Mercury will soon retrograde for the third and final time in 2021. A retrograde is when any planet moves backward in the zodiac. This time Mercury will be retrograding from 25º to 10º of Libra. Retrogrades symbolize a time when we reevaluate, review, or reconsider things associated with a certain sign and planet. This is why astrologers usually do not recommend getting married or signing contracts during a retrograde period.

Mercury is a planet that represents communications, commute, and commerce. These things are likely to be affected during this time. Mercury stations retrograde at 10:10pm PDT on September 26th, 2021. As far as aspect relationships, Mercury will be trine to Jupiter and squaring Pluto as it stations retrograde. This indicates that Mercury will have a strong influence to the planet of abundance and conflict with the planet of overwhelm during this retrograde period, which will last until October 18th.

If you have Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, or Pisces rising in your natal chart or your timelord is Mercury, this retrograde period is likely to be powerful for you. This could also more directly affect people with placements at 10º to 25º of Libra in their birth chart.

Mercury entered the “pre-shadow” period when it reached 10º Libra on September 6th. So certain things that happened from September 6th to the 26th will be addressed again during this retrograde.

When Mercury returns to 10º Libra on October 18th, it will station direct and begin to move forward again. As it progresses to 25º Libra a second time, it will be in the “post-shadow” period resolving and finalizing things that were addressed while it was retrograding.

Last year all of our 2020 Mercury retrogrades began in water signs. This symbolized how the first year of the pandemic was an extremely emotional time for everyone. Overall, it was a year to reflect on our intense feelings and redirect them accordingly.

With the Mercury retrogrades all happening in air signs this year, we are being asked to revise our thought processes, the information being consumed, and what we believe is logical. Now rather than feeling like misinformation is taking control of us, we are experiencing more rationality this year since we have moved past our emotional reactions to the pandemic. Unfortunately, there is more work to do.

At the start of this year in February, Mercury retrograde in Aquarius was a time for us to reexamine our ideologies and figure out the best way to advance the collective. The following June, Mercury retrograde in Gemini was an opportunity for us to review the details of constantly shifting contradictory information. 

Now in Libra, Mercury retrograde will help us judge the established values held by others. We will be reconsidering our relationships and deciding how to best preserve our peace. As a collective, we will also be reevaluating where we want to spend our money and what things are worth in general.

Here is a list of all the main Mercury retrograde in Libra aspects and events of 2021:

• Oct 1- Mercury retrograde square Pluto retrograde at 24º Capricorn

• Oct 3- Mercury retrograde trine Jupiter retrograde at 22º Aquarius

• Oct 9- Mercury retrograde conjunct Sun at 16º Libra

• Oct 9- Mercury retrograde conjunct Mars at 16º Libra

• Oct 16- Mercury retrograde sextile Venus at 10º Sagittarius

Next year our Mercury retrogrades will all begin in air signs but end in earth signs. The last retrograde of 2022 will begin in an earth sign. This signifies how next year we will be further refining our thoughts and realizing how to materialize them. It indicates how we will make solid changes to our world based on the logic and rationality we have developed.