Mercury Retrograde

Mercury Retrograde in Leo - Nonsensical Defensiveness

`Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

— Lewis Carroll,
Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

Mercury turns retrograde in Leo this week in a highly pressurized atmosphere that may be fraught with extreme frustration and feelings that our efforts are blocked at every turn. The Sun arrives in Leo to set off a Fixed Cross with the retrograde Mars and Uranus. To top the week off, Friday's Full Moon (4:20 PM PDT 4° Aquarius/Leo) brings surprises that will likely lead us to reconsider any earlier pronouncements about what we claim to know. Mercury in Leo may have encouraged us to make some bold assertions — possibly full of bluff and bluster — in an effort to protect our egos. However, with Mercury Retrograde, we will need to review those pronouncements and what we've claimed to actually know. In this atmosphere, it may, in fact, be safer and more comfortable to actually embrace Not Knowing rather than find ourselves overwhelmed by the pressure to prove something that may not, in fact, really be true. Intuition is more reliable than intellect this week but we can only access that intuition when we set aside our fears and insecurities and open up to the wisdom of the Universe. Rather than allowing this week's energy and pressure to push us to make premature decisions, we'll do better to remain teachable and willing to admit what we don't know rather than claiming to be certain — of anything!

The Sun arrives in Leo on Sunday just after the Moon arrives in Sagittarius, offering a wealth of energy but little focus. There is a rather uncomfortable sense of responsibility on Monday, increasing the pressure and possibly encouraging the use of bluff and bluster to cover up uncertainty. The Moon's arrival in Capricorn on Tuesday afternoon may be just the stabilizing influence we need to lead us towards less bluster and more circumspect contemplation. Mercury turns retrograde on Wednesday. We will be more comfortable if we only communicate what we can see right in front of us rather than what we think we know. The Moon is VOC almost all day Thursday. There may be significant discouragement or intoxicating exhilaration. Either way, we should remember that 'This, too, shall pass'. Friday's Full Moon, with Mercury Retrograde, brings surprises, high emotions, and increased pressure. Detachment may be in short supply. However, by Saturday, growing uncertainty actually helps to foster that much needed detachment. We should not give up hope that there are new ideas and approaches slowly incubating, even though we may have the discouraging feeling that we are probably going to be stuck forever.

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