Cat got your tongue? Not for much longer! On Sunday, August 19, 2018, messenger planet Mercury snaps out of a befuddling three-week retrograde backspin through dramatic and expressive Leo, a signal-scrambling phase that caused communication breakdowns and emotional explosions that began on July 26.
Hallelujah—Mercury retrograde is over! Three to four times a year, messenger Mercury, the planet of communication, spends three weeks in a special brand of upheaval—as most of the world now knows. As Mercury passes the Earth in its journey ’round the Sun, it appears to spin backward. (Read our in-depth explanation of a retrograde here.)
During its retrograde, everything under Mercury’s jurisdiction—conversation, simple instructions and plans, transportation and technology—gets muddled as well. People argue senselessly, flights are missed and trains are delayed, and electronic equipment fizzles out.
This go-round, mental Mercury was reverse-commuting through theatrical Leo, from July 26-August 19, 2018. You may have experienced a few meltdown moments during this somewhat cruel summer, as it unleashed some selfish moments and even a few rash outbursts.
As Mercury corrects course, it settles into a new cosmic landscape. The Sun is wrapping up its four-week tour of Leo, the zodiac’s proud Lion, helping us hone our authentic truths and express our passions, especially now that the messenger planet has stationed direct. Can we get a ROAR! Mercury will linger in Leo until September 5, before it joins el Sol in Virgo (the season of the pure and earthy Virgin begins August 23). If you experienced communication breakdowns this summer, prepare to issue mea culpas and clear the air—and just in time for the fast-approaching fall season. Since Mercury rules the transfer and travel of information, hopefully your data has been password-protected and backed up to the cloud. But, we’re not out of the woods just yet…
Not so fast! Mercury’s “shadow” is in effect until September 2, 2018.
Don’t rush to launch your new podcast or book an instant weekend getaway. Mercury’s “shadow phase” is still in effect until September 2 (The shadow phase began on July 7, 2018). It’s like a slow fade-in and fade-out, where we’ll feel lingering effects of the retrograde a couple weeks before and after. We call “retroshade,” since the trickster planet still seems to be throwing shade at us!
And just a friendly reminder…
One thing you should know is that EVERY planet goes retrograde. The word “retrograde” has become so ominous these days, and even oversaturated in the mainstream. And while we might find this annoying in some ways, these cosmic cycles are also key times to really review, refine and reconfigure. While Mars and Venus only go retrograde every other year, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are in reverse annually, for a good chunk of each year, giving us all ample time to fine tune our most cherished projects and goals.
Photo Credit: Stocksy
