Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius/Scorpio November*2025
Mercury's final retrograde of 2025 starts Sunday, November 9, and lasts until Friday, November 28. Mercury follows a pattern of retrograding through signs of the same element during a year so we can explore all the ways we receive information and what we do with it relative to the signs of that element. For example, air signs tend to default to logic, while earth signs are practical. Fire signs operate in the world of ideals, and water signs come from the perspective of emotions. While each sign within the element has its particular nuance, they are connected by an overarching focus. Mercury is the planet of information processing and communication. Mercury's information deals with data, logic, and concrete knowledge. Intuition, consciousness, and other "higher mind" functions are the purview of Neptune.
When Mercury goes retrograde (three to four times a year), it offers the opportunity to pause and review how we engage with information, how we convey our ideas and connect with others by using our voice. Each sign has a different way of "doing" Mercury. In 2024, Mercury retrograded through fire signs. Fire signs are idealistic and concerned with the big picture. Leadership, accountability, inspiration, individual passions, and beliefs were some of the themes that came up during those retrogrades. We had opportunities to revise our perspective on these themes and how we communicated them.
The cycle for 2025 has been transitional, like so much else this year. Before it moves to the next group of signs, Mercury gives us an opportunity to revisit what came up earlier and prepare for what is to come. Mercury will be retrogading through water signs next year, so feelings will be the main lens through which Mercury's energy will express.
This year's retrogrades have started in fire signs and ended in water signs. We start by revisiting the ideals and passions from the previous fire sign retrograde and end up being aware of the emotional aspects of them. Adding feelings to the idealism can soften the expression (water keeps fire under control) so we are able to express these ideals and beliefs in ways others may be better able to receive them. It can be the difference between the raging fire and the warming flame. Then again, an imbalance of either element will work against our expression. Too much emotion will suppress fire's passion. Too much idealism will dry up water's compassion and empathy. When Mercury retrogrades start in one sign and end in another, the goal is to find the sweet spot where "both - and" combine to contribute to a fuller understanding of yourself, rather than vacillating between “either - or".
Mercury is starting this retrograde in Sagittarius. Sagittarius is the mutable fire sign. In Sagittarius, Mercury is concerned with beliefs, philosophy, ethics, and expanding one's understanding. It is the sign of higher eduction, publishing, and the law. The sign of the archer is concerned with moving beyond what is known. Sagittarius wants to explore and understand the larger context. In the following sign of earthy Capricorn, Sagittarius's understandings are applied in practical ways. Of course, each sign has the potential for a range of expressions. Despite being a mutable sign, Sagittarius can be pedantic and dogmatic, concerned more with the letter of the law rather than its spirit. Unbalanced Sagittarius energy can be loyal to the concept or belief, ignoring any human cost. It is a "my mind's made up, don't confuse me with facts" approach.
It can be helpful to think back to late November/early December, 2024 which was the last time Mercury retrograded through Sagittarius. What came up for you about your beliefs and the moral compass you use to inform your choices? Because it is a mutable sign, Sagittarius is dialed into the larger energy of community and society in general. How do your beliefs align with the prevailing energies of your community? This is the time to evaluate your ideals and how you express them. Can you articulate your morals? How do they sound to your ears when you hear them out loud? Are you holding onto things you have outgrown? Are you justifying yourself to yourself? Rationalizing rather than releasing? Denying uncomfortable feelings or inconvenient truths? Sagittarius is known for honesty to the point of bluntness. Are you being honest with yourself? Is your lived experience reflecting your perspective?
On November 19, Mercury retrogrades into Scorpio, the fixed water sign, shifting the lens to how these ideals feel. Scorpio operates in the world of deep feelings. It is not content with superficiality and sound bites. Scorpio is looking for intimacy. It wants to know it is seen and it wants to understand its important others. In order to do this, though, Scorpio energy must feel safe enough to be vulnerable. Otherwise it is stuck in deflection and self-protection. What is the tone of your conversations? Do you resist saying how you really feel? Do you know how you really feel? Have you taken the time to explore your feelings about your beliefs?
Mercury's time in Scorpio will give a taste of what will come up in late October/early November 2026, when Mercury will spend its full retrograde in Scorpio. Scorpio energy is transformative. Mercury retrograde in Scorpio gives you the the potential to transform how you express yourself. Scorpio operates at the soul level. This part of the retrograde facilitates bringing a higher, soul perspective into your conversations. Consider how else can you perceive what is being shown? Is there a different framework available to evaluate information? What if I suspended my preconceived notions and allowed my heart's wisdom to guide me? This may sound "ooey gooey woo woo", but the heart's energy field has been well documented as a source of information, one more astute than the mind. One resource to check out is Heartmath.com if you are interested in exploring this.
Mercury retrograding through water signs is an opportunity to integrate, or at least explore, the interface between the intelligence of the mind and the wisdom of the heart. Both are important. Can you consider them as complements rather than competitors?
Mercury will return to direct motion on November 28. It will leave its shadow on December 17, so any unresolved situations might take until then to complete. Remember that Mercury retrogrades are times to slow down, reflect on your current thought processes and communication style and revise as needed so you authentically represent yourself.
As ever, the normal Mercury retrograde caveats apply - back up your data, confirm appointments, build in extra time and take care of your devices and vehicles. Don't rush. The more you focus on the purpose of the cycle, the less likely you are to be bothered by the inconveniences that are meant to slow you down so you focus on the purpose of the cycle.
"Generally, the theories we believe we call facts, and the facts we disbelieve we call theories." ~ Felix Cohen
