As the week begins, so does Mercury Retrograde. Yet, before a modicum (or more) of worry sets in, I’m here to remind you that this period of time isn’t one destined to be filled solely with problems and challenges.

It can actually be a time in which we can gain a greater level of understanding that can serve us well in the future. That is, if we can align ourselves with the invitations of Mercury, and just as it retraces landscapes already traversed, so should we. Instead of continuing the trajectory of forward movement, we should take these three weeks and build in time in which we go back over and review certain things.

We should turn around and look to see communications, educational pursuits, and conversations undertaken to see which ones may need re-addressing. We can look at things recently brought to our awareness from another lens, one that is steeped in reflection, intuition, and a more receptive orientation. This may allow us to access insights we didn’t realize when we initially traveled this path before.

And yet, there may be times when annoyances arise—after all, what we learn may have us need to redo our messaging and/or the way we share our thoughts and feelings. That may be bothersome, notably if we thought we were done with certain situations only to realize we need to deal with them again.

During these times, we should remind ourselves that the extra time and work we may need to invest in any re-visioning and re-do’s will actually pay off in spades; that’s because this opportunity to take another look at things, and bolster their structure and foundations, will allow us to feel more confident that the message we are sharing is much more reliable than it originally was. The time spent may have a cost in the short-term and yet it may yield results with more solidity long-term.

When Mercury is retrograde, going slow, taking pauses, and being reflective seems to not only be the path of least resistance but one that yields a bounty of awareness. Look at ideas and communication approaches from a different perspective and tune in to your intuition and imagination. Adopt the “re” strategy during this time: reassess, review, reanalyze, rewrite, rethink, re-edit, recommunicate, etc. Remember that the days just as Mercury Retrograde begins and ends may seem to be infused with a rush of dialogues, news, and messages; take your time and don’t rush, so as to abate possible overwhelm.

Mercury is retrograde in the sign of Libra; as such, some of our communication re-do’s may arise in the realm of our partnerships and alliances, our ability to allow ourselves pleasure, the way we value art, how we relate to and embody beauty, and/or how we both understand and speak for justice and equality. And, of course, if you know your chart, you can look to see the territory in which Mercury retrograde travels—25-10 Libra—as this is the field in which the planet etches three times (during its retrograde cycle, and before and after it occurs) and therefore may be where some personal lessons reside for you.

I like to adopt certain self-care strategies during Mercury Retrograde. I included a whole chapter on this in my book, The Complete Guide to Astrological Self-Care. You can also find a few here in an article I wrote a few years back.

Mercury makes two major aspects this week. On October 1, it squares Pluto, offering us an invitation to go deeper, to burrow through layers when we’re sharing our thoughts and feelings, and to find space to meet-and-greet something which triggers fear within us (rather than continuing to push it below the surface.) And then on Sunday, October 3, it makes a harmonious trine to Jupiter; our minds may feel more expansive as we look to further understand bigger pictures subjects and realms in which we’d like to learn more.

Have a lovely week!
Stephanie

Astrological Highlights

September 27

Mercury Retrograde begins (until 10/18)

September 29

Venus/Neptune Trine
Sun/Saturn Trine

September 30

Venus/Jupiter Square

October 1

Mercury/Pluto Square

October 2

Venus/Pluto Sextile

October 3

Mercury/Jupiter Trine

All days are Eastern Daylight Time (- 4 hours GMT)

Stellar Insights: September 27 - October 3, 2021

Astrological Highlights