Explore More
From April 21 to May 15, Mercury, planet of the mind and its multitudes is going retrograde in the fixed earth sign of Taurus.
Mercury is our planet of messaging and communion and Taurus is ruled by Venus, the domain of aesthetics, attraction, worldly goods and self-worth. In conversation with one another we can see this retrograde as a lesson in ‘believing is deserving.’
Mercury officially stations retrograde at 15 degrees Taurus on April 21 at 4:35 a.m. ET.
The term retrograde is a bit of a misnomer as the planet does not actually stop or reverse but rather slows its roll long enough to appear to be backspinning from our vantage here on Earth. Our ancient forbearers noted this phenomenon and correlated the shift to challenges and changes that befell them.
Named for the envoy of gods, the carrier of energies, he of the winged foot and loose tongue, Mercury is the fastest moving planet in our solar system and retrogrades three to four times a year. If you factor in the pre-shadow period of a retrograde, (assumes Darth Vader voice) “and you should always factor in the shadow,” the effects of the trickster planet are felt for roughly half of the calendar year. Mercury retrograde is not to be underestimated but is also not to be feared.
Retrograde real talk
To be clear, Mercury is not coming for you, it’s coming correct to slow you down and show you how. During a retrograde, matters and modalities that begin with the prefix “re,” latin for “again or anew” are called for; review, revise, renegotiate, reset, revive, regenerate, revitalize, redeem, rewrite etc. Because this retrograde is going down, or back, in the fixed earth of Taurus, lord of the second house of values, possessions, cash money and self-care, these themes are pressing.
In the words of the brilliant astrologer David Odyssey, “At stake over this retrograde are matters of value. How do your salary, wardrobe, communications, and daily life reflect your inner self worth? Where have you sold yourself short, under-earned, or left yourself compromised? And, conversely, where have you let yourself slide into self-aggrandizement, spending far beyond your means and avoiding reality? Taurus is all about embodied power, about declaring our inner wealth through outer expression. Whether you’re living larger than you can afford to, or keeping yourself benighted to please others, it’s time to reset the scales.”
Check out more of The Post’s food astrology content:
Reset the scales indeed. In addition to finances and self-concept we can begin to consider time as currency, energy as an asset and use our understanding of both to determine if things, jobs, people, plans and purchases are truly worth it. Keep in mind that owning our worth sometimes means recognizing that we don’t owe anyone, anything, ever.
No guilt, no shame, no chains.
Venus, which rules Taurus, wants us always and ever to come from a place of desire and deserving rather than obligation or striving. It wants us to be fed and full not energetically siphoned into a bitter husk.
It also wants us to AUTHENTICALLY ENJOY OURSELVES AND TAKE PLEASURE IN BEING PRESENT. Mercury in Taurus relates to the world in a rapturous, tactile fashion. It is here to revel and reveal and remind us that we are blessed to be in a perpetual state of learning.
Mercury in Taurus is beautiful, deliberate, and impactful. This is where Morgan “voice of god’ Freeman’s Mercury is situated. Same goes for Dev Patel who could read me a bedtime story any old time. Comedian George Carlin, who had Mercury retrograde in Taurus made a career out of dissecting language and urged us to examine how we assign meaning, value and villainy to words.
To make the most of this Mercury transit, practice patience, put your feet in the dirt daily and review, revise and expel any limiting beliefs that keep you in a scarcity mindset or a rootless reality.
If you ask yourself a question, you will always get an answer so go forth and inquire without fear and receive without judgment. Read on to learn more about how this Mercury retrograde will affect you and make sure and read for your rising sign!
This retrograde is bearing down on your second house of assets, Aries. With spring afoot you might feel inclined to bet big and spend large. Don’t. Save your pennies and reflect on whether you are operating from a place of actual need or the need for a shiny distraction.
Happy return of the sun to you, Taurus! As a birthday gift from the cosmic forces, this retrograde is offering you the chance to rebrand. As you prepare for your latest and greatest year of life, consider how you want to move through it, what apologies need delivering, stories need revised and hatchets need burying for you to be free, clean and unencumbered?
Mercury, your ruling planet, is stationing retrograde in your twelfth house of the unconscious mind, Gemini. This is a transit that requires retreat. Spend as much time as you can in the solace of quiet, empty rooms with nothing but your kaleidoscopic memory for company.
It’s difficult to tell a water sign not to take things personally but that is exactly what I’m suggesting, Cancer. With Mercury back pedaling through your eleventh house of friends and social networks it will be easy for you to be wounded by words but infinitely more beneficial for you to limit the power they hold to hurt you.
Mercury is talking s–t and hopscotching through your tenth house of career, callings and legacy, Leo. Be meticulous in your work dealings while remaining open to the possibility that a change in pace and profession might be on the horizon.
Not so much ruled by Mercury as refined by it, you are more apt than other signs to weather this flux, Virgo. But, even you are vulnerable to chinks in the armor and lapses in vigilance during this transit. The planet is moving through your ninth house of travel, expansion and education. Remember that sometimes being led astray is a step in the right direction.
Mercury is moving through your eighth house of sex, death and debts, Libra. Shifts are happening and you should seek to settle scores and clear tabs. You can think of these transactions; be they financial, emotional or otherwise, as buttoning up loose ends and finally breaking free of feeling beholden.
Mercury is muddling you mojo, Scorpio by slip sliding through your seventh house of partnerships. Old flames are looking to rekindle and new romance is struggling to take hold in the garden of missed signals. You’re not getting what you want and that fact is not a punishment, neigh, it is a lesson in defining your desires.
New York Post readers also love:
Is your routine built for reckless abandon or your ultimate benefit, Sagittarius? This retrograde in your sixth house of habits is asking you to break some and make some. Remember that in our age of burnout, living long and living well is the most radical choice you can make. Wellness as rebellion? Why the hell not?
At long last the fates are conspiring to take it easy on you, Capricorn. This retrograde is making waves in your fifth house of sex, play, creativity and carnivals. While you might feel less like getting it on and/or creatively expressing yourself at the onset of this retrograde if you keep an open mind and a button unbuttoned you could find yourself blessed with new partners to experience and new mediums to explore.
Trials on the home front are predicted for you during this retrograde, Aquarius as trickster Mercury is moving through your fourth house of home and family. Loathe as you are to revisit the past and your feelings about it, this retrograde asks you to return to the site of your earliest hurts to reparent yourself and finally forgive the ones that could have been better to you and for you.
The searching song of fellow Pisces and Poison lead singer Brett Michaels asks,”Was it something I said or something I did? Did the words not come out right?” Indeed Pisces, with Mercury meddling in your third house of communication and exchange, you may be baited into talking cheap, small or in ways that demean others and devalue yourself. Keep in mind that silence is golden and keeping quiet is the surest way to stay untarnished.
Astrology 101: Your guide to the star
Astrologer Reda Wigle researches and irreverently reports back on planetary configurations and their effect on each zodiac sign. Her horoscopes integrate history, poetry, pop culture and personal experience. She is also an accomplished writer who has profiled a variety of artists and performers, as well as extensively chronicled her experiences while traveling. Among the many intriguing topics she has tackled are cemetery etiquette, her love for dive bars, Cuban Airbnbs, a “girls guide” to strip clubs and the “weirdest” foods available abroad.
ncG1vNJzZmimqaW8tMCNnKamZ2Jlf3R7j21ma2hforKzr9SrsGaqlam%2FsLPRmpueZZmjerWt1KusrGc%3D