Analysis Paralysis: What To Expect When Mercury Goes Retrograde Autumn 2022

On Friday, September 9th, 2022 (or Saturday, September 10th, depending on where in the world you are located!), Mercury will station Retrograde at 8'55 degrees of Libra, where it will continue its journey backwards until October 2nd, when it will station direct at 24'11 degrees Virgo. Here's what to expect, both in general and for your sign.

What Does "Mercury Retrograde" Mean?

A retrograde planet is one that, from the vantage point of earth, appears to be moving in the opposite direction. From an astrological perspective, this means that the energies represented by the planet are directed "backwards" or "inward." Retrograde periods are often riddled with delays and disruption, but there's no need to panic. It is just a time for reflection rather than for taking action. These periods can actually be loaded with magic & synchronicity, causing things from the past to return to us, whether this be people, situations, memories we thought we had forgotten about or lessons that we're getting a second chance to learn after having failed the first time around.

In Roman mythology, Mercury is considered to be the "messenger of the gods," ruling over letters, divination, and just about any form of communication. Mercury is also associated with commerce and travel. In astrology, it represents the logical mind, intelligence and the way we think. Able to travel between two worlds, he is the god of translators and interpreters. Look out though - because Mercury can be a trickster, associated with pranksters and thieves. 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).

Thus, when Mercury goes Retrograde, you can expect delays and mishaps around things like travel, technology and communication. For example, your flight might be inconveniently delayed, or the letter you just posted fails to arrive to your friend on time. Your computer may freeze, and someone may gloss over the details when signing an important document. In general, miscommunication is common, so it is best to try and be as clear as you can when speaking to others and avoid making any assumptions. During these periods, you can expect to find yourself in the midst of all things unpredictable, changeable and unexpected, but not necessarily negative. Sometimes the unexpected can feel rather wonderfully fated. It is a positive time for reflecting, re-thinking, and re-doing, finishing up projects or having conversations that you should have had before. In general, this time for reflection is necessary for giving way to ideas and insight that you can put into practice once Mercury goes Direct.

Mercury Retrograde in Libra 2022

Like the sign of Gemini which Mercury rules, Libra is an Air sign, skilled in the realms of intellect and communication, meaning that Mercury usually performs well here. Those born with Mercury in the Venus-ruled sign of the scales tend to be blessed with suave conversational skills and a sense of social grace. Their natural ability to see all sides of a situation makes it easy for them to relate to people of all walks of life, and their ability to think abstractly enables them to make some creative connections between ideas that others would not. To put it simply, those with Mercury in Libra have the gift of knowing exactly what to say in order to solve problems and diffuse conflict (or just avoid it altogether).

However, there can be times where this ability to see all sides of a situation feels like less of a gift and more like a curse. Mercury's trek backwards through the sign of Libra will certainly be one of those times! The trouble is, when you consider every possible outcome for every single decision you make, it makes it hard to make any decision at all. You're too busy overthinking the possibilities to actually take any action, which leaves you feeling stuck. Libra's indecision stems not from laziness but ultimately from anxiety about what will happen if we make the wrong one, but when we don't decide, we wind up missing out, or by letting others make decisions for us, we miss out on living life on our own terms. Because Libra is ruled by Venus, we may most strongly suffer from social anxiety at this time, wanting to please everyone else (an impossible task) at the expense of ourselves.

Apart from that, Mercury will make some interesting aspects during it's station Retrograde. Most notably, Mercury will be opposite Jupiter (which is also Retrograde currently) at 5 degrees Aries. Because Jupiter expands everything it touches (and because oppositions are usually negative) Mercury in Libra's tendency to consider every possibility (particularly every possibility regarding social situations, people's reactions and what others might think) will be expanded for the worst. We may find ourselves stuck - paralyzed by indecision - or alternatively, frustrated by this indecision, we may find ourselves snapping, acting on impulse and engaging in an outburst of angry verbal exchanges. On another note, this transit will be accompanied by a Full Moon in Pisces opposite the Sun at 17 degrees Virgo as well as Libra's ruling planet, Venus, at 6 degrees Virgo, sign of it's fall. This will bring up issues of feeling vs. action in our relationships: if we feel like our partner (or any close person in our lives, really) is not giving us enough emotional support or if we feel like we're going out of our way to please them without anything in return, we may draw attention to it - either by having a conversation or alternatively, by passive-aggressively snapping. In any case, we may find ourselves more hypersensitive to the feelings and reactions of others than usual, and Mercury Retrograde misunderstandings may somehow result from that.

Mercury Retrograde in Virgo 2022

Mercury not only rules the sign of Virgo but it is exalted here, arguably making it Mercury's strongest sign. In contrast to the chaotic winds of Gemini, Virgo is known for its x-ray focus, organizational skills and eye for detail. Those with Virgo Mercury know how to properly classify and categorize information. They know how to break things down and take them apart. If Mercury in Gemini is skilled at language arts and social studies, Virgo Mercury is a mathematician and scientific genius on top of everything else. As the sign of the virgin, Virgo Mercury aims for purity and perfection and their minds won't stop until they get the right answer, until they find the right solution, until their task is complete.

However, if Libra is the princess of overthinking, then Virgo must be the queen. After all, this is the sign most often stereotype as suffering from OCD! Libra's mind may be able to entertain every possibility (to its own detriment) but flaky and flighty, it lacks the focus Virgo has, quickly moving on to something else. Down-to-earth Virgo notices every last detail and fixates on it. It fixates on every negative, dreaded or fearsome possibility that a Libra Mercury may temporarily come up with, always assuming the worst just to be on the safe side. In other words, when Mercury re-enters Virgo on the 23rd of September, we'll be scrutinizing everything we see, every event that happens to us, every conversation we have, watching out for potential flaws or hidden meanings in speech. This over-analysis not only paralyzes us, but it might also harm our relationships: as we assume the worst, we may see negative intentions that are not actually there and react accordingly, threatening our social lives. When we hyper-fixate on every little detail, we often miss out on seeing the bigger picture, leading to misunderstandings that we must remain on guard against if we want to survive this retrograde with our relationships fully in tact.

Mercury Direct Virgo-Libra 2022

On October 2nd, 2022, Mercury will station Direct at 24 degrees Virgo, putting an end to all this chaos and confusion (or at least, mitigating it somewhat; things may not fully go back to normal until Mercury leaves the retrograde shadow phase on October 17th). Interestingly, on the 2nd of October, the Sun (now at 9 degrees Libra) will have just passed the stationary degree of the retrograde, symbolizing a repetition of whatever themes or situations we experienced at the beginning of the retrograde or in other words, it is an opportunity to wrap up whatever lessons we learned by putting them into practice, a second chance so to speak.

Mercury's station Direct will be accompanied by some interesting aspects. Venus at 3 degrees of its home sign Libra will be opposing Jupiter Retrograde at 2 degrees Aries, once again putting the focus back on relationship issues: our need for love, romance and sensual pleasure is magnified, and we may feel lonely or even angry and resentful if we do not get what we want. However, the Moon at 00 degrees Capricorn, sign of its detriment, will be making a t-square to these planets (Venus & Jupiter) increasing our sensitivity to our partner's (or potential partner's or loved one's) reactions to us while at the same time, because the Moon is debilitated, making it harder for us to actually express our emotion; instead of being affectionate like we'd like to, we are cold and closed off. Mercury itself will be square Mars at 20 degrees Gemini, cautioning against the exchange of angry words; in other words, let's be careful not to take out our loneliness at others. All in all, we can think of these harsh aspects as a test to see whether or not we can begin to put the lessons we learned during the retrograde into practice.

Horoscopes

Now it's time to see how it will affect your sign. I suggest reading the horoscope for your ascendant or rising sign, first, instead of the sun. I find the rising sign horoscope to be more accurate than the sun, as these horoscopes are based on the houses. If you don't know your rising sign, click here to generate a birth chart. Yes, you will need your birth time for this. If you don't have your birth time, Sun sign horoscopes are the next best thing. If you want to know more about how this transit will affect you in depth, on a more personal level, click here to schedule a reading with me. Those of you with any planets or angles between 22 and 30 degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, Pisces) or between 0 and 10 of the cardinal signs (Aries, Cancer, Libra, Capricorn) will most especially be affected by this transit.

Aries Rising or Sun

You're known to go after what you want, Aries, but there are times where you might not be sure just what that is. With Mercury stationing Retrograde in your 7th house of partnership, you might be questioning your relationship status, wondering if you should stay or go, or possibly even having to choose between two people. In any case, you may be feeling like the grass is greener on the other side, but is it possible you're chasing after a fantasy? On another note, there might be misunderstandings between you and a partner, possibly stemming from a fear of conflict. This retrograde presents you with a chance of learning how to communicate better and possibly even reconnecting with a love you thought was lost. When Mercury enters your 6th house of health, the focus will shift to your daily routine. As a hard-worker, you strive to be perfect, but that could be wearing you down. If you truly want to be healthy, you may need to revise your schedule and get your priorities strengthen out. Otherwise, you're just going to crash.

Taurus Rising or Sun

Are you living a balanced life, Taurus? With Mercury stationing Retrograde in your 6th house, the focus is placed on your daily routine. You may be noticing that any imbalances in your life, whether that be in your diet or in your daily schedule, are having a detrimental effect on your health and wellbeing. Now is the time to focus on wellness and cultivating a harmonious lifestyle... and that includes making time to have fun. When Mercury re-enters your 5th house, you may find that all this perfectionism and hard work has been wearing you down, leaving you with very little time to enjoy yourself. To truly lead a balanced lifestyle, you've got to make time for play...just make sure that it doesn't lapse off into laziness. Perhaps, you would benefit at this time from channeling your perfectionism and eye for detail into self-expression or creative work.

Gemini Rising or Sun

You love to have fun and be creative, dear Gemini, whether that be by expressing yourself through language or eccentric aesthetics. But when Mercury stations Retrograde in your 5th house, you may find yourself too concerned with how you'll be received. It's good to be socially aware, but you might be so concerned with the consequences of your creations that you don't create at all, so concerned with the social consequences of how you expression yourself that you decide to stay silent, which people might interpret as a message in itself leading to misunderstandings. Alternatively, you may want to watch out for misunderstandings with your children (or relating to children) especially when Mercury re-enters your 4th house, shifting the focus back home. Try not to be too critical of family members or house-mates, and try not to take it too personally if a family member or house-mate gets critical with you, because misunderstandings are likely now (i.e. one person may offer to help another with some well-meaning advice only for it to end up turning into a fight. There may be delays and mishaps with things relating to the home, whether that's signing a new lease or fixing a problem with the house you're currently in. However, it is a good time for redecorating and refurbishing; creating the perfect living space, one that's both aesthetically pleasing and comfortable.

Cancer Rising or Sun

The home for you can be understood as a place of harmony and serenity dear Cancer, or at least, that's how it's supposed to be, but when Mercury stations Retrograde in your 4th house, it's possible that in the process of seeking balance in the domestic sphere, things become very unbalanced instead! If you've been in the process of re-decorating your living space, trying to make everything perfect may lead to some unnecessary anxiety. If you've been looking to move, there may be a delay on signing a new lease. Or alternatively, you could find yourself in the middle of a family argument, struggling to keep the peace. It's possible that by "seeing both sides" to the situation, you may just wind up pushing both sides away from you. When Mercury re-enters your 3rd house, there could be misunderstandings with siblings in particular and possibly neighbors and/or roommates as well. There might be delays in transport (i.e. a car breaking down or a train strike) making you late to events. Alternatively, you might be having a hard time in social situations. It's possible that your fear of saying the wrong thing prevents you from communicating at all, leading to more misunderstandings than it is worth. In any case, try not to stress out too much.

Leo Rising or Sun

You're stereotyped to be quite the drama queen, Leo, but right now, you just want to keep the peace. However, sometimes "keeping the peace" just leads to more drama, as you'll find when Mercury stations Retrograde in your 3rd house of communication. For example, if two of your friends are fighting you may find yourself being roped in by both sides and things said behind those friends' backs may just come back to haunt you. But also, just in general, by sitting on the fence, people can easily make assumptions about you and drastically misinterpret what you stance actually is. When Mercury re-enters your 2nd house, the focus is shifted towards issues of values and finances. Expect cash-related mishaps, missing or lost possessions, and even (unfortunately) a delayed paycheck, which might make you feel like you've got to be extra careful. Your anxiety about money may have you hoarding things, and your stingy attitude may cause you to miss out on social events. However, you can be smart while still living your life i.e. don't let your perfectionist tendencies cause you to miss out.

Virgo Rising or Sun

It's time to balance your budget, Virgo. If you've been living lavishly, you're unfortunately probably gonna face the consequences. On the flip side, if you've been stingy and refusing to give to others, that will probably backfire on you too. In any case, with Mercury stationing Retrograde in your 2nd house, this is a time for sorting out finances and cleaning out your closet, getting rid of the things you don't need and keeping what you do. Expect money-related mishaps. If your self-image has in any way been affected by what you own, Mercury's re-entrance into your 1st house of identity may call that into question. You may unfortunately undergo a period of harsh self-criticism, but really, now is just the time for figuring out who you are and how you want to present yourself to the world. Just make sure your perfection isn't preventing you from expressing yourself at all. Remember, nobody's perfect (whatever that even means) and while we all should aim to improve ourselves, it's important not to let this destroy your confidence and wellbeing.

Libra Rising or Sun

Your kindness is appreciated, Libra, but you need to be careful not to let others walk all over you. With Mercury stationing Retrograde in your 1st house of self, you may be finding yourself in the midst of an identity crisis, and it may seem like everything that can go wrong does. If you've been sacrificing what you want for the sake of others, you might find that this backfires now. Instead, this is the time to figure out who you are, apart from the influence of other people. Similarly, when Mercury re-enters your 12th house, well, it's possible that a negative rumor may resurface forcing you to learn who your true friends are, but more likely, it will just be a time of healing, a time to look into your own subconscious, and clear away any negative influences. In other words, you are cleaning your brain of outside influence in order to discover who you are at your core, who you are at your soul.

Scorpio Rising or Sun

You're well-known for your mystery, dear Scorpio, but it's possible that with Mercury stationing Retrograde in your 12th house of hidden things, you may be struggling to decide whether or not to keep something secret. Old secrets may come back to haunt you, but on the flip side, while some things are safer to keep to yourself, other things need to be communicated to others; don't let a lack of trust prevent you from sharing something that's eating you away inside. On another note, this transit could help you discern who your true friends are, especially when Mercury re-enters your 11th house of community and social groups. This is a good time for weeding out people who do not measure up to your standards, but on the other-hand, it's also a good time for reconnecting with those who do and making peace with friends who we've fallen out with. While you most definitely want to cut out people who've been spreading rumors behind your back and who don't have your best intentions at heart, it's almost important not to let your high standards and lack of trust prevent you from making friends at all. Sometimes, it can be hard to distinguish between intuition and false assumptions stemming from quick pre-judgement. As you know, people are not always who they appear to be, and while sometimes, this manifests in back stabbing, other times it manifests in closing ourselves off to people (or even being mean to people!) who could very well become good friends once we get to know them.

Sagittarius Rising or Sun

You may be known for your gregariousness, Sagittarius, but sometimes, being a friend to everyone can attract the wrong crowd. With Mercury stationing Retrograde in your 11th house, you may be learning this the hard way, as this transit forces you to take another look at your social circle. If you've been playing both sides in a conflict, this might backfire on you, and you might be forced to decide where you truly fit in. On the other hand, this can be a good time to reconnect with any friends you may have lost touch with. Meanwhile, when Mercury Retrograde re-enters your 10th house, not only are your career choices being called into question, but there might be anxiety relating to how you present yourself socially, perhaps even a fear of going out in public. Work may be more stressful than usual at the moment, as it feels like every little thing that can go wrong does. So many tasks and so little time! There is always room for improvement but don't let the fear of failure prevent you from doing any work at all: have confidence and keep going.

Capricorn Rising or Sun

People admire you for your ambitious, Capricorn, but it seems that these days, you're not sure where to channel it. It could be that you're receiving multiple offers and you're not sure which one to choose, or maybe it's the little things that are calling your career choices into question, but with Mercury stationing Retrograde in your 10th house, you could be suffering from imposter syndrome, or at least some work-related anxiety, as you decide for sure what it is you want to do with your life. If you're in school, it could be that you're unsure what to major in, considering Mercury Retrograde will re-enter your 9th house of education later this month; there could be delays regarding education or travel, as well, but on another note, you may suffer from doubts in regard to your belief system. Perhaps, the ethos that have informed your life and work are being challenged in a way that they haven't before. In any case, now is the time to fine-tune whatever it is that you stand for.

Aquarius Rising or Sun

As ideologically-motivated as you are Aquarius, your open-mindedness and orientation towards facts can sometimes make your beliefs a little more fluid than most. In other words, commitment to one way of thinking can be a challenge for you. With Mercury stationing Retrograde in your 9th house of religion and/or belief systems, you may be experiencing a crisis of faith, as you strive to determine what it is you actually believe. On another note, you can also expect mishaps related to education or travel - for example, if you're at university, you may struggle with choosing a course of study. Mercury's transit back into your 8th house of loss does not seem to be making things any easier for you! If you're in university, you may be starting to wonder if any of this debt was worth it! You can expect mishaps related to money and finances, as well as lost items, and perhaps some general fear and anxiety, such as an existential crisis relating to your own mortality. Perhaps, it's even this fear (or could it be curiosity?) of death that is causing you to question your beliefs in the first place, perhaps sparking a newfound interest in religion and/or spirituality.

Pisces Rising or Sun

Your organizational skills are often underestimated, Pisces. With Mercury stationing Retrograde in your 8th house of death and debt, it's time to reexamine your budget and get yourself organized. Keeping "death" in mind, an acknowledgement of your own mortality may also have you re-deciding how you are going to live your life on earth. On another note, old fears may come back to haunt you, and potentially old partners (or friends) as well. The latter is particularly true when Mercury Retrograde travels back into your 7th house of partnership and romance. It's possible that you might question your own sexuality or suffer from self-doubt as a result of it, but you're also learning how to take charge of it, becoming more picky and choosy about what (or who) it is you want, asking for it, and possibly weeding out those who refuse to give you the love you deserve. In other words, you are not going to allow yourself to be underestimated any longer!

Conclusion

How (and how much) it affects you will depend on your sign (and more specifically, your natal chart as a whole!) but essentially, with Mercury Retrograde traveling through the signs of Libra and Virgo, we can expect to suffer from major bouts of anxiety, indecision and overthinking. While generally, considering all the options may help us to make the right choices, we need to be careful that we don't over-consider it to the point of making no choice at all! Jupiter's opposition to Mercury expands our capacity for this sort of thing. Meanwhile, relationships are highlighted, particularly by the fact that this station retrograde will coincide with a Full Moon and an opposition between the Moon and Venus: make sure to communicate well with your partner (and everyone) instead of going out of your way to please due to fear of their reaction or on the flip side, being overly critical; this is the best way to avoid any Mercury Retrograde-related misunderstandings. Aside from that, as with all retrogrades, we may expect synchronistic events or we might revisit something (whether that be a situation or person) from the past. All in all, this retrograde is all about self-improvement of the sort that will help us lead a more balanced and harmonious life.