Understanding Mercury Retrograde in Gemini

If you feel like you're speaking a different language than your bestie or S.O., your emails are getting lost in the abyss, a new client is ghosting you all of a sudden, or your devices have never been glitchier, you're undoubtedly feeling the effects of the second Mercury retrograde of the year. From May 10

If you feel like you're speaking a different language than your bestie or S.O., your emails are getting lost in the abyss, a new client is ghosting you all of a sudden, or your devices have never been glitchier, you're undoubtedly feeling the effects of the second Mercury retrograde of the year. From May 10 to June 3, Mercury will officially move backward, but even in its pre-retrograde shadow or storm phase, it can throw a wrench in your plans. From May 10 to 22, it moves back through the early degrees of mutable air sign Gemini, and from May 22 to June 3, it'll be back in fixed earth sign Taurus.

However, on the plus side, Mercury retrograde — especially in communicative Gemini and security-seeking Taurus — can be a productive time to reconnect with old friends, dive back into beloved books you haven't read in a million years, reassess your financial goals, or revisit a time, place, or experience that brought you comfort and pleasure. In other words, there are plenty of ways you might come away from this transit refreshed and ready to take on whatever's coming down the pike.

Mercury Retrograde

Three or four times a year, the planet that oversees communication, transportation, and technology appears to move backward from our vantage point on Earth for three weeks. The slowdown and backup tend to delay or curtail progress on all aspects of life that the messenger planet rules. However, it's also about taking all that mental energy we often expend out in the world and turning inward, reflecting, revising, and rethinking whatever it is we've been training our brains on for the past several months.

Keep reading to find out how this particular Mercury retrograde will affect you based on your sign.

Aries (March 21-April 19)

From May 10 to 22, messenger Mercury will move backward through your third house of communication, which could make this particular phase of the transit like a retrograde on steroids. Not only could all your tech be glitchier than usual, but misunderstandings might abound. You'll want to do your best to work on patience and diplomacy, which, yes, is challenging even when everything isn't going haywire around you.

However, there's a silver lining: The third house also involves short-distance travel, siblings, coworkers, and your local community, so you might find it easier to revisit a beloved road trip destination or reconnect with people you've been missing lately. Once Mercury backs up into your second house of income — where it was in mid-April — you'll be reassessing how you're bringing your skills to the table on the job and whether or not you're being valued as much as you believe you should be. It could be time to switch things up, whether that means raising your rates with your clients or looking for a new opportunity.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

The planet of communication moves backward through your second house of income from May 10 to 22, which could have you reimagining a particular source of cash flow. You could be going back to the drawing board to perfect a project — or rethinking how you want to tackle your work in a bigger picture sense (like maybe moving from full-time to freelance or vice-versa). With game-changer Uranus in your sign and so closely aligned with the April 30 eclipse in your sign, this is definitely a moment to embrace shaking things up.

While Mercury moves back into your sign and first house of self, where it last spent time in mid-April, you'll be thinking about how much energy you're giving passion projects and personal goals. While forward movement isn't necessarily fueled by this transit, you'll have a unique chance to re-envision, revise, and perfect your game plan. At the same time, you may be inspired to create more balance between tending to your needs and your one-on-one relationships.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

When it first kicks off its retrograde, from May 10 to 22, Mercury will be moving backward through your sign, Gemini. Being that it's also your ruler, you might feel a bit slowed down and off-track, especially in terms of making headway on personal aspirations. As we head into your sun sign season, you no doubt have lots of social and travel plans you'll want to stick to, as you absolutely should. Just make sure to build in extra time to get to happy hour — or the airport.

When the planet of communication moves back through your 12th house of spirituality from May 22 to June 3, think back to the headspace you were in around mid-April. You may have felt sleepier and dreamier, musing about what you want to accomplish in the weeks ahead. This time, you can use that energy to get even more conscious about what you want to achieve and how you can best care for your mental and emotional self to get there.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

The planet of communication begins its backward spin in your 12th house of spirituality from May 10 to 22, which could have you feeling super-sleepy and potentially a bit unmotivated. You'll be craving more time by yourself and more introspection. Your dreams and fantasies could get especially vivid, and keeping track — maybe by keeping a journal — can help you better pinpoint any underlying desires and emotional wounds that are most crucial to address now.

Although the messenger planet moves backward through your 11th house of networking from May 22 to June 3, you might find it's easier to touch base with old colleagues, friends, communities, or teams you used to be a part of. Whether you're striking up a conversation on LinkedIn about a job posting, discussing a previously backburner project you want to collaborate on, or taking a walk down memory lane, these moments could prove truly inspiring and make you feel more connected.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

With the retrograde lighting up your 11th house of networking and friendship from May 10 to 22, you'll likely be revisiting team projects that were previously put on hold or require polishing up. The experience could offer a new perspective on how you want to go about — and who can best support you in — fulfilling long-term wishes. Gathering notes and talking through potential game plans with friends or colleagues could be especially productive now, even if you're not necessarily up for taking action just yet.

While it is moving backward through your 10th house of career from May 22 to June 3, you could find yourself in the spotlight in a way that you perhaps only started to flirt with back in mid-April. You might be asked to take on a more visible role on the job, greater leadership, or more responsibility. At the same time, you'll get to reflect on whether this is ultimately the direction you want to be moving in or if it's a sign to switch things up.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

The messenger planet, which also happens to be your ruler, moves backward through your 10th house of career from May 10 to 22, nudging you to clarify your long-term professional goals. You might find this a particularly beneficial time to gather information, brush up on an old business plan, or talk through big-picture ideas with friends and colleagues. At the same time, you could feel like you're not at all on the same page with higher-ups or key clients, which could definitely prove frustrating but may also be an opportunity for you to be more specific about your vision.

As Mercury moves through your ninth house of adventure and higher learning from May 22 to June 3, you'll be compelled to research and possibly act on skill-boosting or horizon-broadening experiences (like taking a yoga teacher training or booking long-distance travel) that you previously put on hold.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Mercury's retrograde kicks off in your ninth house of higher learning and adventure from May 10 to 22, which could spur more self-reflection around your life philosophies and personal growth. You might feel like you need to reprioritize eye-opening experiences like travel or you want to brush up on your skillset so that you can be positioned to advance your career. All of this could feel equally inspiring and like a lot to wrap your head around, which is why this moment was made for slowing down and pinpointing what's really worth exerting your energy on now.

As the trickster planet backs up into your eighth house of intimacy from May 22 to June 3, you'll be focused more on joint resources and your comfort level with the give-and-take within your closest bonds. If it feels like there's been a lack of reciprocity between you and your S.O., a dear friend, or a loved one, you could be rehearsing how you want to broach the subject. Once you tune into your intuition, you could realize that now may actually be the best time to share exactly how you feel and work toward a resolution.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

This Mercury retrograde will begin in your eighth house of emotional bonds and intimacy — the house your sign rules and is, therefore, quite familiar with. From May 10 to 22, you could find yourself feeling a little bit stuck in the past, considering how difficult situations with loved ones have led to the state of relationships today. Although getting swept backward is somewhat inevitable now, you can take advantage of this moment by reframing and healing the past. Working closely with a trusted confidant, even a therapist, to talk through painful memories can help you move out of this transit feeling stronger and more centered.

From May 22 to June 3, the trickster planet moves back through your seventh house of partnership, a spot it transited in mid-April. You could be inspired to not only perfect your approach to goals you share with loved ones but potentially make plans with your dearest friend from the past or recreate your favorite date night with your S.O.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

As the messenger planet moves backward through your seventh house of partnership from May 10 to 22, you'll be meditating on the foundations of your one-on-one relationships — romantic, platonic, or professional. The big questions to ask yourself now are: Who do you want to pair up with, what will that ideally look like, and what compromises need to be made so that you're both able to feel like your needs are being met?

From May 22 to June 3, Mercury backs up through your sixth house of daily routine and wellness, nudging you to reassess your everyday hustle. It's possible that you've taken on too much lately (which would be no surprise as someone ruled by go-big-or-go-home Jupiter), and now you have the opportunity to zero in on the endeavors that are truly worth your time. You may realize that by deciding to hard pass on anything that's not in line with your long-term wishes, you'll feel even more fulfilled and successful — on a day-to-day basis.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

The planet of communication will be moving backward through your sixth house of wellness and daily routine from May 10 to 22, which could make it a bit tougher for you to plow ahead like you usually do in your day-to-day. Delays and miscommunications could strike, whether you're planning to go work out with a friend or move the ball forward on ongoing work projects. But you could find that you'll actually do well to take a step back from the hustle to slow down and get more intentional about what you're pouring your heart and soul into. Streamlining your efforts can make it even more possible to land on the results you've been working toward.

While Mercury retrogrades back into your fifth house of romance and self-expression from May 22 to June 3, you'll do best to embrace spontaneity — and being creative — because both will make it easier to have fun and connect with others now.

Aquarius (January 20-February 18)

From May 10 to 22, Mercury moves backward through your fifth house of romance and self-expression, which could make this a wonderful moment to go back to a creative project you previously put on hold. However, it also means you're a prime target for texts from exes or drama from the past. Remember that Mercury is the trickster planet, so ghosts coming back to haunt you might actually mean nothing whatsoever. They might be presenting you with the opportunity to tie up emotional loose ends and walk away from the past once and for all.

Speaking of the past, your inner life will be the main focus of the second half of the transit as Mercury backs up through your fourth house of home life, requiring you to reflect on your roots and the patterns, people, and behaviors that bring you a sense of security. What you work on now could lead to nurturing yourself in a different way moving forward.

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

While Mercury is retrograde in your fourth house of home life from May 10 to 22, you might want to tend to any long-held emotional concerns that you've been brushing under the rug for a while now. Although you might tend to opt for escapism over facing the reality of the matter, really dedicating yourself to self-reflection and caring for your inner self now may truly strengthen your sense of emotional well-being and security.

When Mercury moves back through your third house of communication from May 22 to June 3, you'll start to realize that you might be trying to take on way too much lately — whether in terms of social commitments, professional projects, or anything in between. This period can make it possible for you to 86 any commitments, relationships, or casual collaborations that just aren't in line with your ultimate needs or goals.

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