Mercury Retrograde for All Signs Aug - Sep 2023

Here we go! Another retrograde begins this week.

In addition to Saturn, Venus, Neptune and Pluto all being retrograde, now Mercury joins the party.

This is one of the best times of the year for slowing down, reflecting and doing regular meditation practice. Check out the free Quietmind Yoga podcast for guided meditations.

Last week I attended a beautiful retreat in Mexico where the message to me was very clearly about slowing down. Even on my first day, I drove the road I normally take to town, but for the first time ever there was a major traffic jam. This never happens in this small village, but there I was behind dozens of cars, trucks and motorcycles, having to slow down. Thankfully, I left very early, so I was still early to class. This was the first of many experiences like this where the message was clearly to slow down. We did mindful eating practices, long meditations, long eye gazing, and time in noble silence each day. These all happen to be great practices to do during all this retrograde energy, and it felt like exactly where I needed to be.

You can find these qualities in anything you do, anywhere you go. You can pause before beginning a meal. Take a moment to smell the food. Take a moment to pause before getting on your devices and set an intention for your time.

I actually love these retrograde times because they give us a chance to practice svadyaya - self reflection - which is part of the 8 limbs of yoga. I grew up in poverty with no resources and have been fortunate to create a life I love, and I can attribute most of that growth to the practice of self reflection and self study, and now is one of the best times of 2023 for that kind of work.

Listen to the new Quietmind Astrology Podcast for interpretations for each sign. Listen for your rising AND moon sign - from Vedic only! This does not apply to Western/Tropical astrology.

Wed, Aug 23 - Mercury Retrograde (21 Days)
This retrograde happens in Uttaraphalguni in Leo.
Now is the time to retrace steps you've taken over the past 3 weeks. What have you learned about your communication? How can you more authentically and powerfully express yourself and your creativity? Are there any business matters that need to be fixed or cleaned up? Anything left unsaid that needs to be talked about. This transit can bring greater love, loyalty and enjoyment to life by addressing these issues. The general rule now is to not start completely new things that arise in this transit, but to build upon what has already been in motion.

There is more to this than just Mercury Retrograde though. There are also a few important aspects:

Mercury is ruling over Mars in Virgo: This means that our actions benefit from being more deliberate, thoughtful and intentional. A great time to get a lot done around organizing, systemizing, cleaning and sorting out any area of your life. A great time for being very intentional and thoughtful in an exercise and training program. Tracking your food and exercise can lead to major improvements in your health, flexibility and strength.

Sun Conjunction and Combustion: The Sun is near Mercury through this whole transit and shines a spotlight on all the above issues. This means if you avoid them you will feel drained, depleted and inauthentic. If you address them, you’ll feel an increase in vitality and power. This combination can also bring about sudden major insights and realizations, particularly around September 6th when the combustion is at exact degrees. This happens with some regularity, the next one is on Oct 19th.

Saturn in Aquarius has a 7th aspect on Merucry that brings limitations and encourages us to think practically, mature and realistic about the above issues. The more we can align with our bigger picture vision for ourselves and society, the more support we’ll find from others, and the less limited we’ll feel.

Jupiter’s 5th aspect brings good fortune and support from the universe. Watch for syncronicities and be open to support from others. Wise teachers and mentors can help tremendously in making good choices now. This also encourages a child like playfulness, curiosity and creativity. There is a sense of ‘anything is possible’ which can be overwhelming, so be sure to focus your attention into one thing at a time, that’s all anyone can do.

Rahu’s 5th aspect gives us the fortune, wisdom, knowledge and experience to dispel illusions. Old ways of thinking that are no longer serving you become obvious. It’s especially easy right now to just drop those old ways of being and seeing the world and make space for more empowering and supportive beliefs and perspectives.

As always, the best way to understand and make the most of astrology is to know your own birth chart, your dashas, and how the transits are effecting you personally. Click here to schedule a reading.

Ultimately, the best student of any topic is the person who knows how to teach it. If you’re interested in becoming a Certified Vedic Astrologer, stay tuned because i’ll be opening the Vedic Astrology Mentorship next month!

Jeremy Devens,
Founder, Quietmind Astrology

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Keywords: nakshatras, grahas (planets), rashi (zodiac signs), bhavas (houses), mahadasha, antardasha, jyotish (astrology), yoga (planetary combinations), doshas (afflictions), kundali (birth chart), transits, retrograde, aspects, dasha system, remedies, mantras. Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces. Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Rahu, Ketu.