On January 1, 10:43 AM —
On January 1, 22:07 EST, Mercury stations direct at 22º10’ Sagittarius after being in retrograde motion since December 13, 2023. This shift illuminates previously hidden truths, offering us an invitation to take action according to the insights we got during the retrograde phase and to clarify any misunderstandings and miscommunications that might have occurred.
Mercury’s shift of motion is especially relevant for those of us who were born with planets or angles in the last 10º of Mutable signs Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. Those of us personally impacted by Mercury stationing direct will have opportunities to gain a better understanding of the meaning of the experiences they had during the retrograde and will be called to act in alignment with the shift in perspective that took place.
Understanding Mercury’s retrograde cycle & the Post-Shadow phase
In Astrology, Mercury is the planet associated with communication and rational thinking. Named after the mythological Messenger, Mercury has to do with how we logically perceive reality and communicate our ideas, opinions, and thoughts to others. This is the planet connected to inductive learning, short-term and short-distance travel, and commerce. Transits of Mercury reflect shifts in perception and changes in our orientation to understanding reality, thinking, and communicating.
Mercury goes retrograde three to four times per year: during this timeframe, it appears as if it is moving backward from our perspective on Earth. Retrogrades are due to an optical illusion linked to changes in the planet’s speed and, astrologically, they represent periods of reflection, redirection, and reconsideration.
When a planet is said to “station direct” after a retrograde, it means it temporarily appears to stand still before slowly beginning to move forward again. At this time, its energy is especially powerful as stationary planets are closer to the Earth.
When planets go direct again after a retrograde, they enter a timeframe technically known as the “post-shadow phase”. During the post-shadow phase, they travel for the last time on the degrees they have been traveling on while in retrograde motion, offering us opportunities to integrate the insights that emerged and take action according to how our awareness evolved.
The post-shadow phase of this Mercury retrograde cycle is going to last until January 20, and end when Mercury hits 8º of Capricorn, the degree where the retrograde started back in December. Synchronistically, January 20 is a particularly powerful date as on this day both Pluto and the Sun are going to enter Aquarius. Experiencing breakthroughs and turning points around this time is more likely: the insights, information, and ideas that arise have the potential to be especially transformative.
Mercury’s journey between Capricorn and Sagittarius
Mercury’s retrograde cycle that just ended began in Capricorn and ended in Sagittarius. The Messenger’s backward dance between these two signs offered us an opportunity to observe the link between our beliefs and our conditioning, between our worldviews and our past experiences. This transit invited us to notice the connection between how we see the world today and how our perceptions were shaped by our environment, our education, our family, and our culture when we were growing up.
The Mercury retrograde cycle that we just experienced offered us an invaluable opportunity to become aware of the impact of our past on the way we find meaning in our experiences and purpose in our struggles.
While Mercury was retrograde in Capricorn, we were invited to restructure our habitual thinking patterns and question existing aspirations and ideas about success, asking ourselves whether our ambitions are truly ours or rather something that we were conditioned to adopt, a reflection of our past experiences and upbringing. This transit encouraged us to work on our mental discipline, restructure our perceptions of success, and commit to aligning our words and our actions.
Mercury’s retrograde transit through Sagittarius invited us to question our attachment to the beliefs, cosmologies, or philosophies we refer to for guidance. This transit challenged us to reflect on how we find meaning in life and release disempowering assumptions and limiting beliefs that prevent us from expanding and growing in the direction we aspire to.
Mercury enters Capricorn for the second time on January 13, offering us more opportunities to gain mastery over our thinking patterns and inner dialogue, inviting us to improve our mental mastery, and supporting our efforts in restructuring our thinking and communication habits.
Mercury direct in Sagittarius: Truth and Insights
As Mercury stations and begins to move in direct motion through Sagittarius, we will be able to put words to feelings and experiences that, in the past few weeks, have not been so easy to articulate. During the upcoming weeks, it will be simpler to clarify miscommunications and clear any lingering confusion or misunderstandings that might have occurred.
Nevertheless, it is important to mention that Mercury is currently squaring Neptune in Pisces and moving toward a conjunction with Mars. This configuration has been active for a few days already, as Mercury already aligned with both planets while in retrograde motion. While the Mercury-Mars conjunction happens in Capricorn on January 27, the Mercury-Neptune alignment goes exact on January 8. Because of the activation of Neptune, for a few more days, it will be challenging to discern between truth and illusion, between fact and fiction. A lack of information and a general sense of confusion may prevent us from seeing the full picture: being patient and taking some more time before making decisions is advised.
While Mercury continues its post-shadow phase, we will have opportunities to make choices and implement adjustments in our reality according to how our beliefs, worldviews, and perspectives changed during the previous weeks. As we work to match our external reality with the changes that have taken place inwardly, we have chances to gain a new understanding of the experiences we had while Mercury was retrograde and act accordingly. This shift gives us opportunities to make choices aligned with our truth, with what is authentic to us, and reorganize our lives in a way that reflects the changes in awareness that took place.
Crystal Pick for Mercury stations direct in Sagittarius: Lapis Lazuli
This Sagittarian stone of deep insight and cosmic connection holds the perfect energies to guide you through another Mercury in Sagittarius transit. Use it to help you gain insight into the truths that lie hidden within you, and to help you see and communicate the essence of that truth through the words you choose.
This transit offers you the opportunity to articulate your vision and put your ideas, insights and wisdom into words. Lapis lazuli will help your voice become a channel for your highest consciousness, and it grounds that cosmic energy into the physical world. Use it to help you confidently speak your highest vision into reality as a conscious co-creator of your life.
It’s also a beautiful stone to help you expand your knowledge in the pursuit of higher learning, seeking meaning, and pondering the big questions in life. It sweeps in clarity and perspective to connect you with a bigger vision of your purpose here on earth and the cosmic connections you hold. Lapis lazuli can help you see where you’ve been limiting or self-sabotaging yourself, and redirect you back into an authentic expression of who your soul came here to be.
Ready to expand in 2024? Moon Omens 2024 Yearly Horoscopes are designed to help you tap into your full potential & embody abundance.
