As the Mind Slows Down
Moments in the Flow…on the way to Mercury Retrograde
Hello again,
Here it is, the Friday before Mercury retrogrades in Cancer (on Monday June 29th at 1:36 p.m. EDT, not long before the Capricorn Full Moon arrives). And here we are, just two days from the station when Mercury ‘stands still’ on Sunday and I am attempting to write the Friday post. I have found that slow-motion can be more noticeable than the retrograde effects.
The retrograde process for planets always involves a slow down and a station before the retrograde begins and slowly gets up to retrograde speed. The same will happen before direct motion begins again. The cycle resonated with the three days of the Sun standing still on the solstices. Or the unseen Moon before, during, and after the New Moon arrives.
I looked at Virgo Mercury Retrograde in an article in 2024. And, yes, the details of Mercury Retrograde will be in the Moondays Report this Sunday, too, but in a more precise and no-nonsense way than what I am up to here. Especially since there are articles for Capricorn Full Moon and Jupiter’s entry into Leo.
As the mind slows down, there are other nuances about this subject that are worth knowing. Especially for the Mercury retrograde in Cancer.
Signs and Mercury Retrograde
Why do some people say, ‘This is the worst retrograde Mercury ever!’ While others don’t seem to notice? One reason is the sign of Mercury in their birth chart. And another is the sign of Mercury in the retrograde. Include the house(s) Mercury rules and the house where the retrograde transit takes place. Combine these to know the effects the retrograde brings.
The Chart Ruler
And if you happen to have Mercury as a chart ‘ruler’ (you would have Gemini and/or Virgo Sun and/or Ascendant) the backward motion is felt in a general way. And though the next idea isn’t classic or in any book I know of, my personal experience might suggest that if you have your Moon in one of those signs, Mercury is a big influence as well. And for this retrograde, the Moon rules Cancer and shows our instinctive response to our environment.
The Sign of Mercury
Mercury is the messenger between the Gods and the humans. Depicted with wings on his ankles, the emphasis of the mental Air realm is clearly there. In the order of human development, Gemini is the sign of Mercury. It comes after the birth of the body and senses have been felt. It is when we notice the presence of others (the first duality, me and not me) and make sounds to communicate our needs. Eventually we begin to recognize and classify the people we see and start to move on our own to investigate our surroundings. And our noises gradually become the language our family speaks.
But there were only five visible planets when this system was formed and because thought goes into the analysis and logic-loving earth sign Virgo, they also placed him here. After all, this earth sign is mutable which is changeable and that is also a quality of Gemini.
But these signs also square each other in a challenge mode. Gemini is dualistic and may flit from one thought to another. This disturbs Virgo, which likes it best when things are in order and stay that way.
Many astrologers of today are working to update this idea of sign rulership. We have the famous three outer planets; Uranus, Neptune, Pluto given to (in that planet list order) Aquarius, Pisces and Scorpio.
And we recently saw the upgrade of a large asteroid, Ceres, to a dwarf planet orbiting between Mars and Jupiter. And since she is the goddess of the grains and creator of cycles, who also remained unmarried, she’s my vote for Virgo now.
The House of Mercury
In the Zodiac, Gemini is on the third house, which holds the issues of Mercury. The third house is our ‘lower’ or first level of education. It is where we gain information, names and classify things in the environment. It indicates the nature of our thinking and communication and relates to siblings, extended family, neighborhood and neighbors and short journeys to places known but also new as Mercury and Gemini are curious.
The Sign of the Mercury
Mercury as the Mutable Air planet is most comfortable when in other Air signs, Libra and Aquarius. It does well when in the active fire signs of Aries, a bit bogged down in fixed fire Leo and has challenges in Sagittarius, Gemini’s opposite sign. Sagittarius wants to expand the mind and create a belief system and/or philosophy, The easy image relates to a forest: Gemini wants to stop at and analyze, classify and count every tree while fire sign Sagittarius prefers to be the overseer, like a drone that can give the image of the whole forest.
The challenges also come when the transit is in the cardinal and fixed earth signs (Capricorn, which sets limits and follows them and Taurus, which will stay put on one idea) and all three of the water signs of cardinal Cancer which I will discuss here, fixed Scorpio, which is intensely focused on personal safety, and mutable Pisces, with feelings coming before knowing and little desire to stay in realms of logic and analysis.
Mercury in Cancer
This is a sensitive sigh that needs to feel secure, emotionally and materially. It hides vulnerability with an outer shell. Cancer is a daydreamer and may be focused on memories or hopes for reuniting with loved ones who have passed. Cancer collects and is sentimental and nostalgic. Cancer takes things personally and may be easily offended.
Mercury in Cancer is already in a bit of a haze. The Bach Flower for this sign is Clematis which he calls the remedy for the ‘absent-minded Professor,’ a popular image of his time. It is in the Rescue Remedy Blend. And so, Mercury in Cancer may be in a state of distraction and forgetful even in direct motion.
Now add the slowdown. And then the stop. Especially for those with the rulership, Mercury in Gemini, or with natal Mercury in a fire sign, grounded fixed Taurus or regulation-seeking Capricorn, drifting Pisces and secretive Scorpio the challenge or exacerbation of the issue for Mercury retrograde in Cancer increase.
Mercury retrograde in Cancer will bring up situations with home and family and the feeling of vulnerability. Where is the transit of 26-16 degrees of Cancer taking place? What house does Mercury rule in the birth chart? These are the places where most of the effects of the retrograde will be felt and experienced.
Positive Uses for a Mercury Retrograde
The mind is internalized during approximately 3 weeks of the retrograde. This gives us time to assimilate activities and thoughts. We can utilize this benefit in the ‘re’ words: review, replace, repair, revisit, remind, remember, rewrite, reconsider, reconnect, renovate.
While it’s not the best time to embark on new projects or launch a new business, etc., we can make headway with things already in progress. We may not be happy with a major purchase or decision made during Mercury retrograde after it turns direct. But we can make that purchase if we’ve already seen the item before the retrograde and are revisiting the item again. In Cancer these decisions may focus on the home and family, food, kitchen and bedroom.
For retrograde Mercury in Cancer, capturing those memories and thoughts in a journal can help ground the energy that keeps our head in the clouds.
Taking the Bach Flower remedy Clematis and diffusing essential oils which promote mental clarity and grounding--Vetiver, Patchouli, Cedar and Lemon, Eucalyptus, Sweet Basil, and Rose Geranium for relief of anxiety and general balance—will help bring us into the present moment.
Make lists of things you need to do, write down or enter the dates and times of meetings and check those daily, intend to focus about where you put your phone or keys, make a mental note of where you parked, etc..
The slowdown for direct motion will begin July 18th, the station on the 22nd and direct motion on the 23rd. Mercury will be up to speed again on August 1st, moving beyond the retrograde shadow on August 7th. And Mercury will enter Leo on August 9th.
There is one more Mercury retrograde in 2026 and it will begin on October 24th at 20 Scorpio.
See you next time…oh, and don’t forget to tap the heart icon or restack and share this post so others can read it…😉
Thank you!