It's safe to say that love has been a bit of a battlefield over the past months. Dating during the coronavirus pandemic has proven difficult (to no one's surprise, really), but astrologically, the scene hasn't been much better. Mercury retrograde summer 2020 began on June 18 and will be serving up a couple more weeks of cosmic mix-ups that will affect us on the love and dating front, too. If you're one of the zodiac signs whose love lives will be most affected by Mercury retrograde summer 2020, then you'll want to prep yourself for what's to come.
Between its penchant for washing up ex-lovers onto our shores and making it nigh on impossible to communicate our feelings properly, Mercury retrograde periods have the potential to do a real number on our romantic relationships. Mercury rules things like communication, thinking, and timing, making it hard to stick to a plan and causing frustration between partners. It also makes us more likely to misunderstand, misinterpret, or misread things people say, which can also lead to arguments and hurt feelings in love.
Honestly, it's astrologically tough out there right now — whether you're single or in a relationship — so it feels like the last thing we need is a cosmic obstacle. That's why being aware of how Mercury retrograde 2020 will affect your love life is a must — and it's especially important if you happen to be one of the signs whose love life will be most impacted.
Aries (March 21 - April 19)
This Mercury retrograde period is rocking your boat on a foundational level, Aries, and it might unearth some deep issues around the way you give and receive love. All of us form habits in our childhoods, and right now, with Mercury in the emotional sign of Cancer, you're time-traveling back to your earliest memories with the opportunity to start healing from some of the not-so-great mindsets you may have formed. These emotional explorations might be impacting your ability to be present in your relationship, so take extra time to communicate where you're at with your lover. You'll feel things especially intensely if you live with your romantic partner or are in a long-term relationship.
Gemini (May 21 - June 20)
When it comes to your relationships, Gemini, what do you value? Venus, the planet of love, has been retrograding through your sign for the past month, and it's overlapping with with Mercury's current backspin in a way that could spell confusion for your love life. You're learning a lot about what love means to you, as well as what's meaningful to you in love. Communication can get fuzzy under this transit, so express your emotions through physical affection instead of words, as it'll be easier to get your point across. And while you might be tempted to make up for any feelings of confusion with lavish gifts or shopping sprees, resist the urge — as you're more likely to make purchases right now that you'll regret.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21)
Throughout the course of this retrograde, you're being forced to dissect the most intimate aspects of your love life and examine these issues through a new lens, Sag. If you have emotional secrets or intimacy issues, you might begin to feel these pushing their way out through the cracks of your life now, craving the light of day and your full attention. Best advice? Give it to them. Taboos are only taboos because they live in the darkness. If you pull them into light, you might find they don't hold quite the same power over you. That said, this kind of deep ego work can be emotional, private, and require space, so setting proper boundaries in love and taking the space you need is going to be doubly important during this period.
Capricorn (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19)
Mercury retrograde is hitting your love life more intensely than any other sign this time around, Cap, and this period presents a major opportunity for you to clean-house in your romantic relationships. If there have been important conversations left unresolved or unspoken resentments boiling under the surface of your partnership, now's the time to address them head-on. While we may struggle to find our words under this transit, a grounded and practical earth sign like you will have an easier time finding your footing and being straightforward. Use this chance to fix any romantic issues that arise instead of trying to bury them.
Pisces (Feb. 19 - March 20)
Did you know that Mercury retrograde has a reputation for bringing ex-lovers back into our lives? Well, this summer's retrograde might make that possibility most likely for you, Pisces, so look out. This period is all about revisiting past passions — and while that could manifest as getting back into an old passion project or creative endeavor, it's also likely to show up as an old flame being rekindled. If you're in a relationship, be wary of an ex trying to sabotage your current affair with too-good-to-be-true promises. If you're single, stay open — but proceed with caution, as not everything is as it seems during a retrograde period.
