Mercury Retrograde: Think Before You Speak!

Expect rampant foot-in-mouth syndrome as Mercury goes retrograde in Sagittarius November 24 through December 14. Not only are we more inclined to speak before we think, but even our most innocent comments can be misconstrued. Humor goes awry, so make sure your jokes translate and are not ill-timed. Missives that seem hilarious to the sender may fall flat or worse, seem offensive to the receiver. Consider your words carefully, weeding out anything that sounds brash, judgmental or preachy.

Although truth can set you free, it can also hurt. We are more likely to fall into the mightier-than-thou trap, so it’s best to avoid politics, religion and other touchy subjects until Mercury moves into the conservative terrain of Capricorn on December 14. It’s all too easy to fly off the handle and react in a fiery, opinionated manner even over things that may have transpired eons ago. Sagittarius often blurts first and thinks later. You think you’re just horsing around and the next minute you’ve alienated someone.

Overestimating, Overloading and Overdoing
Sagittarius is the sign synonymous with overkill. Not knowing when to say no and overestimating your capacity to handle a multitude of things, is the danger of this transit. Not only is over-scheduling a compulsion during this time, but with the retrograde influence, it’s all too easy to double-schedule and find yourself committed to several people and things during the same time slot. Snafus galore are par for the course, but under the domain of the Archer, the blunders are all out in the open. Better to own up to your mistakes honestly and make amends immediately rather than opt for any covert cover-up schemes. Honesty is your best policy as long as you learn to temper your words with love and compassion. Think before speaking -- and then speak kind truths.

As with all Mercury Retrogrades, avoid making major commitments that you can’t keep, and steer clear of signing contracts or investing in big purchases. It’s easy to overestimate the value of things under Sag’s eternal optimism and rose-colored glasses. Look to the area in your chart ruled by Sagittarius to see where you need to be extra mindful. This is an excellent time to review, revamp and revise your existential philosophy.