Time to resynch; Mercury Retrograde in Leo

Late Thursday, July 17, what has become the most infamous of transits begins once again: Mercury retrograde. Often filled with inconveniences and misunderstandings from the banal and trite to the more aggravating, it is a time that even the most astrologically skeptical have come to dread. 

Most of what I see is a lot of misunderstanding of the transit.  Everything is energy; there is no bad transit. It is simply a time to move a bit differently through the world. During a retrograde, the planet is moving slowly.  Much slower than its usual speed. Going with the flow during a retrograde means slowing down, just like the planet has. 

As the God of thresholds and the crossroads, Mercury is a liminal guide.  He assists us in the navigation between spaces, between worlds.  When we are in transition within our lives, it’s Mercury that comes a-calling. It’s to him that we send our prayers for guidance on these new roads. He is called the messenger of the Gods for a reason.

Synchronicity is connected to Mercury.  Signs are connected to Mercury.

We love the moments of serendipity that synchronicities bring.  The universe is speaking to us all the time, yet we are often too busy to listen. Our lives move at light speed.  Mercury retrograde is a time to slow down and tune in.  It is a three-week reset. 

Mercury, the Magician, helps point the way forward and moves us in the right direction, but to attune ourselves, we have to take the time to pay attention and listen to what he is trying to communicate.  He is known as the trickster and is not above using mischief to get your attention. 

How is he trying to get your attention? If we listen, maybe he won’t resort to something like a flat tire or, in my case, a dishwasher suddenly refusing to drain. Water rules emotions, thus I have actively taken a breath and asked myself what have I been avoiding feeling?  

What if you reframed it and viewed the annoying moments of a Mercury retrograde as a message from the Gods?  What if they are synchronicities?

If you put the word Synchronicity into thesaurus.com, the two strongest matches are harmony and peace. Which, if I am honest, surprised me for a moment. Then, in a serendipitous way it occurred to me: You might say that the three times annually that Mercury goes retrograde are periods where we are being invited to realign and get in sync (the etymological root of the word) with the universe. 

A Mercury retrograde is inviting us to change direction. 

So while I don’t recommend signing a contract, closing on a house, or booking a plane ticket(all of which can be done there, just might be some unexpected delays), here are a few things I recommend contemplating between the end of the retrograde:  

• If an area of your life seems blocked, consider what message the universe is trying to communicate.  If we think of Mercury like a shepherd ( one of his roles), perhaps he is trying to shift you in a new direction, but you have been stubbornly insisting on doing the same thing...over and over.  
• If something is breaking down (my dishwasher), What could it symbolically represent? How is the universe/Mercury trying to get your attention?
• What can you declutter from your life to create new space?

This retrograde takes place in the sign of Leo, so no matter where it falls within your chart, this transit encourages introspection and reflection on your sense of identity and self-expression. It is an excellent time for creative exploration as a means of self-discovery

Journal, paint, sing, put on some music, and dance.  The part of our chart that holds Leo thrives when it steps into the light and opens its heart. Only there can it feel fully seen. 

I urge you to use this retrograde to explore the thresholds that beckon you to enter. Are you already standing at one in your life?  What new curious horizon is calling you forward? Who can you align with to help take the next step forward? What urge might be hovering just below the level of conscious awareness? This is a great time to do some inner work via meditation or journaling to listen deeply to the voice within. 

Get in Motion. Literally. Go for a walk and notice what appears in your path. A dove? That’s a bird sacred to Venus, the Goddess of love, beauty, and the arts. A dog or coyote (sacred to Mercury in his role as trickster)? Dogs were sacred to Artemis, who can be seen in part as symbolizing our connection with the wild within. Maybe your life has felt a little too tame lately, and Mercury is urging you to reconnect with your playful side. 

Pay attention to your dreams - they, too, are a message.  Get in synch.  

It is a time to look back, reassess, reorganize, and reflect. You will be richly rewarded with inner revelation that sets the stage for the time to follow.