Mercury retrograde is in desperate need of a rebranding. Even our 79-year-old father is aware of the traditional warnings at this point. Don’t sign contracts. Check your communication style. Careful not to spill coffee on your laptop. Leave early for the airport and bring a book, because your plane might sit on the runway for a while. (Who says you can’t enjoy your Lit Girl Summer with a paperback novel in seat 11D?)
These alerts are all completely fair. When Mercury, the celestial ruler of all things mobile, social, and data-driven, passes the Earth in its orbit three times a year, wonky things happen to our devices. People from the past rise from obscurity and plant themselves in our psyches again. We post things we wish we could take back, but oh no, your frenemy already got a screenshot.
At the risk of sounding like a planetary Pollyanna, there are a few profoundly positive things that only seem to happen inside the three-week crucible that is Mercury retrograde. Most of them begin with the prefix “re,” such as reviewing, reinventing, remixing, reviving, and reinstating. We have a rare opportunity to go back through our archives and capture all the missed opportunities that got lost in the hurried pace of life.
Here’s an idea: What if we looked to Mercury retrogrades as quarterly review periods, precious moments to hit the brakes, pull over, and recalibrate our direction? Every pilot learns the crucial 1 in 60 rule of aviation. For every 1º a plane deviates from its path, it will wind up a mile off course for every 60 miles traveled. Because of this, pilots must constantly course-correct to stay on target. Mercury retrograde periods can be just like those navigation panels on a Boeing 747, alerting us when we might be heading for Madrid, when our original destination was Marrakesh.
Another thing: The zodiac sign—or signs—that Mercury takes its reverse commute through gives us major clues about how to best utilize this cosmic timeout. This summer, we get a retrograde in two acts. From August 5 to 14, the buzzy planet backs up through sharp, efficient Virgo. Then, from August 14 to 28, it rounds out the retrograde in flamboyant, attention-loving Leo.
Moving from the austerity of Virgo to the extravagance of Leo is not the way we generally do things around here. Leo precedes Virgo in the zodiac, so the normal routine would be: Go full brat, and make everything extra; then, burn out on partying, and clean up your act.
Not this August. Instead, Mercury retrograde lays out a different recommendation: Simplify to amplify.
When Mercury creeps back through Virgo, become the ultimate efficiency expert. Take stock of where you’re spending your time and energy. What activities and people are bringing a return on your investment and which ones drain you? Less is 1,000 times more between August 5 and 14, so pick one (maybe two) key items to focus on, and remove the randomization from your life. As you chip away the excess, you’ll have time to polish the diamonds in the rough—like those half-done projects that are begging to be brought to fruition.
When Mercury slips back into theatrical Leo from August 14 to 28, think about your ideal audience. Who do you want to attract into your realm? Where do you want to get noticed, and what would you like to be known for?
Play your cards right, and you could blow up like Chappell Roan. Mercury resumes direct motion on August 28. Even if you don’t want to draw a giant crowd at Lollapalooza like the Pisces pop star, you can still achieve acclaim. Simplify your efforts, and make a splash at the Pink Pony Club of your choosing before summer is through.
Wondering what this Mercury retrograde has in store for your zodiac sign specifically? Read your monthly horoscope to find out.