Mercury Retrograde Is Back To Meddle With Your Love Life

With Mercury sliding back in Leo on August 14th, be prepared to feel the effects on your relationships…

Jan 4, 2025
  • Couple reaching out

    Joy to the world, Mercury retrograde has come. Technically, the trickster planet has been in retrograde since August 5, when it was stationed in Virgo, but it will slide back into the sign of Leo on August 14 and that’s when things will start getting chaotic. Mercury’s position in Leo will unveil many things that you’ve been trying to avoid thinking about, including your deepest desires. The period will also have you redefining your relationships, especially ones that held importance in the past.

    Zodiac signs across the board will feel the effect of Mercury being in retrograde and, till the planets are aligned properly once again on August 28, we’ll have to be extra careful with the way we communicate and build interpersonal relationships.

    What is Mercury retrograde?

    For those of you not in the know, Mercury retrograde happens when the planet moves slower than the Earth around the sun. When this happens, it creates an astronomical optical illusion that it's moving backwards. Astrologically speaking, Mercury is supposed to rule communication, news, travel, technology, gossip and information. This is why, when the planet is in retrograde, you can expect incidences of miscommunications, technology breakdown and conflicts.

    Planet Mercury
    Image credit: Pixabay

    In 2024, there are three periods of Mercury being in retrograde. The first one happened in the sign of Aries back in April. We’re currently in the middle of the second one in the signs of Leo and Virgo. The third one is slated to occur from November 25 to December 15, 2024, in the sign of Sagittarius.

    How will August 2024’s Mercury retrograde affect your relationships?

    Since Mercury retrograde has long been associated with chaos and a period of miscommunication, it’s important to note that clarity with others and your inner self needs to be achieved for a peaceful way ahead. August’s retrograde will have you redefining key relationships in your life and even looking towards the past to reignite lost passion. Here’s how each zodiac sign’s relationship sector will be affected during the period…

    Couple holding hands
    Image credit: Pexels

    Aries (March 21 – April 19)

    Aries, Mercury sliding back in Leo will throw your work-life balance out of whack. It’s up to you to prioritise self-care and health during this period. For some, it will also open up the possibilities for revisiting the past and remembering things that used to spark joy.

    Taurus (April 20 – May 20)

    Be prepared for drama during this Mercury retrograde, Taurus.  Conflicts on the domestic front will crop up. Just remember, it will serve you well to steer away from matters that don’t involve you directly. On the positive side, new romantic prospects are on the horizon, so look out!

    Couple holding hands
    Image credit: Pexels

    Gemini (May 21 – June 21)

    Mercury being in retrograde will provide you with ample opportunities to put your foot firmly in your mouth. Aside from being careful with your words during this period, remember to keep your focus on spending enough time on building foundations of relationships with the people around you.

    Cancer (June 22 – July 22)

    Like Gemini, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself in hot soup thanks to saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. However, it won’t be anything that some good old-fashioned communication cannot clear up. Mercury sliding back in Leo will also have you immersed in a contemplative mode. You’ll find yourself looking back to the past and thinking about reviving old prospects.

    Couple holding hands
    Image credit: Pexels

    Leo (July 23 – August 22)

    This period asks you to introspect, Leo. Mercury retreating to your sign means the impact will be the strongest for you, but amidst all the confusion and chaos, there’s a chance for self-improvement. The relationship you should focus on during this period is with yourself. Ask yourself where you’re headed in your journey. What are the goals you’re working towards? Give yourself some time to reflect on these and try to be your most authentic self.

    Virgo (August 23 – September 22)

    The baggage from your past is weighing you down, Virgo. This Mercury retrograde is going to allow you to let go of guilt, regret, and anger that is no longer serving you and is only holding you back from achieving all that you can. For many, this period will also be ripe for self-expression.

    Couple making a heart
    Image credit: Unsplash

    Libra (September 23 – October 23)

    Expect a blast from the past during this period, Libra. Perhaps this is a sign from the Universe to reflect and make amends? Your network will flourish and it will allow you to make room in your life for newer connections but this can only happen smoothly if you’ve made peace with the past.

    Scorpio (October 24 – November 21)

    People who you think are a permanent fixture in your life might end up leaving and new people might enter and settle in for the long haul. This bittersweet feeling will make you feel off-centre for a while but if you process it properly, you can make the most out of the situation.

    Couple holding hands
    Image credit: Unsplash

    Sagittarius (November 22–December 21)

    Don’t sweat the small stuff, Sagittarius. The Mercury retrograde will put things into perspective for you and make you see that dealing with issues head-on will help matters better than brushing things under the carpet. This is also the time to compromise and adapt to your transformed circumstances.

    Capricorn (December 22–January 19)

    Beware, Capricorn. The Mercury retrograde can resurrect some emotional issues that you thought you had conquered a while ago. It promises to be an emotional and intense period for you but it can also be a chance to heal properly and look at your problems from a different perspective.

    Couple sitting together
    Image credit: Pexels

    Aquarius (January 20–February 18)

    Your intuition is heightened and you need to trust it to navigate this confusing period with ease. Love can be found in the most unexpected of places and you must listen to your instincts to make sure you don’t let an opportunity slip from your hands.

    Pisces (February 19–March 20)

    This period could bring up old issues and traumas for you, Pisces. Remember to not focus on the pain that these bring up but on the healing that they highlight. You’ve come a long way from where you were in the past and revisiting old wounds can allow you to marvel at your journey and achieve closure.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    For Manifest to become one of Cambridge Dictionary's most viewed words of 2024 — 1,30,000 hits and counting — it means some of us must have Googled it at least once. I know, I hit that search button over and over again
    because each time I looked at it, I saw a new meaning.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Putting together a homegrown title at a time when the demise of print has been long announced may seem surprising...
    ...but it has long been a dream of mine to give India a magazine it deserves. A magazine that is the country.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    And nothing, absolutely nothing, represents India more than our weddings.It is a time when families are brought together. Traditions come alive as they are adapted to each couple's beliefs. And lives are joined in a way that the romantic in me still enjoys.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    The fact that it comes with band, baaja and baraat — what's not to love?And that is the reason our first issue celebrates:
    THE NEW BRIDE.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    If you look at
    'Curate Beautiful, Create Happy'individually, they are powerful but when you put them together, they become a promise. While each section is dedicated to a word, I hope you will see this as your first of many handbooks for happiness.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Curate
    Where we give you a fast-paced look into everything you should wish list when you start to think about marriage. What to buy and how to dress, along with modern mithai and the homegrown fragrance makers to bookmark. Make special note of the feature on alta.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Beautiful
    It has everything you need to make your wedding special. From the big comeback of red and pink in bridal wear to how the cool kids are wearing corsets to the celebration, there is only one way to get ready for a wedding —with enjoyment.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Create
    This section is a building block, a step to a better life. A place where we have all the answers. Or at least the beginning of a great conversation.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Happy
    This needs very little description. It has travel with a special focus on incredible India, and a collection of wedding albums, sourced randomly, but collected with abundance because happiness has no limits.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    This first issue has a lot more, including a carefully edited address book of everything you need to make your wedding perfectly 'gramworthy! But it doesn't stop there. Each issue will be different because each one of you is unique.
    Because we manifested this difference, now we will celebrate you.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media