The final Mercury retrograde of the year is upon us, and, unfortunately, it won't be bringing with it any holiday cheer. Starting Wednesday, the astrological shakeup will send all but four zodiac signs into a tailspin when it comes to communication issues, according to astrology proEvan Nathaniel Grim. Keep reading to learn which signs will be affected, and how you can steer clear of any trouble until Mercury retrograde ends on Jan. 1, 2024.
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What exactly is Mercury retrograde?
Shutterstock / Vadim SadovskiThe term Mercury retrograde gets thrown around a lot these days as an excuse for people's bad moods and strange behavior. But do you actually know what it means?
"When a planet is 'retrograde' it means that Earth is passing it in orbit and that planet appears to be moving backward from our perspective," astrologerLauren Ash previously wrote for Best Life. "Mercury influences our day-to-day interactions, technology issues, and relationships in general, so when it goes retrograde, it indicates a collective slow-down in all of the above."
Why is this Mercury retrograde different?
ShutterstockEvery Mercury retrograde is a bit different, however, as the placement of other planets can impact its outcomes.
Professional evolutionary astrologerAylah Cadwell previously explained to Best Life that the Dec. 13, 2023 retrograde is taking place in Sagittarius. Since this zodiac sign is considered the adventurous world explorer, communication issues may especially affect travel plans, she noted.
In a TikTok video, Grim adds that this Mercury retrograde will "have people reevaluating their belief systems, their values, and their spending habits."
He adds, "Others will revisit periods of history out of pure curiosity; others might rethink a publishing or marketing plan; and there will be a lot of debates about how we should be educating people."
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These are the eight signs that will be affected.
iStockUnderstanding who will be most affected by the upcoming retrograde requires some more in-depth knowledge of decans. In a birth chart, each zodiac sign is divided into three decans, which can tell you even more about your personality.
"The first 10 days of your sign is the first decan, approximately the second 10 days of your sign is the second decan, and approximately the third 10 days is the third decan," Ash explained to Astrology.com. "For example, if you were born between the 11th and 20th of March, you would be considered a Pisces 3rd Decan."
In this particular case, "those of you with major placements in the first decan of the cardinal signs—Libra, Capricorn, Aries, and Cancer—and the third and final decan of the mutable signs—Gemini and Virgo but also Sagittarius and Pisces—will be impacted," Grim explains.
Here's what to expect.
iStockGrim goes on to say that for all eight of these signs and decans, "the domain of consciousness that particular placement represents" is what will be cause for concern during Mercury retrograde: "So if it was your sun, it would be your conscious self-expression; if it was your moon, it would be internal emotions."
He also notes that Mercury retrogrades three to four times a year, so it's nothing to fear.
"But it does mark a time when you should be retracing steps, reformulating ideas, and reflecting on your life direction," he shares. "And a time to be cautious in your communication, and to weigh the pros and cons of decisions carefully."
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