Astro Iris “Mercury Retrograde” has been the talk of the town since July when it kicked off its backward dance, sparking all sorts of chatter—some for, some against. Like any retrograde, it’s a hot topic, mostly because of the not-so-flattering labels people slap on these planetary backspins. But let’s be real: that’s nonsense! Retrogrades have their own charm… a delightful one, if we approach them with a bit of wisdom.
“Mercury Direct” on the other hand? It barely gets a mention. It’s just not as “thrilling” as its chaotic cousin. But in reality, this forward motion is the natural follow-up to the retrograde, bringing evolutionary vibes we should actually pay attention to.
So, here are a few thoughts on Mercury right now and how we can handle it (before it handles us 😜) through the end of August.
If your mind has felt like a chaotic pinball machine lately—full of details but not much clarity—things are starting to settle. Well, “settle” might not be the right word. This calm is actually building on the foundation of Mercury’s retrograde.
On August 11, Mercury officially stopped moonwalking, so we’re starting to get our mental bearings, finding sense, clarity, and direction. The retrograde happened in Leo, and while Mercury’s still hanging out in this fiery sign, it’s in the “post-retrograde shadow” phase. That means until the end of August, we’ll be revisiting thoughts, plans, ideas, conversations, and meetings from the retrograde period to truly understand them and make decisions based on them.
Mark your calendars for August 15 and 18—they’re prime days to act on what we want and move toward our goals. These days are powered by Mercury sextile Mars, which gives us a cosmic green light to put our thoughts into action. What we think can align beautifully with what we need to do.
The key? How we express ourselves and approach things. With this energy, things might flow so smoothly it’ll feel like they’re solving themselves—even if Mars in Libra seems a bit low on “fuel”. But don’t worry, Mars is serving up style, diplomacy, and friendly persuasion instead.
Plus, the Moon’s in Gemini, forming a (not quite perfect) sextile with the Sun, amplifying our ability to act with clarity and without emotional baggage. Somehow, we’ll just know what to say, do, or act on. There’s this inner confidence that’s hard to put into words but impossible to miss. We’ll have the resources we need to move toward our goals.
Mercury’s also been in a tense tango with Pluto, but don’t panic—this isn’t a bad thing. It’s more like a cosmic wake-up call about how we think, communicate, learn, and express ourselves. If those habits aren’t serving us anymore, it’s time to transform them. Pluto’s pointing out where we’re clinging to control we don’t want to let go of. But here’s the deal: Pluto will dissolve that control, whether we like it or not.
For example, if we throw out an arrogant remark in a conversation that’s totally out of place, Pluto’s energy will hit us with a reality check, teaching us humility and integrity over control and shade. Sometimes, we need a reminder that not everything is owed to us—especially if it’s not coming from a divine source. This dynamic pushes us to evolve our thinking, communication, and how we process information to better suit our true needs.
This week is a big one, coinciding with the Christian holiday “The Assumption of the Virgin Mary”. Nothing happening this week is random—it’s all deeply revealing. If someone compliments you, it’s because it’s real and meant to remind or reinforce who you are. If you’re called out, it’s because there’s a part of you that no longer serves you and needs to change.
As we head into early September, Mercury steps into its cozy autumn home, and we’ll start reaping what we’ve thought, said, and asked for.
My humble advice for these days? Lean into listening. Experiment with letting someone else have the last word. You might be surprised at what you learn.
