On January 21 7:54 am PST/10:54am EST Mercury will begin a retrograde motion in the sign of Aquarius and will continue regressing until February 11th. It will remain in the sign of Aquarius for the course of this transit; meaning it will focus upon one specific area of your life at this time. It will then go direct on February 11th 3:57pm/ 6:57pm EST, 1 degree in Aquarius
Aquarius, which governs imagination and ingenuity, will draw your attention to matters that you are hoping to bring to fulfillment. Depending upon where this planet appears in your chart, honoring your past ideals may figure prominently at this time. This particular Retrograde will ask you if your current life course is in keeping to that you aspire to. At this time, re-examine expectations and prepare to make radical changes to your life. Keep in mind, Retrogrades are times of review, not initiation. The transit will acquaint you with something that you needs to be changed and give you time to reflect upon the best way to implement those changes. Real change will then occur after the transit ends in February. So until that time, allow yourself exploration of alternative of ways thinking and seeing, mindful of matters you still hope to achieve.
The New Moon in Aquarius may serve as a proper lead in to the Retrograde along with the square of Pluto in Capricorn/Uranus in Aries; this could be a great time to divest and purge from your life anything that you feel is holding you back. .
For Sun sign Aquarians or those with strong placements in the house of Aquarius, you may encounter circumstances that will ask you to review your life path and whether you are served by it. If not, don't be surprised by radical internal changes you may encounter now or after retrograde is over. Affirm those things that may lead you to fulfillment and a life you’d ought to have.
For Sun Sign Leos and those with strong Leo placements, It is the time to honor and support your community and the role you play in it. To be an effective leader is to recognize the requirements of your followers and identify with common cause. Reach out to those in your inner circle and review, repair or re-establish connections that will help you and them to advance and grow..
It bears repeating that Retrogrades requires us to rely upon our human resources and acknowledge our fragilities. Devices of communication, phones, computers, written letters,etc can swept up in the erratic energy of the Retrograde and not work well. Plans, contracts, travel can also be affected by this transit, often being delayed or sidetracked. Given the visionary and idealist nature of Aquarius, patience and pragmatism maybe the best way to work at this time. Be mindful of perfectionism and unrealistic expectations based on how you believe things should turn out. Do the best that you can with what you have.
Creative projects are good uses of one’s time during a Mercury Retrograde, especially pending ones or you’ve laid aside. Spiritual efforts are also well served. Any rituals or activities that bring you clarity or offers affirmation would probably work best.
During this time, as you re-invest in your ideals and experiment with new ways of thinking, allowing your imaginative forces to lead the way. Mercury Retrograde in Aquarius may provide you the means to get back to where you once belong.