Just a quick astrological update: Over the rest of the summer all four of the outer planets will be traveling in retrograde motion, an optical illusion created by tracking the planets from here on earth. Retrograde motion of the outer planets is quite common, happening for each of them between five and seven months out of the year, and seems to function on more of a collective level rather than a personal one. Still we can expect an overall feeling of “backwards” energy into October until Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto all turn direct. You might feel this in your personal life, or notice it more generally.
Often there will be a newsworthy event when one of these planets stations, and changes from retrograde to forward motion. On October 6th, Pluto, gatekeeper to the underworld will lead the shift, followed by Saturn, government/administration issues, on October 11th and then Jupiter, growth/opportunities on October 19th. I enjoy watching the news for changes related to the planets change in direction.
Just in front of these changes, Mercury will make its final retrograde of 2021 in the sign of relationships, Libra, from September 27 through October 19th. Because Mercury is a personal planet and corresponds to communication, short trips, and technology, we are frequently affected personally by its change in direction, and this is particularly true if you have planets in Libra. On September 8th Mercury will enter into a “shadow” phase of the retrograde by transiting 10 degrees Libra, the point at which it turns direct on October 19th. Watch for newscasters misspeaking, misprints in emails, confusion about dates and times, and possible technology snafus. Also check and double check your calendar and appointments throughout those three weeks.