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Mercury Retrograde In Scorpio Will Make Spooky Season Downright Terrifying

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As if this month hasn’t been enough of a thrill ride already (see: last week’s brash full moon), the skies have yet more in store for us. Namely, a Mercury retrograde will kick off in the slinky sign of Scorpio this coming Tuesday, October 13.

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We’ve come to expect certain headaches when the messenger planet gets up to its old signal-scrambling tricks — best-laid plans go awry, credit info gets leaked, and group chats devolve into chaos. But, thanks to Scorpio’s tendency toward mystery, secrecy, and, at times, moodiness, it’s quite likely we’ll have to endure more than mere logistical issues during this retrograde. In fact, as Mercury backtracks through Scorpio for the next three weeks, this sign’s signature love of privacy will be turned against us. Personal (and we mean personal) information might get leaked, long-buried secrets may find their way to the surface, and skeletons may come dancing out of our closets — just in time for Halloween.

In sum, the final Mercury retrograde of the year is going to stick with the overall theme of 2020 and truly test us. But that’s just the general forecast. Read on to find out how to best prepare yourself, based on your Zodiac sign.

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Aries

You may have the creeping suspicion that something is off, even missing. Sure, we love to blame Mercury retrograde for all those times we forgot our keys, but this is no ordinary slip of the mind. You’ll likely have to look farther back to find the root of your unease, Aries. There’s a long standing imbalance — perhaps in your finances, relationships, or your overall energy — that needs righting. Don’t worry about placing blame or bemoaning what you may have gained had things been in their proper place all along. Rather, focus on restoring equilibrium.

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Taurus

Under normal circumstances, your romantic streak, often buried beneath your steadfast exterior, serves as a helpful guiding light, a soft-hearted voice that reminds you to heed the yearnings of your heart. Unfortunately, that voice might not have all the facts during this retrograde. First impressions could be way off-base and boundaries could be crossed within burgeoning relationships. In short, guard your heart and stay grounded, Taurus. There’s plenty of time to be swept off your feet once Mercury is direct.

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Gemini

This Mercury retrograde will ask you to do what you do best, Gemini: improvise. Your schedule, upcoming tasks, and agreements with others, even the ones you thought to be firmly set in stone, are in peril. You might be asked to adjust your plans for the sake of others or pour your efforts into a new project at the last minute. You’ll be living from moment to moment for the next three weeks and the wins will come as suddenly as the disappointments. Shed your expectations for what’s to come and, instead, devise a strategy that makes you feel prepared for anything.

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Cancer

You can’t seem to keep your thoughts straight during this retrograde, Cancer — there are just too many of them, springing up like wildflowers across an already dense meadow. Where some people complain of brain fog while Mercury is retrograde, you’ll deal with the opposite problem. You’ll stumble upon new perspectives and means of expression that snap your inner vision into focus, throwing your current MO into question along the way. This will be unsettling, even overwhelming, but it’s just as likely to lead to major creative inspiration. You can benefit from this period if you’re willing to embrace the chaos and see where it leads.

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Leo

No one can fault you if you seem distracted during this retrograde, Leo. You’ll be dealing with some deep-seated concerns at home, and we don’t mean that nagging feeling that your roommate’s been slacking off on the chores. We’re talking about the kinds of old, uncomfortable problems that mount only after years of plodding erosion and resentment. Be warned: Issues hidden for this long don’t necessarily want to be rooted out. Power dynamics are always at play, within families and within households. This is an opportunity to take a long, (hopefully objective) look at the ones that rule your own living situation and determine what you can do to make them fairer and more conducive to the kind of love and comfort you expect from the place you call home.

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Virgo

It isn’t just that you find drama annoying — you consider it impractical, too, which is a capital offense in the book of Virgo. Unfortunately, with that in mind, the next three weeks could prove to be very, very offensive to you. You may end up embroiled in petty disputes or find that you’ve inadvertently stepped on the wrong person’s toes. Your instinct will be to minimize these conflicts, which could leave those involved feeling dismissed out of hand. Tap your patience reserve, Virgo, and mediate with a gentle but firm touch. There is a way through these disagreements that serves you, if you’re willing to bide your time.

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Libra

The time to pay the piper (or, more accurately, the credit company) is fast approaching, Libra. Loose spending, weak passwords, and risky investments all have their consequences — and Mercury retrograde has a tendency of expediting them to your doorstep. That said, your money woes will not reach a crisis point during this period. It’s far more likely that a near-catastrophic scare will shock you into action, inspiring you to create a sensible saving plan or cancel costly subscriptions. If you were heading toward a cliff, financially speaking, this retrograde is your chance to shift into reverse.

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Scorpio

You have the great honor of hosting this Mercury retrograde, Scorpio, so, while you might not want to hear it, it’ll at least come as no surprise to learn that this transit will strike a rather personal note for you. Specifically, matters of commitment will come to the forefront now, challenging your sign’s conviction that stringently adhering to a plan laid out months ago is the only way forward. Plans change, Scorp, and so can your priorities — letting go of something or directing your focus elsewhere doesn’t make you flighty or inconsistent. Don’t second-guess your gut or drag yourself down a path that won’t satisfy you.

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Sagittarius

Much is made of Mercury retrograde’s capacity for chaos, but you’ll be subjected to something else entirely this time around, Sag. These periods are just as likely to slow things way, way down, to the point that it feels as though life has come to a standstill. While this is certainly less catastrophic, it’s frustrating nonetheless. As the coming weeks inch by, your challenge is to stay the course and trust that the processes you put into place before the retrograde began are functioning as planned. Sitting tight is not your energetic sign’s strongest suit, but it can be done — and the payoff will be worth it.

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Capricorn

Libra season always boosts your (already sky-high) ambitions, Cap, but this Mercury retrograde will interrogate the methods you’re using to meet those goals. Have you left anyone important in the dust as you forge ahead? Are you neglecting some in your network and prioritizing only those who have something to offer you at the moment? Reevaluate how you view and treat your wider circle of friends and connections — ones that you’ve viewed as merely transactionary to this point are subject to evolve or devolve under these skies.

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Aquarius

Your sign’s whole reputation is that you don’t give a damn about your reputation, which means you find networking and glad-handing around the office to be a particularly annoying hoop to jump through. Unfortunately, that hoop will be unavoidable during Mercury retrograde, when your standing at work (and how it can be improved) will be highlighted. You don’t have to pose as someone you aren’t, but you can make a more concerted effort to remind coworkers of your strengths and to define your path up the corporate ladder more clearly.

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Pisces

Details, details, details! It’s going to be very difficult to avoid getting bogged down in the minutiae of your life once Mercury retrograde is underway. There is a line between nitpicking and utter obliviousness — and it’s up to you to walk that line for the next three weeks, Pisces. Don’t lose sleep over a single hair that was out of place, but keep track of the finer points that repeatedly get overlooked. Those little slip-ups will eventually amount to issues that need addressing, so give them your attention now, before they grow beyond your scope of control.

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