Mercury Retrograde in Libra: September - October 2021
Today Mercury stationed retrograde, beginning a three-week period of reflection, revision, repair and reassessment. In this article, I'll translate what I'm seeing in three pivotal charts of this particular retrograde: the retrograde station, the Sun-Mercury conjunction, and the direct station. I'll also provide some mini-horoscopes for each rising sign to help you proactively choose what you'd like to focus on to best optimize your Mercurial musings at this time.
Retrograde Station:
25 Libra on 9/26/2021 10:10 p.m. PT/ 9/27/2021 1:10 a.m. ET/ 6:10 a.m. UK
We begin this cycle by reconsidering the ways in which we negotiate with and navigate around myriad perspectives with an aim toward harmonization and diplomacy. In some ways, these mediations with multiple parties are at once problematic and fortunate. The problems may come from a conflict concerning difficult truths around topics of power, tradition, hierarchy and business. The good fortune comes from the wisdom of knowing how to cut one's losses. But don't cut anything just yet-- Mercury's retrograde is your time to review and revise your negotiations. You'll most likely make the best choices if you wait until at least a few days after the direct station to take action on whatever you've been mulling over.
The ways in which we communicate and negotiate with others around this time are influenced by our efforts to draw the objects of our desires toward us, and in particular a recent shock or change regarding such desires. We may have gotten what we wanted but found ourselves repeating an old pattern that leads to re-enacting a wounding event from our past.
What we want and how we go about getting it are about to undergo a shift, as the Sun and Mars slowly get closer and closer, ending the previous 2-year cycle and preparing to start a new one. Their presence in Libra adds a little spice to our negotiations. We want something, but it's not so easy to know exactly what it is quite yet. If you find yourself getting angry, tracing that emotion back to the core of what need or desire is not being met can help you uncover what you really want. It can also be helpful to reflect upon how you have or haven't pursued your ambitions in the past two years, and what you might like to change about your approach going forward.
Sun-Mercury Conjunction:
16 Libra on 10/09/2021 9:18 a.m. PT/ 12:18 p.m. ET/ 5:18 p.m. UK
The Sun-Mercury conjunction, aka 'cazimi', is the half-way point of the retrograde. This can be a moment of clarity or a turning point in your internal explorations regarding the agreements you make and keep with others. This will occur just one day after the exact Sun-Mars conjunction, which will still be very close on the 9th. (Read about the new Mars cycle here.)
Combining these two events, our insight is fused with renewed ambition and a will to act. As mentioned previously, this ‘ambition’ may present itself initially as anger or frustration, and it could require some inner dialogue to discern the true desire behind the initial anger response. While our passion may be roused, this is still the time to rethink, not to react. Take note of what comes up, sit with it, reconsider it, distill it, sort it, and hold your horses for a couple more weeks.
There is again in this chart a theme of letting go of something once passionately pursued. Or perhaps the need is to let go of one thing in order to pursue another. Like Ernie from Sesame Street putting down his rubber ducky so he could play the saxophone.
Direct Station:
10 Libra on 10/18/2021 8:16 a.m. PT/ 11:16 a.m. ET/ 4:16 p.m. UK
By the time Mercury has stationed direct, we may have reached a decision to cut ties with an object, belief, connection, lover, friend, source of stability, or style of relationship in order to pursue our newly clarified ambitions.
The life-area you'll want to reconsider will be different for each rising sign. Think of this particular Mercury retrograde as a time for undergoing a Marie Kondo process with that area of life: when you remove that which does not spark joy, what you're left with is an environment that inspires, soothes and supports you completely. Adopt such a mindset during this retrograde, and you will hopefully come out with greater clarity regarding how to communicate what you want and how to negotiate with others in a way that best serves all involved.
House Topics by Rising Sign
Use this time to reconsider and re-evaluate...
Aries Rising: ...relationships, be they romantic, friendly or professional
Taurus Rising: ...health, work, pets, chores
Gemini Rising: ...creativity, children, recreation, sex
Cancer Rising: ...home and family/ chosen family
Leo Rising: ...communication, commute, daily schedule, siblings
Virgo Rising: ...finances, values, possessions, self-esteem
Libra Rising: ...self-presentation, physical appearance, image
Scorpio Rising: ...mental health, quality time alone, meditation
Sagittarius Rising: ...community, friend groups, goals
Capricorn Rising: ...career, reputation
Aquarius Rising: ...philosophical orientation, spirituality, travel, world-views, higher education
Pisces Rising: ...shared resources, debt, taxes, death, occult topics