Weekly Horoscope: Mercury Retrograde Is Coming, Folks

The full moon in communal, idealistic Aquarius arrives with extra fanfare as a total lunar eclipse, the second in a trio of eclipses taking place between June 12 and August 11. And with it comes a loud, clear message to come together. It was legendary Aquarius Bob Marley who crooned this timeless message: "One love/One heart/Let's get together and feel all right." Those lyrics will strike a meaningful chord in the world this week, especially since this is the last of the Water Bearer's eclipses in a two-year series on the Leo–Aquarius axis.

The flashbacks will begin on Thursday, as messenger Mercury pivots into a three-week retrograde. Until August 19, he'll reverse commute through glamorous, amorous Leo, stirring up conflict and scrambling romantic signals—and perhaps bringing some citations from the fashion police. Save those sleeve tattoos to a Pinterest board and reconsider later next month. During this backspin, exes may creep out of the woodwork while lovers' quarrels could blaze up out of nowhere.

With Leo's fire tamed by Mercury's moonwalk, we can also run the risk of being TOO understated. Don't let a good opportunity slip away because you were too low-key about your interest. Conflict resolution will be tricky for the next three weeks. With Mercury in ego-driven Leo, it would be easy to shift the blame, or even gaslight people into believing THEY are responsible for YOUR misdeeds. That tactic might work temporarily, but it will blow up after Mercury resumes forward motion on August 19. The best way to make it through this turbulent phase is to stay humble and keep your heart open—without being too trusting, too soon. Leo rules our "kings and queens," and this retrograde could reveal some fascinating (and maybe disturbing) information about the world's top brass. And before stepping into a leadership role, make sure you know what you're getting yourself into. Heavy is the head that wears the crown—at least until August 19.

Harmonic Venus is also here to help us play fair as she rolls through ethical Virgo all week. On Friday, she'll form a somewhat rare trine (an auspicious 120-degree angle) to provocateur Pluto, who is parked in status-oriented Capricorn. Turn on the charm, but don't forget the integrity. Under this auspicious alignment, it's easy to get a "yes" to just about anything—and maybe a little too easy to SAY yes to attractive offers, too. Careful not to be seduced by a slick sales pitch. And if you're the one doing the pitching, back it up with facts and stats.