Today, Monday, November 25th, 2024, Mercury, planet of thought and communication, will go retrograde at 22' 40°, Sagittarius, sign of it's detriment. Here's a little bit of information about what to expect.
Source: "Les Relations," a 2023 painting by Elize Sokolova that you can find here
Mercury Retrograde: What Does It Mean?
A retrograde planet is one that appears to be moving backwards from the vantage point of the earth. From an astrologer's perspective, this means that the energies symbolized by the planet are also directed "backwards" or "inward" instead of functioning in its usual way.
In Roman mythology, Mercury is considered to be the "messenger of the gods," ruling over letters, divination and pretty much all forms of communication, as well as commerce and travel. Due to "his" ability to travel between two worlds, he is the god of translators and interpreters, but look out: he is also the god of tricksters, pranksters, and thieves. In astrology, Mercury represents the logical mind, intelligence and the way we think. Ruled by the mutable signs, Virgo (the virgin) and Gemini (the twins), there is a dualistic nature to the planet that gave birth to the word "mercurial," (meaning unpredictable or changeable).
So, when Mercury goes Retrograde, you can expect delays and disruption around areas such as travel, technology, communication and thought. Misunderstandings may occur and/or you may gloss over important details. It is best to double-check your work and try your best to be as clear as you can when you communicate to avoid these mishaps. That said, while these periods can definitely be unpredictable and maybe even a little bit chaotic, this doesn't necessarily make them negative, especially if you use this time for reflection rather than action. In fact, sometimes the unexpected can instead feel wonderfully fated. It's a good time for re-thinking, re-doing, and returning to the past, finishing up former projects and having clarifying conversations that you should have had long ago. Its a period often loaded with a feeling of magic & synchronicity, and a favored time for contemplation & meditation. Things from the past might come back to us during this time as well, whether this be people, situations, memories or a second chance at things we failed to achieve and/or learn the first time around.
Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius: 11/25/2024
Mercury is already detriment when in Sagittarius, a mutable fire sign ruled by Jupiter, a philosophical planet more interested in the bigger picture than those boring little details that Mercury likes to obsess over. The centaur has its bow and arrow aimed toward the sky in search of a higher meaning, beyond the narrow boundaries of reason and logic that Mercury concerns itself with. One downside to this is that it can create an over-emphasis on belief at the expense of fact. Despite this twisted vision of the 'truth', the belief in a higher cause worth fighting for can, at the same time, lead to an over-emphasis on personal honesty at the expense of tact. Such 'detrimental' qualities become even more pronounced when Mercury is Retrograde in the sign of Sagittarius.
The fine print gets overlooked, leading to mistakes in our work, and misunderstandings between ourselves & others. We struggle to pay attention to anything that might be out of line with our own interests and vision. '"Truth" becomes something flexible, which we use to suit our own ends and back up our own biases, ignoring any source of information that could contradict or cause us to question our beliefs in favor of limiting ourselves to living in an echo chamber of "alternative facts." Our "positive thinking" may prevent us from finding or creating any real positive solution to the negatives present within our realities. Living in a "post-truth" society, however, does not make "honesty" any less valuable. In fact, important bridges may be burned from speaking too soon, unleashing a torrent of fiery words, out of some self-righteous need for "deeper meaning", before you can take the moment to stop and think about whether or not you actually mean it.
All of that said, there are some positive things to takeaway from this transit too. This time, for example, might be best used for a real pursuit of the truth, a reflection on what it is that you truly believe and feel the need to express. Do the facts support your vision?
Mercury will station Retrograde at 22'40 ° degrees, falling into the third decan of Sagittarius, ruled by Saturn and/or the Sun (depending on which system you use) . The mixture of these two basically polar opposite energies could potentially indicate a balance between "light" and "darkness" that could perhaps manifest itself through the search for truth, as described above. Mercury's close proximity to two fixed stars, Ras Alhague & Lesat, gives us even further insight into how to interpret the overall influence of this retrograde period.
Ras Alhague is a sapphire binary star at the head of the constellation, Ophiuchus, the serpent or snake charmer. According to Ptolemy, this star has a nature similar to that of Saturn & Venus, indicating a passionate, easily-seduced temperament and/or poisoning or negative influence from indulgence in drugs, food, & other substances, as well as danger from snake, insect & other animal bites. According to Vivian E. Robson (as cited by Constellation of Words), when paired with Mercury in particular, it can bring criticism & unpopularity through philosophy, religion, & science, and/or trouble with romantic relationships, especially troubles that are fostered by others. On a more positive note, the stars of the constellation Ophiuchus, can be associated with wisdom, astrology, healing, medicine and control over dark forces.
Meanwhile, Lesath, can be found at the stinger of the Scorpius or Scorpio constellation. It's nature is similar that of Mercury and Mars, indicating danger & desperation, evil & immorality, poisoning, accidents & operations, a sharp wit & a cutting tongue, and/or an intelligent & penetrating mind. According to Ted George & Barbara Parker (as cited by Astrology King), Mercury on this star can indicate "stalking" & obsession, but more on a mental level than a literal one (i.e. "internet stalking" which I think we all do to some degree) and honestly, good investigation skills regarding people & their psychologies. Meanwhile, Joseph E. Rigor (as cited by Astrology King, once again) describes Mercury conjunct this star as "abrasive" and "argumentative" but on a positive note, also very intuitive, even psychic, with a keen ability to "zero in" on questions & problems and be direct in their responses.
I do not mean to worry anyone or advocate taking these interpretations too literally. However, it is interesting that both stars aligning with Mercury's station Retrograde carry an association with poison, especially when interpreting it in line with what I've already written above regarding the more general meaning of Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius. This leads me to think that this period may involve miscommunications & misunderstandings arising from altered states of consciousness, such as the influence of drugs or drinking, and/or a metaphorical "poisoning" of the mind through dangerous & deceitful words or ideas. Our most "trusted sources" may very well be no more than snakes, scorpions, & serpents dressed up in sheep's clothing, so we should be careful to think critically & avoid getting seduced by charming or nice-sounding words. It is possible that, particularly at the level of mundane astrology, this could also indicate a more literal poisoning, such as the contamination of food and/or drink, although obviously, I would hope this isn't the case. On a more positive note, perhaps, corruption in the food or pharmaceutical industry, for example, may be exposed, motivating us to seek more healthy & sustainable nutrients, or we might go through a period of healing, detoxifying both our bodies & our minds.
Interestingly, Mercury in Sagittarius will station Retrograde closely opposite the sign's ruling planet, Jupiter, also retrograde, at 17'50° Gemini, which is also the sign of its detriment! Gemini is ruled by Mercury, however, which means the planets are in mutual reception with one another. On one hand, this aspect could cause us to overlook important details while simultaneously having us "think big" or too deeply about things that don't really matter. We could miss the forest for the trees, as they say, finding ourselves distracted by trivial matters (which may, nevertheless, seem to take on the form of an all-important cause at the moment) and losing touch with the things that actually have real meaning. On the other hand, perhaps, the mutual reception could "cancel out" the negative effects of this aspect and maybe even the entire transit, at least to some degree, softening out some of the problems associated with it by making them more manageable. Once again, the importance of reflection and critical thinking is highlighted, even more so with Jupiter Retrograde too. It's a good time for questioning our sources of information, questioning even our own beliefs & biases, figuring out what we believe & why, discovering the "deeper meaning" behind what's written/said, seeing beyond literal surface-level interpretations without reading so far deep into things that you misjudge what's actually meant to be taking at face-value, investigating all the facts before making any assumptions, and cultivating discernment, basically. This influence might also be helpful in the development of positive thinking, as in a more spiritual perspective, or even "manifestation" (although I personally don't believe in the "law of attraction" as such) with plenty of strange coincidences & synchronicities to be found.
Meanwhile, the moment of Mercury's station Retrograde will coincide with other aspects, such as a grand fire trine involving the North Node at 5'00° Aries, it's ruling planet, Mars at 5'24° Leo, and Leo's ruling planet, the Sun, at 4'19°, Sagittarius, the same sign as Mercury. This configuration may bless us with a boost of confidence, inner strength and willpower, which could again, help us to "manifest" or at least, move a step closer to our goals through persistence and a positive attitude. Again, strange coincidences & synchronicities may cause us to feel more in alignment with what we desire to achieve and/or have, giving us a more burning & insistent motivation & drive to work toward it. We could even find ourselves presented with some serendipitous opportunities that give us the healthy ego boost we need to do what we need to do.
At the same time, the Moon at 7'32° Libra will be conjunct the South Node, increasing our need for harmony, peace and/or connection with others. This could indicate "fated", "karmic" or "past life" connections, if you believe in that and/or it might trigger deep-seated emotions pertaining to the past or "past life" issues, particularly those feelings which involve your relationship to others (whether familial, romantic, "just" friendly & platonic, or something else entirely). On one hand, this can be healing and could potentially help with some of the dangers of this transit, for example, by giving us the empathy needed to see other points of view, & actually truly understand what a person is saying before we assume, basically helping us with both the cultivation of greater discernment & the avoidance of miscommunication. However, on the other hand, danger could arise if the need for harmony, peace and/or connection from others leads us astray, by causing us to doubt our own instincts and true points of view. Often, for example, people will lie, not only to others, but to themselves, as well, for the sake of "fitting in," "keeping the peace" or being part of a group. We might avoid the consideration and/or questioning of information that could cause trouble for us, socially, if we thought differently. This is, once again, why this is such a great time for meditation and reflection on what it is that we truly believe in, because the odds are, it is at least a little bit different from what we're taught or told to believe.
Source: Maisie Kane
Mercury Direct in Sagittarius: 12/15/2024
Mercury will station direct at 6'23° of the archer / centaur on December 15th, 2024. By this point, we should have gained a bit more clarity and insight into our beliefs & values. Things may not totally go "back to normal" until after Mercury exits its retrograde post-shadow phase on January 2nd of the new year. However, the brain fog should be lifted, somewhat, communication should start to flow more smoothly and technological/travel mishaps should decrease in frequency. Mercury in Sagittarius, ultimately, of course, has some very positive attributes, as well, and by this point, these qualities should shine through with much more luminescence. This includes, for example, an honest & forthright nature, a good sense of humor, a philosophical mind, and a willingness to look on the bright side & see the good in life, no matter how "dark" things might seem at the moment.
It is particularly beneficial that while stationing direct, Mercury will be making a grand fire trine to Mars (now retrograde, itself) at 5'37° Leo and the North Node at 2'50° Aries. Interestingly, this is the same trine that the Sun made when Mercury stationed Retrograde. With Mercury involved this time around (and now direct, of course) we should be able to move forward with greater confidence in ourselves and a stronger faith in what it is we believe The process of reflection experienced during the retrograde period would have, hopefully, allowed us to see which of our thoughts & ideas were genuine (as in both genuinely ours, and with a basis in truth) and which were not. After gaining this clarity, it should be easier to speak our mind & assert ourselves in a clear and understandable way. Similarly, our goals may be more easily accessible, at this time; we know what we want now and we now know what steps we need to take to make it a reality.
It's less of a major aspect and honestly, it is also a bit wide, but it's also worth mentioning that Mercury will be sextile Venus (at 9'52°) as well as Pluto (at 00'35°) in Aquarius, indicating depth of perception and greater social awareness. Basically, it can strengthen our relational bonds by deepening our communication with our most important connections.
Meanwhile, the Moon would have just entered it's home sign of Cancer at 00'56°, This speaks to a clear sense of self, and our emotional wellbeing, bringing us more consciously in touch with our subconscious feelings & needs. A gentle, nurturing approach is favored at this time, as well as time spent at home and/or with family or other loved ones. Of course, the Moon is square the North & South Node, which could once again, indicate "karmic" or "fated" events, but overall, this is a very positive placement for the Moon.
Conclusion
As some of you may know, I usually write horoscopes with these things. However, I have been very busy and honestly, if you would like to know more about how this retrograde will affect you personally, you are better off scheduling a reading with me, by clicking here: but please remember to book at least three days in advance.
Apart from that, this Mercury in Retrograde period will most significantly affect those with angles or planets (particularly luminaries) in the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius & Pisces). Overall, we can expect mishaps and misunderstandings to occur during this time, particularly in relation to our beliefs. However, it is a good time for re-examining what it is we truly believe in and why.
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