During this retrograde Mercury travels between 26° and 16° Cancer
Preshadow :: June 12th – June 29th
Retrograde :: June 29th – July 23rd
Postshadow :: July 23rd – August 7th
Mercury has been in preshadow since June 13th.
Whatever came up around the 13th, expect to be revisited and explored further.
Mercury had been making it’s way toward Jupiter but couldn’t quite get there. Reaching an orb of about 3° before slowing completely for retrograde. Some connections that seemed promising are wavering or even unavailable. Don’t be discouraged, the patience you show during the next month+ will pay off in the long run. People, ventures and goals require more thought and personal development in order to capitalize upon the potential. See this time as an opportunity to research and reflect.
Mercury catches up to Jupiter in Leo @10° on August 15th. That is not too far away. At that point, the opportunities ‘lost’ may be revisited.
Let’s look into WHY we want things. What are the underlying motives? Is this actually good for us? Is it possible we have been rushing towards some goal or achievement on the legs of unconscious motivations? If so, this retrograde can feel confusing and may stymie progress. The key is to recognize the true motives and decide CONSCIOUSLY whether or not it is aligned with the life you want to create.
If we have made some big changes this month, they may take a while to take full effect. For example, if we started a new diet or health care routine, it may take until mid August to see our best results. If we recently quit a job, drug, food or habit, it may take 5-7 weeks to fully detox, rest and recover.
Stay strong, don’t relapse, this time it’s for good, this is a new life for you and the people you care about.
There is a turning point in how we see ourselves on July 12th as Mercury meets up with the Sun (also known as Cazimi). Everything that has been up for review during the retrograde gets purified/audited at this time. Some stuff will burn off, some will intensify in order to have it seen fully.
Thus begins the depth of the retrograde. At this point, most of the issues are out in the open or at least closer to the surface. From here it is a slow moving Mercury allowing for feeling, recognizing, understanding and navigating the deeper issues both socially and personally. Expect less, reflect more, rest rest rest.
From the 12th of July until August 1st, Mercury is moving very slowly.
During this time Mercury will be between 16° and 20° of Cancer.
Retrograde in Cancer
The sign of the retrograde indicates themes. For Cancer, I would expect home, family, safety, security, boundaries, memories and the past to be a theme. In my experience, Cancer romanticizes the past. Nothing wrong with this, but it may be exacerbated by retrograde which also increases reminiscing and revisiting. We may find ourselves going in the WAY BACK machine, talking about memories and experiences. It can be a rewarding experience. Both emotional and fulfilling.
Astrology in real life… During this transit, I will be visiting my home town of Baltimore. In addition, I will be going to the summer vacation town from my childhood, Ocean City Maryland. In my natal chart, we see Cancer rising @17° and Cancer north node @22°. Both areas being transited by this Mercury Rx.
Have thoughts about this weird dude?
Send him a message about it…
I will be visiting family, seeing friends from childhood and college. I will be going places that hold my most deep and fond memories. I did not plan it this way, when this trip was booked, it was for various reasons and schedule details that basically chose this time for me. The irony is that, the details that prescribed these dates shifted a few weeks after booking the trip. As they say about astrology, it doesn’t cause us to do things, but it COMPELS us.
So because this is in the sign of Cancer, and it brings up all of these topics, there is no limit to where this may take us. One thing is for sure, stymied emotions and stuck energy will be a theme. It may feel that we are getting in touch with things that we did not know existed. The truth, which may show itself in months or years to come, is that we ignored, repressed or directly denied the realities underlying the emotions. That is a survival tactic and coping mechanism. No one is in the ‘wrong’ for lying to themselves. The key is to take advantage of when the truth finally comes back to speak to you.
Warnings for this retrograde…
Beware of romanticizing the past. Mostly people. They may be amazing, but they are far away from you for a reason, probably many reasons. Enjoy revisiting the good times, the past and the memories but keep a level head and focus on what feeds you in 2026.
An ex is an ex and may evolve into a friend, but don’t make them into a lover again.
Deep emotions don’t always mean there is something valuable underneath. Not every stone needs to be overturned. As Mars is in Gemini, it may be easy to investigate our psyche and look for interesting pieces of information. When it comes to long buried feelings, they just want to be felt. Do your best to give yourself time to feel, then do your best to activate and get present with your life. A good friend recently told me ‘Sometimes emotions are so deep and provocative that they make you believe there is something to figure out.’ That just isn’t the truth, feelings just want to be felt, your life awaits, go be decisive and choose your reality.
The value in the buried emotion is to feel it to completion and regain that space and energy for your life.
Get sunlight and outdoor time. I guess the warning here is to avoid isolation. Retrograde in a water sign and lead to stagnation, pity and getting lost in self. Be social, at least a little bit. At the very least, go outdoors and be inundated by the elements. Whether it is the sun, the heat, the wind, the rain, or the cold. Getting physically uncomfortable or getting physically active helps the body let go and get present with life.
Tips for this retrograde
Receive. Get a massage or let someone make you dinner. Only you will know the best way to feel nurtured, so make it your own.
Reach out to the people you love. It may feel like it has been ‘too long’, it hasn’t, this is perfect timing. Let them know how you feel and ask them about their lives. Use the fondness from the past to build rapport in the present.
Seek advice and share. Talk to a therapist, good friends or a reader about your life. Stay open to some outside perspective. This will go a long way to learning about how, when, why these interesting patterns all started.
Mercury and Jupiter
Mercury will meet with Jupiter on August 15th in Leo. More notably, Mercury is covering the same area of the chart that Jupiter covered over the last year. There is some good fortune to be found here. Through keeping an open and flexible mind, we might be able to regain things we’ve lost, misplaced or messed up while Jupiter was in Cancer. If enemies were made under the influence of Jupiter in Cancer, here is a chance to swallow your pride and chart a new course. It is always okay to change your mind, you just have to be willing to allow yourself to do so.
Some opportunities are about knowing what NOT to do, what to let go of and where to take a hard PASS.
Over the last year, we have all said plenty of things that simply ARE NOT ACCURATE. Instead, these statements were based on emotions, resentments and lack of honesty with ourselves and others. This retrograde holds the key to making amends, so pay attention to the signs and the opportunities.
Xx Be gentle with yourself so that you may be gentle with others xX
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