Category Archives: Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction

Mercury Retrogrades 29 May 2021 Re-Consider

28 Friday May 2021

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Inferior Conjunction, Mercury, Mercury retrograde, Retrogrades + Directions, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction

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The Lily Pond, a photograph by American photographer Rudolf Eickemeyer, Jr. 1916 {{PD}}

If thoughts seem still as a woodland pond, it may be because Mercury is stationary, ready to technically retrograde at 3:34 PM PDT of the 29th at 24 Gemini 43. (Or, if you can’t seem to light on any train of thought for long, that’s also a Mercurial stoppage of a sort, the kind that sends you round and round through the same ‘network’ of thoughts and offers no definitive satisfactions.)

The Moon in Capricorn will have just quincunxed Mercury shortly before turnaround, giving us the feels and probably making for some frustration: the emotions either seem obvious, sitting right on the surface, or seem to be in the depths, hidden even from ourselves–but most likely is a combination, that comes along with an awareness that, ‘this emotion is right in front of me, but I know I have feelings I just can’t pinpoint!’.

Merc in Gemini prompts some overthinking, and probably a yearning to ‘make progress’ somehow, to make up our minds about things, particularly the matters of the House in the natal chart where the retro occurs–or, we have the need to communicate without really knowing what our message is. There are two tendencies at this point, and you’ll likely choose one: thinking you can think your way through ‘it’, whatever it is, or a personal approach that relies on 1) scattershot attention, so that nothing gets focus, and so nothing gets done/ decided, or 2) turning to others for endless surveys of their opinions, what they would do, etc., which does nothing to move the matter forward.

None of those are wrong, but it is just spinning our Mercurial wheels. A retro in Air asks us to, in broadest terms, re-consider what and how we think of our world, so full awareness of our own subjectivity is highly useful, when we bother to compare it to the facts, the info available, to the prevailing thought on any matter. Again, neither is no viewpoint is inherently more right than any other; it’s in the comparison, the review of our own methods cast against the thinking of the wider world or the group, that we benefit, find mental inspiration, sort the wheat from the chaff.

The Cosmic picture at turnaround sets the stage for the retro period itself, with Mercury roughly three-and-a-half weeks ahead. Here we see Mercury at the point of retrograde pulling back just before, in direct motion, it would’ve conjoined Venus, suggesting a pull back in relationships or financial matters, a wait-and-see, or let’s think about this some more approach. First aspect Mercury in retro will form is a square to Neptune, promising that any fantasies we hope to sustain may hit the rocks on retro review, and also making it difficult to connect to inspiration or the creative ideal, probably because the mind isn’t ready to stick with a single idea, just yet.

Right about the same time Merc will also semi-sextile Mars and square Pallas, warning us: you may get antsy, want to act precipitously, but that wouldn’t be smart, or may be impractical. So don’t indulge in impulse, during this retro time. Inferior Conjunction with the Sun comes on the 11th of June, and should be the starting point for beginning to gather your thoughts. If you’re a wordsmith of any kind, work it and re-work it, and if you’re not, just let the mind sort through things at its own pace, and start paying attention to what occupies your mental space on the 11th. Don’t demand answers until a bit after direction, and you’ll be all the better for it.

Mercury Retrograde 13 October 2020 Feeling It

12 Monday Oct 2020

Posted by in astrology, Consciousness Explored, current events in the sky, forecast, future events in the sky, Mercury, Mercury Direction, Mercury retrograde, Retrogrades + Directions, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction, Transits and Cycles

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The Messenger (and Trickster) enters apparent retrograde motion at 6:05 PM PDT of the 13th at 11 Scorpio 40–and his first move will be to reapply by opposition to Uranus, which is also retrograde. That aspect last perfected on the 7th, and perhaps offers a glimpse into this Water (Scorpio) into Air (Libra) cycle.

‘Mercury Sent to Admonish Aeneas’ By JMW Turner http://www.artuk.org/artworks/mercury-sent-to-admonish-aeneas-202360 {{PD}}

Mercury always means review: re-visiting, re-considering, reflecting, and perhaps going over plans or making plans to ‘try again’. We start that period in emotional, intuitive Water, and will initially be asking ourselves, “What am I feeling, and what do I think about that?”

In Scorpio this kind of review involves digging, getting to or acknowledging secrets, assessing our feelings about change and determining what further change we might want. It also encompasses those situations where Power is in play, and any relationships or situations where passions have been stirred, or betrayals have occurred (and remember, the concept of betrayal is seldom objective, when it comes to personal interactions–often it can be a matter of perspective, and this retrograde may bring consciousness of this to the fore).

With the re-visit to the Uranus opposition the first aspect, we may find that something we ‘knew’ (especially something Higher Mind or academically. i.e. fact-oriented) is overturned. We are likely to be surprised by some discovery we make, or shocked at something we witness, perpetrated by others in our direction or by ourselves unexpectedly, that latter as we ‘explode’ from accumulated pressures or act erratically in a bid for freedom. It could be that we wrap our minds around some spiritual concept for the first time (something we may have sensed or ‘known’ but been unable to put into mental forms like words), or we may find that accident illuminates our feelings about something–and so changes our perceptions.

House matters that come forward for this retrograde always have the chance of involving the subjects and energies of the natal Houses Mercury rules, and we must typically add to this the House where Mercury is currently transiting. That gives you some idea of where to be on the lookout for change, research, and re-thinking, as well as the potential ‘surprise’ factor of this particular retrograde, and can offer a head start if you know present circumstances in one or more of these realms are dicey.

The Inferior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury (‘Inferior’ referring to Mercury’s retrograde status) occurs around the 25th-26th of October, marks a point I would characterize as a ‘birth’ point, where some attitude or mental choice takes form and perhaps is decided upon or simply becomes conscious, and this is based on what’s been revealed so far during the retro. Just remember not to act, yet.

Fountain with head of Mercury on Mercury Street in Pompeii watercolor by Luigi Bazzani from the book “Pompeii”, by Amedeo Maiuri (Pompeii superintendent from 1924-1961) {{PD}}

We re-align our passions, explore what we’ve been hesitant to think about or to really know what we feel about it, and then Mercury retros into Libra–and all the focus moves to our relationships, or, less probably, to financial or aesthetic matters. This occurs in the final few days of October, and is characterized by a back-and-forth square of Mercury to Saturn, which happens one more time after Mercury turns direct (on November 3rd, with the final square very close the 4th-7th).

This back-end bookends the retro period with a hard reality check for each of us, concerning all that we’ve reviewed and concluded over the cycle. Our present realities, as well as any boundaries, limitations, and requirements of duty or obligation come into direct conflict with at least some facet of our thinking–and this is a good thing, meant to show us where we might have slipped into thinking that doesn’t take into account where we really are or what we’re actually surrounded by or must deal with.

Use this retro period to see where you can transform the thinking or perceptions about those things you feel passionate about, have an overwhelming curiosity over, or need to investigate for what’s been hidden from you, and how this can constructively be applied to relationships with those you care about–and be ready for revelation, that can spin the whole game in another direction. The usual admonitions apply, with no signing or buying of major items, unless you’ve already pre-retro thoroughly inspected conditions and agree to them, and with the expectation that any agreements reached or conclusions drawn will likely need review or revision after Mercury goes direct.

‘No Fear of Perfection’ An Astro Portrait of Salvador Dalí

07 Thursday Jun 2018

Posted by in Astrology of Careers Vocations and Callings, Inferior Conjunction, Mercury retrograde, Natal Delineation, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction

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By Carl Van Vechten – Van Vechten Collection at Library of Congress, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1316978

Another re-print from ECLIPSE, this time on the wildly original Spanish artist:

Born with Mercury retro, just after an Inferior Conjunction, Salvador Dalí (11 May 1904 8:45 AM Figueras Spain) spent his life as an innovative artist, so we might expect a prominent Neptune and Uranus, but the Merc retro natal point, at 23 Taurus 28 Rx, plays a big part as well. If Merc is our ability to communicate, Dali’s ability was shaped as a sense of anticipation. This is what we have in the post-Inferior Conjunction phase of the retrograde: a subliminal excitement, a shadowy coalescence of ideas and concepts, and we are willing to try things that are new and perhaps considered unusual for us—and somehow Dalí was able to translate this into his creative life, probably through the 29 degree Uranus in Sagittarius, a placement requiring expression of the individuality (and creating tension with the individuality!) perpetually.

Neptune is in the Whole Sign 1st, above the Ascendant, sextile Venus, trine Black Moon Lilith, and squared by the natal Aries Moon and Midheaven. He may have identified with being creative, but not entirely consciously. A great deal of his creative ‘fuel’ may have been women, relationships (he had many with both men and women, and met his wife Gala, 9 years older than he, when she and her husband, a poet, and daughter came to visit him—she remained when they went home). Dalí excels at delving into the material others avoided—as seen in his penchant for eyeballs, melting clocks, and the disturbing dreamscapes of his Art. The contact to Moon-MC is puzzling, until we consider that though the social sphere (Jupiter in the 10th in Aries) found him disruptive and odd (10th, ruler Mars conjunct Mercury—he was communicating), his parents, especially his mother (10th, Moon) encouraged his Self-indulgence and unusual creativity. This undoubtedly affected the emotional perceptions, with the Aries Moon emphasizing Self-Will as the way to feel emotionally nourished—and coupled with the MC, probably made him equate emotional satisfaction with fame and professional accomplishment.

Interesting to note that he was born 9 months and 10 days after the death of his older brother; given the same name and told he could never replace him, Dalí came to believe he literally was his brother’s replacement, his reincarnation. Mercury, the natural representative of siblings, is conjoined his Sun (in this case perhaps both suggesting the melding of identities and, as Merc is moving away from conjunction, the effort toward individuality and freedom). Merc rules his 3rd, representing his siblings, with Virgo there; it may have been the childhood criticism that made him who he was in a significant way—it certainly figured in his thinking.

His wife Gala may be key to so much here, in particular the extreme sexual nature, represented by Pluto opposed Ceres. This suggests his deepest sexual energy may have been at odds with what he considered ‘natural’, and yet Gala, an incredibly strong Mother Earth figure, came along and negotiated his own sexual nature with him—she was his Ceres, adjusting his sense of Self (Ceres quincunx the Sun) as well as becoming a foil for his passion (Ceres opp Pluto). Also interesting, this amazingly original and unique artist died in the period of his Uranus Return at the age of 84, at the point of a symbolic, and very real, completion of a cycle.

By Promomonster – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45094742

“Have no fear of perfection – you’ll never reach it.”– Salvador Dalí  This from a man who wielded the most perfect brush strokes in his oil paintings I’ve ever seen.

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Just a Little AstroEssence 26 August 2017 Making Waves

25 Friday Aug 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, Inferior Conjunction, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction, The Daily Word Image

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Henri Privat Livemont – ‘La Vague (The Wave)’ 1896 {{PD}}

We’re concerned about exercising the options of our empowerment position, about flexing our status-muscles, about acting to build the future–and in having this focus, we start something entirely new. This is the promise of the Inferior Conjunction of Mercury and the Sun, coupled with the meeting of Mars and the North Node point. Choices made today will ripple out, gather both momentum and meaning, and assert themselves in our affairs as a wave, one that may have grown surprisingly powerful over the ‘distance’ it will travel. It may be important to note that this isn’t a Neptunian wave, one of creativity and emotion, but a wave generated by physical and psychic action; it’s a different kind of creativity contained within the style and preferences of those things we set in motion. Note, too, that we may not be consciously aware of the ways in which we’re asserting ourselves and our Will until things are well underway. Our disconnect may, in fact, extend to the future point when the wave makes an impact, where it takes us completely by surprise. So, the goal today is awareness of what we’re putting in motion, of the psychic seeds we’re planting, in as nuanced and far-sighted a form as possible.

Vittore Carpaccio – Sant’Orsola polyptich – Incontro e partenza dei fidanzati ‘Departure of the Pilgrims’ c1495 {{PD}}

Today’s word image is the word ‘pilgrim’. In the loosest terms, pilgrims are seekers, motivated at least in part by spiritual considerations. They are also presumed to be wandering or traveling; it’s hard to be a pilgrim staying at home. In what way are you a pilgrim, a seeker, and how conscious are you of what you seek?

And then I remembered this:

When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

Have a lovely Saturday!

Your Week 14-20 April 2017 A Taste of What’s Holding You Back

12 Wednesday Apr 2017

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, forecast, Horoscope, Inferior Conjunction, Pluto, Retrogrades + Directions, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction, The Daily Word Image, Venus

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‘Merchant’s Wife at Tea’ By Boris Kustodiev 1917 {{PD}}

Friday the 14th we see a perfect blending of ego and action urge with instincts, making for highly successful actions and choices as long as we go totally on those programmed and in-built inclinations. Problems arise from too much conscious attention to values and priorities; this is a time when we quite literally do best to think as little as possible, and to follow the spontaneous instinctive spark we carry within–otherwise, we tie ourselves in knots trying to make material and everyday circumstances meet a ‘purity standard’ that belongs better as an ideal.

Today’s word image is the actor John Wayne. Even when I was a child, he was considered a symbol of American values–but when we inspect those values now, we see their flaws: the embrace of Manifest Destiny, which inherently carries the idea of White superiority; the romanticization of the Western way of life, including its misogynist bent, its assumption of ‘Christian’ values as right and superior, and its lack of regard for both the best interests of animals/ the land, and the rights of other cultures, especially indigenous ones; the idea of rugged individualism, a pernicious code echoing the ‘each man for himself’, ‘survival of the fittest’ ideal which celebrates Self-reliance to an absurd degree, as well as justifying unfettered greed and exploitation, and as fuel for sanctimonious refusal to help others; the romance with guns, which continues today. It may be too much to say we should look at our own ‘John Wayne attitudes’, some way in which we are unquestioningly sure we are carrying the banner of right, or making assumptions about privilege due–it may be enough to look around for and make note of where these ugly Western assumptions may still permeate our thinking, our beliefs about ourselves, our country, or our way of life.

Venus goes direct on the 15th, at 26 Pisces 54; this sends it back toward a re-perfection of that square with Saturn. We get a last taste of barriers, restrictions, obstacles, or required discipline–or we see the cost of those restrictions, or the cost of not having applied them, or what we’ve lost by following (or not following) ‘the rules’, especially as it pertains to relationships. This may present a last, bitter pill, or could show us the difficulty associated with getting what we desire, and though tough, could be the point of delivery–it’s all dependent on previous experience with this square, and the individual impact through the natal chart, especially the unique relationship of each person to the Saturn concepts (which generally dictate whether the retro period represents a ‘taking away’ or an ‘opening the way’).

There’s also a perfection of a Juno sesquiquadrate to the North Node, which on the surface might not seem like much–but when we combine it with the Venus-Saturn effect, with Venus finally leaving her retro phase, we may find, especially if we are female, that empowerment options and circumstances that should help us build our desired future will not be easily exercised. We may find that the patriarchy, the establishment, authorities, elders, or rule-enforcers put obstacles in our way, or try to suppress or stop us. Gaining empowerment is possible, as long as we are willing to work around or be flexible, in terms of those demands or restrictions being made on us.

Today’s word image is a hand-tooled leather bridle. As lovely as the workmanship on one can be, a bridle is essentially an instrument of control, one that works because of the pain it causes (via the metal bit to the sensitive mouth of a horse or other animal). Is there some external control, applied by someone else, that you’re allowing, out of fear of pain if you don’t? What freedom have you allowed to be ‘bridled’, willingly or not? Have you been indoctrinated with the idea that certain behaviors aren’t allowed, that it would be uncivilized (or unladylike, or unmanly) to indulge in them? What’s allowing someone else to ride you–that is, keep on top of you or your performance, in some way–and so control you?

On the 16th we surf an unusually smooth and pleasant minor ‘wave’ of harmonies and sychronicities. Values aid the operation of instincts, actions and choices utilize our most unique skills, and cooperation, especially cooperation between complementary elements (anima and animus, man-woman, assertive and receptive, yin and yang) flows with little effort. It all comes naturally, with the result being that we find the energy and spark to handle what we’ve been ignoring or denying, and in doing so find our personal empowerment options strengthened and elevated.

By Paolo Monti – Available in the BEIC digital library and uploaded in partnership with BEIC Foundation.The image comes from the Fondo Paolo Monti, owned by BEIC and located in the Civico Archivio Fotografico of Milan.This work is free and may be used by anyone for any purpose.

Today’s word image is a single blue balloon, floating up and away from a crowd. That is one of the saddest sights, I think, because it means some child lost their hold; that precious, fleeting pleasure of balloon ownership is, for some probably distraught young one, no more. I find the temporary nature of a balloon part of its appeal; like a flower, you know it doesn’t have a long life–and the fact that they float and fly has always made them special, too. What short-lived pleasure in your life has recently expired? Did you ever think it might simply be practice for enjoying in the moment, and letting go?

By the 17th the real world, as it is right now, is in our faces–and if we handle issues willingly, openly, we find opportunities plentiful and our ability to act unhindered. The issues revolve around deception (by others or our own of ourselves), reality as it is, rather than as we’d like it to be, and how healthy our choices are, at this time; if we can be straight with ourselves over these matters, we will find our personal effectiveness goes beyond anything we’ve been imagining, and that opportunity and support from the social sphere are attracted without any special effort on our part.

Today’s word image is a spider that dangles from a single thread of spider silk above the head of an unsuspecting individual. If you’re afraid of spiders, this might give you the heebie-jeebies–and nobody, frightened of arachnids or not, wants a creepy-crawly in their hair. This may alert us to something undesirable that is ‘hanging over our heads’–and yet we don’t know it, or are not conscious that it poses such a ‘threat’. Maybe the solution is to ‘look up’–or maybe just look around carefully, to be more aware of our surroundings at all times. 

On the 18th we once again see personal power aided by our ability to allow our instincts to call the shots; too, thinking is in line with, and attention is on, the future, allowing us to consciously guide things in the direction we’d like to go. So what’s not working? Wounds around relationships and finances may derail the entire day, unless we are able to set resentments and fears aside and simply listen to the internal pulse of call and intuitive response, without letting negative thoughts intrude.

Today’s word image is an empty closet. You’ve got nothing to hide, right? Or is this a reminder that you’ve got plenty of room, some place clean and ready to hold your things?

On the 19th what we have previously ignored now gets our full attention–and in providing that, we gain in wisdom, practicality, and our ability to affect circumstances. The world is our oyster–and we are poised to start a fresh ‘pearl’, via the Inferior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury–which is precise about 11:01 PM Pacific time, and occurs just after the Sun’s entry into Taurus. This suggests that the seed planted here may be a physical one, the start of something materially significant, the beginning of a project, idea, or condition that has a material impact, or one involving the senses or sense-perceptions. Just a few hours later, on the 20th, Pluto retrogrades at 19 Capricorn 23, and soon thereafter we see Merc shift back into Aries. This subtly alters our retro period thinking; we change from considering material matters, comfort, and consequences to the potentials behind action and Self-responsibility. We start to consider that we are the ones who can do something about ‘it’. As a backdrop to this, Pluto’s change in apparent direction may simply emphasize the darkness, or the destructive tendencies, inherent in the forces of evolution, transformation, and change. Pluto’s retrograde gives us new appreciation for how close we may be standing to the precipice, and how much more carefully we might want to move–or giving us the urge to either back away to safety, or to jump.

By Dwayne Albert – Originally from en.wikipedia; description page was here., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2974795

Today’s word image is a pair of sleeping dogs. Do we ‘let them lie’, as in the saying, or are they not performing as they should, barking when trouble approaches? Either there’s a topic not to be touched at present, or an early warning system is down.

29-31 August 2016 The Approach to the Solar Eclipse + Mercury Retrograde

28 Sunday Aug 2016

Posted by in astrology, Born Today, current events in the sky, Dark of the Moon, Finger of God, Fist of God, forecast, future events in the sky, Horoscope, Mercury Direction, Mercury retrograde, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction, The Daily Word Image

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By Akseli Gallen-Kallela - Scanned by Alexius Manfelt 2007-12-01, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3170601

By Akseli Gallen-Kallela – Scanned by Alexius Manfelt 2007-12-01, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3170601

I’m going to wrap everything up together in this forecast for a few days ahead, as I finish the eclipse report (which should be available here on Monday the 29th) and give myself a little breather. This coincides with Dark of the Moon, a good time to plunge into a Merc retro period, as we’re already more open to the feeling and sensing nature, the mind stilled (somewhat) by the lack of Lunar light; we don’t find what we think, or what we think we feel, so prone to block incoming information as it usually is. Between Merc’s retreat and the looming eclipse, it seems that making the forecast as tight and easy to remember as possible might be best for everyone–so here goes:

The 29th: We may be inclined to be too headstrong, and so sabotage ourselves–cooperation is the key that both empowers us and brings about serendipitous reward and/ or ambition fulfillment (Mars sq Nodal axis, Venus enters Libra and nov Juno, Sun nov Zeus)

Today’s word image is a wounded bird. Accommodating an injury, whether it’s physical, psychic, emotional, or spiritual, is vital to both recognizing its impact and then helping it heal. Ignoring it only offers the potential for the wound to get worse–and if you don’t heal, how will you ever fly?

By Giovanni Dall'Orto - Own work, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5208666

By Giovanni Dall’Orto – Own work, Attribution, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5208666

The 30th: change of mind might echo a change of heart; we benefit by facing what we’ve recently ignored or denied. All positives today come from embracing our own personal uniqueness (Venus nov Black Moon Lilith, Sun parallel Uranus and nov Hygeia, see also Mercury Retrograde, below)

Today’s word image is a pumpkin, ripened to orange in the garden. That’s a sign of fall–and yet it’s still August! What thing in your world seems to have arrived much more quickly than you anticipated? Is it truly ‘out of season’, or is it indicating more time has passed than you thought? What’s unexpectedly ‘ready to go’?

The 31st: reality-based evolution (whether that is transformational or destructive) is smart, with opportunity fostered by confidence in one’s abilities, a determination to deal with facts and ‘what is’, and a refusal to be rebellious just for the hell of it (Pluto nov Pallas, Jup p Ceres, Sun contra-p Nep and sesq Uranus)

Today’s word image is Pinocchio. The little wooden marionette wanted to be a real boy so much he actually became one. Is there some ‘impossible’ thing you’ve been wanting? Because you may just get it (and all that attends it, all the positives and negatives), after all. And don’t forget to tell the truth.

Lavender_wedding_cake_with_cream_white_swirls_and_ribbon_as_topper

By Jessica Erin Higgins – originally posted to Flickr as lavender wedding cake, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10310914

For those born with the Sun at 7 Virgo: sorting deceptions and illusions from realities, along with a sense of the emotions as being ‘closed off’ and inaccessible, may be the two toughest things for you to face this year, Virgo. This may be the year when you see and deal with every possible impediment or obstacle in your path to what you want–and then you may find, quite suddenly, that you’ve gotten exactly where you wanted to go! So go to work on those problems–it will all pay off handsomely, in the end. Good luck, and Happy Birthday!

For those born with the Sun at 8 Virgo: empowerment, the status you crave, and being part of a ‘power couple’ (even if you’re a silent or unwitting partner) may be in your year ahead, Virgo; success depends on how well you incorporate your ideals into your every day, how ‘married’ you are to having no illusions (hint: the more you like The Truth, the better), and being willing to exercise your creativity (no matter how minor the effort, or how creaky your attempts–use makes them better and better). Be brave, be willing, and get over your fear of heights–you can’t reach the top without letting that go. Good luck, Virgo, and Happy Birthday!

For those born with the Sun at 9 Virgo: the anticipation feels killer, doesn’t it? Almost there, you may be telling yourself–but somewhere along the way, did you forget where you were going? That may be the sense you have of things this year, through to your next birthday, Virgo. It may be difficult to believe that your dreams have changed, as has your idea of what it would be to ‘make it’–but they have, and it’s up to you now to respond to those changes and alter course. Until you do, you may remain stuck–or worse, succeed in meeting the old goal, and being immensely disappointed in how it doesn’t fit your life now. Look at what’s deep inside–that’s the only way to know what’s real, and needs to be followed. Good luck, and Happy Birthday!

By Steven Depolo - originally posted to Flickr as IMG_5971, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10325105

By Steven Depolo – originally posted to Flickr as IMG_5971, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10325105

For those born with the Sun at 10 Virgo: you have to look at those matters that enrage you, or that you’ve been ignoring or in denial of–they are the keys to moving forward this year and bringing your dreams to reality. A new emotional viewpoint unfolds for you no matter what, though how you deal with all these factors, the feelings and the problems, will determine your future, and possibly your fate–so don’t hesitate to tackle difficulties; it’s vital you make your voice heard. Good luck, Virgo, and Happy Birthday!

 

Mercury Retrograde 30 August-22 September 2016: Taking Aim at the Material

'Young Samurai and Female Attendants Practicing Archery' Utagawa Toyokuni I 歌川豐國 c1800 {{PD}}

‘Young Samurai and Female Attendants Practicing Archery’ Utagawa Toyokuni I 歌川豐國 c1800 {{PD}}

Mercury begins apparent retrograde motion at 6:04 AM Pacific time of the 30th at 29 Virgo 04–and immediately it feels like we’re thrown into a state of mental crisis! Criticisms, doubts, and potentially a headlong rush back toward either ‘the facts’ or the standards of the social sphere ensues–and this is just our immediate reaction. The retro period is one that prompts us to re-think, examine, and question the material situation (Earth sign) and how we got to where we are. We ask ourselves if we’re satisfied with what we’ve got, with what we see around us, with what we’re earning, bringing in, getting, enjoying, and whether our resources are adequate to our intentions; our thoughts about the material situation, likely keyed to matters of the House where the retro occurs (and secondarily to the Houses ruled by Merc), are vetted, and by the end of the retro we may have a completely different idea of what we need and want materially at this time. This interval will change our material aims, both how we think of our goals, and how we intend to get there.

If we look at the retro picture poetically, we see that Mercury was in pursuit of Venus, newly fled into Libra (to the shelter of a partner? or a tax or investment shelter? or a partnership of earning and caring, or one of being valued or valuing the partner as an asset?) but the chase slows and then abruptly ends, with Merc retreating to a social milieu (a retro meeting with Jupiter) that welcomes him and envelops him with ‘I told you so’ and ‘What were you thinking?’ and ‘What more do you want?’ This meeting can also signal a retreat to ‘Big Picture’ thinking that believes the individual is too important to mess with details–a misunderstanding of the energy, in this instance.

Heed instincts and the wisdom of impulses on the 6th, as Merc trines Sedna, and be prepared–this re-thinking and re-ordering may hurt, or potentially could heal our ideas about the material world and our place in it (the 10th). At the same time as the hurt/ healing, we also receive a personal shock, lightning strike, or group contribution that offers wise revelation, that brings forward just what we need to hear, realize, or learn (Merc as apex to a Finger of God with base of Uranus-Pallas). A Fist of God forms the 12th with Mercury-Sun square Mars, apex Ceres in Taurus, that suggests action combines with thought, ideas, plans and though it’s not easy, the result will be the best ‘power position’ we can hope for materially in the moment. This also happens to be the point of the Inferior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury, so keep awareness of whatever ‘seeds’ may be planted, deliberately or inadvertently, at this time. Mercury goes direct around 10:30 PM Pacific time on the 21st, in the midst of a trine to Pluto. This suggests change, transformation, destruction, reformation, right out of the gate, based on the changes to our mentality and to our view of the material world, and our place in it.

The page on the September eclipses is up!

Thank you, and enjoy the run up to the eclipse!

 

14 January 2016 Gestation

13 Wednesday Jan 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction

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I'm asking you to nurture something without knowing what it is--will you do it? Mary Cassatt 'The Young Mother (Mother Berthe holding her baby)' c. 1900 {{PD}}

I’m asking you to nurture something without knowing what it is–will you do it? Mary Cassatt ‘The Young Mother (Mother Berthe holding her baby)’ c. 1900 {{PD}}

Though we have the urge and ability to reach out, and we have a clear picture of the past, what we really need to do is think about it. I mean that in the largest sense: sit back, close mouth, ruminate, not on a specific problem or goal, but in a way we might characterize as ‘mindless’–that is, a meditative state that is centered in the mind but not dependent on its functions. We aren’t thinking about anything; and in doing so, we include everything. That allows us to create a fertile mental space for the gestation of ideas–but be prepared, we won’t know just what those are. This requires a sort of faith in the unconscious, or in the Universe, to sift through relevant material and plant the right ‘seed’. We’ll know what it is come 23 March–until then, we trust (Ceres sq Sedna, Vesta contra-parallel Pallas, Mercury trine Jupiter, semi-sq Neptune, trine NN, and meeting the Sun in Inferior Conjunction, Sun and Merc trine Sedna)

And over at ‘Been There, Done That’

Read–Donate (at right)–Party! (you’re on your own for that one)

 

Just a Little on the Leo Full Moon 14 February and the Inferior Conjunction of the 15th

13 Thursday Feb 2014

Posted by in current events in the sky, ECLIPSE magazine, Full Moon, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction

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'Caught' by Luigi Monteverde 1888 {{PD}}

‘Caught’ by Luigi Monteverde 1888 {{PD}}

A little something on the Valentine’s Day Full Moon in Leo, and on the Inferior Conjunction of Sun and Mercury retrograde on the 15th, from ECLIPSE. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Full Moon in Leo 14 February 2014 at 3:53 PM Pacific time at 26 Leo 12

With the FM sextile the Mars-Vesta combo we can expect a conclusion of sorts in what I’m tempted to describe as ‘sacred action’. I suspect this is about coming to a decision as to how we are conducting ourselves, specifically in how we’re employing our energy, in some important situation, possibly in the home or with the mate. It may be a point when we acknowledge what we are or are not willing to do, or when we see that we have reached a point of dedication—we need to commit—and so make a significant statement to the Universe: ‘This is important to me’. It also applies to the setting of a personal agenda that expresses the Self (Leo FM)—we can expect that what we find ourselves committing to at this time will be a feature of our days for some time to come.

15 February brings the Inferior Conjunction of the Sun and retrograde Mercury. This is a point of inception, even insemination, if you will! Something new is planted, and coming just after the Full Moon, we may look at this point as an expression of the new start that naturally follows a finish like the one brought by the FM. Usually we have a bit of a gap, a winding down that allows dissipation of the culminating energy, in the period through to the New Moon—but this time that culmination requires a new start in order to be valid itself—in this case, without the new start that culmination would be a rest stop, rather than an end. That suggests that through to the New Moon we will be nurturing the new start, and part of how this will happen is with reviews, revivals, and other Merc retrograde mechanisms; it will be an Inferior Conjunction that sparks that needed Full Moon start (or re-start!) where the sacred action includes the kind of editing of the life course that is central to taking a successful new direction or making a successful new commitment.

To receive the complete Full Moon report, the Daily, Weekly, and specials, please subscribe!

And skipping ahead to the Spring Equinox with Jude Cowell—

2-3 September 2010: Timing is Everything

02 Thursday Sep 2010

Posted by in current events in the sky, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction

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The Lunar influence over the coming two days is best tracked to identify optimum times to do, to act, to move; we’re looking for power points and moments when it’s best to lay low. Major influences are assisting us in this two day period, and though the Moon’s transit may give us a boost or warn us off precipitous action, other energies are strongly at play right now–make the most of them! (As I don’t repeat myself, you need to check ECLIPSE for the particulars–I’ve already pinpointed the 2nd/3rd as a Big Day–support the blog and see the factors at work here http://dogandsunflower.wordpress.com/new-summer-2010-eclipse/) The Inferior Conjunction of the Sun and Mercury is on the 3rd, making this an even better ‘seed time’ than we might think.

About 9:30 AM PDT on the 2nd the Gemini Moon opposes Ceres, and we get our first indication that we may be up against something formidable; Ceres says authority and/ or Mother Nature is directly at odds with our intents–obviously, a lay low point. Now and over the coming few hours the Moon also makes a Grand Trine in Air with Mars/ Venus and Neptune/ Chiron, suggesting that thinking about and using our imagination and skills to plan action (especially if we use our intuition to inform choices) is the way to while away the time. Don’t feel that you’re losing the day–instead realize that the action won’t really take that long. Well planned means choices are up and running in what seems like no time. By 8:30 PM the energy opens up for all that you’ve lined up–Go! Around 9:30 PM PDT to the Void is another point of caution as the Moon squares Uranus–this doesn’t preclude action but rather tells us to expect the unexpected–and to take advantage of the element of surprise.

Void begins 10:40 PM PDT–sit still–or, if you want unanticipatable outcomes, an element of luck or chaos, or to move without leaving a trace, this is the time. You can make your actions (possibly) impossible to observe during a Void–but know that, since we don’t know how things will go, we can’t be sure if our stealth action will stay stealthy! Just to let you know–

11:51 PM PDT the Moon enters Cancer and squares Jupiter. This suggests that our purposes may conflict with the standards of the social arena; this doesn’t mean our efforts won’t succeed, it only implies that some element of our own willfulness will come back at us (Jupiter in Aries). By 3 AM of the 3rd the Moon is opposed Pluto–Jackpot!–this is one of those power points we’ve been waiting for. It may seem a little scary, but full steam ahead!

The Moon squares Saturn just ahead of the 7 AM hour PDT, and we are reminded that laws, physics, and Self-discipline are still necessary to the smooth operation of civilization and our own success. By 4:30 PM PDT the Cancer Moon moves into contact range of a number of important energies. The Lunar energy conjuncts the South Node and sextiles the Sun and Mercury, and what’s lit up tells us how well we’ve been utilizing the influences; this is done through comparing the present to the past, and through what’s communicated (or what’s withheld–this can speak even more loudly!)

By 8:30 PM PDT the Moon has gone on to square the Zeus/ Vesta conjunction, which at this point is only 6 minutes from perfection. There’s a serious check on our Will and ambitions via our most sacred values, and priorities may be delivered through the home front or the sex life. Yeow. This is very very good, though, because it means that nothing is kept in the repetoire that isn’t in line with the things we honor most.

Just pre-7 AM PDT on the 4th the Moon trines Pallas in Water, and we may get a glimpse of the wisdom of our actions, and the emotional impact of our choices over the past two days–choose well!

Today’s Link:  Here’s someone who, in my opinion, is living well http://veronnicawolpendz.blogspot.com/

Don’t forget the Private Page only for ECLIPSE readers! Read the extra articles, take the polls, discuss! Password is found at the end of the initial article in the Summer issue of the magazine~

The Medium is the Message

04 Monday Jan 2010

Posted by in astrology, Mercury retrograde, Sun/Mercury Inferior Conjunction

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Marshall McLuhan posited this: that what delivers the information is a vital part of the message itself, inextricable from the content and meaning of the communique. (Communique–great word! Last time the Collective received one, I believe it was from the Symbionese Liberation Army–that was back when revolutionary spirit showed some panache–now it’s split between people willing to wear explosives in their underwear, and those waving teabags. I not only kid, I digress.)

So, the medium being an integral part of the message is what we may face today, on the meeting of Sun and retrograde Mercury at Inferior Conjunction. This occurs at 14 and change of Capricorn; the Sabian is ‘In a hospital, the children’s ward is full of toys’ This image suggests that, in an arena of life that is redolent of sadness, pain, and discomfort, we find the opportunity for lightheartedness, for play, and the release and renewal these bring. Notice, though, there is no mention of people within the hospital; it’s as if we are presented with the scene, and must populate it ourselves–and in this way we’ll be offered a ‘vessel’ for the message of the Inferior Conjunction, where the meaning is found as much in the way and means of the offering as in the actual content–and it will be up to us to ‘populate’ what’s brought forward with meaning particular to our own circumstances.

Vague enough for ya? Here’s an example: this morning the lawyer for the man who attempted to extort talk-show host David Letterman is now claiming what he calls ‘The Tiger Woods Defense,’ wherein we are supposed to believe this: that if it’s okay for Tiger’s paramours to ask for money from him, then it’s okay for his client to ask for money from Letterman. Quoi? you might reasonably ask; what is this guy thinking? Here’s where we must notice that he’s floating this theory (that the whole extortion attempt isn’t criminal, it’s capitalism at its finest!) on morning television–and he knows it has no validity. What’s our clue? He’s bringing this assertion to television, not court–and what is television but entertainment, in the final analysis, and a means of building public opinion. Dan Abrams put it best (and I paraphrase): “It’s like saying that getting a loan from a bank is the same as robbing one.”

You get my drift. The only aspects to the conjunction within two degrees are a square from Zeus, and a conjunction from Venus. These suggest that the message and its medium will be a power play, a Zeusian attempt to control or intimidate, and that this will bring something Venusian to the fore: reward, an awareness of love, relationship realities, a knowledge of the worth of something.

Have a great one! And check here for some relevant and inspiring material http://planetaryapothecary.com/2010/01/astrological-insights-january-4-10-2010/