Mercury retrograde periods are notorious for bringing up tech glitches and communication issues, but rather than shying away from new ventures, we are embracing this as an opportunity for spiritual growth and healing.
Mercury retrograde is often misunderstood and feared. Many people assume it's not a time to start anything new, but I believe it's an excellent period for trying out new things. The glitches and disruptions are more likely to reveal underlying issues, making Mercury retrograde a perfect time for reflection and transformation.
During this retrograde in particular, Mercury will be moving through the signs of Leo and Cancer, spending significant time in what is known as the Gandanta zone—a spiritually charged space between fire and water signs. This makes the current retrograde especially potent for uncovering and resolving spiritual and ancestral knots. Tune into the public podcast episode (apple | spotify | youtube) for a deeper explanation and how exactly to work with this energy!
Mercury will begin its retrograde at 9 degrees and 54 minutes of Leo, in Magha Nakshatra. This Nakshatra is symbolized by a royal throne, signifying lineage and ancestral heritage. The deity of Magha is Pitris, the fathers of humanity or our ancestors. Because of this vibe brought by this nakshatra, this period is a powerful time for connecting with and honoring our lineage. Interestingly, Donald Trump has his ascendant in the Magha Nakshatra, embodying characteristics like the pursuit of wealth and a strong sense of lineage and ancestry.
When Mercury moves back into Cancer on August 21st, it will move through Ashlesha Nakshatra, which is symbolized by a serpent. This Nakshatra is deeply connected to Kundalini energy, hidden truths, and life’s mysterious aspects. Here, we are encouraged to shed old skins, much like a snake, and embrace transformation and healing.
Mercury retrograde doesn't have to be a period of fear and avoidance. Instead, let it be a time for spiritual renewal and introspection. Use this guide, including the more detailed interpretations for each sign below, to navigate the retrograde energies and emerge more self-aware and aligned.
Important Dates of the Retrograde:
All times are given in EST (new york timezone)
Sun Aug 4 10:12pm - Mercury goes Retrograde in Leo
Wed Aug 21 8:07pm Mercury Retrogrades into Cancer
Wed Aug 28 6:58pm Mercury moves Direct in Cancer
Number of Days: 25 TOTAL, 58 with shadow period - combust for 15 of that, gandanta for 29 days around the retrograde period
Signs: Leo & Cancer
Nakshatras/Degrees:
9:54 Magha (Leo) - 27:12 Ashlesha (Cancer)
Shadow Period:
July 16 ~11:45pm EST - Sep 11 ~7pm
Other notable info:
Combust: Aug 12 12:25am - Aug 26 8:49am
Gandanta:
- July 16, 12:55am - July 22nd, 7:34pm —When CrowdStrike thing happened!!!
- August 17, 7:11pm - September 7, 6:06am - A LONG ONE!!
- Venus tracking very closely through leo (gets ready to move on from Leo as mercury moves back to cancer)
- New Moon in Cancer August 6th - set intentions for how you want to step forward from the retrograde
Overall Energies:
- Transformation and Healing: Mercury retrograding through Magha and Ashlesha Nakshatras highlights themes of transformation, ancestral connections, and deep healing. Expect insights into personal lineage and hidden information to come to the surface.
- Lineage and Ancestry: Magha’s connection to royalty and ancestors (Pitris) brings a focus on understanding one's roots and the impact of lineage on current life circumstances. This period is conducive to exploring family history and karmic patterns.
- Hidden Information and Kundalini Energy: Ashlesha’s association with serpents and hidden wisdom suggests uncovering secrets, intuitive insights, and the awakening of Kundalini energy. This period may bring heightened intuition and sensitivity.
- Intensity of Gandanta and Combustion: The extended gandanta period and Mercury's combustion amplify the intensity of this retrograde, making its effects more pronounced. Expect disruptions in communication, travel, and technology, alongside deeper psychological and spiritual revelations.
This Retrograde is a GOOD time for:
- Therapy: clearing the “hidden information” of your psyche. Maybe even couple’s therapy if you are in a relationship - with venus tracking so close, and the major themes being on hidden information and lineage healing, it could be a good time to explore things like IFS or attachment theory with a partner. Remember - we heal in context of relationships!! And when you heal, you heal your lineage!!
- Generational healing: Focus on healing past traumas and releasing old karmic ties that no longer serve you. The journal prompts will help with this :)
- Clearing and decluttering: What hidden information is taking up space in your life whether thats physically, mentally or digitally?
- Being Intentional: The New Moon in Cancer on August 6th is an excellent time to set intentions for personal growth and how you wish to move forward post-retrograde. Pay close attention to the challenges you face during the retrograde - those highlight your biggest opportunities for growth moving forward.
This retrograde is a BAD time for:
- Dysregulation: Avoid letting issues throw you into a dysregulated state. Instead, practice nervous system regulation through techniques like yoga and deep breathing.
- Judging: Mercury retrograde often causes miscommunications and minor errors. Gracefully accept and move past these hiccups. Extend this grace and kindness to yourself as much as to others!
- Last-Minute Travel: Be mindful of your plans and give yourself extra time to avoid unnecessary stress.
Yoga Practices
- Sacral Chakra Work: Engage in flowing movements and focus on your sacral chakra to keep energy balanced.
- Pitta Balancing: Recognize and address any fire or water imbalances in your life.
- Bilateral Stimulation: Challenge your brain by doing activities that stimulate both sides of your body differently.
- Heart Opening: Incorporate postures and practices that open the heart and regulate the nervous system.
Journal Prompts
- What ancestral patterns or beliefs have influenced my current life choices? What gifts do I want to carry on from my lineage? Think in terms of qualities, ways of being, or beliefs.
- In what ways were my ancestors or caregivers doing the best they could with the resources or awareness they had available? Acknowledge this, and also acknowledge the impact it had on you. Are there ways you are doing or could do better? What steps could you implement during this mercury retrograde to heal your lineage?
- What hidden truths about myself am I not speaking or living out? Investigate why - is it a fear for psychological safety? Fitting in instead of belonging? In what small ways can I start to integrate my truth(s) in a more forward facing/Leo styel/loud and proud way?
For Your Rising and Moon Sign
Each interpretation below will be accurate for your Vedic rising (ascendant) and moon signs. If you don’t know your Vedic signs, you can calculate your birth chart for free here.
Struggling to know what any of it means? Grab this free birth chart decoder worksheet and you'll be well on your way to living in alignment with your cosmic blueprint!
Remember, as a Vedic astrologer, I use the sidereal zodiac, or the astronomically precise placements of the planets. So these will likely be different than your (western, tropical) Sun sign--you know, the one that is based solely on your birth date. You can read more about the differences between the two systems here.
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