How not to be a jerk when Mercury retrogrades into Virgo

Your inner critic is ramping up and the crumbs on the counter are itching to start a fight this week as Mercury, our planet of communication and exchange, moves from PR, jazz hands and the glow of Leo on July 25th. in the clean precise, perfect lines and keen observations of Virgo.

This is an ideal time to get organized, look for solutions, finalize details and copy bulls. Grab it while you can, folks, because the wild planet of words is going retrograde on August 4th.

Mercury is exalted and at home in Virgo and thus can fully and freely express its cerebral, communicative power. Virgo is the sign of service, and with Mercury here, we’re encouraged to put that mother to work for us.

As Joshua Pingley AKA The Spiritual Weatherman suggests, “Use this time to say what’s on your mind, get it over with, tell someone you don’t like that you don’t like them. Tell someone you like that you like them. Make that challenging decision at work. Make that challenging decision in your life. Mercury in Virgo is a time for action, dictated by words.”

Indeed, Mercury in Virgo supports and encourages plain truth, thorough analysis, and direct communication. Don’t hold back, mix it up or push it, as your words will ring much better this week than the next.

Mercury in Virgo is the ace in separating the necessary from the superfluous. Use this energy to clear and/or remove any areas of your life or the people within it that feel sticky or expendable. Cleaning house, literally and metaphorically, will offset any significant complications from the upcoming retrograde.

Readiness makes us ready, and no one does readiness more than Virgo.

Part of this preparation is gathering information and raising awareness. Tune in while the frequency is still clear and be open to sudden changes in perspective. My advice? Remove a physical object from your home and an obsessive thought from your mind.

The danger of Mercury in Virgo is a close relationship with details, a refusal to ask for help and a punishing need for perfection.

Consider the words of Anne Lamott: “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It’ll keep you tight and mad, and it’s the main obstacle between you and a first draft of sh-ty.”

Sometimes, nay, most of the time, it has to be bad before it can be great, and the space in between is where Mercury in Virgo really shines. So, my friends, give yourself the glorious freedom to fail so you can still soar.

Since Virgo is a mutable sign, the mutable signs Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces will gain more ground and feel the effects of this transit more acutely.

Astrology 101: Your Guide to the Star

Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and reports irreverently on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience.