As my longtime readers know, I tend to have a fairly upbeat view of Mercury retrograde. The energy slows down and gets thicker, which makes it a great time for manifesting. Beyond that, it’s simply a great time for catching one’s breath, tying up loose ends, and getting our feet back under us.

Usually.

Mercury goes Retrograde this month on the 19th. The same day as the electoral college vote. If there is technology involved, it may go wonky. If someone’s not paying attention, their vote may get recorded improperly. If someone tries to take a shortcut, it will go poorly. So there’s that.

More notably, Mercury is doing his retrospective in Capricorn, so it’s going to feel heavy. Skeletons may hurtle themselves out of closets. History may rear its less attractive head. We’re going to have the opportunity to weigh the full ramifications of our decisions that have led us to this point.

In the common vernacular, shit’s about to get weird.

We are already in the shadow of this retrograde, and we’ve got a full (super) moon on Tuesday, so this is a great time to start getting rid of your ego attachments to your choices, your decisions, your values, your past, your belongings… Where do things still hold a charge for you? Where is it a matter or pride or a matter or principle for you to stick to your guns? Where are you letting things and ideas own you, rather than the other way around?

If you haven’t been doing a daily practice, start now. Even just acknowledging the directions, the earth, and your connection to Source.

Use any practice you can to clear out old stuff. Purging your closet or your garage counts, as does weeding your garden (if you live somewhere it’s not buried in snow). Smudging daily. Using holy water, also daily. Working to make your past as neutral as possible (this is a great time, astrologically, to start therapy or get sober).

The point is, start now, because the word is about to get all kinds of interesting, and you want to be ready for it.