This week, we usher in our first Mercury retrograde (RG) of 2022. As you probably already know, Mercury retrogrades are infamous for causing mishaps, accidents, misunderstandings, and miscommunications. The tiny planet goes RG right as the Moon is reaching peak fullness.Â
Imagine the Moon’s light as a flickering, fluorescent bulb. The glow might not be the most flattering, but it is revealing. Sure, you might not like what you find. But you’d never be able to fix it without identifying it first.
What will the Moon and Mercury RG reveal to you?
Aries
March 20 – April 19
If you’re constantly taking charge, then people might come to expect it. Once they expect it, your needs move to the backburner. You’ve recently had to face this difficult lesson. As a result, you’re feeling vulnerable—and a little used.
Others have learned to depend on you. But do you know you can rely on them? Safety nets (or lack thereof) influence our decisions. Without one, you feel like you’re on the outside looking in on your goals and dreams.
Lean on your inner circle while you pursue your passions. They’ll appreciate the chance to be the helper for once, and you’ll benefit from their support.
Taurus
April 19 – May 20
Sulking in silence isn’t going to get anything done, Taurus. Nor can you expect everyone to read your mind. If you have something to say, then speak up. And if you want change, you’ll have to create it.
But most importantly, you have to be willing to listen. Confrontation is never one-sided, no matter how well you rehearse your argument. What role do you play in your unhappiness? After all, it always takes two to tango.
Stress shopping or going full-recluse aren’t the solutions, either. Don’t conflate material wealth with emotional happiness. A comfortable but unhappy home is still an unpleasant one.
Gemini
May 20 – June 21
You know what they say about assuming. Guessing another person’s intentions seldom works, so why are you so insistent on it? Is another person judging you, or are they a proxy by which you can judge yourself?
Insecure anxieties can feel a lot like subconscious reality. Separating these two ideas is difficult but entirely necessary for healthy communication. Otherwise, you’re liable to go picking fights with everyone. (Because you think they’re picking fights with you.)
Take some time later in the week to address a communication breakdown. You’d be surprised to find how much of your “reality” was all conjecture.
Cancer
June 21 – July 22
Recently, you’ve noticed tension growing in a close relationship. It seems as though you’re both talking to two different people—or maybe a couple of brick walls. A deeper root of the problem will surface early in the week. Will you prune it or let it run free?
What you find at the core of your conflict will be difficult to face. But if you never try, then you’ll only relive the same arguments ad nauseam. If you want the good, you’ll have to stomach some bad, too.
Rely on your stable relationships for support and courage while working on those bonds that need fixing.
Leo
July 22 – August 22
Relationships come easy to you—or is it admirers? The former requires ongoing effort and the ability to admit wrongdoing. But the latter is a difficult one for you. Indeed, your pride makes guilt and regret much harder to swallow.
To avoid it, you feign a loss of interest. Sometimes, your acting is so good that even you believe it. But deep down, you know you’re only running away from your problems. What happiness are you missing out on by refusing to level with others?
You can’t always let the solutions come to you, Leo.
Virgo
August 22 – September 22
More often than not, when we can’t make a tough decision, it’s because we already know the answer. We just don’t like what it is. This time, your decision regards your priorities. You have clear goals in mind, but you’re unhappy with how you’ll have to accomplish them.
Maybe it requires an uncomfortable change or sacrifice. Either way, it would behoove you to look at it in the long term. When you look back on this situation in hindsight, will you be proud of what you prioritized?
Instant gratification is nice, but delayed gratification is better.
Libra
September 22 – October 23
Your love troubles have manifested as insecurity in other areas of your life. This is unsurprising, considering how much you love to love. When your relationships are rocky, your whole sense of self seems to falter.
Consequently, you lose some of your spark. You become distracted at work and unavailable to other loved ones. This only worsens your already unstable esteem, and thus the cycle continues. The only way you’re going to stop it is by acknowledging you’re on it.
You exist as your own entity. Your being is not dependent on others. If you have to take some time alone to come to terms with that, then so be it.
Scorpio
October 23 – November 22
Lately, you’ve been wavering between anxious and assured. This struggle to trust your intuition has caused you to look for answers in the wrong place. While there are lessons to be gleaned from the past, that isn’t where you’ll heal present-day wounds.
You’ll find clarity and creativity if you remember to look ahead. Open your mind to new ideas and perspectives, and don’t be afraid to challenge the status quo. Diving into the unknown might be just what your soul needs.
It might be uncomfortable at first. But in the end, you’ll be glad you took the plunge.
Sagittarius
November 22 – December 21
The clash between what you want and need is never an easy one. Lucky for you, you’ve already identified what makes you unhappy. Now, the hard part is next: acting on it. If you never water your own grass, then everyone else’s is bound to keep looking greener.
Granted, there are right and wrong ways to go about this. Your unhappiness might make you feel justified to accuse and confront. But you’ll accomplish more by taking an empathetic approach. Try to reconcile more than condemn.
Your garden’s future growth depends on the weeding and pruning you do now.
Capricorn
December 21 – January 20
You can love your home life and acknowledge that it can get overwhelming. The two are not mutually exclusive. Everyone needs (and benefits from) space to themselves. If you can’t find that space at home, try to seek it elsewhere.
Pursue a new hobby or get involved in your community. The change of pace will recenter you, and you’ll be able to return home freshly recharged. You work so hard for others. Now, it’s time to repay the favor to yourself.
If nothing else, return to the natural environment in some way. Take a hike, go camping—whatever it takes to step away from your usual hustle and bustle.
Aquarius
January 20 – February 18
It’s never easy to admit when something we like isn’t good for us. Letting go requires discipline and often involves confrontation. To avoid it, we pretend that “something” doesn’t exist. You know, like the “This is Fine” meme with the dog in a burning room?
For your own sake, it’s time to acknowledge that the fire is spreading. A toxic relationship might not always feel toxic, but that’s because we acclimate to what’s around us. Pay close attention to how your relationships are making you feel.
Your gut feelings will tell you more than that tiny voice encouraging you to be polite or accommodating. Listen to the former.
Pisces
February 18 – March 20
Burying your head in the sand won’t make your problems disappear, especially when it comes to your health. Mental, physical, or emotional, your wellbeing is worth acting on now—not later. Taking the first step toward self-improvement can be tough.
You have to break old habits, leave toxic bonds behind, and adjust to a new normal. But if you become a stronger and better person on the other side, isn’t it worth the effort? Living your life with blinders on is easy but meaningless.
Your healing process begins where your conflict-avoidance and self-deprecation end.