Mercury Retrograde August 2024: A Return to the Heart

Mercury Retrograde in August is inviting you to return to your heart - to the throne of your heart, your inner throne - and to shine your light bright.  It's here to remind you that you are the sun of your own life, ruler of your realm.

Before you think that sounds a little egotistical or self-centered, imagine you, as the sun of your life, shining your unique heart-light, but then zoom out so you can see all of your loved ones doing the same, as the sun of their own lives, shining their unique heart lights bright.  And then zoom out further so you can see every single human on the planet doing the same, and how we form this amazingly beautiful web of heart lights, all interconnected and shining for and with each other.

We can't create this web of light if we don't begin by coming into our own hearts and cultivating our own unique light.  

This August's Mercury retrograde is here to remind you that we need your light.  The world needs you to be your authentic self and shine.

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The Leo Portion of This Mercury Retrograde:  The Lion's Share

While this Mercury retrograde begins in Virgo, most of it will take place in Leo.

Leo is the sun-ruled fire sign of the heart, the inner child, and the performer and artist.  Yes, Leo has the ego and self-confidence to claim the spotlight, but the highest expression of Leo is as an instrument for divinity.  It's about being the instrument through which divine inspiration comes through.  That's why it's all about being heart-centered and even connecting with the inner child - because that's when it becomes pure.  

That's the highest purpose for our individual creative self-expression - and that's why what wants to come through you out into the world is sacred.  It is to be shared, not hidden away in shame for fear as being seen as "just wanting to be the center of attention."  That judgment is a sure sign of someone who is not allowing their own light to shine, so have compassion.

It's not about one person outshining another - it's about everyone shining in their own unique way.  Our ability to create and express and inspire is truly limitless.

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The Virgo Portion of This Mercury Retrograde

Mercury will be in Virgo from July 25th to August 16th, stationing retrograde there August 4th.

From July 25th til August 4th, it will be direct, in the pre-shadow of the retrograde.  Then it will station retrograde at 4° Virgo on August 4th, and backtrack those early degrees of Virgo, returning to Leo on August 16th for the remainder of the retrograde.  It will make a one-time conjunction with Venus in Virgo while retrograde on August 7th.  

Mercury's stint in its own sign of Virgo is working in support to the majority of this retrograde in Leo by showing us where our self-criticism and perfectionism blocks us from truly shining our heart-light and sharing our gifts with the world through creative self-expression.  

Look for clues to how your inner critic shuts you down and keeps you from joining the interconnected web of light while Mercury is in the pre-shadow in Virgo from July 25th to August 4th.   Then from August 4th to August 16th, let Mercury retrograde help you to edit that self-criticism and change your internal critic to an internal cheerleader.  There's nothing wrong with being detail-oriented and wanting to be the best we can be, unless it is stopping us from doing what we came here to do and share.  You might want to ask yourself who that voice in your head sounds like too.  It's likely something you picked up along the way in your younger years by osmosis that's not actually yours at all!

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Mercury is Trickiest When Stationing - Aug. 4th & Aug. 28th

Mercury stations retrograde at 4° Virgo August 4th at 21:56 PT/August 5th 00:56 ET.

That means that the day of the 4th is when this energy is likely to be most intense as Mercury slows to station.  Keep in mind that because Mercury rules Virgo, it's extra strong here.   

Mercury is at its trickiest when stationing.  This is when you want to be across all the details of your life, especially tech and communications, but considering Virgo, it's just as likely to affect daily schedules and routines.  

Be extra careful in communications.  Speak to be understood.  Paraphrase what others say in conversations and repeat it back to them to create extra clarity.  We can be easily scattered and distracted when Mercury is stationing and we can easily misunderstand.

Double check schedules, appointment times, and itineraries.  Allow extra time for commutes.  Be mindful of what you did with your phone and keys.  Take extra care with passwords.  Double check who you are actually sending emails and texts to.

In short, slow down, especially on August 4th.  (Same goes for when Mercury stations direct on August 28th.)

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The Two Main Planetary Influences on This Mercury Retrograde

Besides Mercury's one-hit-wonder with Venus in Virgo on August 7th, the main influences on this retrograde will be a series of three trines to Chiron in Aries and a series of three squares to Uranus in Taurus.  

Mercury in Leo will make its first trine to Chiron and square to Uranus during the pre-shadow, July 18th and July 21st, respectively, then will aspect each again during the retrograde for a review, squaring Uranus August 17th and trining Chiron August 22nd during the heart of the retrograde journey, then making a final "resolution" aspect to each in the post-shadow of the retrograde, making the final trine to Chiron on September 2nd, and the final square to Uranus on September 7th before returning to Virgo on September 9th and leaving the post-shadow of the retrograde on September 11th.  

Mercury in Leo trine Chiron in Aries:  7/18, 8/22, & 9/2

Mercury in Leo, as we discussed earlier, is about coming through your heart and shining your heart light bright, sharing your gifts with the world.  Chiron is the wounded healer, and in Aries, sign of self, it is about how we play small because of wounds to self that have left us doubting ourselves and maybe even our right to exist.  This is about healing the shame we carry.  Mercury is the mind, thoughts, and communications, so Mercury retrograde is here to help us create a new story around that old wound so we can transcend it and start taking pride in who we are and shine that heart light bright.  Your intro to this will be 7/18, the review will be 8/22, and then the resolution comes 9/2.

Mercury in Leo square Uranus in Taurus:  7/21, 8/17, & 9/7

Mercury square Uranus being a major influencer of this Mercury retrograde can feel like a double-strength Mercury retrograde.  That's because the Mercury square Uranus aspect acts much like a Mercury retrograde.  Use extra caution on the days this is in effect.  Expect the unexpected.  Uranus is unpredictable, especially in square aspect.  Understand that this aspect is here to help you innovate - especially in the way you think and communicate.  It's here to shake things up.  Be open to flashes of insight and new ways of thinking and doing things.  Be open to fresh perspective.  Think before you speak.  Slow down.  This aspect may very well bring anxiety and nervous tension, so hydrate, ground, and spend time in nature to help counteract that.  

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Mercury Retrograde August 2024 Important Dates

July 16th ~ Mercury enters the pres-hadow of the retrograde at 21° Leo 

July 18th ~ Mercury trine Chiron #1 of 3

July 21st ~ Mercury square Uranus #1 of 3

July 26th ~ Mercury enters Virgo

August 4th ~ Mercury stations retrograde 4° Virgo

August 7th ~ Mercury RX conjunct Venus 

August 16th ~ Mercury RX returns to Leo

August 17th ~ Mercury RX square Uranus #2 of 2

August 18th ~ Mercury Cazimi (Mercury RX conjunct sun 26° Leo)

August 22nd ~ Mercury RX trine Chiron #2 of 2

August 28th ~ Mercury Stations Direct at 21° Leo

September 2nd ~ Mercury trine Chiron #3 of 3

September 7th ~ Mercury square Uranus #3 of 3

September 9th ~ Mercury reenters Virgo
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September 11th ~ Mercury leaves the post-shadow of the retrograde 4° Virgo