Get your incense and Oracles ready – Mercury and the Moon have come out to play.
The weather forecasters are telling us that there is a reprieve from the heat wave this week as the atmospheric temperature cools – thank goodness. But there is more than a cooling temperature happening across the Cosmos this week. Mercury and the Full Moon are taking centre stage. What does that mean for us?
This blog shares what is special about this week’s Full Moon, highlights the importance of preparing for an apparent retrograde motion of Mercury and guides you on how we can align with these planetary aspects for our highest good.
Apparent retrograde motion of Mercury 29th June 2026
Let’s get one thing straight about Mercury. It does not travel backwards, so calling it a retrograde motion is not technically accurate. It is an illusion that Mercury is travelling backwards during these phases hence it is an Apparent Retrograde Motion of Mercury. This phase of the apparent retrograde motion starts on Monday 29th June 2026 and ends on Thursday 23rd July 2026. It is the second of the three apparent retrograde motions this year. (The third and final one this year starts on Saturday 24th October and ends on Friday 13th November).
Mercury looks as if it slows down, stops and then goes backwards, but that illusion is caused by the way the Earth and Mercury move in their own orbits. If you want to get really technical, Mercury does not orbit in a round circle type way but more of an egg shaped way, so its perceived distance to the Earth in its Orbit creates the illusion that we think Mercury is travelling backwards.
This planetary aspect gets a rough time and Planet Mercury has an unfair reputation for a time of things not working out or just going awry, especially communications and tech issues. But is that true?
Scientist and astronomers say there is no evidence that the apparent retrograde motion of Mercury causes communication or technology issues. I can tell you that I have looked for studies about this planetary aspect and cannot find any. So the scientists are correct in that there is no evidence to prove that this planetary aspect causes communication or technology issues – but that is because there are no studies I can find that have tried to prove or disprove it.
That is the scientific and conscious mind view, but let’s get to the fun bit about our experience and what we choose to believe.
Mercury is a reminder of illusion – Things are not always what they seem
For those of us who choose to believe that everything is connected and understand the importance of the hermetic maxim ‘As above, so below’, we likely have lived experience of the issues caused during an apparent retrograde motion of Mercury and therefore we believe that things can go awry during this time.
I choose to believe that these apparent retrograde motions are a sign for us here on Earth. Reminders that can truly guide and support us during these current times of turbulence. Here are some tips that can help us stay aligned to our highest good during this phase of potential flux.
· Life has an ebb and flow. This period is an ebb so slow down if you can.
· Avoid making assumptions and taking things at face value – ask questions.
· Trust your intuition and if it does not feel right that is a sign to pause and consider next steps before taking any action.
· Nothing is ever what it really seems, illusion is everywhere.
· Pause before communicating. Remember, others are probably making assumptions so do your best to make all your communications clear.
Most of all, trust your intuition. Use your oracles, meditate, ask the Universe for a sign, whatever works for you to see through the illusion.
Mercury the God
Many of our planets are named after Gods, Goddesses and Deities from Ancient history. Both the Ancient Greeks and Romans named this planet after their god who was the messenger for all the gods and known for his speed. Known as Hermes in Ancient Greek and as Mercury to the Romans, Mercury is considered the god of communication – including divine communication, commerce, boundaries, financial gain, thieves and trickery. That is quite a remit and he is known for some trickery himself.
As an archetype, I think the importance of the god Mercury is a reminder of the ebb and flow of life. Sometimes we are in flow and things are moving and life feels like it is going in the right direction and at other times, there is an ebb, things slow down or stop. As humans we get frustrated we feel that things should keep going. Divine right order has other ideas and those ebb times are when we can rest and recharge, to pause and see if we are living from heart and soul and to look out for the tricksters.
Mercury’s June Transit
This apparent retrograde motion, we see the illusion of Mercury going backwards to the sign of Cancer before moving into Gemini where it will be visible until the 23rd July when the this motion ends. A few after it ends we will see Mercury moving through its usual trajectory.
Cancerians may feel like withdrawing into their shells over the next week and can use this as an opportunity to rest, recharge and have some reflection time on what is happening around them based on the guidance in the bullet points above. If you know a Cancerian, give them some space but also check-in with them as they may appreciate the opportunity to talk through their reflections.
Our Gemini friends are generally adept with the duality of life including the ebbs and flows, but will be impatient for the ebb to end and the flow to start again. During this time it is particularly important for them to see through the illusion and not take things at face value and to be more discerning about the connections they are making during this period.
For the rest of us, see the reminders above. Keep breathing, don’t make assumptions and trust your intuition.
Full Moon Tuesday 30th June 2026
It is that time of the month again. Time to release and surrender all emotions, thoughts and feelings that are weighing you down. (Did I just hear you sigh and say ‘again?’).
In my part of the work the skies have been clear this past week and I have watched as the moon as revealed a little more each night. It is a beautiful sight and I love seeing it each month. It is something that has happened for millennia and it still happens today, wherever we are in the world we can all see it and that makes me peaceful and grounded.
A Special Full Moon
There is a duality to this month’s Full Moon. It is known as the Strawberry Moon as it is the first full moon of the summer season and it is a Micromoon. This happens when is full or new moon coincides with the point at which the Moon’s orbit is furthest away from the Earth.
That means in the northern hemisphere this full moon is special in the calendar year as it is the lowest hanging in the sky. This full moon is closer to the horizon and creates an illusion (are you getting the message here?) that means the moon looks larger than when it is positioned higher in the sky during the rest of the year.
To sum it up, the full moon is at the furthest point away from the Earth that it can get, meaning it should look smaller to us YET is going to look huge to us.
It’s just an illusion.
Life is an illusion. It really is.
Sometimes we live a life of illusion because we aspire to something different, maybe we cannot face up to the life we have created or we are out of balance with our body, mind and soul.
Deep stuff but let’s accept it for what it is. Things are not always what they seem to us. We may get taken in by someone with a good/sob story and it turns to be illusion. It is all ok. It is part of our path, our growth and once we rest and recharge, take time to reclaim and reconnect with your intuition, it is all going to pass and we eventually move from the ebb to the flow.
With love
Ruth