Mercury stations Retrograde
Mercury stations Retrograde
12th PST 23:09 / 13th AEDT 18:09
Mercury stations retrograde today, the messenger planet’s final retrograde of 2023, and its final retrograde to kick off in Capricorn until 2029. Although Mercury will station Rx in Virgo in the summer of 2024, next year’s retrogrades will predominantly take place in the fire signs. We’re phasing out of our earth sign review.
While those with cardinal placements (planets in Capricorn, Aries, Cancer, and Libra) may experience this Rx most acutely, we’ll all feel the cosmic crunch, if for no other reason than we’re at the close of the year, and interpersonal tensions are already running high. This transit falls during the holiday season, a time saturated with familial expectations, commercial pressure, and the urgency to review milestones achieved over the past twelve months so we can prepare for the NEXT twelve.
Being extra vigilant of Mercury’s classic Rx pitfalls can save us some hassle. For example, pad your travel commutes. Show up early to the airport or bus station. Read the fine print when buying last-minute tickets. Keep the receipts for gifts.
On the communication front, consider walking away from the argument! Don't take every disagreement personally. We may not know what our friends, loved ones, or strangers in the supermarket are going through. Go a little easier on each other. There is something very Ebenezer Scrooge-like about Mercury Rxing from Capricorn to Sagittarius (which it will do on December 22/23), trading curmudgeonly inflexibility for cheerful open-mindedness. Our wires might be crossed now, but we can still be festive. We can still be kind. The dichotomy of this season is that the stress that often manifests when attempting to preserve tradition can also be relieved through genuine expressions of love, gratitude, compassion, and joy.
Mercury will station direct either on January 2 or New Year’s Day, depending on your time zone. So maybe hold off on setting resolutions, at least until Mercury exits its post-Rx shadow on January 20/21.
Written by Nyssa Grazda
