On Thursday July 17, Mercury turns retrograde till August 11 between 15º34' and 4º15' Leo.

Its shadow period, during which the effects of the retrogradation will still be felt but mildly, will last until August 25.

It would appear that Mercury, all of a sudden, goes backwards against the background of the fixed stars. Even though this occurrence -which this year happens only 3 times for about 3 weeks each time-, is only an optical illusion caused by the respective speeds of Mercury and our own on Earth, it affects our lives deeply.

Most dread these periods. Because communications tend to be significantly disrupted: e-mails are lost, appointments are missed, schedules change without notice, misunderstandings happen, keys are misplaced, people change their minds, we forget where we parked our car, technology breaks down and so on and so forth, it is not a good period to install any new software. It is not good either for buying a house, a car or a computer, forming new partnerships, committing to legally binding contracts or signing important documents.

But there is also a very good side to Mercury retrograde. It is a time to expect the unexpected. We tend to be more reflective, remembering projects we had forgotten. Friends we hadn’t heard from forever reappear, and we are drawn again to places we hadn’t been to in a long time…

This particular retrogradation is in Leo, the sign of warmth, generosity, entertainment, creativity, romance, and children. The degree on which it starts (15º34’) is represented in the Sabian Symbols by all of Nature rejoicing in the brilliant sunshine after the storm ends.

This is the time to live our joy without restraint. Full of confidence, expansiveness, and enthusiasm, we could revisit a creative project that had been accumulating dust on a shelf. If we had been aspiring to write, draw or act, this could be THE time to complete that novel we had left hanging, pick up our paint brushes, decide to finally exhibit our work, get a role in a movie, try our hand at stand-up comedy, re-integrate a theater group, return to singing, playing an instrument, creating jewelry, or painting pottery. Our dreams tend to find a practical form. An unusual opportunity could present itself. Unexpected changes bring a new order. Excited to express our uniqueness in big, bold, dramatic ways, we may well ignore the smaller details, but a good sense of organization, as well as serious and diligent work, and an ability to tap into our unconscious mind help us give a practical form to innovative ideas.

Romance is in the air. Sudden encounters with unusual people could challenge our life-choices and make us question our independence or attachment to freedom. A long-lost love affair could resurface giving a relationship a second chance. Conversations tend to be easy-going, pleasant, and peaceful. An ancient conflict is likely to be resolved with tact, compromise, charm, and refinement. We are drawn back to like-spirited groups or fraternities which strengthen our insights, our intuition, as well as our psychic abilities, and help us develop our spiritual consciousness.

Our ideals are revisited, and those that no longer hold precedence are replaced by new objectives. We could take a renewed interest in community affairs and wish to work in a hospital or join a humanitarian or educational organization. Activities with children are favored. Spontaneous events bring sudden insights but could also make us fall prey to discouragement, anxiety, or apprehension. However, worry and frustration, or associating with lazy, disorganized, unreliable individuals impede our progress, causing us to withdraw into our shell.

But if we manage to quiet our mind, remain as positive as possible, turn within with honesty, and acknowledge our responsibility in having created what happened in our life, we can gain a profound understanding of ourselves and others, and with patience, shrewd planning, inspiration, and focused effort, bring order out of chaos.

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