Mercury retrograde, October 24 – November 13, 2026: a tarot spread for the slowdown
Mercury goes retrograde on October 24, 2026 and turns direct on November 13, the whole way in Scorpio. Astrologers read it as three weeks for slowing down, rereading and revisiting, not for rushing. This time Venus is retrograde too, so Halloween falls with both planets moving backward. Below: the dates, what people mean by it, and a five-card spread to work through it.
When is Mercury retrograde in 2026?
The last one of the year:
- Starts: Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 3:12 a.m. Eastern (07:12 UTC), at 20° Scorpio.
- Ends: Friday, November 13, 2026, at 5° Scorpio. Yes, Friday the 13th.
- Shadow period: from about October 4 to November 30, when Mercury crosses the same stretch of sky before and after.
Venus has been retrograde since October 3 and turns direct the same day as Mercury, November 13, in the evening (Eastern time). So for three weeks, the planet of messages and the planet of love are both "walking backward" at once.
What does Mercury retrograde actually mean?
In the sky, nothing goes backward. As Earth overtakes Mercury in its orbit, Mercury looks like it drifts the other way against the stars for a few weeks, the way a slower car seems to roll back when you pass it on the highway.
Astrology reads that apparent reversal as a time for the re- words: review, revise, reconnect, reconsider. Mercury rules messages, plans, travel and technology, so the classic advice is to double-check before you send, sign or book, and to expect the past to knock. Old conversations, old projects, old flames.
In Scorpio, astrologers add depth to it: secrets, things left unsaid, what you'd rather not look at. Not the season for small talk.
Mercury in the tarot
In the Golden Dawn tradition, which shaped the Rider-Waite-Smith deck, Mercury belongs to The Magician, the card of words, skill and intention. Retrograde, that energy turns inward: less "make it happen", more "check what you're actually saying".
Scorpio belongs to Death, the card of endings that make room. Put together, this retrograde is less about broken phones and more about honest endings: what you're ready to let go of, and what deserves a second look before you do.
Cards that tend to fit the mood if they show up these weeks:
- Two of Swords: a decision on hold. Sometimes holding is the right move.
- Six of Cups: the past coming back, a memory, an old friend, an ex.
- Page of Swords: messages, news, a conversation worth rereading before you answer.
A five-card spread for the slowdown
Shuffle, cut, and lay five cards in a row.
- What's asking me to slow down? Where rushing would cost you.
- What's worth revisiting? A plan, a conversation or a habit that deserves a second draft.
- What should stay unsaid for now? Not forever. Just until you're sure.
- What from the past is knocking? And whether to open the door.
- What do I carry forward on November 13? The lesson to keep when things move again.
Read the first and last cards together: they're the start and the end of the three weeks. If card four is a court card or a Cups card, the "past" is probably a person.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mercury retrograde bad?
Not necessarily. It's a slower, more reflective stretch, good for finishing, fixing and rethinking, and less good for starting things in a hurry. Plenty of people find their clearest ideas in it.
Should I avoid signing contracts during Mercury retrograde?
The traditional advice is to read everything twice and leave room for delays, not to freeze your life. For anything legal or financial, rely on the people and documents involved, not on the sky.
Will my ex come back during Mercury retrograde?
Exes do seem to reappear in these weeks, and with Venus retrograde too, it's a classic theme this time. Whether they come back, and whether you want them to, is a different question. If you're asking it, a full reading helps more than a single card.
When does Mercury retrograde end in 2026?
On November 13, 2026, with the shadow fading by November 30. The next one starts on February 9, 2027, right before Valentine's Day.
Ask the cards about your own slowdown
The spread above works with any deck. If you'd rather have it read for your exact question, start a Celtic Cross: you shuffle, cut and choose a crystal, and the oracle reads all ten cards for you. For a quick answer, there's the free Yes or No.