Mercury Is Retrograde Until August 11—Here's How To Avoid Complications
In case you missed it, Mercury has been retrograde in Leo since July 18—and we still have over a week left before it resumes forward motion. So if you've been experiencing things like miscommunications or delays, you can thank Mercury for that, with it being the planet of communication, travel, and technology.
The good news is, Mercury retrogrades can also be a great opportunity to pause and reflect, and things don't have to go awry if you know what to watch out for. To that end, here are five ways to avoid classic retrograde snafus.
Know where Mercury retrograde is landing in your chart
While we're all impacted by this Mercury retrograde in Leo, how it impacts you depends on where Leo lands in your chart. Based on your rising sign (which determines the houses of your chart), here's what Mercury retrograde is impacting for you:
- Aries rising: Fifth house of creativity, passion, and self-expression
- Taurus rising: Fourth house of home, family, and emotional security
- Gemini rising: Third house of communication, information, and local community
- Cancer rising: Second house of money, material resources, and self-worth
- Leo rising: First house of self-image and identity
- Virgo rising: 12th house of subconscious beliefs, spirituality, and emotional closure
- Libra rising: 11th house of humanitarianism, larger communities, and networks
- Scorpio rising: 10th house of career, destiny, and public image
- Sagittarius rising: Ninth house of wisdom, philosophy, and higher learning
- Capricorn rising: Eighth house of intimacy, vulnerability, and shared resources
- Aquarius rising: Seventh house of long-term/contractual relationships and business partnerships
- Pisces rising: Sixth house of habits, routines, and health
Double check everything before you hit send
Mercury retrogrades are known for causing miscommunications, so your best bet to avoid them (at least in the digital sphere), is to read over everything twice—maybe three times—before you send it. And we're not just talking about typos; With this Mercury retrograde in loud and proud Leo, you'll want to watch out for ego-tripping too.
This goes for in person communication as well. Try to pause and think before you speak, lest you say something that doesn't exactly land with your audience.
Resist the urge to reach out to your ex
Mercury retrogrades are a time to review and reflect, so it's only natural to have some fleeting thoughts of an ex (or exes). Of course, it's also not uncommon to hear from your exes during Mercury retrograde, so don't be surprised if you get an unexpected text or call.
Just don't say we didn't warn you, and if you're feeling susceptible to the retrograde urge to hit up your ex, just try to resist it.
Give yourself extra time
Mercury rules travel and technology, so when it goes retrograde, one of the most common problems you'll run in to is travel delays and/or technical difficulties.
As such, be sure to give yourself extra buffer time if you have somewhere important to be or if deadlines are creeping up. Factor in the possibility of things going wrong the first time, ensuring you can still get where you want to be on time.
Hold off on big decisions or signing contracts
Last but not least, Mercury retrogrades are not a time to move forward with full steam, but rather to slow down and take a more reflective approach. With our mental signals scrambled, it's a less than ideal time to lock yourself into any big decisions, whether that's at work, in your relationships, or in your life in general.
Take it easy, don't pressure yourself to move too fast, and allow things to play out—that's how you make it through a Mercury retrograde unscathed.
The takeaway
Mercury retrogrades tend to get a bad reputation, and while they can ramp up annoyances like technological issues or travel delays, these things are by design to get us to slow down. Instead of resisting it, when we lean into the slower pace of a retrograde period, we can come out of it with valuable lessons learned.