Dazed and Confused
Why does it feel like Mercury is still retrograde? Confusion, lack of clarity, difficulty articulating thoughts…
Mercury is still in Pisces- and will be there for another week. It’s cleaning up the mess its made since the beginning of February.
If this retrograde has been extremely difficult for you (it’s been harder for me than other retrogrades), it may be partially due to the fact that Mercury in Pisces operates in a very non-linear, abstract way. Mercury represents the mind. It is the quickest planet orbiting the Sun, and is the most variable in terms of speed and direction. Mercury is quick, intellectual, and likes to gather information. Mercury is a symbol of our cognitive process- it is how we think, process information, communicate and express ourselves.
But Mercury doesn’t do so well in a sign like Pisces. In traditional astrology, the Sun and Moon our two luminaries, rule the signs Cancer and Leo. Moving outwards from those signs, Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo, Venus rules Taurus and Libra, Mars rules Aries and Scorpio, Jupiter rules Sagittarius and Pisces, and, finally, Saturn rules Capricorn and Aquarius.
When Mercury is in Gemini or Virgo, it is considered to be in its domicile- it is familiar and understands the energy well. Pisces is the polarity (or opposite) of Virgo. Mercury in Virgo is discerning, discriminating, critical, and detail-oriented. As you can imagine, Mercury in its opposite sign, Pisces, is non-linear, abstract, and impractical.
If you happen to know your natal placement of Mercury, you may better understand why this transit has felt especially confusing. Pisces is a water sign- it is yin, receptive and intuitive. All of the yang signs are expressive, action-oriented, and move energy outwards. The yang signs of the zodiac are: Aries, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius. If Mercury was in any of those signs at the time of your birth, then your mind may have a more challenging time understanding thee watery, fluid energy of Pisces.
Look up your natal Mercury if you don’t already know it! There are several websites that will calculate your birth chart by simply entering your date of birth, location, and time of birth- if you know it.
Regardless of your own personal placement, this Mercury retrograde has been one of the most challenging ones for me personally, and for those close to me.
Hang tight though! Mercury moves into Aries in just one week!