Mercury retrograde through Sagittarius, a sign that vibes with you as it’s also a fire sign, can be an awesome time for reflection, it’s been a busy year, it can also be an awesome time for action, as we know dear Aries you like to shoot from one thing to another, and going back and forth between reflection and action is a good look this month.  As astrologer Anne Ortelee likes to say about Mercury retrogrades, “Sign the contract, but expect it to change.”  The action you take will be tweaked later, but the fact you took action during retrograde still gets you ahead.  This is also a good time to warn others of your actions before you burst into the new year, and the “warnings” might not even be for bad things, but this is a good time to give those around you who may not move as fast as you a heads-up so when you take action and take flight come December 22 and beyond they’re not in total shock.  This is a great time to make the plans for what will be a great 2018.  Light it on fire Aries!

Taurus

Ohhh Taurus, Mercury retrograde is going down in your DM, I mean, ahem, your 8th house, so basically your DM, since the 8th house is things that happen behind doors.  Choose wisely Taurus, this gives you a chance to sort things out while no one is looking, but it also may mean someone from your past may show up and ask you to let them in because it’s cold outside.  With your strong value system, you will know what’s best for you.  The 8th house is also the house of the occult.  This would be a great Mercury retrograde to be guided by pulling a daily tarot card or keeping track of the transits in your chart.  With the sign of Sagittarius in your 8th house you find truth in the occult arts Taurus.  Don’t feel like you have to share this with nonbelievers though, only honor those who show genuine interest with your inner thoughts.  Don’t be afraid to communicate with a group who is open to your interests, it may be something that you don’t usually do, but the payoff for you may involve being satisfied spiritually and creatively.  Rethink relationships on December 14^th and 15^th.  This doesn’t mean something has to end.  It just may need some tweaking for the better.  Change can be hard for your Taurus, but now is a nice time to do it.  Conscious change for the better most oftentimes brings opportunity for pleasure, think Ferdinand the bull deciding not to fight, and getting to sit content in his field of daisies.

Gemini

Gemini, Mercury retrograde is taking a look at your most important relationships this month as it travels back through your 7th house of important relationships.  Don’t freak out about this energy Gemini, you of all signs in the zodiac are great at going over information twice.  While Mercury retrograde gets a bad rap for causing things to break and be delayed, the key to a smooth retrograde is to take things a little slower and to take the time to check your list once, and then check it twice.  Like Mercury retrograde you may not be seen as a person who gives great attention to detail like your earthy sister Virgo, but as the sign of the twins, doubling down is your strength.  Use this superpower to your advantage.  Also feel free to journal about this experience (dream and waking).  You do a great job making your experiences stories to better understand them.  This might be a nice way to capture and understand the magic of the retrograde.  Be inspired by your full super moon the night Mercury goes retrograde on December 3^rd.  Look back at all you’ve accomplished since June 2016, and congratulate yourself.  Think about what else you want to put out in the world, along with anything you want to get rid of until June 2019.

Cancer

Cancer, people are always talking about New Year’s resolutions come this time of year.  The nice thing for you is that Mercury retrograde is happening in your 6^th house of everyday routines.  The energy is with you my friend.  Really reflect on how you want to do things differently in the upcoming year.  At the beginning of the retrograde from December 3^rd to December 8^th really think about the structures you want to change in your life.  Don’t get down about past mistakes Cancer, we all make them, and those mistakes are truly gifts we can learn from, and help others learn from as well.  These days are great times to break out the crystals for some energy clarity, and for writing in your new calendar or journal what you want to change and how.  December 11^th to December 15^th look for examples in real life for how you may get a taste of how this new structure may work in your life.  Didn’t go as you had planned?  No worries!  You still have time to tweak to get it how you desire.  This is a time that will let you know if you’re on the right track, or if you need a bit of a course correction.  Also, December 14^th Mercury also meets up with Venus as it travels backwards encouraging you to have fun, bring creativity, and lushness into your daily routine and in planning your resolutions.  Things are just easier when they’re fun.  There seems to be such a downplay of this in the culture, but you Cancer of anyone knows, how you feel as you go through your day is extremely important!

Leo

Leo, Mercury retrograde is coming home for the holidays, as in it’s taking place in your house Leo, that is the 5th house in the zodiac, of children, creativity, love affairs, and fun.  Are you ready?  Of course, you are, you always lead the way!  That said, don’t feel bad if you need to sit down and have a hot toddy, there’s a lot going on in your 5th house even for you.  With Mercury going retrograde see this as a good time to plot for the new year.  How do you want to live creatively?  How do you want to love?  What do you want to birth to?  Mercury is going to go back through your fifth house and is going to talk to Saturn about discipline, to the sun about how you present yourself to the world, and with Venus about creativity, femininity, and how you make money around these things.  Remember to have fun with this energy, dare I say find fun in the hard work, or more go toward the hard work you find fun.  The new year is coming, another trip around the sun, and life is too short for hard work you don’t find fun even if it’s noble or makes you a lot of money. Yes girl, as bell hooks says, “Get your money right,” but what it really boils down to is where you getting joy out of each day, unshakable, content, joy.  Your sign, and your 5th house are about taking center stage.  You may have been trained that it’s selfish to be the center of attention, but what is truly selfish is holding back and not letting others bask in the glow of your true self.  Look for the cracks where the sun can shine through this December.

Virgo

Virgo, the cool thing about you is that you find adventure in the everyday.  When you’re truly lit up you’re finding the extraordinary in the ordinary when others completely pass it by.  You’re very good at going over and analyzing things.  This December Mercury is giving you the opportunity to go back and reanalyze the recent changes you’ve made to your home and your foundation.  It can appear as basic as doing an inventory of your Christmas tree decorations, or deciding it’s time to move in with your significant other and coming up with an authentic list of what goes and what doesn’t when living with you Virgo.  May I suggest champagne for the list presentation, and be prepared for some tweaks come the end of the retrograde.  That said, don’t bend till it leaves you fuming while you vacuum up dried pine needles.  You need to be true to you, this is what Sagittarius is all about.  Your boundaries are just as important as anyone’s.  Watch for the surge of fire energy on December 7^th.  Watch the live candles and use this energy to help voice the change you want to see in your life.  Around December 15^th is a great day to “Deck the Halls” and add more decorations to your home.  Mercury is also aspecting the nodes at this time.  Really listen to what people tell you!  Can you adjust your ideal vision to still make room for them if their truth doesn’t jive with you, or is it time to say goodbye?  See how much you want to kiss them under the mistletoe and know deep down if their vision of home is something that you can’t stand, or will actually warm your heart with excitement for many Mercury Retrogrades to come.     

Libra

Libra, car trips to grandma’s may be a little wonky this holiday season as Mercury is going retrograde in your third house of cars and short trips.  Don’t fret though, maybe this year you wanted a change of scenery from your normal adventure over the river and through the woods.  This is a good time to eavesdrop on neighbors of any type (house, work, acquaintances, people in line with you as you holiday shop), or knowing you, you’ll have a gracious conversation with them and in a blink of an eye they’re spilling the beans in surprising ways.  People may need to talk about the pain they’ve experienced.  Listen in, what are they really saying? You may find that you need to talk to someone about the pain you’ve experienced.  Find someone you truly trust to talk about this with, don’t feel like you have to talk about your feelings with someone just to keep rapport.  The adventure of the season is conversation, wit, and boundaries, and you dear Libra are positioned perfectly to use this energy to your advantage.  Also check in with your siblings to see if there’s anything they want to tell you, especially regarding things around your father, money, and creativity.  

Scorpio

Scorpio, there may be a sense of abundance, or a sense of overwhelm with this last new moon in your sign.  If you’re reading this before Mercury goes retrograde, listen to Anne Ortelee and do your gift shopping before the retrograde hits.  If it’s too late (don’t worry Scorpio, I know it feels that way sometimes, but actually it’s never too late) watch your money when buying gifts instead of the gifts you’re purchasing.  Maybe take out a certain amount of cash and then leave it at that once it’s gone.  Also, Scorpio, do you consider why you’re buying all these presents?  If this brings you true joy, then awesome, but if it’s just something you do because you feel like it’s tradition, now is a great time to tweak tradition and try something new.  Use the Saturn energy in Sagittarius to examine what legacies you want to continue in your own life, use the Venus energy to get creative in what you want to change, or maybe not completely get rid of, just again, tweak.  This will help your self-esteem and have you looking to the new year with hope instead of dread.  This is something you’re good at Scorpio, getting deep to then make things on the surface of life more fun and exciting.  

Sagittarius

Sagittarius!  It’s been quite the season for you!  Many happy returns and here’s to your Mercury Retrograde!  Of all the signs Sag, this retrograde may be most apparent to you, as it’s happening in your waking life.  Double check travel plans, and listen for the truth (or lack of it) in people’s words.  Truthful secrets are abounding and it’s your adventure to make sense of all of them.  You may find yourself in the perfect moment to speak your truth as well.  Your feminine energy shines bright this month and living under patriarchy, the feminine observes many secrets that need to be made known on her exploration of this planet.  Just remember, after you say it, you feel better, you can move onto the next.  That said you want your words to move you on to the next adventure, not leave you stuck in someone else’s baggage.  Don’t get so fiery that you’ll burn and leave a mark unless it’s a bridge you never want to go over again, it’s probably best to wait until Mercury is done being retrograde before the real drag begins, because if you breath fire too soon, it’s more than likely that you will come back to that bridge, need to cross it, and you’ll only be met by trolls.  Sag, just remember in the end, live your truth, it’s the greatest adventure out there.

Capricorn

Ahhh Capricorn, your birthday season is coming up, and it will be well deserved after this Mercury Retrograde happening in your house of hidden things.  Man, what a set-up to hear the secret truths everyone has been carrying.  Be a calm like the mountain, and people will be coming to you with their secrets.  You take this very seriously, and their secret is safe with you, still don’t hold back if any of this information can be used to your advantage in an ethical way.  Saturn is coming into your sign this month as well (and don’t forget, you’re Saturn’s favorite sign!) this means two years of something you love best, hard work.  That said there’s something to be said for going with the flow versus climbing up a mountain with blind corners.  Yes, tackling the unknown can be exciting, but use the knowledge that you gather from this retrograde to guide you.  Also reflect on where you want to take risks but maybe feel afraid.  Listen to the feminine and father figures in your life about how to gather the courage to proceed.

Aquarius

Aquarius, you have a lot to look forward to, come the new year it’s your birthday season and time to contemplate what this new year is going to look like for you.  Mercury is going retrograde through your 11th house of groups, hopes, and dreams.  Now Aquarius, we know you love being the rebel in your group of close pals for whatever you guys do, game night, HBO night, Fantasy football whatnot.  This might be a good time to maybe distance yourself a little bit from your group (nothing permanent!) to get clear on what your hopes and dreams are for the upcoming year.  Giving to a new cause?  What is something that you can do differently that will really spark your brain?  That thing that you never considered doing, but you’ve come to a place in your life where it’s the perfect time to pick up this new hobby.  When Mercury comes out of retrograde bring your findings back to your pals.  It’s like you're coming back with buried treasure and they want in on the gold, and you’re more than willing to share your new knowledge.

Pisces

Pisces, with Mercury retrograde taking place in your 10th house of career and legacy it’s time for some reflection on where your career is taking you.  You may have heard some coworkers slip and tell you exactly how they feel about something.  It may not even be direct communication, it just might be a comment that leaves you feeling a little off.  Here’s the thing, with Saturn traveling into Capricorn soon institutions are going to be held to the test, are you in a space where you want to be around when the nose hits the grindstone.  Is this a place where you’re intrigued to live out the avalanche?  If not, make a plan for escape, feel free to keep quiet about it for now, as Mercury passes through the sign of Sagittarius again, it will be talking to Saturn and Venus who will be passing along messages of guidance (think of it as a father figure and a feminine figure), until the new year when Mercury breaks into Capricorn too and is ready to talk about work in the house of hopes and dreams.  Go get ‘em tiger!  Just be a stealthy tiger.