On August 11, Mercury, the Planet of Communication, is finally leaving the chaos of Leo and entering into a more practical and focused sign of the zodiac: Virgo. This placement, which will last until August 30, can be super-advantageous if you know how to use it. It helps us look at the world through a more type-A lens, making this the perfect time to get things done — and in the words of Britney, work, bitch.
"In Virgo, Mercury is exalted, meaning Virgo is its absolute favourite sign to be in," says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Inner Luminary Power. Mercury is the natural ruler of Virgo, so it's right at home when it's in the sign of the virgin. "This is a transit that happens once a year, and every time this planet pairs with this sign, our mental capabilities reach their highest potential," she says.
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If Mercury in Virgo was a person, it would be the straight-A student who naturally overachieves and isn't afraid to show it. In short, this is a great time to start projects, complete unfinished business, and take charge of organising what needs to be put in place.
"During this time, you may have breakthroughs to situations that have felt sticky or confusing," says Madi Murphy, co-founder of The Cosmic RX and The Cosmic Revolution. You might also be motivated to follow through on some ideas that came to you earlier this month — like a creative burst of inspiration that hit during Leo season, or a realisation of a big dream or desire that stirred up around August 8's Lion's Gate new moon energy, Murphy says. If Mercury in Leo was about dreams, Mercury in Virgo is all about turning those dreams into a reality.
Although this transit is generally a good one, it can bring some drama. As you can imagine, the shadow side here is perfectionism — which is bad enough when directed inward, but can be straight-up toxic when directed outward, toward other people. "The downside to Mercury in Virgo is that at times it can be so discerning one can become lost in details, overly critical, or picky," says Leslie Hale, psychic astrologer for Keen.com. "It is important to remember that while constructive criticism is one thing, Virgo can get caught up in being so overly critical, others are turned off. Most of the time, however, Virgo’s true intent is just to get things right." Give the people in your life a little grace during this period, and try to remember that we're all just doing our best.
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The clarity we may experience regarding all those exciting next steps we could be taking right now could also trip us up, says Lisa Stardust, the author of Saturn Return Survival Guide and The Astrology Deck. "Mercury will square off with the Nodes of Destiny on August 15, bringing out anxieties," she notes. "We may see things that we’ve never understood before making us take action in how to move forward."
But largely, this transit is a good one. And from August 16 to August 22, we're in for an extra-special treat. "What's exciting is that while Mercury is in Virgo, Venus will also be in Libra, while three other three planets are also in their home signs," says Montúfar. "This brings us incredible opportunities for manifestation, as we will have access to these five planets' superpowers." In other words, the stars are aligned.
Mercury in Virgo is making us eager to put our brains to use, so Hale and Murphy both suggest allotting at least some time during this window to working on any projects that require a good amount of organisation.
Finally, make your way to inbox zero, or make a business plan for your side hustle, or even put your powers toward something fun, like planning a safe way to touch base with all those friends you've been feeling distant from lately. If we focus and put our minds to these tasks, we'll be truly unstoppable.