For the past month, Mercury retrograde in Libra has been wreaking havoc on us, stirring up drama in our relationships, messing with our technology, and disrupting whatever communication skills we thought we had. Finally, on October 18, the Planet of Communication will complete its backwards dance, freeing us from the dreaded shackles of its retrograde motion. But we're not quite out of the woods yet.
When Mercury retrograde ends and the planet turns direct, we enter into something called the retroshade zone, says Lisa Stardust, the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck. It's during this time, which lasts until November 2, that she says "the wildest and wonkiest things" can to happen to us. "Being that Mercury is in the air sign Libra, we can expect gossip and relationship drama," Stardust explains. "This is the time when the tea comes out and secrets are revealed."
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But Stardust also says this is when we get to ask for forgiveness and mend what's broken. "It’s a great time to heal situations and relationships that have undergone issues during the actual retrograde," she says. Although rocky, this period may offer us an opportunity to repair the damage of Mercury's chaotic retrograde — especially any drama between you and your romantic partner. "While Mercury is shaking off the cobwebs, this is your chance to really integrate and apply any of the lessons you learned during retrograde," adds Madi Murphy, co-founder of The Cosmic RX and The Cosmic Revolution.
This opportunity to heal will be helped by a notable configuration, which began on October 15 and ends on October 19: "As the Planet of Communication prepares to go direct, it will be opposing Chiron retrograde in Aries," says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com. "This is bound to bring out insecurities from the past, making us revisit painful situations within relationships in which we didn't feel heard or seen." That sounds negative, but it's not: We're being given a chance to face those insecurities head-on, which is the only way we'll be able to move past them. Montúfar says if we're able to talk about them with someone we trust, there's room for some deep healing to happen.
Murphy says we can expect to feel extra-clear during this retro shade, which will be a welcome change given that we may have experienced some fogginess during the retrograde. "We always feel a certain level of mental clarity or added insight after a retrograde cycle, but this one, in particular, is extra heightened," Murphy says. "In the sign of Libra, which rules the mind, we really should feel a deep refreshing 'aha' moment." You heard it here first — schedule brainstorming sessions, charge forward with your big ideas, and just let your mind wander. Mercury retrograde is no longer blocking our creative juices from flowing, so now's the time to get your life back on track.
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Although Mercury direct will help us clear away the brain fog, Murphy still says that it's important to have patience for ourselves from now until November 2, as we're still healing from the planet's retrograde motion. "It still may take a little time to get projects going or balls rolling," she says. Practice forgiveness — with yourself and with others.
Worth noting: Just after Mercury straightens out, on the night of October 20, we'll experience a powerful and intense Full Moon in Aries. Montúfar says that this luminary is set to expose some secrets and bubble up some of our repressed anger from the past. "Mercury loves uncovering information and bringing stuff to the surface, and it will most likely intensify this Full Moon energy," she says. "Libra season has been about recalibrating our relationships to make them more balanced, and in a way, this is the grand finale, especially because Libra season ends just a few days after Mercury goes direct."
After a month in disarray, the true way to get through Mercury's direct turn is to be open, honest, and put your best communication skills forward. Putting it all out on the table will help you rather than hurt you during this time, especially if you surround yourself with those you trust.