This recent Mercury retrograde in Leo may have felt like a doozy or left you feeling grateful to be unscathed as friends and loved ones dealt with one headache after the next. Either way, you can take heart that the planet of communication is moving forward once more. As of Monday, August 11 at 3:30 a.m. ET/12:30 a.m. PT, Mercury ended its second retrograde of 2025 and began its journey back up to full speed in the fixed fire sign Leo. In turn, you’ll find that—slowly but surely—you can enjoy smoother communication, fewer wrenches in your travel plans and an easier time engaging with technology. And while retrogrades encourage introspection, self-reflection and slowing down, Mercury’s direct movement in Leo will fuel your ability to be more assertive and self-expressive — while potentially even claiming the spotlight. As an astrologer and the author of Mercury Magic: How to Thrive During Retrogrades and Tap Into the Power of the Messenger Planet All Year Long, I can reassure you that lessons learned throughout this Mercury retrograde will prove useful — either in the near future or eventually down the road.
Read on for more details on how to make the most of Mercury moving direct through fixed fire sign Leo following its retrograde.
What is Mercury direct in Leo and when did it begin?
Beginning Monday, August 11 at 3:30 a.m. ET/12:30 a.m. PT, Mercury will be direct (also known as moving ahead or not retrograde) in Leo. It will then retrace its path through the sign of the Lion until it moves ahead into mutable earth sign Virgo on Tuesday, September 2 at 9:23 a.m. ET/6:23 a.m. PT.
Mercury moved forward through these very same degrees of Leo from June 30 to July 17. To get a sense of what the rest of August will look like, consider the themes that were coming up for you during that period. Any challenges, successes, important conversations and power moves could come up once more, and this time, you’ll have even more insight in how to navigate and make the most of them.
And from August 11 to August 25, we’ll be in the Mercury retrograde post-shadow, which asks you to think back on the retrograde period and consider how the challenges and delays you might’ve faced led to personal growth.
What Mercury direct in Leo means for your sign
Here, how Mercury’s trip through Leo from August 11 to September 2, 2025, will affect you — and what you can do to take advantage of this eye-opening season, based on your sign. (Be sure to read your rising sign, if you know it. If you don’t, you can find it in your birth chart or by using this CafeAstrology calculator.)
Aries
With Mercury now direct in your romance and self-expression zone, you can move forward with greater insight around how you make room for fun, playfulness and spontaneity in your life. It’s possible that you were able to find more time to hit pause on work and to see where the moment led, especially alongside your nearest and dearest, and now, you’ll feel empowered to get creative to keep the lighthearted moments going. Whether you’re sharing your emotions through an artistic outlet or taking time off to explore uncharted territory with a significant other or loved one, you have the wind in your sails to trust and follow your heart.
Click through for more on Aries.
Taurus
Mercury ends its retrograde and moves forward now in your home zone, and you can begin to open up about any revelations you’ve had tied to old emotional wounds. It’s possible you’ve become even more aware of challenging dynamics with family members. And as a result of lessons that came up during the retrograde, you better understand not only your own needs but your loved ones’ as well. Share your observations and set — and hold — new boundaries. In turn, you’ll feel more secure in your sense of self and emotional well-being.
Click through for more on Taurus.
Gemini
Over the past three weeks, your ruling planet Mercury threw a wrench in all things communication, transportation and technology — especially as you’ve tried to move through the world on a daily basis, because the retrograde impacted your communication zone. You’ve had to prioritize commitments to friends and coworkers. Now, as Mercury goes direct here, you’ll feel more self-assured about streamlining your to-dos. You might also have a learning experience or short-distance trip in mind that you’re fired up to move the ball forward on.
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Cancer
As Mercury moves forward in your money zone, you’ll begin to reap the benefits of having reviewed your income-boosting strategies and nurturing your self-worth. Over the last few weeks, you’ve had a chance to think about how your values are reflected by the work you do on a regular basis — or not. And now, you can begin to reframe your approach so that you feel like your earning— and how you bring your skills to the table — is even more aligned with your purpose. And because this is also the sector of material possessions, if you’ve been holding off on making any big-ticket purchases, you can finally make those moves.
Click through for more on Cancer.
Leo
With Mercury retrograde ending in your sign and self-image zone, you’ve been thinking about how you want to show up in the world. You may have been grappling with disparities between how you believe you’re presenting yourself and how others are perceiving you, and that frustration is finally coming to an end. You’ll have renewed confidence to assert yourself, present your big-picture ideas, and believe in your ability to shine. You feel empowered to be and express exactly who you are, and in turn, you’re apt to make a positive impression on others.
Click through for more on Leo.
Virgo
With Mercury, your ruling planet, ending its retrograde in your spirituality zone, you’ve ideally, had the chance to enjoy more restorative practices (yoga, meditation, visualization, et al.), and now, you can begin to apply any lessons you’ve learned related to that self-work. By feeling more healed and centered, you could get comfier letting your imagination run wild, and in turn, you’ll come up with thrilling new strategies for building momentum on your passion projects. You’ll also feel more confident carving out downtime when necessary, which can keep you firing on all cylinders all year long.
Click through for more on Virgo.
Libra
After a season of reconnecting with friends from the past or communities you’ve previously been a part of, thanks to Mercury’s backspin in your networking and long-term wishes zone, you could have a better sense of the group endeavors you want to make room in your busy schedule for — or the platonic bonds that feel worthy of your time and energy, too. Because this sector also oversees long-term wishes, you may feel like you have more clarity on how you want to pursue long-held aspirations, and you probably know who you need to partner with to make your vision a reality. You’re fired up now; know that believing in yourself can make you basically unstoppable.
Click through for more on Libra.
Scorpio
This Mercury retrograde fell in your career zone, inspiring you to take a step back from hitting the gas so hard to make your mark. Instead, you’ve been tasked with taking stock of your definition of success — and potentially even redefining what a win looks like going forward. Now that Mercury moves ahead here, you’ll find you can enjoy smoother sailing while asserting yourself with higher-ups. And you can more readily map out your game plan for earning recognition or taking the reins on a large-scale project.
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Sagittarius
This retrograde activated your adventure and higher learning sector, encouraging you to connect on a deeper level with your gut, your wanderlust and your appetite for personal growth and broader horizons. It’s possible you’ve felt frustrated that all the mundane tasks are taking priority lately, but finally, as Mercury moves forward, you have the wind in your sails to make your dreams a reality. You’ll be especially satisfied if you start to make moves to pursue higher learning opportunities, plan long-distance, eye-opening travel experiences or make connections outside of your typical circle.
Click here for more on Sagittarius.
Capricorn
After weeks of haziness, confusion and potentially crossed wires tied to your sex life and shared financial goals, Mercury ends its retrograde in your intimacy and joint resources zone, allowing you to breathe a sigh of relief. This has been a uniquely stressful moment, but it’s also allowed you to pinpoint what you need to feel more secure and comfortable within your closest bonds. Now that Mercury is direct here, you can be more direct about your desires and boundaries. You could also find that a moneymaking aspiration you share with a family member can move forward following various retrograde-fueled hold-ups.
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Aquarius
With Mercury moving forward in your partnership zone, you’ll begin to feel like you’re finally able to get on the same page as a partner, whether that’s your significant other, dear friend or a colleague. You’ve been reassessing how to best pursue shared ambitions or even just understand one another better. Now, it’s like the dust has settled, and you can proceed on any game plans that were delayed, paused or just downright overwhelming. As long as you’ve tackled your designated Mercury retrograde tasks of reviewing, reassessing and reflecting as a pair, you’ll feel especially aligned.
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Pisces
You’ve likely been dealing with a deluge of follow-ups on doctor appointments or delays on the job, thanks to Mercury retrograde in your health and daily hustle zone. Now that it’s direct, you can look forward to getting on with your day-to-day routine without the stress of so many loose ends to tie up. Still, it could be helpful to think about all the to-dos you checked off the last few weeks, how you streamlined your efforts and how you managed stress. As the messenger planet plows head, you can apply those lessons and find you’re even more efficient, grounded, self-assured — all of which serve to boost your vitality.
Click through for more on Pisces.
