Your 2021 Mercury Retrograde horoscope

Cosmic Cannibal 

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     I’ve been warning you about this transit for days (or has it been weeks?), and it has finally arrived: Mercury, the planet of communication, has stationed retrograde in air sign Libra, where it will spiral backwards until Oct. 18.  

     Now, it’s one thing to hear about the Mercury Retrograde transit, but it’s quite another to know where and what parts of your life the transit will attempt to turn upside down. So, without further ado: 

Your 2021 Mercury Retrograde horoscope 

Aries ♈ 

     Are your one-on-one relationships on the fritz? Mercury Retrograde doubles back through your 7th House of partnerships, causing communication misfirings with your life, love or lab partner. Whatever you say cannot be taken back — but sometimes we have to speak our minds to those closest to us — and vice versa. If things get too heated, don’t be afraid to concede. Actions may speak louder than words, but a verbal apology works wonders on the wounded…  

Taurus ♉ 

     Time to reorient your routine. Mercury retrogrades through your 6th House of daily dealings. Your schedule and to-dos are in for a shakeup. For the next three weeks, you can expect appointment delays, cancelations or rescheduling, some extra stress from one or more of your pets as well as a little bit of chaos at work and school. These are all minor distractions that could interfere with your attitude and equilibrium — should you let them…  

Gemini ♊ 

     Gambling urges re-emerging? Mercury Retrograde circles back through your 5th House of risk, romance and creativity, and you’re itching to push your luck in love. My bottom line: Don’t text that ex. Instead, fall back in love with your muse. Creatively speaking, this is an ideal period to return to any pre-existing projects — poems, short stories, art — and revise. You’re better apt to spot plot holes or variances that affect the aesthetic of a project…   

Cancer ♋ 

     Questioning the status quo? Mercury Retrograde moonwalks through your 4th House and brings back crippling doubts about your current state of affairs. Really, it’s insecurities about your past and future that have you wondering about today. The biggest questions in your mind: how can you balance your needs with the needs of those in your home environment? You already know the answer, but Mercury Retrograde keeps you from seeing what’s right in front of you…  

Leo ♌ 

     Lessons in idea exchange aren’t over yet. Mercury Retrograde double backs through your 3rd House of communication. There’s a tide of correspondence — emails, texts, phone calls — that you may have left by the wayside. It’s not that you don’t love the fact that nearly everyone you know (particularly siblings) wants to talk to you or grab coffee with you or hear your opinion on their work/life/relationship; you just have other things on your mind…   

Virgo ♍ 

     Values, assets and money are askew. Mercury Retrograde backtracks through your 2nd House of money and material resources, disrupting your budget. Any big items purchased, especially tech items, will not live up to your high expectations. Disappointments prompt you to question why your expectations are so high, which could lead to a revelation about your attitudes toward money and self-worth. Don’t know your attitudes toward money? This might be the time to figure them out…   

Libra ♎ 

     Let’s be frank: You care about your body. Mercury Retrograde is in your 1st House of self-image, creating many vain doubts. Your body is your vehicle in this world, and while it may not be what you perceive to be the “ideal” make and model, it’s still deserving of care and attention. Unfortunately, this is not the time to begin any fad diet or self-improvement scheme. The effects won’t last and you’ll only feel frustrated…   

Scorpio ♏ 

     Subconscious woes emerge. Mercury Retrograde is in your 12th House of personal unconscious, and its drumming up worries, fears and people from the past. Confront your karma and its baggage to understand that it is what have helped shape your present. This is a period of weird dreams and warped intuition. If possible, stay home as much as you can. You’re not into socializing anyway, and you’ll benefit from some alone time…  

Sagittarius ♐ 

     Say sayonara to your friends — JK, though you might want to mince your words when you get into an argument with your buds to prevent a massive misunderstanding. Mercury Retrograde backpedals through your 11th House of social circles, making communication between yourself and your clique go haywire. Tact has never been one of your strongest soft skills, so it’s especially important that you employ some verbal sensitivity and discretion these next three weeks… 

Capricorn ♑ 

     Communication with authority figures — parents, teachers, bosses, etc. — takes a turn at some point. You could let slip that you’re fed up with following their rules. This is totally out of character for you because you love rules and follow them to the letter, obviously. But Mercury Retrograde is in your 10th House of status, mussing up your image. Your gripes and grumbles could alter the way these powerful people see you and create some disharmony…   

Aquarius ♒ 

     Adventures and mini getaways you’ve been planning could end up being rescheduled or canceled altogether. Important exchanges between you and potential grad schools may also get fudged up. Mercury Retrograde is in your 9th House of travel, philosophy and higher learning, and he is disrupting most of your plans for the future. Your challenge is to let the chaos unfold naturally without attempting to restructure it. The potential reward: a more serene and level-headed worldview…  

Pisces ♓ 

     Psychological dissonance is par for the course this Mercury Retrograde cycle. The planet is reversing through your 8th House of inner depths (including secrets), urging you to rethink how you think about the taboo parts of you. This isn’t pleasant, but it’s helpful. An ex with whom you had an intense relationship may also return, spurring an emotional crisis (or two). Stay calm, Pisces. In three weeks’ time, you will find yourself utterly transformed…