August 18th ~ 25th

Most of us think ourselves as standing wearily and helplessly at the center of a circle bristling with tasks, burdens, problems, annoyance, and responsibilities which are rushing in upon us.

At every moment we have a dozen different things to do, a dozen problems to solve, a dozen strains to endure. We see ourselves as overdriven, overburdened, overtired. This is a common mental picture and it is totally false. No one of us, however crowded his life, has such an existence. ~ James Gordon Gilkey

On Wednesday, August 23rd, Mercury appears to station (stand still) for its retrograde phase. It does so in its own sign of Virgo, at 21º Virgo 51’. Analytical, reflective, critical, organized and perceptive, Mercury in Virgo has been gradually moving that precise critical perception away from the outer world, and focusing it within. For that is where all the good work is to be done during the retrograde phase of Mercury which lasts until September 15th. 

The inclination for Mercury in Virgo is to make sense of the insensible, and to sort out the clutter from the useful, and the junk from the insightful. We have a tendency to fill our minds with all sorts of random information, further compounded with emotions and feelings that embed it on our mind stream, clogging up the air waves, and taunting us with distractions. Thankfully, Mercury in Virgo is here to do its good work, clearing out the gutters and dusting out the cobwebs of our minds. It does this good work in order to prepare us for the next Mercury cycle which begins on September 6th with the conjunction to the Sun. 

At first this can seem like a daunting task. The mayhem that the retrograde phases of Mercury bring are legendary: messages are lost; the luggage goes missing; travel mishaps occur; and the computer gremlins come to visit. It’s all we can do to sort out the chaos of our lives, as things seem to go awry, and draw us in several directions. 

However, these retrograde phases of Mercury are extremely important. This is when we are meant to assimilate and process all of the events and information that we have experienced up until now. This is exactly when we are most able to make sense of the insensible, and create order out of chaos. But in order to do this well, we need to go to the source. And we do this by taking our attention away from the outer circumstances of our lives, at least for a bit, and focus our attention within.

What is the true picture of your life? Imagine that there is an hour glass on your desk. Connecting the bowl at the top with the bowl at the bottom is a tube so thin that only one grain of sand can pass through it at a time. That is the true picture of your life, even on a super busy day, The crowded hours come to you always one moment at a time. That is the only way they can come. The day may bring many tasks, many problems, strains, but invariably they come in single file. You want to gain emotional poise? Remember the hour glass, the grains of sand dropping one by one. ~ James Gordon Gilkey

Mercury is strong in its own sign of Virgo, and it is also trine illuminating Uranus. Sometimes referred to as the higher octave of Mercury, Uranus has this amazing ability to show us solutions where previously we only saw problems, and to see things from a whole new perspective. Like magic, ideas just seem to pop into our heads. Pay attention to these moments of illumination and insight. Sit with them. Reflect on them. Be receptive and flexible. For although retrograde, there is so much to be learned within this magical juncture of the Mercury cycle. 

Yet Mercury is indeed in its retrograde phase. So you might not want to make definite commitments, or major decisions just yet. When Mercury returns to its direct phase, you will see your perspective shifting again and again. Flexibility and receptivity are key for the retrograde phase. And you will want to take advantage of this time, from August 23rd thru September 15th, that is just chock full of revelations and innovative ideas. 

Virgo is also an earth sign. Therefore we are being asked to touch base with the earth, as well as our physical and material needs. When Mercury is in Virgo our minds are better able to make connections, and sort things out. This is an excellent time therefore to organize our lives, streamline our daily schedules and tweak our routines. It is the end of Summer here in the North. A rich time of harvest. Take advantage of the bounty in the farmer’s markets, and look for helpful ways to support your over all health and well-being. The seeds we sow within the retrograde phase, will serve us for months to come. 

Advice for the retrograde phase of Mercury: 

• When distracted and unable to focus, just stop what you are doing in order to gather your thoughts. 

• If feeling anxious or over-extended, make time for inner reflection and remember to breathe. 

• If things go awry, break down or get unhinged, this is the opportunity to fix things the right way. 

• Tie up loose ends, finish up projects, and tackle the chores and paperwork that you have been avoiding. 

• The retrograde phases of Mercury are great for do-overs, edits, revisiting, reunions, reminiscing, remembering and reviewing. 

• Not generally advised to make major decisions or commitments, but this is not always true. Just know that we are inclined to change our minds later on, or you may not have all the facts you need to make an informed decision. As a result you may need to delay, or revisit a decision or agreement later on when Mercury is in its direct phase once again. 

For Mercury retrograde in each sign and house, click below: 

HOROSCOPES

Image: “Hermes Trismegistos” by Johfra Bosschart

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