Life
The second Mercury retrograde of 2019 is upon us from Jul. 7 to Jul. 31 — and although this tends to be a bad time to start new things, Mercury retrograde is also notorious for coaxing your exes out of the woodwork. The zodiac signs that have the best chance of meeting someone during Mercury retrograde this summer are the ones for whom Cancer season in general is a social time of year.
In astrology, the planet Mercury rules things like communication, travel, and technology, so when it stations retrograde — or appears to move backwards in the sky from our vantage point as earth passes it in orbit — those areas of life tend to go a bit haywire. When any planet stations retrograde, it's meant to be a time of personal reflection for the areas that planet rules. That's why your exes all of a sudden pop up with "hey you" texts during Mercury retrograde — it tends to be a time, subconsciously or not, when we're thinking about the past. But this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Mercury retrograde is a great time to revisit old fallings out and try reprocessing any miscommunications. It can also be a great time for closure-seeking, which may open up space in your life for either a new flame or a rekindled one.
Read on to find out if you're one of the signs who might find someone this Mercury retrograde.
Aries (March 21 - April 19)
Aries is definitely going to find themselves susceptible to romance this Mercury retrograde, but astrologer Lisa Stardust warns against getting too caught up too quickly.
"Your love goggles are on, which may allow you to become swept away in love," she tells Bustle. "Don’t get too passionate too fast. Pace yourself."
Taurus (April 20 - May 20)
According to astrologer Maia Orion, Taurus is going to be looking at a very packed social calendar this Mercury retrograde — but that also means they have a great chance at meeting someone new.
"Taurus, this Mercury Retrograde sees you getting involved in your community and circle of friends," she tells Bustle. "It’s an ideal time to accept invites! Go to that party! Go to the music festival! Don’t limit yourself in activities, because you just might meet your ideal match."
One caveat, Orion adds: "Since Mercury is retrograde during a very active and fun time of year for you, it might also be a great idea to include time buffers in your travel plans, since there’s more likely to be travel delays and reroutes, to help prevent you from missing any opening acts.
Libra (September 23 - October 22)
If you've been waiting for that lowkey friend-crush to notice you, Libra, this Mercury retrograde might be the time to shoot your shot.
"A casual friendship can escalate into something more" during this time, Stardust advises. "Be prepared to take the jump into exploring this relationship."
Scorpio (October 23 - November 21)
Scorpio is another sign with a super packed social life this Mercury retrograde, and they're in a prime position to cultivate something new with an old connection, according to Orion.
"It may be Mercury retrograde, but it’s an incredibly social time of year for you! While you may be in a more self reflective mindset, due to Mercury’s backwards motion, it’s still a great time to breath life into more social outlets where both play and creativity are involved," she says. "Perhaps it’s time to meet up with someone from your past on whom you’ve had a long standing crush? It could be a great time to plant seeds in a new relationship, particularly with people you’ve lost touch with."
Capricorn (December 22 - January 19)
Capricorn, meanwhile, is the lucky sign most likely to have ex-lover processing on the brain this Mercury retrograde.
"Is there one that got away, Capricorn? A miscommunication that may have parted ways? Mercury retrograde’s energy can be used to revisit and heal past wounds and communication breakdowns, which may just mean finding closure for yourself," Orion says. "Your relationships are likely to deepen this Cancer season and Mercury retrograde either way, Capricorn. So hold tight for some deep insights and closer bonds to begin."
Above all, remember to go with the flow this Mercury retrograde; don't try to repress whatever difficult feelings come up. If things aren't going your way, it's a great reminder to slow down and quit trying to force the universe into doing your bidding. You'll be glad you took the time to process on the other side of it.
