Tag Archives: Mercury retrograde

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

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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!

 

27-28 April 2016 The Mind Recedes: Mercury Retrograde

26 Tuesday Apr 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Mercury retrograde, The Daily Word Image

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Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida 1908 {{PD}}

Joaquín Sorolla y Bastida 1908 {{PD}}

It starts on the 27th as a low-grade hum, a vibrational dissonance that rattles our instincts and makes that sensation of suddenly dropping through space, just around our hearts; we revise and revise again our choices and actions, while at the same time finding the most odd things inspire us. It’s like that moment at the beach when the water recedes around your feet, drawing sand through your toes and underfoot in such a way that you think, ‘If this goes on just a little longer, it could pull me out, too.’ Try not to become disoriented as everything seems to move around you–and hang on to those ideas that come, they may be some of your most original (Black Moon Lilith contra-parallel Sedna, Uranus nov Neptune, Venus opp BML, Sun qnx Mars)

Mercury begins apparent retrograde motion at 10:20 AM Pacific time on the 28th, with first contact a trine from the Moon in Capricorn, quickly followed by a re-joining with Vesta, with both bodies in Taurus. Our minds may be so leaden, so concerned with the material, the senses, that effort at this point may be like punching our way out of a paper bag–hard to tell if we are as weak (or maybe that’s ineffective) as we feel, or whether that paper bag is much tougher than it appears. It may be this: every dark or hidden thing within us, every thing ignored or denied, every injustice we’ve witnessed and failed to address, is draining us, and Mercury turning around simply removes the mental safety net we’ve had in place; it takes away both our usual facility and the safeguards we are used to, exposing feeling incoherent in its amorphousness. We’ve used the mind to tamp this emotion or these facts down for so long they hold no shape when finally revealed.

Boris Artzybasheff {{PD}}

Boris Artzybasheff {{PD}}

Our mentality isn’t the only place we’ve been burying things; we see what’s been living under the stairs at this time, and we see the worth (or worthlessness) of our social connections. It’s as if we’ve used the power of our creativity and imaginative ability against ourselves, making us weak as kittens until we acknowledge (at the very least) all that we are avoiding. Until then we see a barrier between us and others, the quirk up of the flow of money and other assets, the social scene becomes awkward, and until we face things, this orientation makes us pick at our own wounds, though for the most part they’re not really a factor in current events. Face whatever you’ve been avoiding (convinced that it’s dark, but how do you know? You haven’t looked) and things get much, much easier–it’s that simple, and that hard, all at once (Saturn parallel Pluto, Venus sesq Jupiter, Sun semi-sq Chiron)

Flickr: I have a burning hot love letter 4 U :) Author: Nina Matthews C C Attribution 2.0 Generic

Flickr: I have a burning hot love letter 4 U🙂
Author: Nina Matthews C C Attribution 2.0 Generic

The word image for the 27th is: you cut open three fresh hot peppers, and feel your skin burn even though there’s no visible open wound. We don’t always know how close we are to being affected by something–those are the times we’re surprised by the sting. Pay attention–that pain is there to show you what to address, and where you’re truly vulnerable.

'Two monkeys smoking a pipe' Coryn Boel 17th century {{PD}}

‘Two monkeys smoking a pipe’ Coryn Boel 17th century {{PD}}

The word image for the 28th is: two monkeys share a snack in a shady tree. We all need someone to share and relax with, don’t we? If you don’t have your own favorite companion, someone you trust and feel good around, then why not?

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Bits ‘n Pieces for 3-5 January of the New Year 20 and 16!

02 Saturday Jan 2016

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Mercury retrograde, Retrogrades + Directions

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Sure, women can be Plutonian, and it doesn't mean she'll devour you, either! John Collier 'In the Venusberg Tannhäuser' 1901 {{PD}}

Sure, women can be Plutonian, and it doesn’t mean she’ll devour you, either! John Collier ‘In the Venusberg Tannhäuser’ 1901 {{PD}}

Do you have any Plutonian people in your life? If so, do you find you’re able to understand (or maybe withstand!) the sheer energy they emit better than the average human? And do you notice they don’t seem to understand their own psychic strength? If you’re hanging around with Plutonians, you’ve probably got a strong Plutonian inclination yourself–nobody else could put up with the x-ray vision that burns as often as it’s insightful, or the ripple that runs through the Cosmos every time one of these Hadean natives gets upset. This came to mind when I was interacting with my very Plutonian husband; he entered this plane in one of those waves of Uranus-Pluto in Virgo, and he has the added bonus of Mars also conjunct this pair, with an Aries Sun like a cherry on the energy sundae, focusing an enormous drive and powerful persona through the individual identity. We were talking about effective communications, and I mentioned to him that the way he goes at interaction is highly Plutonian: he charges forward, bludgeons the unsuspecting with words, then dashes away to his (mental) cave. For him, every conversation is a confrontation, everyone else someone to be bested; he’ll drag you into his own special hell, if given half a chance. It’s not a bad place, it’s just the one he’s comfortable in, and if you can stand the heat, you can get a lot out of that kitchen. Luckily I have Venus in Scorpio; I adore this energy, and I’m absolutely not afraid of the dark, literally or figuratively. What about you? You might be a Plutonian if:

3 points and you can definitely sympathize, empathize, and understand the Plutonian viewpoint; 4-6 points and you find that shadow in you at times; 7-8 points suggests a Plutonian facet to your nature that is definitely a vital expression of who you are; and 9 or more points makes you the Plutonian others make way for.

Somebody searches me every day, and every day they spell my name wrong; they add a ‘w’ where there is none. I don’t mind the misspelling, I mind what it says about the person seeking help. They are bothering to search out what I have to say, but they aren’t observant enough to realize that, day after day, they are searching incorrectly. It implies they aren’t really seeing what’s in front of them, and that implies they aren’t really understanding the posts they find. Whoever you are, slow down and really look–it can only make things easier.

Mercury hit 29 degrees on the 31st and we experienced a cascade of equipment failures over the following hours: my camera and memory card died (after being lost all summer and then working strangely); our car battery died with no warning; and our phone didn’t stop working, but it no longer rings and the speaker function doesn’t work (to everyone’s delight, really, because who likes to be on speaker?); and the cable ‘disappeared’, taking television service but not the internet with it! By the time Merc entered Aquarius in the AM Pacific time of the 2nd, all was resolved, but with Merc going retro at 5:06 AM PST on the 5th, we may have been dealing with what amounts to material world electrical/ modern method chaos, shaped by the sign and degree placement, but spurred by the upcoming retrograde. Leaving Capricorn may have strained the physical components of what carries energy impulses of one kind or another, as if the components themselves were being dragged across a rough surface; drained and damaged, the stress is only cleared with Merc’s entry into the tech-aligned sign of Aquarius. Also of note is the way Merc retros only 2 minutes from completing a square to Mars, suggesting that during the retro period we may want to act, or express our energy or anger, but may not be able to, or may first try words–which may prove woefully inadequate.

But with the retro only days away, I’m anticipating we might have a recurrence of the situation we just saw when Merc once again moves into Cap. This happened between my Whole Sign 12th and 1st Houses, suggesting that what manifested may have been expressions of ‘me’ and my unconscious, specifically in the ways I wanted to change communications, especially communications that were personal (the 1st). Where did it happen for you, and what effects did you notice, if any?

3 January we may discover our active philosophy of life and our working beliefs clash somehow with our highest ideals. With Mars entering Scorpio, we’ll have the energy and drive to dig it all up and resolve the discrepancy–and that’s a good thing to do, as carrying that kind of dissonance disrupts everything. A lucky ‘shift’ in Love or Money is also on the agenda; it’s change you can embrace and enjoy, a kind of reward for those open to modifying the current arrangement (Jupiter contra-parallel Vesta, Venus nov Pluto)

4 January is the day to ‘do it’: we enjoy almost unprecedented internal harmony, a surfeit of wisdom, practical skills are on point or we receive required help within the social sphere, and thoughts vibe to Love, though for a few Money might be the mental tuning fork. What we seek is right in line with our deepest values, and honors what we truly care about (but be prepared to see what you or others really care about–we could find our emphasis is on Love, Money, Relationships, or Life Values when we thought it was on a different one of the four). This is a day with ‘Success!’ written all over it, for those who trust themselves and the Universe–everybody else just gets a nice little boost so really, nobody loses (Jupiter trine Pallas, Venus trine Vesta, Merc parallel Venus)

5 January is an important day, though it might not be an easy one. We see what needs to change, and we may have to answer for missteps made yesterday that were based on misperceptions, fantasies, or lies. As a result, tempers will flare, even if our touchiness is only within our own minds; we won’t like having to face matters we’d rather ignore (especially if we’ve been successfully ignoring them up to now!) but doing so will have the virtue of clearing up a lot of shadows and handing back to us wasted, stolen, or misplaced energy (Venus sq Neptune, Merc sq Mars–though it doesn’t perfect–and Sun conjunct Pluto, both sq Black Moon Lilith)

Many thanks to my Twitter followers! It’s become overwhelming to keep up with and respond to RTs and other kind gestures, but I do appreciate them, and will try to keep adding original content in addition to the notices for blog posts. Thanks again!

See my books here–donate if you follow these posts and find them useful–and enjoy your week!

Mercury Retrograde 17 September 2015: A Change Is Gonna Come

15 Tuesday Sep 2015

Posted by in astrology, Mercury retrograde, Retrogrades + Directions

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'i want change' Author m.a.r.c. from Berlin https://www.flickr.com/photos/43846837@N00 Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

‘i want change’
Author m.a.r.c. from Berlin https://www.flickr.com/photos/43846837@N00 Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic

I’ve always found the point at which a planet representing major energies begins apparent retrograde motion as important in terms of the ‘statement’ this seems to make about what we can expect during the retrograde period itself. The relationship to other bodies appears to speak reliably of what we will see during the symbolic (that sometimes feels literal!) withdrawal of related impetus and momentum. It’s not so much like the retrograde builds a dam holding back the energetic waters, but like a large boulder falls into the stream of a narrow, rushing river; the energy is still flowing, but is suddenly forced to find another path. Of course, a new course can feel a great deal like denial and can foster frustration at a lack of expected progress–but that’s just it, our expectations failed to take note of the subtle shift that was building. Knowing where and when a body will retrograde gives us a preview of where and in what manner that forward push may stall.

The more I do these ‘moment of retrograde charts’, the more I see the bodies as interconnected; it’s not just the turnaround of one planet, but a shift in every single relationship this body has. It tells a bit of a story; here’s the one I see for the Mercury retrograde at 15 Libra 55 at 11:10 AM Pacific time on September 17th.

Mercury is turning around in Air, asking us to review what we think, especially about relationships. But, we have a bit of a surprise if we have been thinking we’ll come up with something definitive during this period. We instead may have our attention taken away from direct scrutiny of both love and money (Merc was within one degree of perfecting a sextile to Venus). Ambitions and desires, too, will take a back seat (Merc was near conjunction with asteroid Zeus). Our ideas in these areas will change; we may feel successes or bonding with another slip away after appearing to be inevitable. We’ll be asking ourselves in all things Libra, as well as in the subjects of the House in the natal chart where the retro happens: ‘What do I think about that?’ And we may not form an answer right away–though we may get a feeling (the first body to aspect Mercury will be the Moon, by sextile). So what will occupy us?

On the surface it may appear that we are still in relationship territory, or reviewing finances or cooperative efforts, but we may actually be taking a trip into mental darkness, an exploratory into the depths that will allow not just for relationship examination but demolition, refurbishing, or complete transformation. (A square to Pluto is the first aspect retro Merc will make to another body.) It all starts because we’ll be thinking about what’s fair. We’ll be vetting and tidying up what already seems more or less as we want it, or we may see talk or thought as the big reformer in relationships and over money (Merc is in Air) but we’ll soon find that it’s really the structure of our interactions, those things we’ve ‘invested’ in, the current parameters of relationship, the restrictions and unspoken warnings and ‘Do Not Touch!’ signs that we normally negotiate and play along with which will disintegrate, reconfigure, and regenerate in an entirely new shape, with entirely new rules  (Capricorn).

Look for the strongest effects, of course, in the House of the natal chart where the turnaround occurs; the matters of this House will likely be the starting point for examination and change. Though I characterized this period as one of “mental darkness”, I don’t mean depression, anger, recriminations, sadness or madness–I mean a kind of seriousness that will actually be more below the surface than it will be conscious, with the majority of the change in perception and thought happening, iceberg-like, out of our sight and awareness. The darkness will still the mind long enough for what we really desire to make itself heard.

What will be the result? Anything that doesn’t offer passion of one kind or another could be destroyed–or, current affections could be ignited into something truly exciting, as each person discovers depths in the other they’d never seen before. Shared material matters and finances might also move in the direction of passion (in the form of volatility or excitement about new ideas and plans), and our review will likely take into account alterations in aesthetics that we experimented with during Venus retro–we may decide by the end of Merc retro that that style or image or enhancement we toyed with is just what we need to build into the life, to make, for now, permanent.

‘We Are All Vessels: Vesta in the Natal Chart’ comes out tomorrow.

 

Making Purchases During Mercury retrograde: Q & A

26 Tuesday May 2015

Posted by in astrology, Mercury retrograde

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Mercury, looking down on someone who forced a purchase during Merc retro. by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo {{PD}}

Mercury, looking down on someone who forced a purchase during Merc retro. by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo {{PD}}

Here’s a reprint on buying during Merc retro.

Recently I received a couple of questions about what to do and not do during Mercury retrograde; concerns seem to center on buying big-ticket, Mercury ruled items, and on what effect shopping in the middle of the process would have on the outcome. Questions here are tailored to the issues presented in the questions I received. This is from ECLIPSE (no longer open for new sign-ups).

Is it okay to make a major purchase during Merc retro?
The traditional wisdom says ‘No’, that we’re just buying trouble, and to a certain extent that is absolutely true. We need to understand, though, exactly why purchasing during Merc retro is considered bad. Thought processes are not operating under their usual parameters; it’s as if at crucial times our synapses are suffering too wide a gap to transmit signals—at least, that’s true psychically speaking. We don’t compile and comprehend information in quite the same way as we usually do, with thoughts fritzing out in mid-realization and concentration interfered with by a kind of mental static. This is why I always recommend ‘switching’ to a Venusian, feeling-centered state during the Merc retro period, when dealing with what would otherwise be handled mentally. Utilizing both Venus’ sensitivity, especially in relationship, and the Moon’s intuitive abilities, we can feel the unspoken, the undercurrents and attitudes, the potential ‘hidden’ factors behind any interaction—and this may, in many instances, be as effective or even more effective than using the mental faculties as we usually would. However, it doesn’t address perceptual matters involving procedure, details, written material, and conditions, as well as our ability to accurately observe, and something like a purchase involves knowing what’s happening completely enough that one will have no surprises after the fact. This is the concept behind not making agreements, signing contracts, making deals, or agreeing to anything that will obligate us in the future, during Merc retro—there will inevitably be something we’ve missed, something we don’t yet know, but will find out later.

Are there any times when it is okay to buy during the retro?
Yes! When you have literally done all the research, vetting, investigating, comparison shopping, looked over the specs, and have established everything in writing (if it involves a contract or written agreement) before the start of the retro period—then if you need to delay for some reason (because of payment issues or a sale, for instance, or finalizing something big like the sale of a house as you wait through the escrow period), you safely can—just don’t change anything after the retro begins—and I can safely say, you will probably be tempted to, as Merc retro plays tricks on the mind that can make you think your reasoning is much better at that point, rather than the opposite. All conditions must be decided upon before the retro begins, and no changes made, for this to work out satisfactorily.

The Shadow period: Does it Matter?
IMO no. Some people make a big deal out of shadow periods, and it’s true that we may see ripples of a coming or past retrograde before the stone is thrown into the Cosmic waters, but once I saw a timeline of a full year that shaded shadow periods surrounding Merc retro plus the retro period itself, and it was clear that to behave as if Merc is somehow ‘not itself’ for that much time didn’t make much sense. Maybe looking for explanations for every quirk and anomaly comes from a too-strong belief that our minds are operating in near-objective mode as the norm; that, of course, is purely ridiculous, with moments of true lucidity and objective perception the exception rather than the rule. If we understand that there are countless influences on the mentality at any one time, both internal and external, we get a broader, more accurate concept of the fluidity of the mental perceptions, and have less need to corral patterns of thought and processing into neat compartments for which we must find astrological exceptions for every variation. Shadow periods can be considered when analyzing timing, but the actual conditions must be determined by examining the aspects in play, especially those that involve bodies that naturally carry meaning within the issue; for instance, Uranus for electronics, Mercury for things that use electricity or that are for communication, Mars for something metal and/ or mechanical—and there are lots of crossover meanings when looking at the energies, so keep an open mind. Buying something for its beauty (Venus), if purchased during Merc retro, may not communicate that at all; others could look and see a purchase meant to show off resources or intimidate others, and once the retro ends, we could feel that the ‘message’ of that beauty is entirely different than the one we interpreted during Merc’s backward motion.

Does the element in which Merc is retrograding affect matters?
Yes, it can. The element in which the retro occurs signifies what, in a broad sense, we are re-considering about our lives during the turnaround period. In Air we are examining our own viewpoints, thinking, ways of gathering and processing information—and this may lead us into some convoluted reasoning if we are also trying to make buying decisions; we need the entire retro period during which to consider things, and it’s almost required that we don’t come to any conclusions about our own mental capacity or methods before Merc goes direct. During a Fire retro we examine our action nature, with the obvious down side being a propensity to rashness, impulsive purchases, and maybe ones based purely on passion, which might be very good, except that we would probably also neglect to examine the real-world practicality of our choices (with typical Merc retro trickster-ism, we might think we had it covered!) With a Water retrograde we are looking at how we feel about our lives, so that decisions might be emotional, with all the ups, downs, and potential regrets (or trying to make up for past regrets) that might imply, and with Mercury’s retrograde in Earth we look at our material circumstances, and so could be too plodding in our reasoning out of a desire for safety or profit (aside from the usual retro hiccups) and so choose something entirely too plain, dull, or bland for our usual tastes—and of course, each retro period carries the potential for hidden material to emerge later, significantly changing the landscape that was present when we made our decision. Just remember that the element in which Merc is retro points us to what part of our nature is under examination, even if that exam is happening in the unconscious—and that means that part of the psyche, along with the reasoning and other mental faculties, is in the midst of reassessment, and so in flux and unstable because of this.

Update: the current retro is entirely in Gemini, making the review period a time to ask ourselves, ‘What do I think?’ A question we could apply to anything–and this is the right time to do it.

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Between the Eclipses

11 Saturday Oct 2014

Posted by in astrology, Consciousness Explored, current events in the sky, eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, Solar Eclipse, Transit Effects Explored

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Rudolf Koller 1856 {{PD}}

Rudolf Koller 1856 {{PD}}

I think of the two weeks between eclipses as a kind of valley; we can’t see clearly over the mountain behind us, to where we’ve just been, and we can’t see what’s over the mountain ahead of us, either. In the human animal this builds tension, as we fear being trapped in this situation indefinitely; anything could surprise us, and we are very aware of that! In traversing the current valley between the eclipses, we scan the horizon for aid and opportunity (Sun sextile Jupiter) and we look intently for what we should do, how we should act (Sun sextile Mars), and we do all of it with our fate, the direction we’re traveling in life (Sun conjunct North Node), front and center in our (confused–Merc retro) thoughts.

There is nothing unusual in this tension between eclipses; it’s one of the reasons we anticipate their arrival with such dread. We know in our bones, remember in our nerve endings and muscles and psyche, how very stressful the last round was. And yet, there isn’t much we can do about this feeling. In the current situation we’ve just been through an ending, or had the inevitable ending of something signaled loud and clear (the Lunar eclipse of the 8th), and even if we knew this was coming, it was hard; we likely had to admit something about ourselves and what we want (Aries placement) that we had been avoiding up ’til now. This was an area (signified by the House where the eclipse fell) that we may have been controlling, trying to control, or telling ourselves we were controlling–and suddenly we must face that our Will controls absolutely nothing outside our own skin (and not even all inside of that!)

The new start we get on the 23rd (the Solar eclipse) can be summed up as offering a beginning that is ‘wise and valuable’–and that’s so whether we see it as such or not! That doesn’t make our anticipation any less tense, though; it’s like the stress of bringing home a new baby, getting engaged, winning the lottery. In spite of the fact that it’s one of the best things that can happen to us, we still experience a great deal of upset, pressure, unforeseen effects, and our responsibility–our need to respond–is tested and stretched and drains us of energy and initiative right at the point when we need it most. Knowing that something like this is coming can grate on us terribly–but knowing that’s the case, and knowing there’s nothing to be done about it, should free us. We can safely ignore much of what’s troubling us now–whatever needs facing will come to us, with the eclipse in Scorpio, representing a raw kind of truth at 00 of the sign–and it will open the way to a new beginning–and most of us would really welcome one of those right about now.

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Seeking Advice During Mercury Retrograde

13 Friday Jun 2014

Posted by in astrology, current events in the sky, Mercury retrograde, Retrogrades

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Anonymous c1460 {{PD}}

Anonymous c1460 {{PD}}

This is a re-print from 2008 I thought might be helpful now–

Just a reminder that, in these tough times when so many of us are looking for effective guidance, we must remember that most basic of admonitions: seek advice from those who really know. Sometimes we lose the logical connection during a Mercury retrograde; we forget that the proof is in the ‘life pudding,’ so to speak. Does it make sense to ask for relationship advice from someone who can’t sustain one? or to ask financial advice from someone who can’t make a living? how about health advice from someone who is not able to resolve their own health issues in a timely way? No, it doesn’t make sense at all; but we can easily forget this in the midst of Mercury retrograde, when we feel a lot of pressure to decide, get things done/ going, to make up our minds; this might be an especially pressing issue for those experiencing a hard transit from Mars right now. If we use our intuition in seeking advice, we’ll do well–as long as it’s truly our intuition speaking, and not our agitated and frustrated mental faculties as they struggle against the retrograde tide.

Are we requiring perfection of those who offer guidance, formally or informally? Not at all; nor should we–learning comes through experience. But to seek, say, financial advice from those struggling to make ends meet makes no sense–if one can’t do ‘it,’ whatever it is, for themselves, then how can they advise others? It’s the same in any area–would you call an electrician to handle a plumbing problem? You see my point. (This also implies that the individual has some asset they could and probably should exploit, that’s being ignored in favor of something else, likely something that is feeding the ego, and little else).

What about those who offer advice but are not truly up to the task? I have a theory about what people choose to do in life; they either choose to do something they’re really good at, or they choose to do the very thing they actually need done for them. I realized this when I met a nurse who desperately desired nurture from the Universe; and she wasn’t a very good nurse!

This doesn’t mean that we avoid learning new functions, or that we only undertake what we are already competent with; it does mean that we don’t ‘practice’ on others until we are very clear about ourselves.

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Just a Little Mercury Retrograde 6 February 2014: Upset or Ecstasy

06 Thursday Feb 2014

Posted by in Astrology of Careers Vocations and Callings, current events in the sky, ECLIPSE magazine, Mercury retrograde

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'The Sense of Sight' Annie Louisa Swynnerton 1895 {{PD}}

‘The Sense of Sight’ Annie Louisa Swynnerton 1895 {{PD}}

A little something from ECLIPSE:

Mercury Retrograde The Messenger retrograded on the 6th at 1:43 PM Pacific time at 3 Pisces 20, and during his backward trip re-enters Aquarius; in the Whole Sign chart, this means a definite change of Houses occurs, emphasizing the shift in atmosphere with a shift in area of expression, as well. Starting the Mercurial journey in Water suggests the first issues that surface will be emotional ones, likely seeming to intrude on the mind either from the larger Collective or from one’s own overactive imagination. At the point of turnaround Merc is in close aspect to nothing else (the conjunction to Neptune isn’t technically perfected, and so lacks oomph or relevancy, yet). This implies the possibility that we may enter the retrograde receiving emotional messages or info that we are completely unable to process mentally—and this suggests, upset or ecstasy, that we will be hard pressed to understand or communicate our feelings, leading to unavoidable frustration. Then Merc retreats to Aquarius, and the mind may suddenly unscramble the earlier emotional reactions, with the current danger that we will go too far toward intellectualizing—and so distance ourselves from feelings we really need to deal with. When Merc turns, just let the emotions happen—it’s normal for a Merc retro period to make understanding difficult, so don’t try—and when the mind is suddenly up and running again upon Merc’s entry into Aquarius (albeit with lots of short circuits, thanks to the retro!) you will (almost without any effort) get a handle on the preceding emotions—then the trick is to not talk yourself out of your feelings—which will be the most likely temptation as Merc moves backward through Aquarius

And from the Search Terms grab-bag:

“getting laid off in Mercury retrograde”

Since this term showed up before the actual start of the retro this afternoon, I’m wondering if this individual is anticipating bad news–and that means, you knew something, even if it was only through your spidey-sense, that told you it’s coming. The real focus, then, might need to be on what happened during Venus retrograde (21 December 2013-31 January 2014). Since this clearly affects the income, I think detective work on matters that manifested during the Venus turnaround is called for, as that will likely reveal the true issue. If you’re wondering if a layoff during Merc retro has particular consequences, the answer is yes; as an employer, making a hiring or firing decision during such a cycle means that you may be drawing conclusions from incomplete information, that you may not be assessing individuals correctly, and that you almost certainly will change your opinion of your choice after direction. For the person who receives such news, you can bet that you don’t know the real reasons behind it, and you may receive some satisfaction in the idea that your employer will probably regret moving on it at this time–though of course, you may never know that for sure. There is also the possibility that, if you did receive signals of a potential job loss before the retrograde, the actual commencement of the retro period may bring a change of mind, a re-consideration, that could nix previous decisions. So, don’t despair yet–and if it does come to pass, embrace the idea that something not so great is being removed from your life (albeit forcibly) to make room for something much better.

Mercury Retrograde 21 October 2013: Feeling, Not Thinking

21 Monday Oct 2013

Posted by in current events in the sky, Mercury retrograde

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Have a cup of tea, and sort out those feelings during Mercury retro. 'The Glass of Tea' Mary Cassatt 1897 {{PD-Art}}

Have a cup of tea, and sort out those feelings during Mercury retro. ‘The Glass of Tea’ Mary Cassatt 1897 {{PD-Art}}

Mercury Retrograded at 18 Scorpio 23 today–Nothing is in close contact for this event (though Vesta is technically sextile from Virgo, the aspect did not perfect before Merc’s retrograde, essentially ‘robbing’ the contact of real meaning). A Merc retrograde in Water typically calls us to examine the emotions, and all communications, occurrences, and perceptions related to these. We ask ourselves, How do I feel? and we will spend some time determining the ‘fit’ of those feelings to our lives. We do see Jupiter trine Merc’s turnaround (wide, by my fussy event standards), probably exaggerating the emotional effects, and possibly linking them to the social. Mercury retrograde in Scorpio could plunge us into dicey emotional territory; the emotions are intense, deep, probably at least partially hidden even from us, and may be propelled by undercurrents of feeling of which we’re unaware, and we may confuse these with thought; we’re ‘feeling, not thinking’, though we may believe just the opposite. This retrograde will be a time of emotional discovery, and should be approached with that in mind.

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Just a Little AstroEssence 27 June 2013: ‘Listen With Your Spirit’

27 Thursday Jun 2013

Posted by in Consciousness Explored, current events in the sky, Mercury retrograde

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A quote from a film adaptation of Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair' sums up what those of us not afraid to face reality must do, just to get by: "Come along, my dear. You'll sit by me. And after dinner, we shall abuse the company." Illustration by Rita Senger for VF mag 1916 via LofC {{PD}}

A quote from a film adaptation of Thackeray’s ‘Vanity Fair’ sums up what those of us not afraid to face reality must do, just to get by: “Come along, my dear. You’ll sit by me. And after dinner, we shall abuse the company.” Illustration by Rita Senger for VF mag 1916 via LofC {{PD}}

Well, if you find my pessimism off-putting, now’s the time to stop reading! Or you can call it realism, and go on. The past two days or so, something has been in the air, and now that I’m looking at the chart for Mercury’s turnaround, I see what it is: Merc began to backtrack in the 6 AM hour Pacific of the 26th, coming off pursuit of Vesta, the only close aspect at the time a sextile to Sedna–and even that doesn’t perfect. Couple this with Venus’ stress at the end of Cancer, then today’s entry into Leo, Jupiter’s flight into exaltation in Cancer, and two oddballs, Vesta sesquiquadrate Neptune, and Uranus opposed hZeus while Chiron quincunxes it, and we see some interesting dynamics expressed. There may be a lot of ‘defending of the Faith’ when that is precisely the subject that needs examining; whatever it is that we’ve been (rather desperately) insisting is sacred is exactly what needs to be dragged into the light this Mercury retrograde. Venus in Leo gives us the strength to examine it without falling apart–unless that vanity is part of the problem. Jupiter allows the social sphere to play the part of kindly showing us what needs fixing, if we’ll only pay attention, as functions performed will include dispelling illusions about what we revere and shocks concerning ambitions and desires that poke at our primal wound and make us unreasonable (aside from the way we should be listening with our spirits, rather than with our minds, due to the retrograde). It makes for some confused and angry individuals, and a great deal of defensive blather even when no one is attacking. The best advice, perhaps, is that when you are bitten for trying to help, don’t take it personally.

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