Mercury is in the microwave again. This August, Mercury, the planet that rules communication, quick thinking, and technology will retrograde, appearing to move backward in its orbit. So expect drama, delays, miscommunication, and things moving at a snail’s pace. Mercury will be retrograding from 5-28 August so things could go awry in your life, relationships, and career. Here’s how Mercury loves to mess things up.
1. Travel Disasters
Mercury is famous for messing with travel plans. Delayed flights, overbooked rental cars, or arriving at your hotel to realize you booked the wrong dates are all classic retrograde mishaps. As Mercury is the planet that rules technology and communication, double-check all your travel plans and if you can, limit travel during this phase.
2. Message Mixups
The Roman god Mercury was known for being the holy messenger, speedy in travel, a god of business, and wielding power over technology. Mercury retrograde is famous for causing glitches in these areas, so, if you notice strange happenings and setbacks it’s usually to blame. Emails and written communications, in particular, tend to be more prone to problems during this period. Confirm that your intended target got the message and be careful not to send the wrong message to the wrong person.
3. Technology Meltdowns
Because Mercury retrograde is tied to miscommunications and tech fails, it’s not unusual for systems to crash, emails and documents to disappear, or texts to fall into the wrong hands. Many people might send emails to the wrong person, causing an uproar. Be careful what you post on social media during Mercury retrograde, always back up your computers and photos and don’t buy any new tech-related products.
4. Tech-Based Discoveries
While most people see the retrograde as a time of frustrating hassles, there is good news. Sometimes, those tech-based mishaps bring hidden things to the surface. You might suddenly crack the code on a project you’ve been laboring over. In relationships, you might stumble across a secret text or message to discover your partner is having an affair or a friend or colleague has done something underhand.
5. Doubts About Your Future
If you’ve been dating your partner for a hot minute but start to doubt your future this could be Mercury talking to you. Perhaps you missed red flags in your relationship so Mercury is urging you to take a closer look. The thing to remember during a Mercury retrograde is signals are scrambled and people feel confused. It’s always better to wait for retrograde to pass before acting as not all is what it seems.
6. Tempers Will Flare
With all the crazy stuff happening during Mercury’s retrograde phase, some people might be more frustrated and irritable than usual. Delays and slow progress can cause impatient, hot-headed signs like Aries to snap, shout, and act aggressively. Communication is messed up during a retrograde so keep that in mind during interactions with partners, friends, and work colleagues. This too shall pass.
7. Nothing Is What It Seems
Mercury retrograde is all about miscommunication so it might seem like things don’t quite add up. They don’t. Every sign feels the effects of the retrograde in different ways. You overhear something that upsets you or someone may tell you some unpleasant news that may have been taken out of context. It’s also not the best time to sign contracts or commit to something. Try to put it off and always triple-check the fine print.
8. Your Ex Drops By
One of the most unexpected ways Mercury’s retrograde makes its influence known is by bringing back the past. On a positive note, this could mean that projects, job news, home renovations, or anything that stalled or was put on the back burner will start moving ahead. It could also mean dear friends you haven’t heard from for a while reach out. In your love life, an ex could resurface. You may run into them by coincidence or they could turn up unexpectedly hoping for a second chance. Remember waters are murky during retrograde so don’t make rash decisions, there’s a reason you split in the first place.
10. Reheated Issues
Given Mercury retrograde’s habit of bringing back the past, you could also find yourself revisiting old issues. Including rehashing previous problems or dramas in your relationship, with family, or at work. This is the universe’s way of reminding you there are some things you need to resolve to get closure and move on. Mercury is also highlighting that we are here to learn and grow. So if you didn’t learn what you needed the first time, it will bring it back with a vengeance.
11. Money Problems
Mercury has a lot of ties to the business and finance world. During the retrograde, this can translate into issues around money, particularly in personal relationships and your career. You might have your card declined after a fancy dinner on a date. Your partner might end up losing their job, putting strain on your relationship. A friend may ask for money. Or you could encounter a sudden unexpected expense or notice a discrepancy in your bank statement.
12. Sudden Breakups
Things can happen suddenly and chaotically during a Mercury retrograde. These aren’t usually new things, so if you’ve been putting something off for fear of change or upsetting someone they could bubble over during this backward phase. Relationships could reach breaking point or a partner could begin acting strange. Remember everyone and everything is out of sync during this time so people could say something they regret later. But if something ends that is Mercury’s way of course correcting.
13. Creative Blocks
For creative types, Mercury retrograde can mess things up big time. Backward movement, scrambled signals and confusion can all cause an epic case of writer’s or artist’s block or a total lack of inspiration. Creativity stops flowing smoothly and it might feel impossible to get anything done. Don’t force creativity during a retrograde. Take a break, look to new sources of inspiration, and revisit your project with fresh eyes once things start moving forward.
14. Second-Guessing Decisions
During Mercury retrograde, it’s common to second-guess just about every decision you make or have made. Whether it’s as trivial as where to eat dinner or as significant as moving in together, this period will cast a massive shadow of doubt. That’s just Mercury’s way of encouraging you to pause and reflect to ensure you are on the right path. If you are not it will step in and bring change to refocus your direction and decisions.
15. Career Crisis
Communication issues and confusion are the hallmarks of Mercury retrograde. In your career, this can translate to projects going off track, a stalled job offer, and issues with your colleagues or boss. Emails might get lost in the ether, meetings, and plans can be misinterpreted or canceled, or you might have to repeat instructions or clear up misunderstandings. Old work dramas could also resurface so keep a paper trail, and be super clear in your messaging.