The Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde begins September 9 and ends October 2 with visits in two zodiac signs, partnership-powered Libra, an air sign, and wellness warrior Virgo, an earth sign. The focus of this retrograde will be on balancing relationships and restoring vitality. But you might have to hit pause on some of your fast-moving developments in order to recalibrate.
Don’t be deterred by these forced slowdowns. When Mercury flips into reverse, it blesses us with an important timeout to review, revise, revamp (and all the other “re” words).
What are the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde dates?
The Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde begins in Libra on September 9. It moves into Virgo on September 23. The full retrograde ends on October 2 when the messenger planet corrects course and begins its direct transit through Virgo.
This is the third of four Mercury retrogrades in 2022, although the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde is the year’s last full cycle. The final backspin, in Capricorn, begins on December 29 and lasts until January 18, 2023. Better firm up those New Years plans early to avoid Mercury retrograde’s notorious scheduling snafus!
Each of 2022’s Mercury retrogrades start in air signs and back into earth signs
While reversing through air signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius), Mercury retrograde tightens up regulations around social interactions and our messaging. Is everyone pulling their weight in your relationships and on your teams? Are you all on the same page and using up-to-date technology? Have you properly stored and protected your data? And are you aligned on how you’re presenting yourselves to the world?
When Mercury retreats through earth signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn), put on a project manager’s hat. Review budgets, timelines and environmental impact—and use the red pen to make corrections. Once you see where the fixes need to be, create guidelines, operations manuals and systems that everyone can easily follow.
Fall 2022 Mercury Retrograde in Libra: September 9 to 23
Cuffing season, interrupted? Relationships could hit a series of speed bumps while Mercury spins retrograde through Libra from September 9 to 23, forcing us to review our Mercury-directed communication styles. Popular love advice tells people, “Just be yourself!” but, um, what does that actually mean? While it’s important to bring authenticity to your interactions, it’s equally crucial to pay attention to the impact of your words and body language.
Fortunately, savvy Libra is a zodiac sign that understands the nuances of relationships. As people, we are always responding and reacting to each other—it’s part of being made up of molecules and cells. So how about embracing the opportunity to become better at picking up other people’s signals? Modulate your pitch and volume depending on each conversation. Are you talking to a quiet, shy type? Enter slowly and move softly. In a room full of extroverts? Experiment with amping up your excitement levels.
Much research has been done on mirror neurons, which fire in the brain’s frontal lobe when we observe someone else in action. This ability to sense someone else’s intentions can pave the way for empathy. Rather than planning a grand entrance, see what happens if you slow down a beat or two and “read the room” while Mercury is retrograde in Libra. You may discover new paths to connectivity with people you never really vibed with before.
Since Libra is associated with legal matters, review contracts to make sure you’re in compliance during the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde. This deep dive could save you future legal issues or set a healthier tone for your work environment.
Knowledge is power—and on an emotional level, the path to feeling safe and secure! Even the best relationships could drift into choppy waters. Patience will be required to keep things on an even keel. Exes will be especially prone to reminiscing—consider yourself warned!
One of the best ways we know to work through communication issues is to do your Composite Chart, AKA your relationship’s chart. This special astrological chart calculates the exact midpoints of every planet in two individual charts. What would it be like if you and your person met each other in a perfect compromise? We’ve got your answer in our new book The Astrology of Us! Head here to calculate a free Composite Chart and get your copy of our book to start dissecting it all!
Fall 2022 Mercury Retrograde in Virgo: September 23 to October 2
The devil is in the microscopic details as retrograde Mercury slips back from even-keeled Libra into keen-eyed Virgo. Review everything on the finest setting possible during this segment of the backspin.
Be an unapologetic purist when you go on any research or sourcing missions. Can you find a greener solution that not only saves you cash but is also socially and environmentally responsible?
Constructive feedback is hard to suppress while Mercury’s in its home sign of analytical Virgo— but check the judgmental attitude. Buffer your pro tips with a “praise sandwich,” starting and ending with the positives so people feel empowered by your input.
Focus on wellness, too! With the mindful planet in this healthy sign, go deeper with your self-care rituals. Where could you curb stress from your life? Change your diet to reduce inflammation and improve gut health, a key component of strong immunity—and more important than ever since Virgo rules digestion.
If you have any medical procedures scheduled during the retrograde—particularly this portion, make sure you go into them fully informed on everything from potential side effects to prescriptions and aftercare. Don’t be shy about asking as many questions as you need to and speak up if anything feels off. Clear communication is always the key to sailing through the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde.
Mercury stations direct in Virgo on October 2
When does the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde end?
Scrambled signals begin to clear up on October 2 when the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde ends. As the cosmic communicator powers forward through sanity-restoring Virgo (until October 10), logic reigns supreme.
What to do with this earthy, orderly energy? Get obsessed with systematizing and simplifying. Color-code your bookshelves and purge processed junk food from your fridge. Straighten out your schedule and do your level best to achieve “inbox zero.” Rejig your budget and have any necessary conversations about money that you’ve been putting off.
Since Virgo loves wellness, accessorize with your fitness tracker and create an October workout plan. Just be careful not to hop on the latest fad. That gemstone-infused, activated-charcoal healing tonic sounds divine, but uh, could you whip one up at home? Pin that recipe!
Mind the shadow period from October 2 to 17
Beware the “retroshade”
Have you ever wondered why Mercury still feels retrograde after it spins back into direct motion? Every retrograde has a shadow period, AKA “retroshade,” that lingers until Mercury arrives back at the same degree of the zodiac where it began its backspin, in this case 8º57′ Libra. Although the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde ends on October 2, until October 17, expect to be ironing out the details of anything that went sideways between September 9 and October 2.
How to handle the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde by zodiac sign
Time to rebalance the load, Aries, as mindful Mercury goes retrograde (backward) in Libra and your seventh house of relationships, then back into your wellness zone on September 23. Over the next couple weeks, dynamics may start to feel very lopsided with a significant other, work BFF or close friend. Maybe you’ll realize that YOU could be giving more of yourself or communicating feelings with greater transparency. Or perhaps it’s the other way around and your generous nature is not being appreciated.
Handle talks and negotiations with care because Mercury’s backspin can make people say things they later regret. Since retrogrades bring back the past, an old flame could resurface. Could the second time around be the charm? Be cautiously optimistic as you won’t know clearly for a few weeks.
During the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde, do everything by the book, as communicator Mercury turns retrograde in your precise, practical sixth house. Cutting corners just to meet a deadline is a huge no-no between now and October 2—especially while the messenger planet retreats through Libra until September 23. Other people are relying on you, Taurus, so skip the shortcuts and get it done right the first time around.
A health issue could also demand your attention. If you require a treatment plan or procedure, don’t stress, but be sure to follow doctor’s orders to the tee. And ask lots of questions because the more you know, the more equipped you’ll be to facilitate the healing process. When Mercury slips back into Virgo on September 23, romance could emerge from unexpected places. But be on high alert for flatterers with a hidden agenda.
Your passion is running high, Gemini, but think twice before texting a long-lost Tinder date. Communication planet Mercury pivots retrograde until October 2 and for the majority of its U-turn it will backstroke through your fifth house romance sector (Libra). An email from an ex could pop up in your inbox, tempting you to turn back time. If your dynamic was a toxic one, chances are, not much will change this time around. Don’t try to recycle a relationship that’s better left in the past. Instead, focus on the qualities you desire in a new amour—or cultivate more playful energy with your S.O. It could feel like the honeymoon phase all over again, but sweeter.
Thin skin, Cancer? Communication planet Mercury turns retrograde this September 9, and the majority of this backspin takes place in Libra and your emo fourth house. That makes you more sensitive than usual to, well, everything. Surround yourself with supportive friends and leave the vicious hipsters alone to tear each other apart. Round out the summer by reuniting with childhood friends and beloved relatives.
Warning: Household drama could escalate under this transit. Clarify conversations with relatives and roomies to keep crossed wires to a minimum. Be extra transparent about your intentions after September 23, when Mercury backflips into Virgo and brings a double-whammy of mixed signals until October 2.
Say what, Leo? Starting September 9, communicator Mercury goes retrograde in Libra, mixing up messages in your expressive third house. Choose your words wisely, stating everything so plainly that there is zero room for misinterpretation. Can pitch meetings wait a few weeks? If so, reschedule for early October when your charisma is back full force. Otherwise, come prepared for lots of questions.
If you feel the need to be productive during the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde, revisit ventures already in progress. Do this especially when Mercury backs into your industrious second house on September 23. A successful collaborator from yesteryear may emerge out of the blue—stay tuned!
A penny saved is a penny earned, as every Virgo knows. This September 9, messenger Mercury spins retrograde (backward) for three weeks. For the first half of the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde, the planet will be in Libra and your second house money sector, insisting you take control of your budget. Hold off on all superfluous purchases until you’ve balanced your books and gotten yourself back in the black. Do the necessary number crunching to create a solid financial plan.
On a positive note, a new work opportunity could appear via a past business contact. Getting your point across can be tricky come September 23, when Mercury backs up through Virgo until October 2. Slip behind the scenes to develop ideas independently—no critics allowed!
Have you been in this movie before, Libra? Starting September 9, you might feel like you’ve landed in an alternative (and eerily familiar) universe, as messenger Mercury goes retrograde (backward) until October 2. The majority of the backspin—until September 23—takes place in Libra and your first house of self. Flash back to your past and even revive a retro style.
Caution: this won’t necessarily be an easy-breezy cycle. During the three-week period of the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde, you could be subject to epic misunderstandings, where your witty words fall flat and even offend people. Too much self-promotion (or any self-promotion) could backfire, too. Spend this time reviewing personal goals. You may cut one or two from your list.
Got baggage? Well, who doesn’t, Scorpio? But for the next three weeks you’ll be intent on clearing up those claim checks for good. On September 9, messenger Mercury turns retrograde in Libra and your twelfth house of the healing and transitions. No more making excuses for people’s bad behavior—and enough with the sacrifices. Firm up your boundaries and say goodbye to a situation that’s been draining your reserves. You can finally get the closure you desire, but that might require you to quit something (or someone) cold turkey. Reunite with trusted collaborators when Mercury spins back into Virgo on September 23.
Friends, foes or frenemies? With Mercury turning retrograde in your communal eleventh house from September 9 until October 2, frustrating misunderstandings could disrupt the harmony on the Sagittarius squad. Go out of your way to communicate clearly or a team project could go off the rails with scrambled signals during the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde. And if there’s a backstabber in the ranks, show them the door before they affect the entire group with their deceptive negativity.
An old career opportunity could arise again when Mercury spins back into your success sector starting September 23. When it comes to colleagues and friends, live by the rule: “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Your silence, in this case, could be especially golden.
Slow down and strategize, Capricorn. This September 9, shrewd Mercury turns retrograde in Libra, your tenth house of professional ambitions, then backs into your venturesome ninth house on the 23rd. Over the next three weeks review (and if necessary, revise) your professional game plan to make sure you aren’t scattering your energy or veering off course from your goals.
Feeling burned out? Take a summer-into-fall sabbatical and give your mental channels a break, knowing that you’ll be sharp as a tack again when Mercury corrects course on October 2. Watch for clashes with clients, authority figures and the men in your life. A combative approach could backfire and cost you an opportunity.
With mental Mercury turning retrograde in your worldly ninth house on September 9, you could wake up feeling nostalgic for a favorite vacation spot. Scroll through old photos and peek at ticket prices, which might be affordable enough to splurge on. If you’re journeying to a new destination before October 2, however, beware Mercury retrograde’s info-scrambling influence. Book with reputable outlets and triple confirm all reservations.
Can’t get away, Aquarius? When you’re feeling fenced in during the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde, hit the hiking trails or rent a kayak. You’ll find freedom under wide open skies.
But watch your own possessive tendencies, which may flare up when Mercury spins into your intensely intimate eighth house starting September 23.
On September 9, communicator Mercury turns retrograde in Libra and your eighth house of intimacy and shared resources, then backs into your partnership zone (Virgo) starting September 23. During this three-week cycle of the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde, look for clever ways to join forces with the people who are already in your world. If a partner-in-crime isn’t contributing, insist they step up—and don’t reach deeper into your wallet to cover for them.
Warning, Pisces: The green-eyed monster could hover in your psyche between now and October 2. Careful not to let your suspicious mind run wild. Your deep-seated fears may be rooted in something, but that “something” could be your own issues with trust, vulnerability and self-worth. If a shady dealing does come to light, thank the universe. This is information you needed to know so you don’t waste any more precious time especially during the Fall 2022 Mercury retrograde.
