If you’ve felt your schedule slipping into oblivion and attempts to communicate beginning to crash, you can probably blame it on the current Mercury retrograde period. It began on Nov. 9 and continues through Nov. 29, as the planet of mental affairs backtracks over its recent steps through the zodiac, causing all sorts of logistical matters to hit delays, roadblocks, or general chaos mode. There’s a reason these retrogrades have a reputation for being obnoxious, but a few lucky zodiac signs will be able to avoid most of the drama this time around.
Mercury in astrology rules everything from thinking and communicating to transportation and tech devices, so this fleet-footed planet has its hand in many of the moving parts that keep people’s days on track. When it retrogrades, it’s common for people to have a harder time expressing themselves clearly, staying on top of their to-do lists, or launching new projects and ideas off the ground. Instead, this slower-paced and spiraled energy is better suited for reflections, revisions, and reassessments of things that have already been set in motion.
From now until Nov. 18, Mercury is retrograding through optimistic and open-minded Sagittarius, bringing everyone a chance to review their big-picture goals and make sure their loftier aspirations still feel aligned. Just beware of barreling into opportunities too spontaneously right now, as the reality of a situation may very well be more complicated than it seems at a glance.
Then, from Nov. 18 until the end of the retrograde on Nov. 29, Mercury will backspin through stealthy and truth-seeking Scorpio, allowing people to uncover all sorts of hidden fears and repressed feelings — and deal with them once and for all. This is a great time to revisit mysteries that have been quietly plaguing you, as you may be able to see things from a different angle now. The Mercury cazimi (aka the alignment of the sun and Mercury) on Nov. 19 brings a meaningful moment of clarity during this portion of the retrograde, while the retrograde-adjacent new moon the following day can help open new doors amidst all the internal review.
Some Mercurial backspins fully turn people’s lives upside down for a few weeks, but it all depends on where it’s hitting in your birth chart. Read on to find out if you’re one of the zodiac signs least affected by November’s Mercury retrograde.
Aries (March 20 – April 18)
The first half of the retrograde might have you questioning beliefs you thought were set in stone. Are your life philosophies really resonating with your current self? Are some alternative perspectives beginning to make more sense to you? Your day-to-day life should flow smoothly through the retrograde drama, but your big-picture mentality could feel like it’s under review.
Things get a little more emotional during the latter half of this backspin. Underlying fears and beneath-the-surface feelings might get triggered now, making them impossible to ignore. Face whatever skeletons come jumping out of your closet, as you can use this retrograde processing to clear away some long-standing baggage — especially around the time of the new moon on Nov. 20.
Libra (Sept. 22 – Oct. 21)
Be careful with communication during the first week and a half of the retrograde, as foot-in-mouth moments are much more likely now. Thankfully, your diplomatic sensibility and social grace can carry you through even the most awkward of conversational snafus, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to avoid drama.
From Nov. 18 onward, money matters could take a hit, so if you can resist the urge to spend needlessly or splurge on tempting Black Friday deals, you’ll probably be better off. Save the holiday shopping for after Nov. 29 if you can! That said, if you’re willing to learn from past mistakes, you can actually make some strides in the way you approach your finances now.
Capricorn (Dec. 21 – Jan. 18)
The first half of the retrograde will probably come and go without too much fanfare, as it’s activating the sleepiest and most solitary part of your chart. You may feel like there’s some unfinished business buried deep within that’s trying to work its way to the surface, but trying to look at it head-on won’t be very fruitful. Allow this energy to sort itself out in your peripheral vision and sit with whatever feelings come up. They’re there for a reason.
By the time the new moon hits on Nov. 20, you’ll probably notice a lot more retrograde wonkiness playing out in your social life. Misunderstandings within your friend group could stir up a little drama throughout this latter part of the backspin, so try to avoid getting caught up in gossip.
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