Mercury goes retrograde for the last time in 2018 tomorrow until December 8th in the signs of Sagittarius and Scorpio. Mercury retrograde often gets a bad wrap and is blamed for causing delays, miscommunications, and mishaps. While Mercury Retrograde can cause things to go haywire for a period, it is important to look at these moments as powerful messengers rather than annoyances.

Mercury is the planet associated with communication, and it is his divine mission to take messages from the gods and higher realms and to deliver them to earth so, we can become wiser and more attuned to our highest purpose and destiny. As the messenger of the gods, when Mercury is in retrograde, it is even more important to stop, look, and listen to what areas your life are being stirred.

The interesting thing about this November-December Mercury retrograde period and what makes it so pertinent, is that it happens a few hours after Venus moves out of retrograde. Venus retrograde reminded us of how we treated our romantic partners and friends in the past and how those past experiences may have bled into our current relationships. For many of us, it has been a period of hard-learned, sometimes painfully slow lessons, but one that ultimately will make all of us more caring and considerate lovers — to our partners and to ourselves. I revisited almost every significant relationship in my life so far and learned so much about myself and my relationships.

Tomorrow, we move into another retrograde teaching us more about ourselves. Although it may be a bit unnerving, in fact you can ease out of Venus retrograde and into Mercury retrograde by keeping one thing in mind: patience. Just about every planetary retrograde is associated with delays and holdups in one area of our live or another. Your challenge is to keep your life on track even with all those astrological roadblocks in place.

So, when Venus goes direct tomorrow transfer the open-mindedness, patience and self-restraint that you've (hopefully) been showing all your relationships for the past six weeks to your every day interactions. You've been practicing it for the last six weeks, so you should have your retrograde coping strategies down pat. And if you're still feeling uneasy at the thought of another Mercury retrograde, just remember to breathe — and read every text and every email twice before hitting "send."

For most of 2018, we have had many pivotal planets in retrograde and that energy has created a stop-and-go type of year. You may have even felt held back, delayed, or sluggish when it comes to getting ahead or trying to make plans. While you may feel thwarted and frustrated on the outside, on the inside you (and me) have actually been very busy clearing out and letting go of old outdated beliefs, uncovering wounds, mending heartaches, and tuning into the softer, stiller voice of our hearts. Although you may feel that not much has changed on an external level, on an internal level it is likely that you have been doing a lot of growing, changing and transforming.

As we prepare to wrap up 2018, since Mercury goes retrograde right after Venus, it seems like a clear sign that we all have a little more growing to do. Uggh! Mercury wants us to dive in, uncover more from the depths of our soul, to clear away more of our past and begin to really question our path and progress forward. The Universe really wants you to be certain of how you are moving ahead, and what you are giving our energy to. The Universe wants you to pause and get really be clear on what your path ahead may be.

This is not to say that you need to have it all figured out, but what these retrogrades have been doing is helping you and me to pause, and really think about what is important to us. They have been guiding us to take it slow and to question our actions rather than just forging ahead on autopilot.

By pausing, taking things slow, and not rushing ahead, you will be more open to hearing the path that our soul is calling to you. You will also be more open to receiving signs, clues, and guidance from the Universe. Ultimately, this Mercury Retrograde is not a good time to start new things, but, it is a good time to go back over things, it is a good time to revisit the past, it is a good time to question your actions and motives moving forward, and it is a good time to dig into your soul and work out how you are communicating with yourself, with others, and the world.

Because Mercury is the planet of communication, this Mercury retrograde will give you the opportunity to improve how you communicate your message, your energy, and your vibrations into the world. It also will show us, collectively, that we are all responsible for creating life on this earth and that our collective vibrations shape the entire planet. It will show us that it is ultimately our responsibility to take charge of our vibrations and ensure they are harmonious, loving, supportive, and authentic to who we really are. Use this last retrograde of 2018 as a time of self-exploration, and a time to pause and breathe before you and I welcome in the new energies of 2019!