Although everyone will feel its classic symptoms, you need to look into how Mercury retrograde will affect each zodiac sign for the month of August 2024, because it will paint a deeper picture of how this year is shaping up for you. If you’re already feeling more tired and disoriented than usual—like you’re just not thinking straight—there’s a good chance you can blame it on Mercury retrograde. When the planet of communication and cognitive function is spinning backwards from our perspective here on Earth, it has a way of making your brain work twice as hard in order to function.
Although Mercury retrograde is basically universally despised, it’s important to remember this experience truly isn’t the end of the world. After all, it only takes place around 3 to 4 times per year, which means Mercury retrograde is not only a familiar experience to you, but an integral part of your annual solar journey.
Lasting around three weeks, this so-called “communication crisis” has a way of dredging up unresolved drama from your past, especially if a conversation has been left on “read” for far too long. As Mercury begins its backward tailspin across the zodiac, it brings attention to situations that remain unsettled, providing you a platform to gain closure and leave the past behind you.
However, let’s also remember that Mercury is considered the trickster planet, and while retrograde, Mercury finds joy in making our lives inconvenient to the max. You can expect an increase in delays, frustrations, miscommunications and even technological mishaps. And when Mercury is retrograde, plans are rarely ever set in stone, so it’s not the most ideal time to sign contracts or make life-altering decisions. By that same token, this doesn’t mean you need to live in fear, as sometimes, you really have no choice but to say “screw you, Mercury retrograde” and do things your own way.
Mercury retrograde begins on August 5 at 12:56 a.m. ET and ends on August 28 at 5:14 p.m. ET.
On August 5 at 12:56 a.m. ET, Mercury will station retrograde at 4 degrees of Virgo. Because this retrograde begins in Virgo—the mutable earth sign associated with details, analysis, logic, cognition, practicality, service, and nourishment—you may be forced to face issues related to your level of organization, the way you judge others, and your ability to think critically. Not every point is worth obsessing over, especially if it leads to a data overload. This retrograde is ruled by Mercury—the messenger planet—which also happens to be exalted in Virgo. This could lead to the classic symptoms of Mercury retrograde, such as lost files, overlooked errors, and communication mishaps.
Mercury retrograde could bring lovers back together by August 7, when it joins forces with Venus in Virgo. If you still need closure from an ex lover or you’re in a position to heal a rift in your relationships, this could be when awkward run-ins turn into emotional embraces. It could also be a beautiful time to resolve financial conflicts, like finally purchasing that item you’ve been lusting after or going over your checkbook and looking for disparities.
This retrograde gets extra interesting around August 14, when Mercury retrogrades back into fixed fire sign Leo. This could bring drama to a head, as Leo is never afraid of causing a scene. When it squares off with unpredictable Uranus on the morning of August 18, conversations could veer into explosive territory and shocking news announcements could throw the world into chaos. However, a sun-Mercury cazimi arrives by evening, which could bring illuminating epiphanies and revelations to the surface.
Just when you think this retrograde will never come to an end, Mercury will finally station direct on August 28 at 5:14 p.m. ET, landing at 21 degrees of Leo. However, you’ll still feel the effects until the post-retrograde shadow clears up completely around September 11. During this time, you’ll begin to piece together what went wrong and what went right, giving you a new perspective on what move you should make next.
How Mercury retrograde 2024 will affect each zodiac sign
Here’s what you can expect from Mercury retrograde in Virgo and Leo during August 2024, according to your sun and/or rising sign (and seriously, you’re missing out if you don’t read these horoscopes for your rising sign):
Aries
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
When Mercury retrograde begins on August 5, it will mark the start of a major self-care overhaul, Leo. Stationing retrograde in your sixth house of health and work, It’s time to take a long look at the habits you rely on and the routines that carry you through your day. Are they supporting your highest growth? Are they bringing you a sense of accomplishment without draining your energy to the dregs? It’s time to rethink the methods, regimen, and rituals that you live by. This retrograde could also cause confusion at your day job, perhaps even forcing you to return to unfinished projects that have been weighing on your mind. This retrograde wants to help you work on becoming more streamlined and intentional in the way you go about your day-to-day life.
However, once Mercury retrogrades back into your fifth house of romance and self-expression on August 14, it will challenge your idea of fun and force you to think what attracts you and inspires you. This retrograde could conspire to bring you back into the embrace of an old lover, allowing you to remember what lights the spark in your life. It could also bring you back to creative projects that you’ve abandoned, reigniting your inspiration.
Once Mercury stations direct on August 28, you may start getting into a better groove when it comes to getting your tasks done for the day. Productivity is like a muscle; you work hard, but you also need adequate rest. And if you’re not infusing your day-to-day life with color and magic, you’re bound to feel creatively stifled eventually. Remember to refill your artistic tank. Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.
Taurus
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
Even though this retrograde will be frustrating and dull at times, it will also be eventful, inspiring, interesting, and even sexually enticing. When it begins on August 5, it will station retrograde in your fifth house of pleasure, lust and creativity, which could lower the heat in your current relationship and leave you feeling artistically stifled. However, there’s a good chance you may reconnect with an old lover, which will remind you of a feeling you’ve been missing. It could even encourage you to pick up a creative project you’ve abandoned and pick up where you left off.
However, after Mercury retrogrades back into your fourth house of ancestral roots on August 14, you may find yourself running into issues at home and with relatives by the last leg of summer. This could take you back to some complicated memories of your childhood or resurrect long-standing conflicts with the people you’ve known since you were a kid. You can’t change where you come from, but your roots don’t dictate how tall you’re capable of growing.
Once Mercury stations direct on August 28, you may feel your creative juices begin to return as you come to terms with what inspired you during these past three weeks. You may even feel like you’re in the mood to start crushing on someone new or you’re feeling prepared to enhance the romance in your relationship. You could have reconciled with family members or released your expectations of them, allowing you to heal the scars of your upbringing. Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.
Gemini
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
A thriving home environment is not without its problems, Gemini. Is there a pile of laundry in your room you’ve been refusing to fold? Are you and your relatives dealing with a disagreement? Are you working too often to even enjoy being at home? As Mercury stations retrograde in your fourth house of home and family on August 5, it will encourage you to heal your relationship with your roots as you water the new ones you’ve been planting. Home may be the place we come from, but it’s also the place we wind up next. It could also resurrect some of the conflict and trauma tied to your relatives and hometown, strengthening the positive lessons your elders taught you while shedding the negative ones.
By the time Mercury re-enters your third house of communication on August 14, the emotional intensity of this retrograde will begin to lower, but the awkwardness will only increase. During this time, you’ll be in an even stronger position to say the wrong thing at the wrong time, so think twice before making that crass joke at the dinner table. You could also forgo important details or forget to sign your documents correctly, so keep this in mind when scheduling your end of summer plans.
Once Mercury stations direct on August 28, you may find the strength to solve conflicts in your family and set the necessary boundaries to protect your energy. After all, dealing with family and domestic issues can be draining, but it’s important to remember that you have all the power to create the home and family of your dreams. It all begins with your courage to change things. Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.
Cancer
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
Uh-oh! You might be putting your foot in your mouth while Mercury is retrograde, so remember to think before you speak, Cancer. After all, this retrograde will take place in your third house of communication, which could bring up conversations that didn’t end on the best note after it begins on August 5. Prepare for people who “ghosted” to suddenly start replying and conversations that were left on read may suddenly start being inundated with messages. However, the main thing you need to remember is to triple check all correspondence and make sure you backup your important documents, as tech errors may be inevitable.
Retrograding back into your second house of finances and spending habits on August 14, you may spend the rest of summer dealing with money-related stress if you’ve been charging your credit card frivolously. If you’re hedging all your bets on certain expectations of luxury, you may be left feeling hollow, as the truth is, no amount of money in your bank account will be enough if you don’t know what truly matters to you. However, denying yourself purchases that will make your life easier due to fear-based frugality is equally as harmful to your self-esteem.
Once Mercury stations direct on August 28, you may finally come to a conclusion regarding a conflict or never-ending conversation. Allow this retrograde to show you how to find the right words to say what you want to say and encourage you to communicate with intention rather than self-satisfaction. You’ll also be in a better position to make decisions for your financial future, guiding you to save up for something meaningful or spend your hard-earned cash on something extravagant. Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.
Leo
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
This retrograde could throw a wrench in your finances, a possibility that will only be emphasized by the amount of money you’re likely to spend over the summer. After all, Mercury will station retrograde in your second house of material possessions and personal expenses on August 5, forcing you to reflect on your self-worth and spending habits, especially if you’ve been hedging your bets on all the wrong things. Taking place in your second house of stability and self-esteem, this retrograde may leave you feeling like you have a need for something that you can’t satisfy.
However, it will also challenge you to rethink what you’re choosing to align your values with, especially once Mercury retrograde re-enters Leo on August 14, infinitely increasing the confusion you feel about who you are, what you think, and how you really feel. This retrograde will give you some extra time to gather your bearings before you head into the future, so give yourself time to reflect on the image you’re projecting for the world and whether it’s in line with what feels authentic.
Once Mercury stations direct on August 28, financial issues will begin to resolve themselves, especially if you’ve been working on healing your relationship with money and getting to the core of the issue. It will also help you tie off loose ends from your past, as you will have returned to unfinished projects, relationships, and ideas and catch up with the parts of yourself that you’ve been missing. Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.
Virgo
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
Get ready, Virgo, because this Mercury retrograde has your name on it (literally). Taking place in your first house of the self, Mercury will station retrograde as of August 5, and the experience could lead to a total reevaluation of the self. Who have you been? Who are you becoming? Who are you right now, Virgo? And no, I’m not talking about who you are when someone else needs you. I’m not talking about the personality you adopt when you’re in “people-pleaser” mode. I’m talking about the real you, Virgo. It’s time to remember the person you’ve always been, especially if you’ve set that person aside for the sake of someone else’s needs.
However, Mercury retrogrades back into your 12th house of spirituality and subconscious energies on August 5, bringing your energy down and forcing you to look inward and rethink the way you speak to yourself. This retrograde will encourage you to let go of guilt, regret, and anger that you’ve been holding onto longer than you deserve. You owe it to yourself to set down these burdens.
Once Mercury stations direct on August 28, you may feel like a different person (or at least, a more honest version of the person you already are). Don’t be afraid to look inward during this retrograde, because you may feel less inclined to express yourself to others and more in the mood to have a conversation with yourself. What do you have to say? Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.
Libra
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
Prepare to do a deep-dive into your psyche, Libra. After all, Mercury is stationing retrograde in your spiritual 12th house as of August 5, which means introspection will bring you face to face with your shadow self. Remember, the shadow self is neither the negative aspects of your personality nor the positive, as it merely represents all the parts of you that remain subconscious, unseen, and unrealized. However, your will to succeed is stronger than any fears you might have, especially when your emotions are also your most motivating force. Although you may feel more quiet and reserved during this time, this break from the social scene also giving your subconscious a chance to piece together what still doesn’t make sense and process all that you’ve been feeling and experiencing.
However, that may begin to change on August 14, as this is when Mercury will retrograde back into your social and community-oriented 11th house. You may find yourself mingling in certain crowds from your past by the end of summer, especially if you’ve changed a lot since you last saw them. You could find yourself suddenly at odds with your friends and extended network, feeling as though you don’t fit in. These social nuances will hold deep meaning, allowing your hopes, dreams, and wishes for the future to evolve.
Once Mercury stations direct on August 28, you may feel as though you’re waking up from a long dream filled with highs and lows. You may feel more rested, as though your subconscious finally had the opportunity to rest from all the commotion you’ve endured over the past year. Use this retrograde to embrace forgiveness and to truly work on letting go of what’s no longer your responsibility to carry. Liberate yourself from the past so you can start this new chapter strong. Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.
Scorpio
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
Not feeling the vibe, Scorpio? If so, it makes sense, because Mercury is stationing retrograde in your 11th house of community on August 5, which may leave you feeling like leaving the party even though you’ve just arrived. If you’re on the outs with your clique, it may be time to communicate and get to the bottom of what went wrong. However, this may not indicate trouble in your friend group at all. Instead, it speaks to the process of reconnecting with old colleagues, acquaintances and teammates you’ve lost touch with. After all, they might have something to teach you, so prepare to learn a lot about what makes a team work together rather than against each other. Because the 11th house also shines a light on your hopes and ideals, you may spend time rethinking your vision for the future and what you want it to look like.
The intensity of Mercury retrograde increases around August 14, as this is when Mercury will re-enter your 10th house of career, legacy, and public-facing image. You may run into complications related to social media, especially if what you’re projecting for the world is not in line with what feels authentic to you. Unfinished projects may come up for review, especially if you’ve been overlooked for a promotion or unappreciated at work. Now is the time to finally settle what needs to be settled in your profession.
Once Mercury stations direct on August 28, you begin to possess a more positive and healthy attitude toward your peers. This retrograde will help you feel more confident about your decision to stand up for the future you know you deserve, especially if you’ve been hanging on the sidelines or leaning on the comfort of being a big fish in a small bowl. Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.
Sagittarius
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
You love to shoot for the moon, but it’s time to rethink the competitive side of your personality, because Mercury is retrograding through your 10th house of career as of August 5. This will likely throw a wrench in some of your professional plans, especially if they were on shaky ground to begin with, Sagittarius. It’s time to think outside of the box when it comes to problems related to your social standing and your public-facing persona, because you can’t always rely on appearances. You may run into conflicts with your superiors and misunderstandings with your underlings, because authority is a fickle thing. Allow this retrograde to heal and strengthen your relationship with it.
However, these challenges will also help you rethink what you bring to the table and how you choose to market it. Once Mercury retrogrades back into your ninth house of philosophy and perspective on August 14, you may be returning to abandoned or unfinished projects and reworking the direction you’ve been headed. You may have a tendency to lean into big-picture thinking until you sacrifice the details and logistics, so remember to be practical without losing faith.
Once Mercury stations direct on August 28, you’ll have a much better understanding of what career move you’re ready to make next. It will also give you an idea of where you want your life to end up in the long run. You may even feel ready to work your way back up to a position of confidence, know-how and strength, especially if this retrograde knocked you down a few pegs. Stay humble, open to learning, and ready to get back up over and over again, because that’s the only way to stay in the game. Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.
Capricorn
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
Feeling a bit lost and unmoored lately, Capricorn? If so, it’s no wonder, because Mercury will station retrograde in your ninth house of travel and expansion as of August 5. This could confuse your inner compass and take you down an unexpected path, so embrace detours and delays that force you to take the road less traveled. Even if you have no clue where you are, life isn’t meant to be lived with a GPS at all moments. Allow the wind to take you somewhere that is both fascinating and confronting. It is during moments where you feel untethered that you deepen your sense of faith, because life always has a way of bringing you home just when you think you’ve completely drifted off course. You may find yourself returning to educational pursuits or renewing your commitment to faith-based systems during this time.
However, things could get even more emotional and intense once Mercury retrogrades back into your eighth house of intimacy and boundaries on August 14, which could resurrect abandonment issues, financial issues, and a past you continue to grieve right just before summer comes to an end. Let this retrograde help you face the skeletons in your closet and settle the debts that continue to hinder your ability to truly start over.
Once Mercury stations direct on August 28, you may feel your sense of direction returning, especially if you’ve been gradually zeroing in on what you’re interested in and what you believe in. By the time this retrograde comes to an end, you’ll have learned something valuable and experienced something that you never could have planned yourself. Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.
Aquarius
Photo : Design: Sasha Purdy/StyleCaster
The end of the year is always an intense time for you, but this retrograde is making it more piercing than ever before. Not only is Mercury your ruling planet, but it will station retrograde in your eighth house of emotional and financial debts on August 5, forcing you to settle debts and reevaluate the level of return on your investments. This could bring up some financial damages that still require your attention. If money is unaccounted for, it’s time to locate where it may have gone (especially if your assets haven’t been particularly organized). However, you’ll also explore the most taboo reaches of your life during this retrograde, as the eighth house is also where all your deepest and darkest secrets live.
Once Mercury retrogrades back into your seventh house of allies and enemies on August 14, your relationships will inevitably be up for review. During this three-week-long glitch in the matrix, you may find friendship, love, and intimacy in unexpected places, especially if there are still emotional strings tying you to a past that may no longer exist. You may find yourself realizing that you’ve stayed in a situation way past its expiration date. You may find that you’ve been missing something you should never have cut ties with in the first place.
Once Mercury stations direct on September 15, you’ll be ready to set fire to what no longer has a hold over you and move on (much like a phoenix rising from the ashes). It’s time to let go of what you’ve long since outgrown, Aquarius. Read your full yearly horoscope for 2024.