Determined to save the world from one more plastic bag in circulation I confidently said “No I don’t need a bag” at the supermarket. When I realized squeezing my groceries into the two reusable bags I brought with me was going to take the organizational skills of a Virgo superhero, I almost asked for one. But the next customers groceries were quickly piling up next to mine and the cashier oblivious, deep in conversation with another customer. So I decided to grab my pile and reorganize outside.
Attempting to channel Durga, the Hindu Goddess with many arms, and trying to contain my flying food, I caught the yogurt going sideways, but the head of lettuce was not so lucky, and I watched it rolling down the sidewalk.
Resisting every urge I had to run after that head of lettuce, I managed to save the rest of my groceries from the same fate. I felt anger in my stomach, and embarrassment, I didn’t dare look up to see who was being entertained by my clumsiness. So I had a little talk with myself about Patience and Humor as being necessary Survival Skills for the current Mercury Retrograde.
Patience, because it was the fastest way out of this mess. I needed to focus on getting everything back in the bag and I couldn’t do that if I was flustered. Humor, well my big beautiful green head of lettuce was rolling down Cavour, one of the busiest streets in the heart of Rome. I think that’s actually pretty funny.
Mercury Retrograde can manifest in delays, breakdowns, and misunderstandings. When things don’t go as planned, some humor and patience can go a long way, and Mercury Retrograde will offer up lots of opportunity for you to practice!
The June/July 2020 Mercury Retrograde is in the sign of Cancer, and will retrograde or reverse from 14 degrees Cancer back to 5 degrees Cancer. Depending on where you live, Mercury retrograde starts June 17 or 18, and end on Sunday, July 12. Since the beginning and end of Mercury Retrograde are the most sensitive, give yourself extra time on and around those dates. There is a shadow period a few weeks before and a few weeks after the retrograde where the energy is still at play. It’s a gradation not an on/off switch.
If you have a personal planet like the Sun, Moon, Venus, Mercury, or Mars, from 5 to 14 degrees of Cancer, Libra, Capricorn, or Aries you will feel this intensely. If you have a lot of the element water in your chart, you may be especially sensitive to memories or contacts from the past. Mercury is the planet of communication and learning, and Cancer is a sign of sentiment, nurturing, security and caretaking.
Great things to do in a Mercury Retrograde include opting to rearrange or review something already started, and to re-evaluate. Cancer is a nurturing sign, so you might cook an old family recipe, get a massage or evaluate your self-care routine. Rather than starting something new, see what loose ends or old projects you can wrap up, especially in relation to the area (house topics) of your chart where Cancer is.
To find out more on how this energy appears in your chart, look for the house cusp in your chart that has Cancer, and any planets and important points that are in Cancer (Ascendant, Midheaven).
For a description of the planets, signs and houses, click here.
To schedule an in depth look at your individual chart click here.
It is not recommended to make major purchases under a Mercury Retrograde, especially communication and technology related stuff.
Be patient with yourself, take a deep breath, and find humor in your daily life. If you want to share your Mercury Retrograde story, please comment below. For me, I am hoping no more rolling heads of lettuce down the street!