Rejecting demureness, embracing boldness

Mercury Retrograde (Virgo to Leo)

Yeah, yeah, it’s mercury retrograde¹. Think before you speak and all that. Be mindful of arguments. Expect delays. Get ready to be misunderstood. Read the fine print. Look both ways before you cross the street. Don’t take anything personally.

But no, seriously.

Last week during the Leo New Moon, we established that you’re on a journey to discover what you can create from within. We also talked about Venus in Virgo challenging you to be resourceful in that endeavor. But that means being real, not relatable. Your desire to be perceived as your most authentic self comes with a double edged sword. Are you ready to be criticized as much as you are praised? Possibly even more so?

On August 5th, Mercury stationed retrograde in its domicile² sign of Virgo. The usual confusion mercury retrograde provides wasn’t as unexpected this time. Most of the problems popping up were things you should have taken care of, but procrastinated on. Typical mutable³ behavior.

After well actually-ing our way through the early degrees of Virgo, Mercury has retreated into Leo. The sun, ruler of Leo, represents the heart and the spine. So courage and honesty will be pushing its way into our communication for the rest of the retrograde. If there’s something you’ve been meaning to say, now is the time to speak up. Don’t be afraid of the way you feel. That being said, it’ll be really easy to take things to heart. That “passion” you’re feeling? It could be defensiveness. Or your ego. Throwing gas on an already fiery conversation could definitely make things come out wrong. But that doesn’t mean they won’t be honest.

Before you react to criticism you think is “unfair”, choose your words very carefully. Jupiter and Mars are colliding, or forming a conjunction⁴, in Gemini. The planets of expansion and interruption (respectively) are joining forces to encourage the ultimate verbal—possibly physical—smackdowns. And with Mercury Rx in Leo adding ego to the fire, it’ll be hard to hold back.

At the same time, that restless Mars-Jupiter energy isn’t going anywhere. Consider channeling this chaos into much needed creative planning. What passion projects have you been meaning to work on, but haven’t made the time for? What parts of yourself are you ignoring? If you feel like this retrograde is irritating you, how can you express that feeling authentically? The reason that Mercury Rx causes all of these delays is to give you more time to think. While you’re stuck in surprise traffic, or waiting longer than you should for the train, reflect on how to push through creative blocks using that frustration. The key to handling any Leo transit is to listen to what your heart is telling you. Even if you’re afraid of what it’s trying to say.

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1. When a planet retrogrades, it appears to be moving backwards in the sky from our vantage point on Earth. That’s because Earth is moving faster or slower than said planet. Mercury retrogrades 3-4 times per year.

2. Domicile planets are “at home”, or in a sign that the planet rules. Planets in their domicile signs operate from a position of strength and familiarity that bring out the organic aspects of said planets.

3. Mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) punctuate the four seasons. Mutable qualities include adaptable, intuitive, obsessive, and submissive.

4. Conjunctions are when a planet is very close to (usually within 5° of) of another celestial body. When a conjunction is formed, the energy of these two bodies combine to create an amplified effect of the themes of those planets.