August’s Mercury retrograde doesn’t have to suck: A survival guide

Buckle up, my babies: the most maligned of all astrological transits is upon us.

What does August 2024’s Mercury retrograde in Virgo and Leo hold in store? Read on to learn more.

Named for the god of messaging, Mercury is the planet of communication: the mind, the mouth, connection, expression, media, technology, travel, commerce, high and low, the petty and the poetic.

Mercury is the fastest-moving celestial body in our sky, second only to the moon. It is known as a personal planet, which means it affects us significantly, intimately and on the daily.

Mercury retrograde meaning

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Because the realms that Mercury rules are so integral to our quotidian routines, we feel the effects of these retrograde more acutely than others.

An astrological PSA: Planets do not ever move backward in space; they merely slow their proverbial rolls, a deceleration that looks like a reversal from our vantage here on beautiful, broken planet Earth.

When is Mercury retrograde?

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Kicking off its slowdown, Mercury stations retrograde on Aug. 5 at 12:56 a.m. ET at 4 degrees in the fastidious sign of Virgo.

When a planet is in retrograde, its energy works in the opposite direction, not necessarily against us but certainly not as a trusted sidekick. As Mercury governs the mind, its retrograde signifies a period of challenge in organizing, expressing and creating order in our lives.

Common symptoms of Mercury’s retrograde include travel delays, brain fog, unexpected or renewed conflict, nudes sent to the wrong recipient, general malaise and frequent misunderstandings.

Mercury retrograde in Virgo

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Ivana Naskova, a psychic astrologer at the platform Nebula: Astrology & Psychic Readings for Relationships, tells The Post: “As Mercury begins its retrograde motion in the sign of Virgo, we may feel an intensified need to maintain precise order and perfection in all aspects of our lives.”

Retrogrades amplify the prefix re, offering us the chance to revise our routines and reflect on whether the work we ask our bodies to do is truly working for us.

In antiquity, the god Mercury was depicted with a caduceus in his left hand. A staff encircled by two serpents, it held the power to awaken both the sleeping and the dead.

In that sense, we can view Mercury’s retrograde as a kind of waking up.

It ain’t all bad

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Naskova maintains that it ain’t all storm clouds and roadblocks, however, as this particular retrograde can help us renegotiate our relationship with perfection and flexibility

We can view Mercury’s retrograde as a kind of waking up.

“The most profound impact of this retrograde may be the realization that not everything needs to be flawless in order to function,” Naskova reveals. “We might feel pressured to relinquish detrimental habits that could jeopardize our health, ultimately leading us to a positive outcome. Encountering obstacles and deviations may inspire us to tap into our creativity and seek alternative solutions using the resources available to us.”

Beware the hex of the ex on Aug. 7

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Mercury retrogrades are also known to resurrect relationships. This likelihood increases on Aug. 7 when Mercury gets hot and heavy with Venus, the planet of love and attraction.

That could offer an opportune moment to resolve lingering rifts, balance finances, offer forgiveness or engage in a hot round of breakup sex.

You do you … and whomever else you want.

Coming correct with the intrigue, Mercury spends the second half of its retrograde in the fixed fires of Leo. Beginning Aug. 14, try your best to de-escalate all dramatics. Resist the urge to jump to conclusions or on bandwagons, shout, text in all caps or otherwise amplify discord.

Cooling yourheels is particularly important on and around Aug. 18 when Merc squares off with Uranus, the lightning maestro of chaos.

Keep in mind that sometimes the most powerful thing you can be is calm.

Mercury retrograde dates

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Mercury will retrograde from Aug. 5 to Aug. 28 with a shadow period of two weeks on either side of the start and finish dates. The next time the planet of the mind and the mouth will commence with its calamity is Nov. 25 to Dec. 15, 2024, in the arrows to the sky sign of Sagittarius.

Who will feel the effects of this retrograde the most?

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Mercury is a personal planet, so we’re all in for a ride. However, those with prominent Virgo and/or Leo placements will feel the effects of this backstroke most acutely.

To better understand what “lessons” this transit has in store for you, look to the houses in your birth chart ruled by the lion and the virgin, respectively.

Dear God — when will it end?

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Mercury will station direct on Aug. 28 at 5:14 p.m. ET, at 21 degrees of Leo. Until the air clears on Sept. 11, we’ll still be in the haze of the post-retrograde shadow, stumbling over words and parsing out what fell apart and came together.

Good luck out there, kids.

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Astrology 101: Your guide to the stars

• The 12 zodiac signs
• What are the astrology houses
• Here’s what each planet represents
• Sun, moon, and rising signs: Get to know your Big 3

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Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture, and personal experience.