Mercury will be stationary October 1, which is the phase right before a planet changes from retrograde to direct. Stationery planets are super strong before resuming their forward motion. Think of it like when you are sitting down and are still – you are probably more focused and productive, and the energy can be more intense.
What can happen when Mercury goes direct? For one thing, we can expect everything to resume back to what it was prior to the retrograde. The crazy retrograde energy starts to even out and go back to its normal flow, meaning communication will be more stable, technology will be more reliable, and our minds won’t feel overwhelmed and frazzled.
So right now, there’s a TON of Virgo energy going on, with 3 planets (Mercury, Venus and Sun) in Virgo gracefully aspected by Jupiter in Pisces! Mercury will “lift” a debilitated Venus out of its fall, as Mercury is in its sign of exaltation, Virgo. Virgo is the natural 6th house, and Venus here exemplifies the female warrior, fighting and building relationships through practicality, diplomacy and by setting boundaries. The Sun focuses on pragmatic concerns, trying to be useful, efficient and economical. Both Mercury and Venus will be in the nakshatra (star) of Uttara Phalguni, which is about working hard and having a realistic and practical application to life. The Sun will be in the nakshatra (star) of Hasta, symbolized by the hand and deals with creativity through the hands (writers, healers). This can be a time to heal through creative pursuits and develop practical relationships tactics to help you move forward. The Sun will brighten and give strength to these pursuits!
Fun fact: The new iPhone 14 was announced and available for pre-orders on September 9, the exact day Mercury went retrograde. Not surprisingly, there was chaos in ordering and shipment with the new technology (definitely not the best time to release a brand new phone model!) Wait until Mercury goes direct to order your new gadget!