Getting ahead on all those lofty new moon goals will be easier said than done this week. Instead, we’re slipping into reverse, and heading back to the future, with Mercury retrograde kicking things off on Monday. With all the good intentions in the world still fresh in our mind from Sunday’s juicy new moon, progress could be a little slower than you’d hoped.
You could fight it, or you could lean into the ambiguity and realign your priorities so you’re working with the relaxed pace, rather than raging against the inertia. Expect conversations from last week to resurface, even if they seemed well and truly resolved when you had them.
Venus is also slipping into Virgo on Monday which brings the overall vibe a little more down to earth. A little less showboating and a little more “how can I help?” will take the edge off frustrations caused by retrograde hijinks. Lean on your “cool in a crisis” friends for advice and support. Steady practicality will get you everywhere this week.
Remember to always read for your rising sign, rather than your sun sign to get the most accurate read. Cast your chart at theastrologyofyou.com to learn your sign.
Want to learn more? Check out my book The Astrology Of You: Finding Love, Creativity and Soul Purpose In Your Birth Chart ($24.95, Hardie Grant) or find me on Instagram at @emma_vee.
ARIES AND ARIES RISING
Your mission for this week: be more meticulous. Confirm appointments, double check your calendar and don’t make the mistake of assuming anything at work is “so obvious it doesn’t need explaining”. With Mercury retrograde signalling confusion, especially in the realm of scheduling and your 9 to 5, this week more than most, it pays to be pedantic. If you find yourself in a bind, don’t be afraid to ask for help. With Venus now in Virgo, the key to rolling with the ever changing state of play – especially at work – will be working with your allies.
TAURUS AND TAURUS RISING
For single Taureans, it could be a week of rebound flings. With Mercury going backwards in the realm of hook-ups, there’s every chance you could hear from someone who had a special guest star role in the tale that is, your Romantic Histories. For coupled up folk, it’s a week for doubling down on good communication and actually a really nice moment for reconnecting. When the Moon, Venus and Mercury team up mid-week, a walk down memory lane could lead to a saucy finale.
GEMINI AND GEMINI RISING
Buckle up and hold onto your seats because things are about to get interesting. Now your ruling planet is scooting retracing its steps, chance are you’ll feel extra activated. Expect to revisit recent histories this week. Meaningful conversations with parental figures, or even housemates, could deliver some unexpectedly sweet moments between Tuesday and Thursday. If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed by something, the middle of the week is a great time to seek a second opinion or just ask for help. Remember if you don’t ask, you won’t get.
CANCER AND CANCER RISING
When did you last update your OS? Are you sure you sent off for that extended warranty? Yes, you guessed it, Mercury retrograde is hitting the realm of “things you plug in” and/or “switch on” for crabs which means now is the time to err on the side of caution. Back things up, check emails one extra time before you hit send, don’t leave your laptop sleeve at home. This week is probably the least spicy for comms gone wrong, so lean into the soft landing and get your devices sorted while the skies are more forgiving.
LEO AND LEO RISING
With Venus now out of your home sign, the impetus to smooth, buff and blowout will subside – at a least a little bit. Now the attention turns to cash as Mercury goes retrograde in your financial sphere. If you’ve not thought about your tax yet, now’s the time to get started. This week looks especially supportive to help you dig up all those old receipts you were certain you’d put somewhere safe but just can’t seem to find. The Virgo influence on Mercury and Venus will make monotonous admin almost, kinda fun.
VIRGO AND VIRGO RISING
It’s all happening this week, as your ruling planet hits the brakes and starts a long rewind back towards issues, conversations and thoughts from the past few weeks. First stop: last week’s happenings. Whatever you were discussing, pondering or organising will likely resurface this week, no matter how well you thought you’d wrapped it up. Retracing your steps can be frustrating, but with Venus also in your court, there’s the chance to refine what you said/did/planned with the advice or support of someone you trust. Ask for help. Take the offer. Use your sounding boards. Two heads are better than one in this case.
LIBRA AND LIBRA RISING
Prepare to enter the twilight zone. With Mercury retrograde in the shadiest part of your chart, the skies are saying “time to go within”. Turning back the clock or dreaming about the chance to rewrite your past are all potential incarnations of this week’s astrology. It’s big stuff, but potentially cathartic if you’re willing to “do the work”. Your secret weapon will be finding a guide to help you navigate shadows – a good therapist, counsellor or somatic healer could help make this retrograde a really profound experience.
SCORPIO AND SCORPIO RISING
Now you see me, now you don’t! The skies are slow, with a touch of flakiness this week – especially where friends are concerned. As Mercury retrograde shakes up your social life, expect things to get mixed up in the wash. If you’re organising a catch up, make sure everyone is sure of where and when you’re meeting. It’s the sort of weather where someone turns up for dinner on the wrong night – or to the wrong restaurant. On the flipside, a friend or acquaintance from your past could resurface out of the blue offering quite the unexpected delight. Enjoy!
SAGITTARIUS AND SAGITTARIUS RISING
Waiting to hear about a new job? Just asked for more money? Desperately trying to negotiate more WFH? Whatever you’ve been cooking up, expect to hear an update this week. As the messenger planet retraces its steps, you’re likely to get some good news this week. With Venus also entering your office space, you’ll have a little more sway and sweetness to influence outcomes. Make the most of the fortuitous reconnections, it’s the best window you’ll have for work progress for a couple of weeks.
CAPRICORN AND CAPRICORN RISING
Going somewhere? In a hurry? This week, try as you might to get moving and get yourself from A to B, it seems everyone and everything around you just doesn’t share the same sense of urgency. You could get frustrated, or you could anticipate the glacial pace and allow yourself at least an extra half an hour to get across town. Traffic will be tricky. Flights will be delayed. It’s just one of those weeks. At least you know ahead of time so you can plan in advance.
AQUARIUS AND AQUARIUS RISING
Reconnecting with a confidante – be it a counsellor, therapist or a wise and trusted friend – could bring a sense of great healing this week. As Mercury shuffles back over some heavy territory dredging up emotional baggage or big financial stuff, you’re invited to consider how you could adapt and change to navigate the road that meets you. Life is not always a smooth, straight ride but having the tools to handle unexpected bumps and hairy corners can make the overall experience a whole lot better. Ditto people you trust to truly listen. Find those people – and those skills – and double down.
PISCES AND PISCES RISING
Your nearest and dearest could give you emotional whiplash this week as Mercury shakes things up and has them questioning everything. “Have I made the right decision? Should I stay or should I go? Where is this all headed?” You’ll be fielding, or at least listening to all the questions by someone close to you. It’s a lot. Dig deep and meet them with a sense of empathy and patience; as much as the flip flopping might be exhausting, remind yourself that this is their way of processing what’s going on. Just hold steady, and be still – that’s all they need from you right now.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.