From 5 August to 28 August we're sorry to let you know that Mercury will once again be taking its backward spin through the sky. It will be our second Mercury Retrograde of 2024 - third if you count the one that ended on 1 January.

This three-week window of chaos is one of the pinnacles of pop-astrology. It occurs when Mercury appears to move backwards in the sky owing to its angle to the Earth - and its feared as a period of delays, troubles and even tech blackouts.

There is also what's called a Mercury Retrograde pre-shadow, which is the point at which Mercury's transit appears to slowdown before appearing to switch direction and move backwards. Pre-shadow begins on 16 July, before the retrograde itself commences of 5 August.

What is Mercury Retrograde?

Mercury retrogrades hit like a whirlwind - short, sharp and destructive. Revered as the messenger planet, Mercury rules over communications and transits. Think any movement from A to B. So, when Mercury retrogrades it can throw a wrench into everything from friendly conversations, email communications, travel, the postal system - and some people even blame it for massive tech blackouts. Brace yourself for travel delays, misunderstandings, and heated arguments.

The particular retrograde fails in Virgo, an interesting combination as Mercury is Virgo's ruler. Of course, the retrograde will eventually end in Leo adding some extra spice to the mix.

What you need to know about August's Mercury Retrograde in Virgo & Leo

While Mercury Retrograde impacts all of us, the sign in which the retrograde falls tends to be impacted the most. That means if you have strong Virgo and Leo placements in your Sun, Moon or Rising signs, you'll be hit harder than others.

The key themes for the Virgo portion of this Mercury Retrograde will cripple perfectionism and potentially overall wellbeing. It will be an uncomfortable time for those with Virgo placements, as this sign does love its preplanning and order - but anyone who favours organisation will need be take a deep breath before proceeding into this period.

To survive, you will need to learn to loosen up. When things do not go according to plan, you will need to roll with the situation at hand. Becoming distressed or angry will easily be misinterpreted and can upset the people around you. It you have a rigid travel itinerary planned, be prepared for things to change at the last minute. If you've carefully structured out a campaign at work, brace for last-minute feedback or cancelled vendors. Love to keep a clean house, you'll need to be okay with mess continuing to pop-up out of nowhere. Perfectionism will not be possible here, and the pursuit of perfection can lead to unhealthy consequences. Do not let perfection be the enemy of good enough. Sometimes you need to accept the hand you've been given with grace.

As we move to Leo, we see this period shift thematically toward identity and confidence. Miscommunications and clumsy wording is common during Mercury Retrograde and you cannot let this shatter yourself image. On the flipside, you must also be very careful with your own actions. Bold as brass, Leo is known to be a proudly confident sign. This influence can embolden us to do things we wouldn't ordinarily in our communications.

You might feel confident enough to hit send on the risky email that's been sitting in your drafts, perhaps wait a week or two to think it over with more clarify. Maybe you finally feel assertive enough to confront a friend about something that's been bothering you, but you need to understand that it will be very easy for things to be taken the wrong way. Think carefully about your words before you commit to saying anything you could later regret. On the whole, it's wise to avoid putting anything risky in writing during the retrograde period. Steer very clear of gossip or it will come back to bite you in a way you don't like - and always give yourself extra travel time.

Of course Mercury Retrograde if not the only retrograde. There are currently four planets in retrograde, each with their own unique implications. You can read more on all of the planetary retrogrades in 2024 in our guide.