Now that you have a better grasp of #MercuryRetrograde as I explained last week, let’s add to your understanding of its cycles with another big moment for the prime connector planet. On Thursday, Mercury moves between the Earth and the sun to have what’s called its interior conjunction with the sun.
This interior conjunction is like a new moon for Mercury. When a planet conjoins exactly with the sun, then it’s said to be cazimi. Although cazimi sounds like an Italian pastry, it turns out to be a fancy, fortunate thing.
The medieval astrologer Abu Ma’shar described cazimi as “like a man who purifies himself and so lacks strength, but will regain health afterwards.” Another way to envision it is as a planet being ushered into the majesty of a royal’s throne room. I’ve always pictured this as a moment when the king or queen has a private conversation with the planet and imbues it with a renewed sense of mission and understanding.
When Mercury comes out of that “throne room” toward the weekend, he’ll still be in retrograde, but moving toward renewal, allowing for more of our creativity and less of our complaining. This renewed Mercury in Capricorn can summon some of the best ideas for organization that we’ve seen in months or even years. Those don’t have to be all work-related, either. If you’ve been looking for inventive ways to get a potential boo to notice you, you’re more likely to figure out a way now. Throne room, indeed!
The planetary weather report: Use these guidelines to unlock the stars, not to be locked down by them.
Although we have an edgy first quarter moon eager to make good on last week’s new intentions, there’s a free-flowing slope of good energy between lovely Venus in fiery Sagittarius and exciting Uranus to tone us down without making us dullards. Similarly, whiz kid Mercury strikes up a similar trajectory of smooth flows with understanding Jupiter. This will help us rethink how we communicate and connect.
Read on for your sign’s Sky Code.
Capricorn (December 22 to January 20)
You might describe this Saturday’s first quarter moon as a teething moon. Like when a baby teethes, there’s a lot of discomfort and a need to gnaw. Of course, you have various projects to bite into, but you’re likely experiencing a more unsettled feeling now and nothing seems to satisfy it. The worst thing you can do is get frustrated because you don’t have this under control yet. There’s a lot pushing up to the surface, and the resurrected Mercury in your sign will manifest the shiniest and sharpest insights for you to sink into even meatier projects soon.
Aquarius (January 21 to February 18)
With the week starting with the moon in your sign, you’ll probably be drawn into the center of other people’s problems and issues. You love to be helpful, but you don’t like messiness and being the Zodiac’s #1 humanitarian doesn’t mean you’re the world’s janitor. So maintain your boundaries. When Mercury goes into the sun’s “throne room” on Thursday, use the opportunity to do something that requires more quiet or solitary time. Keep that time sacred, like a once-in-a-lifetime reservation at Noma, because you could miss an important moment where genius strikes if you lose sight of your priorities.
Pisces (February 19 to March 20)
You’re likely going to be the peacekeeping hero for your friends or not-so-merry band of colleagues this week, though you might get your fair share of bumps and bruises along the way. But you’re more than willing to pay a modest price for peace, right? You might not be wholly convinced that you’re doing the right thing through this process, but that’s why you should commit to giving your absolute all on Tuesday afternoon through Thursday night. Mend yourself this weekend, and be comforted by the knowledge that you make good things happen.
Aries (March 21 to April 19)
You won’t see them coming, but this cazimi Mercury in the heart of the sun on Thursday could hatch some good ideas, especially for your career. Although they will be mostly in their fledgling form, with a delightful combo of patience and planning (perhaps your two least favorite things to have or do), you will see that you have the beginnings of something amazing. If you need help with the planning part, find a Capricorn you can trust to talk things through. Read their horoscope: They’re looking for stuff to do, fast.
Taurus (April 20 to May 21)
Considering this powerful cazimi Mercury happens in your sector of heaven that’s reserved for wisdom, travel, and understanding, it’s likely that light bulbs will illuminate multiple issues that have vexed you lately. First, you’ll likely gain insight into a thorny financial situation that’s been torching your money for far too long. Next, you’ll find the right thing to say to quiet down someone who has either been angry with you or loudly unhappy. The remarkable thing is that your approach might be so simple that you’ll be surprised you didn’t stumble upon it sooner.
Gemini (May 21 to June 20)
This first quarter moon brings tons of opportunities to kick some ass, but it’s more likely that you’ll feel like kicking back and soaking up something, whether it’s sun rays somewhere warm, drinks, or steam at the sauna. That’s fine as long as you have something like a notebook or iPad to record all the good ideas you’ll be having about how you organize your finances and life. Unfortunately, you’ll need to be sure to have a friend to cover you while you zone out, especially at the office. The more someone tries to put the squeeze on you, the easier it’ll be for you to tune them out.
Cancer (June 21 to July 21)
This rebirth of Mercury bodes promising things for you and relationships, since it happens in your one-on-one sector of heaven. You’ll likely find it easier to open up about things you’ve kept too close to your chest. However, the way to feel more secure in relationships is to be sure you’re taking care of business at work too. You can’t feel great about your interdependence with someone else if you don’t feel secure about your own independence and yield too much too quickly to others.
Leo (July 22 to August 21)
Lionesses have to rely on their wits, alertness, and penchant for quiet to hunt their prey. That’s true not only when they’re stealthily approaching their targets, but also when detecting whether their quarry’s around in the first place. Likewise, you’re going have to slow your roll, Leo. Keep your eyes open (and your mouth occasionally closed) so that you can perceive opportunities to take your work and career up a notch. The opportunities are there: If you’re trying to do or say too much, you might just miss them.
Virgo (August 22 to September 21)
When I suggested you clean last week as a way of feeling better, I was quite serious for a simple reason: You are at your best when you’re solving a problem. It’s not because you should be a selfless servant of humanity. It’s because your pleasure — when matched with muscle — is like an evolutionary fail-safe to keep more of the world in order. If you veer too far from what makes you happy, then you tend to worry about things beyond your control. No need to find a big problem. Heed your need to be fascinated and start from there.
Libra (September 22 to October 21)
Your first step to getting in the mood to welcome new people and situations in your life is to change things up around your home or workspace. Think about making those spaces more of a hallowed ground rather than simply comfortable. What you do now lays the foundation for more inspiring things to happen around your birthday. That may sound a long way off, but when you’re making a masterpiece, you don’t want to rush. With this Saturday’s quarter moon, start with small changes, like picking out vibrant new wall colors or a snazzier piece of furniture.
Scorpio (October 22 to November 21)
This Mercury retrograde still has more magic in store for you and yours. I know that’s contrary to the conventional wisdom. However, it’s because you’ve been more focused on your loved ones that you’ve had a better turn at this than many. Nonetheless, you may have to share more secrets or power with others to get more of what you want. That’s the hard part. There’s no way around that happening, but how much you elect to tell and to whom is up to you.
Sagittarius (November 22 to December 21)
The first step to putting (and then keeping) your new year on track is a careful evaluation and reallocation of your resources. In other words, you need a reality check before you can go for your dreams and bigger ideas. The rebirth of shrewd Mercury happens in the finance sector of your night sky. You may not personally need to bankroll all your big endeavors to make them happen, but you need to have your own money monsters, like looming debts, bad spending habits, and wasteful subscription fees or overage charges, in better check.
Samuel F. Reynolds is a professional astrologer in New York City and the founder of the Zodiac Lounge.
GIF reporting by Leah Rodriguez.
