Mercury Retrograde in Virgo
Photo by Alice Donovan Rouse on Unsplash
Mercury entered the pre-shadow to its retrograde on August 3rd and will station retrograde in Virgo on Wednesday August 23rd. It stations direct on September 15th, and its post-shadow runs through September 30th.
During Mercury's retrograde in Virgo, we are able to see more clearly what isn't working in our lives. The good news is: We have time to make repairs. The message of any retrograde is to slow down. Take the period of the retrograde to reflect on what needs to be fixed or mended in any area of your life that is calling out to you. It might be that your health regimen is off track. Or, you find that your daily work just feels like putting out one fire after another. Perhaps it is a relationship that needs some focused attention to get the connection flowing again. Mercury in Virgo supports our ability to step back, analyze the situation, and brainstorm solutions.
Here are some strategies for how to best use this retrograde:
Break It Down
Virgo, an analytical sign, is about breaking things down into their categories. That’s why it’s the “tidying up” sign. Virgo helps us to see all the moving parts more clearly so that we can organize our lives.
For example, my office has been in need of reorganization for several months now. Every time I think about it, I get overwhelmed. I will have to make decisions about what to keep, what to archive, and what to toss. But if I break it down into smaller tasks, I know that I can sit down and chip away at this big project, bit by bit.
What is the payoff for doing such a tedious task? I know that on the other side of it, I’ll be able to do my daily work with less interference. And I’ll have that Virgoan satisfaction at the tidiness of it all.
Is there a daunting project you’ve been putting off? Make a list of smaller steps, and check off one step at a time. You may be surprised at what you can accomplish. And won’t it feel good to get that off of your plate?
Prioritize
Because I have such a strong Mercury (and Virgo presence) in my chart, I am a multi-tasker. This can be for good or for ill. Since I work at home, however, my Mercury/Virgo stuff is often a liability: I constantly see things that need to be done. The cats need their water cleaned, the floor needs vacuumed, the laundry needs done–but I have to finish writing this blog post sometime before Mercury leaves Virgo. So, I keep returning my attention to the most urgent matter (writing the post), and let the cats wait a few more hours, and let the floor be dirty, and...you get the idea.
What are your top priorities right now? Virgo energy can help us not only to see the things that are most important, but to put our grounded efforts toward those things.
Beware the Inner Critic
When Mercury is retrograde in any sign, the shadow expression of that sign is more likely to show up in our lives. The form that the Virgo Shadow often takes is perfectionism, or the Inner Critic run amok.
During this retrograde, get ahead of your critic's voice. Have a plan in place to push back when it tries to stop you from doing work that is important to you.
Of course, we can also turn this hyper-critical energy toward others. This happens when we project our shadow onto them. Projection happens; it’s human nature. But unless we learn to see and own the projection, our relationships suffer.
Here is an exercise to help with your shadow work during Mercury Retrograde in Virgo:
In what area of your life does the Inner Critic voice speak most loudly?
Write a few comebacks to your Inner Critic. (Argue the opposite of whatever it is telling you.)
How does your Inner Critic stop you from sharing yourself or your skills with others?
What would you share with the world, if your Inner Critic were silent?
Mercury Retrograde is a good time to reflect rather than do. Once you have worked through these questions, it’s okay to sit with them for the next few weeks. The time for acting on what you discovered comes after Mercury stations direct in mid-September.
Get my free eBook: How to Work with Mercury Retrograde
Related Posts and Podcast Episodes
What is the Mercury Retrograde Shadow?
“Let’s Get Real Astrology” podcast: The Virgo Shadow, and Mercury Retrograde: It Doesn’t Have to Suck
