SHOW NOTES:
Here are the timestamps for the Mercury Retrograde reading:
0:00 Introduction
0:29 Title
0:34 Good morning friends! Mercury Retrograde overview
6:27 Horoscopes intro
6:50 Aries
8:07 Taurus
9:22 Gemini
10:27 Cancer
11:29 Leo
12:22 Virgo
13:20 Libra
14:47 Scorpio
15:51 Sagittarius
16:32 Capricorn
17:14 Aquarius
18:11 Pisces
18:58 Thank you!
TRANSCRIPT:
You’re listening to the AstroMommy daily horoscope, a forecast that hopes to shine a light in the dark, helping us all see where we’ve been, where we are, and where we’re going. Whether you’re a first-time listener or a long-time subscriber, thanks for being here! I truly appreciate you being in the AstroMommy community. I hope you enjoy today’s horoscope!
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Without further ado, here is the daily horoscope.
Good Morning, Everyone!
Mercury stations retrograde in Virgo today at 3:59 pm ET.
This retrograde has a few unique qualities and actually looks like it may be a more beneficial retrograde and less calamitous. Of course, we can expect the usual travel, lodging, and environment issues, setbacks, delays, and snafus that Mercury retrogrades always bring, but we may also experience changes of mind, thought, approach, communication style, and philosophical epiphanies during this retrograde that may turn out to be blessings in the long run.
Here is the chart of the exact moment that Mercury stations retrograde:
You can see Mercury at the top of the chart very close to Mars, in Virgo. The Sun has just ingressed into Virgo as well and can be seen at the top of the chart at 00°26’. The Moon is still in Scorpio, now out of the Via Combusta, and in a sextile relationship to Mercury and applying trine to Neptune in Pisces at the bottom right of the chart. The Moon is also separating from a partile opposition to Uranus in Taurus, directly across from her in the chart and Jupiter is there, copresent with Uranus. Venus in Leo is at the top fothe chart as well, still retrograde. Mars is coming off of his opposition to Neptune and applying to trine Pluto in Capricorn retrograde.
Mercury makes the fifth retrograde planet, as we already have Venus, Neptune, Saturn, and Pluto all retrograde. Jupiter and Uranus are both slowing down and approaching their retrogrades—Uranus will station retrograde on August 28, 2023, making six planets retrograde at once, and then on September 4th, Jupiter will station retrograde right after Venus stations direct, technically on September 3-4th and leaves the retrograde party.
What this change in retrograde between the benefics looks like in more detail:
At 11 o’clock on September 3rd, Jupiter stations and Venus is still station retrograde, meaning that they both appear to be stopped in the sky—and they stay stopped together for about 34-35 hours until Venus stations direct fully on September 4th at about 10 pm ET—so for at least a day and a half, we have seven planets retrograde! This is very slow energy! During this retrograde concentration and switcharoo of the benefics, Mercury forms a trine to Jupiter in Taurus early in the morning on September 4 and then right after this, on September 5th, Mercury has his cazimi moment where he conjoins the Sun. The cazimi moment symbolizes a time when one may experience more mental clarity, foresight, and downloads.
After Mercury stations direct, he will again perfect a trine to Jupiter in Taurus during Jupiter’s retrograde on September 25th, only 8 days after Venus makes her third square to Jupiter as well (she made one before her retrograde on June 11th, one during on August 22nd, and will make one after on September 17th), so there’s something going down between Venus and Jupiter and Mercury and Jupiter—it’s like the benefics are having a bit of a squabble, but Mercury is receiving benefits from Jupiter nonetheless.
Here are some Mercury retrograde basics in Virgo:
We can expect practical revisions, reflections, and renegotiations, as well as, rerouting, rescheduling, re-ironing, reorganizing things. Virgo is an Earth sign and as such is practical, steady, stubborn, systematic, purifying, analytical, process oriented, precise, discriminating, ordered, and critical. It’s important during this Mercury retrograde to pay attention to the details but also to not be too perfectionistic if possible.
Because Mercury rules Virgo both by domicile and exaltation Mercury is more self-reliant and effective at doing Mercurial things like writing, speaking, and communicating and there may be a focus on the details, the small moving parts of a situation, the intracacies, the nuances, and the mental strategies. In ancient astrology when Mercury is retrograde in a sign that he rules he is said to be in his own chariot which means that when he meets back up with the Sun before and after the cazimi moment he is protected from the weakened state that being under the powerful rays of the Sun would bring to other planets or to himself if he were in a sign he didn’t have rulership over. This makes Mercury less negatively affected by the powerful Sun energy.
During this retrograde we may experience changes of mind, voice, communication styles, or ideas. We could literally change directions, alter plans, or reschedule things—or these may become necessities because of challenges beyond our control.
Some Notable Dynamics Of This Particular Retrograde:
The trines to Jupiter during the retrograde and after are beneficial and will bring aid, help, blessings, abundance, more joy, happiness, and prosperity to our experiences, environments, and mental attitudes.
Something very interesting is that Mercury was applying to a conjunction to Mars and was about 6° away, but then stationed retrograde which could represent avoiding a Martian-type calamity which could’ve been described as something dangerous, arguments, or significant struggles and hardships-- and then towards the end of the retrograde, Mercury gets to be 6° away from an opposition to Saturn, which he already had back on August 1st, during the last Full Moon, but he doesn’t perfect this second opposition because he stations direct and avoids yet another possible serious confrontational energy with Saturn, so he is dodging both malefics during the Retrograde! I just had the vision of a car maneuvering in and out of traffic avoiding crashes right and left, but having to slow down and be more precise and steady in its progress in order to do so!
So, this Mercury retrograde may have that feeling like we are dodging mishaps and confrontations and we have to stay focused on the road ahead in order to make it through the high traffic area. And all the while, we are being blessed by Jupiter!
I would love to hear about your experience, so please leave a comment!
Mercury Retrograde in Virgo Horoscopes 2023
Here is a short horoscope for each sign for the mercury retrograde starting on on August 23, 2023 and ending on September 15, 2023.
This will make the most sense if you read your rising sign, although you may find value reading your Sun, Moon, or Rising, as well as your Mercury placement.
Aries
—6th house of sickness, health issues, frustration, hard work, labor, sacrifice, selfless service, and animals smaller than a goat so: pets. You may experience a reworking, revising, or reorganizing of your health and wellness goals, your labor and service to others, or something related to your pets. You may also be looking at whatever hardships you have in life and reflecting on them and how you could manage them better; are there ways that you could do them in differently that don’t create so much stress or mental fatigue?
You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid a situation that would only have caused a lot of stress, sickness, and fatigue and because of this you receive something helpful, rejuvenating, and enriching instead. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to side-step another serious issue or complication that comes out of the blue or that would’ve been caused by your own inattention to detail, but instead you listen to your inner guidance and this gives you the necessary energy to move forward in a positive way.
This Mercury retrograde will give you a chance to pause and reflect on what you are putting a lot of mental energy into in terms of your health, stress-management, and/or pets and allow you the space to review, rewrite, and reorganize your environment so that it is more supportive.
Taurus
—5th house of recreational pleasures, creativity, children, and pregnancy.
This Mercury retrograde will give you a chance to pause and reflect on what you are putting a lot of mental energy into in terms of what inspires creativity, how you spend your free time, or about your children, and allow you the space to revise, reschedule, and reword things.
You may experience a review, reschedule, or reflection on what brings you happiness, pleasure, and makes you feel the most creatively inspired. You may also be looking at relationships with your children or to children in general and reflecting on them and how you could manage them better; are there different ways of communicating that would support the relationship in a more positive way? If it’s pregnancy that is on your mind, you may be considering new ways of managing your contraceptive goals or goals of conceiving. New ideas, techniques, or strategies may be implemented and tried.
You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid some sort of argument or fight with your children, a loved one, or a random person and because of this you receive some unexpected blessings or aid. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to avoid yet another serious issue or complication with friends or groups, which puts you in the right place at the right time for assistance, benefits, or creative inspiration.
Gemini
—4th house of home, family, roots, landed property, and traditionally the father.
This Mercury retrograde will give you a chance to pause and reflect on what you are putting a lot of mental energy into in terms of your family of origin, practical changes around the home, environment, or the feeling of security and this may include property or communications with the father. There could be the chance to revisit or go back home, figuratively or literally, or there could be challenges in travel plans to visit your family or move that require you to reschedule, reorganize, or reroute your trip. If you are currently renovating the home or about to renovate, you may experience delays, setbacks, or snafus regarding your renovation that really slow things down.
You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid some sort of argument at home, drain on your energy, or physical calamity and because of this you receive help or blessings from an unexpected source. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to side-step another serious issue or complication at work, in the public domain, or with your mother, which puts you in the right place at the right time for even more blessings that come out of the blue!
Cancer
—3rd house of siblings, community, your daily routines, habits, and self-care rituals; your daily route, and how you communicate, think, and express your thoughts. It also has to do with elementary education and/or local classes, short workshops, or a more casual learning environment.
This Mercury retrograde will give you a chance to pause and reflect on the need for a different way of thinking, perceiving, organizing daily routines, habits, and self-care rituals. You could change your mind about something and feel the need to make revisions. It could be about learning or studying something through a local class or workshop, or about your children’s education. Communication with siblings or local community members, like neighbors, could become important.
You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid some sort of misfortune in your daily routine, route, habits, or communications with siblings and because of this you receive help or from friends or groups. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to side-step another serious issue or complication with travel plans, education, or your beliefs which puts you in the right place at the right time for wishes to come true!
Leo
—2nd house of money, finances, possessions, and skill acquisition.
This Mercury retrograde will give you a chance to pause and reflect on what you are putting a lot of mental energy into in terms of your time, money, personal resources, what you have and what you need, and your may find that you are inspired to reorganize and make changes around money, finances, or your possessions. The second house also has to do with our diet and what we put into our bodies, so you could make some revisions surrounding what you eat or consume.
You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid some sort of disaster with money or possessions, and because of this you receive good fortune at work or from the public in some way. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to side-step another serious issue or complication involving your investments, debts, or people you share resources with which puts you in the right place at the right time for blessings!
Virgo
—1st house of self, identity, health, appearance, psyche, body, personality, and immediate environment.
This Mercury retrograde will give you a chance to pause and reflect on upon how you relate, interact, and think. You may revise how you take care of your body, health and wellness, mentally and physically, and you may decide to make changes to your style or appearance, or you may decide to not make a change, because you change your mind.
You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid some sort of calamity at home, drain on your physical strength, your vitality in some way, or a snafu in your immediate physical environment. This could’ve been because you changed your mind or decided not to do something and this decision ultimately leads to you receiving some benefit, divine blessing, or confirmation of your beliefs in the future. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to side-step another serious issue or complication from a partner, spouse, or legal affair which puts you in the right place at the right time for good fortune.
Libra
—12th house of the unconscious, self-undoing, our blind-spots, spiritual lessons, it’s where we hide things from ourselves; also represents confinement, hospitalizations, hidden enemies, and animals larger than a goat.
This Mercury retrograde will give you a chance to pause and reflect on the unconscious work that you are doing, or experiences may happen that allow you to think about relationships issues, unhealthy programs and patterns in your thinking, where you are not paying attention to details or things that you do yourself that undermine your own efforts. It’s a powerful place to have a retrograde and can give you many insights into your own psyche and inner workings and can slow things down just enough that you can more deliberately focus on being mentally healthy and happy.
You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid some sort of misfortune that seems to have come out of nowhere, and because of this you unexpectedly receive help or aid. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to side-step another serious issue or complication that would’ve caused a lot of stress which puts you in the right place at the right time for abundance and blessings.
Mercury retrogrades in the 12th house are an opportunity and an invitation to pay attention! This one will bring about more issues, setbacks, and delays if you fail to pay attention to the details! Because Mercury is in his own domicile and exaltation this may be easier—tap into those Mercury in Virgo traits of being analytical, precise, and systematic and use list making to its full advantage! Make check lists and use them during this retrograde Libra!
Scorpio
—11th house of friends, allies, networks, groups, as well as hopes and wishes.
This Mercury retrograde will give you a chance to pause and reflect on the social dynamics in your life involving friends, groups, and the networks you are involved in. You may make changes or reorientations with those you socialize with. There could be the feeling of going back to a friendship and reconnecting with someone from your past. Or maybe you are revising the way in which you communicate with your social networks and may even make changes to the way in which you contact them. You could also be rewording a hope or a wish that you had into a more succinct sentence or complete thought--the Universe is very literal, so this could be an important step in your manifestation work.
You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid some sort of verbal dispute with friends, collegues, or associates, and because of this you receive blessings and assistance from friends. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to side-step another serious issue, complication, or message surrounding children, pregnancy, or your creative pursuits which puts you in the right place at the right time for good fortune, abundance, and blessings.
Sagittarius
--10th house of career, public recognition, manifestations through work—what you do and how you do it, and traditionally the mother. You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid some sort of disaster at work, or verbal dispute, and because of this you receive help or aid at work. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to side-step another serious issue or complication which puts you in the right place at the right time for blessings. This Mercury retrograde will give you a chance to pause and reflect on what you are putting a lot of mental energy into in terms of your career and what you are publically recognized for and allow you the space to revise, rework, and renegotiate the terms of this focus.
Capricorn
—9th house of beliefs, religion, higher education, and long-distant travel—a change of higher mind, belief, conviction, ideological, theological, and ethical beliefs, or there could be a setback or delay in regards to your higher education or a trip you were set to go on. You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you were able to hold your tongue and not create miscommunication, or get upset about a technical issue and because of this you receive some sort of blessing. Then at the end of the retrograde, again, disaster or serious delays are avoided that are beneficial.
This Mercury retrograde will give you a chance to pause and reflect on what you are putting a lot of mental energy into in terms of your beliefs, education, or travel plans, and allow you the space to revise, rework, and renegotiate the terms of this focus.
Aquarius
--8th house, debts, death, other people’s money, investments, inheritances, and soul contracts—This Mercury retrograde may bring about revisions, shifts, or changes in your soul contracts with people that you feel intimately and karmically tied to. The 8th house is also associated with fears, anxiety, and death, and so this retrograde could have you worrying a lot about the future, your legacy, and estate planning. You may also stop and reflect a lot about death, loss, and/or unexpected bills or fines—including the karmic ones.
You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid some sort of money disaster, debt, or investment, and because of this you receive help or aid from another person. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to dodge another serious issue or complication with money, possessions, or a skill that you are working on which puts you in the right place at the right time for additional help.
Pisces
—7th house of committed relationships, pleasure, legal agreements, and open enemies. You may experience a change or revision to your relationships, love, partnerships, or the professional or personal situations of your spouse. This retrograde could bring up a lot about how a relationship itself is evolving and you could feel like you’re going back and reflecting on old themes in love and relationships, transformation in your marriage, and how you communicate. You may find that at the beginning of the retrograde you avoid some sort of legal dispute, or verbal conflict with your spouse or another person, and because of this you receive blessings. Then at the end of the retrograde, you are able to side-step another serious issue or complication in your immediate environment or with your physical appearance or body, which puts you in the right place at the right time for pleasant, enjoyable, and agreeable experiences.
I hope these are helpful!
Next, I will put out the horoscope for the day!
Until then,
AstroMommy
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Episode #220: Mercury Retrograde Horoscopes For ALL 12 Signs!