Mercury goes retrograde for the third time this year on August 23 and will remain retrograde until September 15. Mercury is the planet of communication, information processing, and short trips. When it is retrograde, this energy is focused inward. It is a time to pause and reevaluate, review, and eventually revise the way your attitude and expression around the themes of the sign it is retrograding through.
There is a pattern to Mercury retrogrades. Each year, a specific element – fire, earth, air, or water – is explored by spending each of its retrograde periods in the signs of that element. In 2021, Mercury retrograded through air signs (Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra). That was the year to review and revise the vision we hold for our lives and the groups we were connected to (Aquarius); the way we socialized and those with whom we shared information (Gemini); and how we connected with our special others and interact in close relationships (Libra).
In 2022, Mercury began to transition from air to the next element, earth. As it moves between elements, it spends the next year of retrograde cycles starting out in the previous element (in this example, air) and ending in the next element (earth). So, for example, in January 2022, Mercury began its retrograde cycle in Aquarius (air) on January 13, but ended it in Capricorn (earth) on February 4. These transitional periods serve as bridges to shift from the airy (intellectual, detached, mental) to the earthy (practical, physically focused).
This year, Mercury has been fully retrograde in the earth signs. We started off 2023 with Mercury retrograde in Capricorn, giving an opportunity to reconsider ambitions, reputation, professional presence, and social persona.
In April and early May, Mercury retrograded through Taurus. The theme then was reevaluation of attitudes towards possessions and resources, review of values and how we demonstrate our values in the world.
Now, Mercury will retrograde in the mutable earth sign, Virgo. Interestingly, Virgo is one of two signs ruled by Mercury. The other is Gemini, an air sign. Airy Mercury expresses with lots of ideas that come in quickly and lots of communication about those ideas. When Mercury is in Virgo, it becomes practical and focused. Earthy Mercury is detail oriented, analytical, organized and concerned with "getting it right". Virgo energy is motivated by service and the desire to improve the way things work.
Mercury retrograde in Virgo brings a pause to the mental and communication aspects of how you go about your daily routines and how you manage your responsibilities, both work and life. Are you easily distracted and unfocused because of demands of others? Virgo's opposite sign is Pisces. Pisces is dreamy and compassionate. It can get lost in imaginings. Virgo energy takes the compassion and creativity of Pisces and applies them to practical actions which allow life demands to be met with efficiency and ease.
When Virgo is at its lower expression, it is overly critical, both of itself and others. This Virgo energy can become so focused on the details and striving for perfection it becomes ineffective. At its higher expression, Virgo discerns patterns in seemingly random data points and is able to assess how to improve the current approach to the tasks at hand.
Virgo energy requires a calm environment. It is the mutable earth sign so experiences life through the body. Out of balance Virgo energy often shows up physically. Anxiety and gastrointestinal complaints are common from trying to "digest" too much information. Taking a break in nature can help. Like all earth signs, Virgo needs to move at a relaxed pace. Earth signs pay a steep price when they feel rushed.
With Mercury retrograde in Virgo, consider the pace of your life. Is it comfortable or are you always trying to catch up? This is a good time to reevaluate the "to do" list and consider how it might be edited. Remember Venus is also retrograde until September 4, bringing relationships and values up for review. These two retrograde energies are interrelated. Do your routines reflect your values? Are the costs of your current mode of operation worth the benefits? Account for all the costs. Where might you be spending more energy than necessary?
Also, look at your own behaviors in the course of the day. How much time do you spend worrying or aiming for perfection? How much of your self talk actually self criticism? How much time is spent planning for contingencies and "what ifs" that usually don't materialize? How can you change the narrative in your head? This is about managing your mental energy in a way that supports you. When you are jammed up in anticipating obstacles, your skills are not fully accessible to create solutions to challenges you are facing or free up time by improving the efficiency of how you go about taking care of business.
Mercury retrogrades are about recognizing your patterns of thought and communication. From that awareness, you can decide if the outcomes you experience are desirable. If not, this is the time to try different approaches. Since we are talking about Mercury, start with how you speak about your life and work responsibilities. Notice the effect of your words on your body. Do you feel uplifted and expansive or overwhelmed and constricted? Is your heart open or does your stomach clench? Would you want to listen to you?
Of course, the usual Mercury retrograde caveats still apply here. Build in extra time for travel, confirm appointments and communications, and back up your data. Things begun under Mercury retrograde often need to be revised as you might not have access to all the information about a situation. Mercury will go direct September 4, and will leave its shadow (cross back over the point it started the retrograde) on September 29, so it can take that long for any lingering issues to resolve.
The essence of Virgo energy is taking care of the things you are responsible for, including your body. Mercury retrograde in Virgo brings the opportunity to infuse your capacity to care into your daily routines. It is a demonstration of your best self through the smallest acts.
"If we do not know how to take care of ourselves and to love ourselves, we cannot take care of the people we love. Loving oneself is the foundation for loving another person." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh