In the Tarot, Mercury rules the Swords suit—air, logic, and sharp communication. When Mercury goes retrograde, those blades feel like they’re pointing at our own blind spots. Psychologically, this is a textbook case of confirmation bias: we expect delays and confusion, so we notice every bumped-upon-by and misfired text. But instead of spiraling into “bad vibes,” I’m using it as a mirror.

Here’s the thing most spiritual circles skip: retrogrades aren’t about hiding in a cozy cave with crystals. They’re about facing the communication breakdowns in our communities. As an activist, I see how systemic inequities get amplified when dialogue fractures. This isn’t just “my bad week”—it’s a prompt to examine how we talk to each other, especially across class and race lines. Spiritual bypassing says “just heal your own energy.” I say: heal the space between us.

So yeah, I’m juggling 12-hour shifts, dodging gridlock, and quietly meditating on the Hanged Man card (suspended perspective). I even reached for my black tourmaline to ground the static, but honestly, the real work isn’t in the stones—it’s in how we relate to one another. If you’re feeling the Aug ’25 retrograde, don’t just blame the planets. Use the confusion to sharpen your empathy, check your assumptions, and maybe finally apologize to that coworker you’ve been passive-aggressive with. The universe isn’t punishing you; it’s asking you to communicate better.