Batten down the hatches babe, it’s that time of year (again.)

As we enter the 2025 holiday period amidst the fuckery of the United States government (the longest shutdown in history, a freeze on food stamps, messy Democratic infighting, travel disruptions and more,) we are simultaneously experiencing Mercury slowing down and then moving forward at a lower speed. This is known as “Mercury Retrograde,” which affects travel, communication and technology, causing malfunctions, misunderstandings, obstacles and missed scheduling. Think of it as one big shit show on top of an already chaotic season.

The current Mercury Retrograde dates are:

• Pre retrograde October 21 to November 9.

• Retrograde November 9 to November 29.

• Post Retrograde Shadow ends Dec 17.

During the pre retrograde shadow, there were a few bright spots here in the U.S., notably some of the hopeful results of the Nov 4th elections. This is reason enough to celebrate, especially as said elections took place during the highest levels of political violence in the United States since the 1970s. Fun times!

If you haven’t caught up on my previous astrological deep dive which includes:

• Using the Moon to plot advantageous dates for business.

• Current and upcoming transits for the United States.

• A guide to how you love and nurture according to your Venus sign.

• Bespoke astrological advice for STARF⭐️CKERS from a top astrologer.

• PLUS: Why you shouldn’t get married during Mercury Rx, Henry Miller’s erotic astrology notes from his private, unpublished diaries and MORE

Make sure you do so HERE:

If you’ve read the above or are a devoted STARF⭐️CKER/ The Sex Ed fan, you may know that I often turn to NYC based astrologer Lisa Stardust for forecasting guidance. She’s helped me choose everything from the publication date for my last book, Sex, Health & Consciousness, to the launch date for this here Substack (during a retrograde, no less!) I checked back in with Lisa to get her astro advice as we close out 2025.

LG: Why do people from the past/ ex lovers/ business opportunities often resurface during a retrograde period?