The Planet of Travelers, Mercury, Retrogrades in Libra Today: How it Can Help You Grow

About three to four times a year, our social feeds light up with swaths of ex-related satire and cautionary tales of contract signings and vehicle breakdowns. With Mercury going retrograde in Libra today, the sign of harmony and justice will only reinforce this push and pull dynamic between stuckness and progress. Not to mention that it is now the sixth planet to be in retrograde, as of late last night. 

But there's no reason to fret. Today's retrograde is a chance to come home to ourselves. 

Mercury rules communication in all its modes and methods, from your motorcycle ride to your TikTok doom-scroll, existential anxiety, or long-distance call. As the mythological messenger, it charters both intellect and fantasy, the ephemeral and the binding. This quick (and sometimes flighty) planet will make its cupid shuffle in Libra through October 18th, coating our lives with a thick layer of tree sap: sweet, slow and sticky. 

On Wednesday, Libra and her governing planet meet-cute as Venus transits into Scorpio. Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system, a campfire light from which Libra and passionate Scorpio exchange secret handshakes (among other things). Tensions are sure to rise as Scorpio unearths that which we prefer to keep hidden, including from ourselves. Yet this is the retrograde's promise. Venus in Scorpio will bring us back to the pace of the body, to the pace of Earth. As things slow to a halt, Libra holds up a mirror to our lives. 

Are you afraid you'll fall if the world stops spinning? 

With this retrograde, fears and complications surrounding being known or unknown in relationships will help us understand the state of our inner home. Even greater, is the chance for travelers, for those who believe the world is their playground to hypothesize and discover, to learn how to turn inward and explore the mysteries and complexities of their own being. During this time, our most important partnership will require attention: the one we have with ourself. Allow yourself to be big, to be wide and unsure, fumbling and mumbling your way to the kinds of behaviors, words, and love that lets you feel both peace and passion at once. Now is the time to uncover those sparks, and reignite them yourself. 

Tips for the next few weeks:

• Prioritize undistracted "me" time. If you're overwhelmed, hop on your bike and ride somewhere pretty, ideally to someplace that has a pretty view or nature life, like a beach, park or lake. Instead of running away from your feelings, try moving your body and listening to what says afterward. 

• Remind yourself that you're that bitch. Sing loudly to your favorite song in a target parking lot if you need to, use some PTO hours if you're struggling with burnout, or decide to go on your favorite day-trip simply because you can. Dare to take-up space. Your whole life doesn't have to be upended for you to exercise your free will.

• Expect extra self-care time these next few weeks. You might find yourself hitting the snooze button one to many times, swapping out campout plans for a brief hike or a drive-in movie, or, on the flip side, you might be yearning for some more excitement! Make the room in your schedule now for what your mind and body needs. Anticipate naps, homely retreats, and impromptu dates with special someones in the coming weeks. 

• Name your thoughts and feelings before acting. Sometimes anxiety shows up as being trigger-happy. When you feel pressure rising, try stating all of your thoughts and emotions aloud to yourself, giving yourself the space to pause and notice where you are mentally and emotionally. This can help prevent hasty decisions or choices made out of fear.