As soon as you look at Mercury retrograde in Gemini you know it’s going to be a zinger – and there is a good reason for that. This Mercury retrograde is in Gemini, one of the signs ruled by Mercury, and this means that this particular Mercury retrograde may be more noticeable than most. This is the second retrograde in the series of Air sign Mercury retrogrades and, in common with all the Air signs, it will no doubt have an emphasis on the world of ideas and words – as well as the usual communications ‘glitches’ Mercury retrograde is famous for.
As we’re in the shadow period approaching the point at which Mercury goes in to reverse gear, it’s useful to remind ourselves that issues with communications come in many forms. As Mercury appears to slow down, we experience events that remind us of the power of the Messenger of the Gods. I’m not sure that Mercury was a music fan, but the weekend’s communications breakdown at the Glastonbury music festival seems like that old trickster Mercury was pulling the plug – simply because he can.
And if, over the past few days, you’ve been finding your words misconstrued, your keys going AWOL and your phone refusing to charge? Perhaps Mercury is playing you too. And don’t forget – this Mercury retrograde comes hot on the heels of the ‘Blood Moon’ lunar eclipse in Sagittarius – and that’s about things that are hidden too. So, in this post I’m going to look at the fine print of Mercury retrograde in Gemini to see what we need to be aware of – and what we may be made aware of – over the next few weeks.
Mercury Retrograde in Gemini: Retrograde Phase
Mercury turns retrograde on May 29th at 23:35 (Universal Time) at 23˚43″ Gemini. A quick glance at the chart shows that Mercury retrograde has a number of aspects that show issues we need to be aware of during the retrograde period. The conjunction to Venus may seem to indicate that everything will be sweetness and light, however there are other aspects that may make that initial assumption something to be wary of – not least the trine to Jupiter in Pisces, the king of over-optimism.
There are two aspects in particular that reinforce my concerns – namely the tense square aspect to Neptune in Pisces and the awkward quincunx with the powerful Moon-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn. So, this Mercury retrograde has the potential of ‘some good, some bad’. The signs involved – Gemini, Pisces and Capricorn – show an emphasis on flexibility and some uncertainty, but this isn’t necessarily going to sit well with a need for responsibility and control. So let’s take a look at the aspects involved.
Moon-Pluto Quincunx Mercury Retrograde
The Moon-Pluto conjunction in Capricorn speaks of a need take ownership of your responsibilities – particularly in the aftermath of some form of ‘explosion’. Explosions come in many forms – not just dynamite or volcanoes – and this conjunction suggests something occurs that rocks your world or has significant emotional impact. Incidentally, that may be either a deeply personal matter or a matter of public note – and Capricorn suggests that people are going to have strong feelings about events in the public domain.
So, how does this connect with Mercury retrograde? A quincunx (inconjunct) aspect is an awkward one because it often suggests something that’a a game-changer. So, what we may be looking at here is news of something that puts matters in a different light – and causes us to do that Mercury retrograde thing which is to reconsider our opinions about something – or someone. At a personal level, we may feel a need to be more secure – yet be uncertain about how to go about doing so. This aspect may make some of us reconsider how and where we live – though delay making the final decision until it’s over.
The big issues that may cause us to think again may concern public health, governance, money, big business, careers and the media – and there may be a financial impact or an impact on leisure time or the things we find pleasurable – because Venus is also involved in this aspect. Of course – the ‘sea change’ indicated by this can work both ways – there may be challenges, but there may also be things we consider to be a ‘reversion to type’, for example, getting our lives back to a degree of normality – though we will be fooling ourselves if we think things are going to be the same as before.
Mercury Retrograde Conjunct Venus
As I mentioned above, Venus’s conjunction with Mercury retrograde shows a rethink about financial matters and personal values and priorities – but it may also imply financial (Venus) revelations (Pluto) in the public realm – and news (Mercury) of fraud, corruption and tax evasion are often signified when Mercury retrograde conjunct Venus has contacts with Pluto – particularly when those in power have been complicit in attempting a cover-up by controlling (Pluto) the narrative (Mercury).
Abuses of power – particularly where women are concerned – may also be revealed as an issue and some of you may be impacted at a personal level, as you discover all is not what it seems. At a personal level there will also be a need to take more care of finances during this time. Read the small print, check your bank accounts and on-line transactions – and make sure your insurance is up to date. These are sensible precautions to take at any time – but Mercury retrograde in Gemini has a ‘financial flavour’ and the potential for being misled in a big way.
Mercury Retrograde Trine Jupiter
And the misleader in chief? Mercury retrograde’s trine aspect to Jupiter in Pisces is relevant here. Pisces is the sign associated with cloudiness and obfuscation and there is the potential for news of things being covered up or the need for investigations into things that have been obscured. This may involve large amounts of cash (as Jupiter trines Venus too) and this may also apply at a personal level, as it may be all too easy for you to overlook – or simply be unaware – that all is not well with your cash or other valued personal possessions.
However, there is another possibility signified by this aspect – and it’s to do with gaslighting. Pisces is foggy – and Jupiter is ‘big’ – so we may all experience periods of considerable disorientation where facts and figures are concerned over the next few weeks. Whether it’s in our personal lives, or in the public realm, we may simply not know who or what to believe. Mercury trine Jupiter is generally an optimistic aspect, however, this is Mercury retrograde so we will have look carefully at good news or big ideas to see whether they stand up to scrutiny.
Mercury Retrograde Square Neptune
One of the reasons for the above is the Square aspect between Mercury retrograde and Neptune in Pisces. Neptune in Pisces has been altering the relationship between truth, lies and our perceptions of reality for some time. Mercury in combination with Neptune is the classic indicator of lies and misrepresentation. A square aspect between the two of them is a tense aspect that demands action and it’s possible that lies will be uncovered, denials made and ‘dead cats’ littered all over the place.
Recognising and calling out lies for what they are may be difficult during this period as we can expect deflection and a lot of ‘whataboutery’. Again, this may be experienced at a personal level – usually as indecisiveness, lack of commitment, changes in plans or a general sense of aimlessness or procrastination when it comes to getting things done. Staying mentally focused is tough with Mercury retrograde in Gemini square Neptune in Pisces – and many of us will need to be aware of that. It’s also possible we may suffer from information overload – and pay less attention as a result.
Mercury Retrograde in Gemini: Direct Phase
After a testing few weeks, on June 22nd at 23:00 (UT) Mercury moves forward once more, at 16˚08″ Gemini. Mercury’s contacts are much more limited during the direct phase – and limited is the operative word as Mercury’s only aspect is a trine to Saturn. However, this is Mercury trine Saturn retrograde in Aquarius – and you can follow the link to read about that particular transit if you haven’t done so already – but to remind you, that particular big noise in the sky is about how we deal with change and confusion in an uncertain world.
This aspect between Mercury and retrograde Saturn ties Mercury into a much bigger theme than merely the familiar Mercury retrograde tales of lost phones or stolen laptops. Mercury in direct phase has contact with the Saturn-Uranus square that’s dominating the heavens, and that is potentially significant because it could imply that Midsummer is the time when things come to light – in more ways than one – so let’s look closer at the relationship between Mercury and Saturn retrograde to assess how that could be so.
Mercury Trine Saturn Retrograde
As I mentioned in my earlier blog post about Saturn turning retrograde in Aquarius on May 23rd, Saturn retrogrades offer us a space in which we can develop clarity and a re-defined sense of solidity, solidarity and realism. Saturn represents time and process and a trine from Mercury to retrograde Saturn implies the time has come to think carefully about how we use and process information. But it’s also more than that. It’s about learning lessons in life too – and perhaps even learning the hard way for some of us.
Saturn is also concerned with common sense, so when Mercury trines Saturn retrograde, perhaps it will be time when a few things start to make sense. The revelations of the Mercury retrograde period may make us stop (Saturn retrograde) and think (Mercury) about how seriously we should pay attention to the things we think and say – and the potential consequences of our words.
However, it’s also worth noting the sextile aspect between Saturn retrograde and Chiron, the wounded healer. As the retrograde period eases as Mercury goes direct, perhaps there will be the chance to begin the process of healing, or to make amends. The opportunity to reconnect – in so many ways – is a valuable one we should not ignore. All things are connected – and maybe this Mercury retrograde period is where we start to join the dots…
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© Sara Shipman
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