Mercury Retrograde begins (Sagittarius)

Written by the Bruja Team Photo by Tara Winstead

The Return of the Trickster, the Archer, and the Sacred Slow Down

Every Mercury Retrograde  has a flavor; every cycle has a personality.
But when Mercury turns backward under the fire-lit sign of Sagittarius, the energy becomes unmistakable. This is not the soft, internal retrograde of Pisces or the relationship-heavy retrograde of Libra. Sagittarius brings a very different medicine: truth, expansion, direction, and the raw, sometimes uncomfortable clarity of spiritual honesty.

Think of this retrograde as a mythic encounter between two archetypes:

Mercury, the winged messenger, patron of communication, memory, travel, technology, contract, trade, and clarity.

Sagittarius, the wild archer, half-human half-animal, cosmic wanderer, philosopher, traveler, teacher, pattern-breaker, and truth-seeker.

When these two collide in reverse motion, the result is a recalibration of your direction. Not punishment. Not cosmic bullying.
But recalibration.

Sagittarius is ruled by Jupiter, planet of expansion, luck, faith, and worldview. So when Mercury retrogrades here, the following themes rise to the surface:

Truth comes out, whether you're ready or not.
You may see the real motives behind someone’s words. You may finally admit your own. Sagittarius energy strips away polite performance and asks for candor. Not cruelty. Candor.

Your path, purpose, and long-term direction face review.
Plans shift. Goals feel different. What you thought you wanted may no longer fit. The retrograde pushes you to zoom out and ask:
“Am I shooting my arrow at the right target?”

Travel, communication, and legal or administrative matters slow down.
Delays aren’t the universe blocking you. They are the universe buying you time so you don’t move in the wrong direction.

Spiritual insight becomes sharper.
Sagittarius rules intuition through philosophy, symbols, dreams, and sudden revelations. Expect messages in surprising places: a conversation, a book, a song, a memory you forgot you had.

Old teachers, guides, lovers, or mentors may return.
Not always physically. Sometimes in dreams, thoughts, or unresolved lessons resurfacing.

This retrograde isn’t here to break your life.
It’s here to realign your aim.

When Mercury retraces his steps through the archer’s territory, he’s whispering:

“Slow down. Look again. You missed something the first time.”

And the wild part? He’s right.
This retrograde brings gift-wrapped clarity hidden inside inconveniences. The delays, the miscommunications, the rerouted plans—they’re all opportunities to course-correct before the next major leap.

This is a cycle for:

revising contracts
renegotiating terms
reassessing relationships
examining your beliefs
rewriting your story
and reclaiming your voice

Sagittarius loves freedom and forward movement, but retrograde says:
“Not yet. Sharpen the arrow first.”

Because once Mercury stations direct again, Sagittarius will fire that arrow with force you cannot mistake.

Below is a ritual to help you anchor this energy with intention.

Ritual for Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius