Mercury Retrograde by Sign

Communications get slammed once more as Mercury backtracks through the heavens from September 6 to 28. This time, the planet-of-talk will be retrograde in Virgo (from the 6th to the 16th) and Libra (from the 17th to the 28th). During the Virgo influence, expect communication snafus involving your work, health and service-related projects.

During the jaunt through Libra, watch out for misunderstandings involving legal issues, negotiations, and discussions with your significant other. Starting new projects will be challenging, too, and may need some reworking after Mercury turns direct on September 29.

On the bright side, Mercury Retrograde can improve your life by encouraging you to review – and learn from – the past. So during the next three weeks, make time for introspection, meditation and discussions about your life with a confidante. Then you’ll be better able to realize your dreams in the weeks and months ahead.

To get the specifics on how Mercury Retrograde will likely affect you, read your Sun and ascendant signs below.

Virgo: Retrograde Mercury traveling through your sign can produce some intriguing insights about your personal life – if you take time out of your busy schedule for some quiet introspection. After the 16th, you’ll want to be on the lookout for snafus in your financial transactions. And put off launching that new moneymaking idea until after the 28th.

Libra: Reminiscing about the past can open an inner door that looks out onto a whole new vista in your life. In other words, the past can be the porthole to the future – if you heed your intuition. After the 16th, retrograde Mercury traveling through your sign will also enhance your path – but only if you take the time to review (and learn from) your personal history.

Scorpio: Conversations with close friends about the past can bring insights about where you’re headed and how to get there. Group therapy or discussions will be enlightening as well. After the 16th, taking some quiet time for meditation and introspection will illuminate your inner life, and help to heal the past. Pay attention to your dreams and intuitive hunches, which are unusually psychic right now.

Sagittarius: If you feel like you’ve entered a black hole when talking to your boss or a colleague, it’s just retrograde Mercury traveling though your career sector. On the plus side, reviewing your goals will clarify your direction. After the 16th, watch out for misunderstandings during group discussions. Also, a friend from the past may reappear. Has something been left unsaid?

Capricorn: If you find yourself yearning to embark on a spiritual retreat, or scale the heights of Machu Picchu, or take a belly-dance class, it’s because retrograde Mercury is traipsing through your sector of spirituality, travel and education. Just be sure to double-check your plans. After the 16th, be on the lookout for miscommunications with your boss or your co-workers.

Aquarius: As retrograde Mercury stimulates (verbally) your sector of sexuality, you may find yourself steering your bedmate in the right directions, so to speak. And because it’s also the sector that pertains to debt, be sure to look those banking documents over for errors. After the 16th, it’s time to review your spiritual beliefs and your education goals.

Pisces: It’s couples therapy time for fish. Although you’ll have to be extra clear in your words and intentions, retrograde Mercury is a good time to talk with your partner about the past, so you can resolve those issues that keep cropping up. After the 16th, it’s time to discuss emotional and sexual intimacy and, on a practical level, your shared finances.

Aries: If a grumbling email you wrote about your boss unexpectedly lands in his inbox, or your gym membership charges you double this month, you’ll know retrograde Mercury is to blame, so be vigilant about work and health communications. After the 16th, a misunderstanding with your partner or a mistake on a legal document is likely, so check the facts carefully.

Taurus: Romance is divine, but not when you mess up on the time of the rendezvous, or run into an old lover while on a date with your current one. Yes, retrograde Mercury is traveling through your romance sector. Talks with young people can be challenging, too, unless you’re discussing the past. After the 16th, recheck documents related to your work and healthcare.

Gemini: Talking about your family history can shed light on an emotional issue that’s troubling you. After the 16th, discussions with your sweetie about the past will help clear the air. If you’re solo, a former lover may contact you, or a sudden insight about a past relationship could prompt you to take steps toward improving your love life.

Cancer: If you need to repeat yourself (repeatedly) or else risk being misunderstood, you’ll know that retrograde Mercury is at work. Recheck paperwork and travel arrangements for errors as well. After the 16th, discussions with a family member may be trying, especially if an old issue comes back to haunt you. Strive to see all points of view.

Leo: Don’t be surprised if the check that’s supposedly in the mail lands on your neighbor’s doorstep. Retrograde Mercury is making its way through your financial sector, so verify those financial documents and agreements. After the 16th, communications in general will be iffy – so strive for clarity when you’re speaking, and be sure you understand what others are trying to say.