If it was possible to remind someone of what is going to happen in the future this Mercury Retrograde would be that. Science fiction? More likely the shape of things to come seen through the lens of hindsight. Mercury’s journey will take place over exactly the same degrees as Jupiter will travel between June and February of 2024. And this just happens to be the degrees which Uranus traveled between June 2019 and February 2023. Mercury’s trajectory points backward and forward at the same time!
The degrees and sign in question are between 5 and 15 of Taurus, essentially the first half. We are asked to focus on our values at a personal level and our economies at a collective level. Taurus reaches deep into where climate change and the economy are one.
Uranus reveals, Mercury retrograde reminds and Jupiter expands. You might say: Uranus has revealed the problems we are facing (failing banks, melting ice caps, war and the possibility of extinction). Mercury is asking us to reflect on how these things impact our immediate realities (our resources – more than just money in the bank. Resources are time, energy, money and something we might call love or even pleasure) and Jupiter promises to make things better or worse depending on how we engage this awareness. We have seen the problem, we are being reminded that it is real, and it will get better or worse over the next while depending on where we put our enthusiasm for a world that matters.
Given that most of us don’t rule the world, the focus is on our present individual realities. To have peace I must be peaceful, to have abundance I must be generous, to have stability I must be centered and present. This retrograde offers a good time to survey the landscape of your resources and get as real as you can about how to use them going forward in a time of such great upheavals. Whatever your adventure while Mercury is retrograde keep aware of how it uses resources, your own and the world’s. Don’t judge what you discover about this. You did not create the world’s woes all by yourself. Even so you might consider what you can do, how to do it mindfully and where you can invest yourself to stand with beauty and the perception which comes through your senses not what the algorithm is telling you is real.
During the retrograde journey there are days when Mercury makes aspects to other planets which will accentuate the themes:
April 23: Mars sextile Mercury: How does your exploration of Mercury retro themes encourage action?
May 1: Sun conjuncts Mercury: What are you learning or could you learn about values, money, economics?
May 12: Mercury sextile both Saturn and Venus: Given that you can’t change the world, what opportunities are there to engage the world around you responsibly as well as esthetically?
Warm regards,
Julie
Julie Simmons, Astrologer
Aligned for Mercury Retrograde 
Flavor of Mercury retrograde August 23 – September 23
This Mercury retrograde period is kind of low key, taking a back seat to Venus retrograde. Venus has been asking us to take stock of the fun we love to have, the good life we all want to live in light of the planetary realities taking place all around us. It’s not as much of a no-brainer as it sounds. There is a lot to deconstruct in our way of life to make us sustainable on this planet. Mercury in the practical sign of Virgo seems to be in support of any and all initiatives aimed at living more realistically on our planet which includes living with each other as well as other species and life forms.
The only aspect it makes other than the conjunction with the Sun (which always happens) is a trine to Jupiter. (Before the retrograde: August 9th. During the retrograde: September 4. After Mercury goes direct: September 25th. Third time is the charm…) This seems to encourage all efforts in aid of a more integrated life. The strongest hit is on September 4th which is also when Jupiter is stationing. When planets appear to stand still (station) from the perspective of earth, astrologers say they are extra strong.
Maybe it’s time to consider a heat pump or an induction stove, a bit less travel or even simply how to preserve foods for the winter. A bit of canning or drying might be in order!
Warm regards,
Julie Simmons
Join us for the next alignment event
Share this: