Astro Magickal

Taking center stage this month is Mercury, turning retrograde on the 2nd. Pay extra attention to details, double check paperwork, beware of miscommunication… All the usual retrograde advice applies throughout the month, as Mercury won’t turn direct again until the 26th.

Be especially careful of forming bad habits, or losing good ones. Prepare for routines and schedules to be disrupted.

The best strategy for successful navigation of this retrograde:

1. Details, Details, Details – This Mercury retrograde is occurring entirely in the sign of Virgo – the sign of meticulous attention to detail. During this retrograde, extra attention to those seemingly insignificant details will prove to be more than worth the time and effort.
2. Keep an Open Mind – While it’s not advisable to make important decisions, or wholly embrace new ways of thinking during a Mercury retrograde, it can be an excellent time to consider and explore such things. With Mercury opposing Neptune, this retrograde can be an opportunity to purge old worn out ways of thinking, and open blocked psychic channels. However, the opportunity comes as vague and incomplete ideas, concepts, "feelings", etc. Just keep an open mind in such matters – once the retrograde has passed you may realize some very important seeds were planted.
3. Have some patience- Expect a few extra glitches, delays, and extra details to deal with. When Mercury retrogrades in Virgo, the biggest problems are often the littlest things. It’s the frustration of too many little things that make it seem big.
4. Good Habits – Virgo is the sign of habits and routines. During this retrograde it can be all too easy to break good habits. Be extra vigilant to maintain the habits and routines you want to keep, and make an effort to break bad ones.
5. Health Matters – Of all habits to maintain vigilantly this month, those connected with health and well being are most important. Not only poor diet and exercise, but lack of attention to emotional, spiritual, or psychological health will take more of a toll than you expect.