Mercury Direct in Leo: Vision Without Performance
What Mercury Direct in Leo Taught Me About Confidence, Simplicity, and the Work I’m Called to Do
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Mercury is officially direct at 4° Leo on August 11.
I’ve seen so much commentary on this Mercury retrograde cycle—but none of it captures how surreal, tender, and peaceful this transit was for me.
Mercury retrogrades tend to create pressure for me to “figure things out.”
In the past, that’s looked like burning it all down and starting over. I’ve learned to let those thoughts and feelings arise without acting on them and not always give into the drama created in my own mind.
This time, I made a deep commitment to tending to what is here now after a long season of tending what will be.
I told myself over and over again—this is enough. You have done enough. You are allowed to enjoy what is here now.
And in that space, this truth emerged: this could be even easier. More fun. Simpler. And simple isn’t a bad word—its a beautiful one.
From Performance to Being
At the beginning of this Mercury retrograde, I wrote about how this retrograde cycle in Leo was a creative portal to being seen.
Leo is known for it’s boldness, creativity, and showmanship. There’s something about Leo confidence, even when it’s understated or shy, that pulls people in.
And part of what makes their confidence so magnetic is that they’re not performing.
It’s they’re essence—who they’re being.
As I was reflecting on the subtle differences between performing and being, I went to the dictionary to check my thinking.
Did you know that the definition of performance is: the execution of an action?
And the opposite of performance is considered to be failure?
No wonder unmasking feels so risky!
When you embrace what feels natural and let go of your mask—you are no longer opting into performance. You’re allowing yourself to just BE.
But that… that flies in that face of everything you were taught about success, work, and reaching your goals. Being has never been enough—it’s always been about the performance.
Over and over again during this retrograde I’ve come back to this truth:
I am not interested in performing.
Not in my home.
Not in my relationships.
Not in my brand.
Not in my business.
I have learned this the hard way in each of those arenas. I spent so much energy trying to say the “right” thing in the “right” way to the “right” people that I burned out completely.
My life became about optics instead of impact. Those seasons taught me that performance might get you approval, but it rarely gets you intimacy, creativity, or real sustainable change.
That doesn’t mean that I have to be unmasked constantly, but if my vision for my life is rooted in intimacy, expression, and creativity—I have to always orient my choices and way of being towards what is natural, not staged.
Big Vision, Clear Steps
I love big visions. I love impossible visions. I love stretching what is possible.
We need space for holding the big vision.
And we need space to take the small, clear steps that make the vision real. Visions only grow when we tends to the seeds of alignment.
During this retrograde, I realized I want my work to feel like alignment. Like standing fully in the vision you’ve chosen—and then choosing the simplest, most resonant next steps to bring it to life.
As Mercury Moves Forward
This season clarified the kind of work I most want to hold space for, which is work that blends ancestral transformation, creative strategy, and intuitive timing so you can hold the big vision and take the next aligned step.
That’s why I’m opening bookings for Vision Support—my 1:1 work designed to meet you where you are and move with the rhythm of your life.
What It Looks Like
I offer two core packages.
Each includes private 1:1 calls with me, spaced out at a pace that fits your life and energy.
Session 1 is always personalized.
You'll choose one of three options to begin:
Natal Chart Reading (with ancestral focus)
Channeled Archetype Session
Creative Vision Session
This helps us ground into what's most alive for you right now and shape the rest of the package from there.
VISION IMMERSION
Five Sessions — $1,111
(payment plans available)
This is a mythic arc for deep integration and long-term transformation. Ideal if you're moving through grief, identity shifts, or long-haul healing and reinvention.
Includes
Opening session tailored to your current season (chose from natal chart, archetype, visioning)
Timeline Navigation Astrology Session
Past Life Regression
Timeline Integration
Year Ahead Visioning
Suggested Pace: 6-12 months
Email me at info@ashmarieccs.com if you’re interested in booking.
VISION MAPPING
Three Sessions — $666
(payment plans available)
This is a lighter arc for seasonal support, creative shifts, or shorter transitions. Great for when you're circling a decision, craving clarity, or preparing to make a move.
Includes:
Personalized Opening Session (chose from natal chart, archetype, visioning)
Timeline Navigation Astrology Session
Intuitive Coaching + Integration
Suggest Pace: 2-4 months
Email me at info@ashmarieccs.com if you’re interested in booking.
P.S. Catch Up on the Mercury Retrograde Magic Series
Trying to navigate your own Mercury retrograde narrative?
Here’s the full series to support you in tuning into the messages of this season and rewriting your story from a place of clarity:
Mercury Cazimi: I have time.
Mid-retrograde realizations, slowing down, and opening up.Mercury in Leo: The Courage to Be Seen While Still Becoming
Exploring the early signs, subtle tensions, and creative clues that show us what this retrograde is here to rewrite.Mercury Retrograde in Leo: A Creative Portal to Being Seen
A deep dive into the emotional layers and bold clarity of this retrograde, and how to meet it as a visionary turning point.