Chaos Ensues
Summer’s Mercury Retrograde Is A Doozy For These 3 Zodiac Signs
Messy emotions abound.
If you’ve been dealing with logistical nightmares, technical difficulties, or communication crash-outs, you can most definitely blame it on Mercury retrograde. This astrological crossing-of-the-wires happens every few months, when mental planet Mercury gets caught up in an optical illusion that makes it look like it’s orbiting backward through the skies for a few weeks. As the planet retraces its recent steps through the zodiac, the little details of everyone’s days tend to get mixed up or hit delays. No two backspins are alike, but if you’re one of the signs most affected by summer’s Mercury retrograde, you might want to slow your roll for the next few weeks.
The current Mercury retrograde kicked off on June 29 in the nostalgic and sensitive sign of Cancer, giving the whole backspin a more emotional flavor than usual. In addition to the usual logistical snags, this summertime retrograde could be a particularly sentimental time for digging through memories, looking at past experiences with fresh eyes, or reaching back in time to heal long-standing issues with loved ones.
Buried feelings may also find their way onto the surface during Mercury retrograde, bringing tension to conversations or generally clouding judgment. Be sure the moves you’re making now aren’t based on fleeting moods, as it’s especially easy to get lost in your emotions. If you’re dealing with any important decisions or commitments, it’s best to give things a few more weeks before finalizing if you can, as Mercury’s backspins can make it difficult to see all the details.
Thankfully, this backspin is coming to an end on July 23, at which point Mercury will station direct and transition back to it’s usual forward-facing orbit. However, Mercury doesn’t immediately hit its normal speed again, and it’ll be a whole two weeks before Mercury finally moves beyond the zodiacal degrees it covered during its retrograde — a period known as its post-retrograde shadow. With that in mind, from July 23 to Aug. 6, it’s a good idea for any signs heavily impacted by Mercury retrograde to continue taking their time as they build up their momentum and ease back into their usual groove.
Mercury retrogrades are a regular part of life, but that doesn’t make them any less prickly to deal with. If you’re one of the zodiac signs most affected by summer’s Mercury retrograde, take some extra precautions to avoid getting swept up in its spiral.
Cancer (June 20 - July 21)
There’s no escaping the impact this retrograde has on you, as it’s spending the entirety of its backspin raging through your sign. With Mercury reversing course so close to your heart, you might find yourself feeling especially self-conscious and overly protective of your feelings. It might be hard to get out of your head and stop worrying about what other people think, causing you to second-guess your decisions or struggle to act from a place of authenticity.
If you notice yourself dealing with some overthinking or being self-critical, it’s important to ground yourself in reality. Some meditating, hot girl walks, or heart-to-hearts with someone trusted can help you pull yourself into the present moment. This is a time to get reintroduced to yourself and integrate all the lessons you’ve learned recently. Embrace these retrograde snags as necessary growing pains.
Libra (Sept. 22 - Oct. 21)
You’re spinning a lot of plates in your career right now — in fact, you may even feel like you’ve reached a crossroads of sorts. As motivated as you feel about stepping up and pushing forward on your ideas, you’ve probably found that this retrograde has other plans. Unexpected roadblocks or misunderstandings around schedules could make it hard to launch work projects during this period. If you’re not careful, it’ll be easy to make a mistake or overlook an important detail.
Instead of getting frustrated about the delays or mishaps, use this backspin as an opportunity to revise and refine any new career endeavors, and review your recent professional decisions. You may end up making some important adjustment that you’d otherwise have missed.
Capricorn (Dec. 21 - Jan. 18)
Capricorns are pragmatic to the core, so you’re not usually one to overthink what someone’s telling you. However, with this retrograde hitting your partnership zone, you might find that you’re a little more sensitive around communication than usual. It’s easy to misinterpret the meaning of what someone’s saying right now — especially if it’s spoken in an emotional context — so try to not take things personally. Conversely, be aware that your words could have an impact on people’s feelings too, and take care to choose them conscientiously.
If you’re in a relationship, know that misunderstandings are more likely. You may also end up rehashing old arguments that never got fully resolved, forcing you to face the feelings that got shoved aside. If you approach disagreements with honesty, you’ll come out the other side feeling stronger about your connections.
For more, check out your tarot reading.
