This year’s Mercury retrograde in Cancer is one for the books. We’ve all felt it in some capacity or another—whether it’s former lovers lurking on your Instagram story, or workplace drama, or seemingly random antagonistic experiences on the street so aggravating that, if you wanted to, you could surely get them trending on Threads.
Trust me: As an astrologer, I’ve been dealing with issues, too. Of course, I knew this when entering the party. But I’m here to let you know that you’re not alone—we’re all going through it right now.
Case in point? My first love is a barista, and he currently works in a coffee shop chain near where I live. (Side note: we first met there.) As I know he works there, I generally try to avoid it. But since I recently received a gift card, I’ve been ordering my caffeine fix from them via delivery in the mornings. I have been using my first name online, with my last initial. This whole time, I was receiving handwritten notes on the cup saying how amazing I was—I totally thought it was him, so I sent him a message on social media, because I assumed it was flirty. Yeah, it wasn’t. Turns out their partner, who works at the store with them, leaves these notes on all take-out and pickups. A total blow to my ego. Apparently, I’m the ex who is making the reappearance in their life—not the other way around.
But even aside from my personal brush with the ex-factor, everyone appears to be a little forgetful right now. Yesterday, I received a payment from a client that was 100 times what their invoice was. They weren’t paying attention when sending the money, so they added a few extra zeros. Obviously, I sent it back to them right away, but I did think I was rich for five seconds before I realized the truth. Earlier this week, I placed an order for toilet paper, and when it arrived, I realized I’d accidentally ordered enough rolls to last me for a year. It’s not even the brand I like. Oh, and did I mention my laptop died and can’t be fixed? And that a fuse blew in my apartment, so I overslept and flaked on plans with my friend because my phone crashed and the alarm clock didn’t go off?
Here’s why the astrology of this Mercury retrograde is causing chaos—in my life, and very possibly, yours.
Firstly, the planetary backspin is in Cancer, a zodiac sign that is begrudgingly stepping out of its comfort zone, forcing us all out of our safety nets. Security and self-preservation are vital to the survival of the sign, even if it isn’t the most vocal about its needs. Cancer is a water sign, so it’s expressive with emotions rather than words.
The Barbault Basket—a rare astrological configuration that signifies a major collective reset—occurs towards the end of the planetary moonwalk (July 19 to 21), but we are feeling the energy before it comes to a boil. This transit occurs between four planets that are at the same degree in the sky: expansive Jupiter in Leo, revolutionary Uranus in Gemini, visionary Neptune retrograde in Aries, and metamorphic Pluto retrograde in Aquarius. Together, they form a trapezoid shape that looks like a cradle. Barbault’s Basket is known to bring rebellion, technological advances, and institutional changes. Beyond that, societal values and structures are transforming, so the way we are relating to others is evolving as interpersonal connections are in flux.
Also, other planets are backtracking. Neptune and Pluto are in retrograde, adding more confusion to the sauce and making situations messier. The extra layer of complexity and stagnation feels like a wet blanket being thrown over our summer plans. Neptune retrograde hinders our intuition, leaving us lost in the fog. Pluto retrograde urges us to reassess how we want to grow, lending it a more contemplative vibe. Seeing past the illusions we’ve crafted and into the truth of situations is a harsh reality. We are waking up from the dream life we’ve pictured, and having to take concrete action to cultivate a better path forward. The problem is that we are unsure of what, exactly, we want to create.
