Headline news, star-gazers! Mercury goes retro this week, taking us back in time and to the sometimes-frustrating world of re-dos and re-thinks. While I subscribe to the idea that Mercury being strongly domiciled and exalted in its favourite sign mitigates some more common retrogradation woes, the question is just how generous the cosmic trickster will be in sparing us from its usual mind-games. Mutable angles might be most well-placed to test this theory; ditto anyone with major planetary placements in hard aspect to the transiting star of Hermes.
In one of its two domiciles, this Mercury retrograde season can offer us a much-needed pause to contemplate our direction in the areas of work, service to others, and even our health and diet regimen. If you’ve been putting off check-ups, delaying much-needed dietary changes, or started to get sloppy in your day-to-day responsibilities, this can be a particularly meaningful retrograde for having you wake up and pay closer attention to these areas in your life. Mercury-in-Virgo’s analytic bent may be especially conducive to overhauling processes whether at work or at home as we contemplate how our lives could run more efficiently. Mercury’s powerful place and domicile dwelling make it a significant ally in the weeks ahead.
With that, let’s dig into the astrology of the next seven days.
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We begin the week of Sunday, August 20, with the Moon firmly in the sign of the scales. While Luna may prolong the pleasure-seeking desires of Saturday’s Venusian explorations, those consciously coupled may be contemplating balance, equality and harmony in our relationships. These Libran keywords may seem like low-hanging fruit, but the quincunx between the Moon and Jupiter, both in Venusian signs and ruled by a retrograde Venus in Leo, will invariably have us grating against limitations in relationships while pushing for positive expressions of love, courage and obligation on our terms. This discomforting energy may be echoed by the Ceres-retrograde Chiron opposition: we demand and, frankly, deserve more support, especially if we’re not getting it.
In the background, a burgeoning Mars-retrograde Neptune opposition may have us struggling with motivation, while the Sun-retrograde Neptune quincunx may have us shirking our best-laid plans. We know there’s much to do, but Neptune in Pisces may have us pulling the sheets over our heads and lingering in bed a little longer. When we do swing our feet over the side of the mattress and pad into the loo for our morning ablutions, we may be under the influence of the gentle Moon-Venus sextile, which will govern the balance of the day, permitting us the benefit of its grace.
Before lights out, the Moon joins in on the separating Ceres-Chiron opposition, potentially stirring up our relationship woes to more dramatic proportions. With retrograde Eris hovering in close proximity, try to avoid amplifying any discordant feelings for the sake of keeping the peace.
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Monday, August 21 may have all the hallmarks of instability. The Mars-retro Neptune opposition continues to amplify the possibility of us losing a sightline on the goalpost, while introducing a muddying relationship with superiors in the workplace. The Sun-Neptune quincunx, although separating, will only serve to distract us further before introducing potential power struggles as Sol applies to a second quincunx to retrograde Pluto in Capricorn. These energies may bleed into Tuesday, joined by a volatile Moon in Scorpio, which enters the Martial sign just before 8:00 PM EDT.
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Venus meets Jupiter in a kinetic square on Tuesday, August 22, heightening our desire for indulgence. The rocky start to the week may have us reaching for comfort food or for our credit cards as the panacea could be some serious retail therapy.
Workday toil may take place under the just-separating quincunx between Pallas Athena in Virgo and retrograde Chiron in Aries, reminding us of setbacks we may have battled in order to forge ahead strategically and courageously on work-related projects.
Just before quitting time, the Mars-Neptune opposition perfects, potentially bringing disappointing words from on high. Leverage that Venus-Jupiter square to combat a less-than-delightful end to the workday could be essential.
Mercury slows down, stationing on 21-degrees of Virgo by the afternoon coffee break, holding steady on this degree until it commences its optical sky illusion in the late afternoon of August 24. The Sabian Symbol — a set of descriptive images corresponding to each degree of the zodiac — is a girls’ basketball team, possibly offering all of us the key for successfully surviving this retrograde: cooperation, competition, and striving for the brass ring but with a solid commitment to the greater collective.
As Mercury is at its most potent over the next two days, harness the beneficial energy to knock necessary tasks off your to-do list before the thick of retrograde season commences.
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Although most of us on the east coast will have slept through the perfection of the Moon-Jupiter opposition and the Sun’s ingress into Virgo, Wednesday, August 23, may see some of us back on track after a little spate of drama.
Luna translates its hopeful light from its Jupiter opposition to firecracker Uranus in a tug-of-war that wants our emotional shackles released through unfettered freedom. Is this the aspect of playing hooky? The Sun freshly in Virgo opposing Saturn in Pisces in a fairly wide orb may echo this struggle, with the weight of obligation, necessity and commitment to our workplace and teams potentially winning out.
This square is also part of a larger retrograde Venus storyline — the second o fits three-peat aspects with the Greater Benefic. The first square between the stars of Aphrodite and Jove took place on June 11 while both planets were direct. The last of these aspects, while Venus is moving forward in the sky, will close out this chapter on September 17. As Jupiter is currently in fixed-earth, this could be a transit focused on monetary matters, seeking to ground Venus in the earthy practicality of resources and security. As she contemplates everything from new romances to passion projects, Jupiter’s beneficence can expand horizons and have us contemplating how to wed our dreams to more practical possibilities. What were you dreaming back in June? What are you dreaming now under Venus’ more circumspect transit?
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Thursday, August 24 has some version of emotional calm restored, though the restless Sagittarian Moon could have us scanning for broader horizons.
A Mars-Pluto trine may present beneficial and practical outcomes, especially in earth signs, as we begin to confront the first threshold of possible re-dos owing to Mars’ domicile ruler, Mercury, firmly creeping backwards in the heavens.
This could be another workplace story: a positive boon from a boss, or words of commendation, though packaged within the slightly crunchy bubble wrap of reviewing or redoing a chunk of work. We may, however, be undaunted by the prospect, particularly as slow-moving retrograde Pluto offers us the depth of commitment and intensity needed to dig deep. Research, analysis, and renewed approaches may all be needed to shift direction tactically and objectively. With Mercury slow-moving and within orb of a conjunction to Pallas Athena, the energetic signature could be ripe for helping us take a different perspective on old projects and new problems.
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On Friday, August 25, rise and shine to a luscious fire trine between the Moon in Sagittarius and retrograde Venus in Leo, colouring the start of the day with a desire for creativity, play, pleasure and adventure. Even if our routine remains the same, the way we go about injecting these things in our lives could help us blow off some steam at the end of a week that saw as many ups as they did downs.
We may still feel the influence of the applying opposition between the Sun in Virgo and Saturn in Pisces, helping us to tackle our workday with more seriousness and attention to detail. The Sun in Mercury’s terms will likely commit to getting things done with care, diligence, and a certain gift of hindsight, while the trine between Mars and Pluto, although separating, nevertheless still offers its diligence to get things done before we punch out for the weekend.
By 3:00 PM EDT, the Moon perfects to a trine to retrograde Chiron in Aries. This could see us healing wounds from earlier in the week, integrating the lessons learned as essential wisdom for blazing a bold trail moving forward. If you’re intending to hit the town, the Moon-Mercury square around the supper hour may make you especially chatty, though be careful what you say and to whom.
Luna quickly slips into a quincunx with Uranus while engaging in a wide-orb square to Neptune in Pisces, bringing all sorts of peculiar characters out onto the dance floor. It may be a strange night for meeting new people.
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Saturday, August 26 may have us back in a practical mindset as the Moon ingresses into Capricorn just before 10:00 AM EDT. Though we may be trading in the exciting mental and emotional horizons we experienced the day before for a more grounded and responsible incarnation of ourselves, this energy will nonetheless be conducive to getting a head start on any chores we’ve been putting off.
Semisextiles between Mercury, Pallas Athena and Ceres could make cooperation more difficult, particularly as we struggle to express ourselves. Mercury in nit-picky Virgo conjunct Pallas might choose words more carefully, but don’t count on smooth sailing with Ceres in the adjacent and incongruent sign.
A harmonious trine between Sol and Luna perfects in the late afternoon, amplifying our desire to get things done alone and get things done well, potentially making for a more productive weekend than we might have had for some time.
Kick your feet up in the evening as Luna slides into Jupiter’s bounds. This may be an ideal signature for a bedtime meditation or a good book and for planning all that you want to accomplish in the week ahead.
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*DISCLAIMER: All astrological forecasts are for ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY. Any decisions that you might make as a result of reading this or any other astrological blog entry are YOURS ALONE and the creator of this blog will not be held responsible! For any legal issues, see a lawyer; for medical ones, consult a physician. None of the information in this blog constitutes actionable advice from a licensed professional. Once again, this forecast is for ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!
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