Gathering Threads & Slowing Down
The Large Plane Trees by Vincent van Gogh 1889
Synopsis:
Mercury stations retrograde this Friday, closing the week down with a slower, more reflective pace. The usual external momentum gives way to internal considerations. Conversations may feel disjointed as you find yourself circling back to topics you thought were settled. Rather than resisting and allowing frustration to take over, consider this a time to review, revise, and patiently untangle the tiny chains that have knotted themselves together over the past few months.
Mercury retrograde in Leo puts a spotlight on how we communicate and handle creative expression. You may find yourself thinking about something you said that didn’t come out the way you meant. Or something you never said at all. A creative idea you abandoned might be calling for your attention again. When something from the past resurfaces, don’t brush it off too quickly. There may be a thread there that will become more important moving forward.
Take this time to return to a half-finished piece of writing or art, finally deal with an overloaded inbox, fix something that’s been broken for too long, or return to a letter you meant to send but never did. Some people might come back into your life, and you may see your role in a relationship differently than you did before. Use that insight to adjust to the new story, not to dwell on the past.
Don’t expect or look for quick answers or quick results. Dust things off and look more closely at the past. Pay attention to what is important in the house that holds Leo in your natal chart.
Monday, July 14, 2025: SOFT FOCUS
The Moon moves through Pisces today, loosening and smoothing out rough edges. Some mornings here on the coast, the fog rolls in from the ocean so thick, I think about pea soup or being ‘socked in’. The air is soft, salty, and undefined, and the day itself feels impossible to navigate by logic alone. Tasks that demand precision or even too much effort may be released to prevent frustration. It’s a better day for wandering than for pushing an ambition or accomplishment. If you’ve been demanding an answer from yourself or anyone else, try sitting still with the question instead.
Music, water, dreams, and memory may lead you somewhere more comfortable. For example, a half-forgotten melody might open a door in your thinking. Or a scent from childhood might bring an unexpected insight. Let yourself drift a little. Sometimes daydreaming is the very thing you need to do.
- Where do I confuse my emotions with intuition?
- What happens if I stop trying to be practical and insisting that everything makes sense?
- What part of me needs quiet attention before I can move forward?
Tuesday, July 15, 2025: QUIET CURRENTS
The Moon is still in Pisces today, but the tone is slightly different. Yesterday may have felt hazy or emotional. Today, things settle into a quiet type of awareness. You might notice something you have overlooked. Perhaps it is a small change in someone’s tone, or a feeling you brushed past that has now become clear.
This is a good day for paying attention to what’s been right in front of you. A quiet moment might hold more meaning than it seems to at first. You may find that you’re thinking about someone you haven’t talked to in a while, or that a dream from last night brings up something you haven’t wanted to look at. Let the pace stay slow. Insight doesn’t always arrive when we expect it to, even if we make great effort. Sometimes it shows up when we stop pushing, expecting, or demanding it to show up on our schedule.
- What detail keeps returning to my attention?
- Where am I being asked to listen more carefully?
- Who from the past should I call for a new conversation?
Wednesday, July 16, 2025: BUILDING MOMENTUM
The Moon moves into Aries today, bringing a powerful momentum to the week. After the past few days of slow and dreamy emotions, today our feelings are more determined and alert. The energy of Aries seeks physicality and independence, making this a good day for solo efforts. Take your mountain bike out for a spin, go for a long hike, pull the weeds out of your garden. It is best to release the built-up pressure of Aries following the quiet days of Pisces.
If frustration rises, use it to fuel a small accomplishment rather than going in for a big confrontation. Aries can get carried away with confrontation, so approach your interactions with steady intention. Put your energy into something simple that involves your body and gives your mind more space to direct the body.
- Where should I move cautiously rather than react?
- What have I been avoiding that needs direct attention?
- What kind of movement would help me think more clearly?
Thursday, July 17, 2025: NOTHING TO PROVE
The Moon remains in Aries today, as we reach the Last Quarter lunar phase. This brings a shift in focus and attention. Something you started a few weeks ago, at the Cancer New Moon (June 25), is nearing its natural end. Something you had hoped would develop just hasn’t done so. Be honest about that now and release it rather than holding on.
Aries can help you let go without overthinking. The point isn’t to find a replacement, as it is the release that needs to occur. Think of watching a sheet of paper curl and darken in a fire pit; the message is simple: this part is done. For example, if you’ve been trying to stick to a routine that doesn’t fit your actual circumstances, today might be the day you decide to stop pretending it will suddenly start working.
- What could I burn down that would clear the air?
- What can I release without needing to replace it?
- What have I been holding onto because I thought I didn’t have a choice?
Friday, July 18, 2025: MERCURY RETROGRADE
Shortly after midnight last night in Eastern Time, Mercury stations retrograde at 15 degrees Leo. Find Leo in your natal chart; the house that holds it is where issues of communication, revision, and creative self-expression are focused in the coming weeks. You might return to an old artistic idea, revisit a romantic conversation, or rewrite how you advocate for yourself in your life. For example, a story you stopped writing or a discussion you gave up on may be ready for attention once again. Mercury will remain retrograde until August 11, 2025.
Venus and Mercury form a supportive sextile, offering a soft light over what could feel like a complicated morning. Retrogrades can bring tension or misunderstandings, but this one begins gently. Although conversations may slow down, they are not shutting down and what you learn through the slower pace can be a blessing.
The Moon enters Taurus this morning and grounds us in a stable emotional state. Spend your time with what feels tangible. Cook a good meal, spend time in the garden, or get a massage. something.
- What creative idea have I pushed aside?
- Where do I need to revise how I express myself?
- What can help me stabilize and ground myself today?
Saturday, July 19, 2025: SETTLING INTO THE SELF
The Moon continues through Taurus today, as the slower pace begins to feel more grounded than stalled. We have fully left the dreamy drift of earlier in the week behind. Today should allow you a bit of peace and the ability to tune into your body and senses.
Your physical presence matters more than conversations right now. Rearranging a room, tending a garden bed, preparing a meal, receiving or giving a massage will help clear your mind far more than any conversation will. The Taurus Moon asks us to find comfort in what we can touch, smell, and feel. Something is stabilizing about working with your hands, especially when no one’s watching and there’s nothing to prove. It’s not about productivity. It’s about remembering the pleasure of the senses in quiet, steady effort. Notice the textures of your life, what feels warm, what feels stable, and what feels like comfort.
- What quiet pleasure have I been neglecting?
- What can I make beautiful with my hands?
- Where does my body want to rest?
Sunday, July 20, 2025: CLEARER SKIES
The Moon enters Gemini early this morning, and the tone of the day lifts. After several days of slower, heavier energy, you may feel your attention shifting outward again. There’s a natural curiosity in the air now as conversations and connections pick up. Thoughts start to move more quickly, and while it’s not time to look for answers, it is time to ask more questions.
This is a good day for lighthearted engagement with the world around you. You don’t need to dig deeply; this is a day for shuffling your attention between things that catch your eye. Read a few pages of a book that’s been sitting on your nightstand, and organize papers on your desk. Have brief, easy conversations with those you encounter. You may find that a passing comment or an unfinished idea from earlier in the week comes back today. Allow your mind to travel, but don’t expect it to land anywhere yet.
- What am I extra curious about today?
- Who do I want to connect with?
- What am I seeing from a new perspective?
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