Goodbye, Brain Fog: Mercury Retrograde Is Over

After a few long, grueling weeks of chaotic energy, Mercury retrograde is finally coming to an end, and we are so, so grateful. On September 15, Mercury will turn direct, ending its reign of terror (just kidding, but not really) and beginning a new, calmer phase of the year. Pat yourself on the back, dear reader — we did it.

The hazy frustration of brain fog has felt ever-present thanks to this planetary backspin, but Mercury retrograde ending will lift the clouds and clear our thoughts. "Decision-making can become more straightforward when Mercury is direct," Hillary Coke, astrologer and tarot expert at Nebula Platform, points out. "Our travel plans, contracts, and agreements that may have been on hold or subject to delays during the retrograde phase can now move forward more smoothly. This time will often bring a favorable time to start taking action and moving forward with any plans you have."

If you've had a rough go during this particular retrograde, don't sweat it — there's literally an astrological reason as to why this one was out of this world whacky. "Since it overlapped with retrograde season, and especially the retrograde of Venus, the third retrograde of Mercury in 2023 was intense!" says Narayana Montúfar, senior astrologer for Astrology.com and author of Moon Signs: Unlock Your Inner Luminary Power. "Since it happened in Virgo, a zodiac sign that tends to be nit-picky, this retrograde of Mercury exposed a lot of imbalances in our lives. We were forced to take a hard, cold look at our lives and everything that wasn’t totally working."

Virgo's ruling planet is Mercury, the Planet of Communication, so when it retrogrades it can feel a little more amplified and intense, according to Stephanie Campos, astrologer and author of Seasons of the Zodiac: Love, Magick, and Manifestation Throughout the Astrological Year. "Known for its love of refining and distilling information down, Virgo is also the editor of the zodiac, and this retrograde period delivered a productive time to reassess the way we exert our own time, energy, and efforts," she says. "Who and what is worthy of sharing our ideas, thoughts, and feelings with? In which relationships do we feel seen, heard, and appreciated?" Reflect on these past few weeks and ask yourself these questions — your answers may surprise you.

Campos also adds that this retrograde could have inspired us to re-establish boundaries. "Virgo's time and efforts are methodical and well-thought out, so we may have found ourselves reconsidering who respects our efforts and where our energetic input isn't met or reciprocated," she says. Once you've figured out where you're wasting your energy, dump it (or them) from your life.

Things are looking up, and good energy is on its way to us. "From September 21 to September 28, Mercury will form a positive trine with Jupiter in Taurus," Montúfar says. "Besides providing an optimistic energy, this trine will assist us in doing the necessary research and finding the methods we now need to implement in our lives." And there's a bonus: During this time, Montúfar says we are also bound to receive positive messages. If you've been waiting to hear about a new project or opportunity, this may be the time it presents itself to you. Ready yourself for some good news!

While those seven days are going to be full of good energy, you'll want to zero in on September 24 in particular. "On this day, Mercury will revisit its cazimi point that took place on September 6. [Cazimi] takes place when the sun and Mercury meet at the same point in the sky," says Campos. "It can bring revelations, insight, and divine downloads. Mercury will trace over these steps once again on September 24, bringing another important moment of clarity and important information our ways, especially as it relates to our personal Mercury retrograde stories."

It's time to finally let out that breath you've been holding since Mercury retrograde first began. It's over now, and we can finally move on to bigger and better things — that is, until the next one rolls around.