In previous articles I have written about the nature of the Mercury retrograde cycle that we are in right now. And we are in the exact middle of that phase right now. This phase is called the Inferior conjunction of the Sun and Mercury and occurs on August 16, 2011 at 23° Leo. For those who are interested the exact time is 6:04pm PDT. This is a very important point for those astrologers who watch cycles closely, for this is when a ‘seed idea’ is born into our psyches. Thus it is like a New Moon in the sense that it is a true beginning of a new framework or thought-form that will grow and develop over the next 6 weeks. Any New Moon is also called a ‘dark Moon’ because in a physical sense we can’t see it, and in a symbolic sense, we do not yet know what the nature of that newly born seed is. We are, for the most part, in the dark. So, it is very helpful now to pay close attention to what you are thinking during the next several days. Since Mercury is still retrograde, some of the ideas will quickly fall away, but not all of them. With time, one of the ideas will emerge as an important one to follow up on and take seriously. It will still go through many changes as the idea moves more completely into one’s conscious mind, but engaging in this process will be worth the patience and effort.

Astrology offers an interesting view of the mind. In our modern culture, we usually think we are in charge of our thoughts and believe further that new thoughts come from within us, from our own brain. I’m not sure why this belief is such a rigid one, since I know many scientists who have wondered aloud where such and such a thought came from. Their answer is that they just had an inspiration (breath), which is true. But where did it come from? Astrology suggests that perhaps it comes from outside us. It presents a picture of a dynamic, creative and flowing world that is full of mystery and even magic. All we have to do is allow the new moments to freely enter and take root in us. This is one of those times. We can help ourselves by simply taking time to notice, feel, and sense what might be emerging. Maybe it comes through a dream, a message from a friend or even a casual remark made by someone you overhear in a mall or restaurant that you immediately feel is expressed ‘just for you.’ This is the kind of openness we need to feel the inherent mystery and meaning within each moment.

But there is more going on at the same time. There is another cycle which is coinciding with the Sun/Mercury one. On the same day, August 16th at 5:08am, about 12 hours earlier, there is a Sun/Venus conjunction. This conjunction is called the Superior conjunction, which means that it is occurring while Venus is in its direct motion. The Venus cycle is much longer in duration than the Mercury cycle. It is approximately 19 months long as compared with Mercury’s 4 month cycle. The Superior conjunction is similar to a Full moon in that it brings things to some kind of fulfillment, completion, manifestation and clarity. The cycle actually started on October 28th last year (2010) and occurred at 5°Scorpio. For those of you who can find transits for your chart, if you look and see where that point connects to your chart you will learn a lot about the meaning of today’s set of transits. Perhaps a relationship that began at that time is coming into greater clarity and fulfillment.

Here we are talking about Venus, which rules relationships, attitudes and values toward people, money, investments, beautiful things such as jewelry, etc. Many people who began dating someone are finding out now whether or not they want to move to a new level in the relationship. Others are discovering that the relationship is not what they had hoped for and are ending relationships. It can go either way at times like these. What is certain is that something that is related to Venus is coming to some kind of fruition.

So, what does it mean when these two different cycles occur at the same time? It is a rare phenomenon and represents both beginnings and endings. As I talk to people about how they are doing right now, much more than usual, a silence comes over them as if to say, ‘I’m not sure,” but there might be some big things right around the corner. It is important to remember that the merging of cycles like these are less about the events that happen themselves and more about how we are affected by them internally and where they direct us to move in the near future. One thing we can determine now is that if something is working well, we can assume it will continue to do so and if it isn’t, either something is wrong and needs to be corrected or there is a large misunderstanding that will need to be reassessed.

This is a very potent time as we can get our bearings and discover both where to go as well as what to release. It is a time for creating priorities in the areas where we have greater clarity while being open to taking new directions if this is what is in the offing. In other words, there are conflicting flows and degrees of turbulence and confusion that do typify this unusual cycle. So, if you find yourself in confusion and uncertainty, you may need to wait until thing become clearer when Mercury goes direct on August 26, 2011. This is when the new ‘seed idea’ can begin to emerge and turn us toward the direction we need to go.

It is at crucial times like this that a consultation with an astrologer can be helpful. The art of the astrologer is to apply the archetypal forces of the moment toward a particular individual.

As always, we would love to hear from our readers as to how they are being affected by the present transits. Please let us know what you think.

Best wishes,

Jim Sher

We are entering a very intense period where there are several different forces operating at the same time, creating a push/pull effect that could be quite confounding. I will be writing two articles on this period, since it is unusually complicated, but let me first explain some of the issues. Starting on Wednesday, March 30, 2011, Mercury begins its retrograde cycle. It goes retrograde at 24° of Aries and begins at 1:48pm PDT. The retrograde period ends on April 23, 2011. The first opposing archetypal force occurs at the New Moon on Sunday, April 3, 2011 at 7:32am. This New Moon has 6 planets in Aries, which is an intense need for beginning new cycles, starting new projects, and just powerfully forging ahead. And yet, this occurs while Mercury is retrograde, which inhibits the ability to do so since one is having to take whatever time is necessary to review, handle, or take care of things issues coming up at this time from the past. In addition, the New Moon of April 3, 2011 includes an opposition to Saturn which further slows things up.

Let’s start with the Mercury retrograde period. Now that this blog has been in existence for several years, the reader can be encouraged to go back and read other articles on the subject I am discussing now. To do this, just put in the appropriate terms in the “Search” box and you can find any articles on that subject. For this particular article, I suggest you do a ‘search’ using the term “Mercury Cycle” and “Mercury Retrograde.” There’s a lot of information there. To briefly describe my take on Mercury retrograde, the main thing to remember is that the period when Mercury is retrograde is actually just one part of a much larger cycle that is at least four months long and has 8 separate phases within it. The retrograde phase is the one that gets all of the attention, since it can create some very irritating problems such as communication confusion and delays, phones, computers, and other devices breaking down, and having to repair cars, trucks, and so on. So, yes, this is a time to pay close attention to details, checking important documents for problems and for making as sure as possible that all of what you have agreed to is stated accurately and the way you want it. The axiom that ‘one should measure twice and cut once,’ is particularly important when Mercury is retrograde.

I am often asked if one should put as much as possible off until Mercury goes direct. This is not advisable at all. Yes, this is not a good time to begin a new project, business or marriage. But many of us will not really be in the mood to do that anyway. One important aspect of any retrograde period is that something important is coming to an end or culmination, which means that it is actually quite important to finish things that are coming up now. Yes, one should review, look again at areas of one’s life that are highlighted at this time, but it doesn’t mean one should avoid all action. That runs counter to the purpose and value of this period. People can easily overreact to Mercury retrograde. I have begun to refer to it as the scapegoat of astrology. When things don’t work out, blame it on Mercury retrograde. It is better to remind yourself that you may have neglected something out of forgetfulness. Nevertheless, this period of time can best be handled by making the extra effort to focus on what it is necessary.

And unfortunately, in our society, it may indeed be necessary, since our society always tries to be in a state of moving forward. What Mercury retrograde is really helpful at is encouraging us to reflect, measure, introspect and go into a quiet place. It’s important to take time out, time off and imagine or move into a trance state where the repressed or forgotten aspects of our psyche have been hidden away, often just waiting for a time when it can re-emerge. The trouble is that what we need for ourselves may be difficult to achieve as the demands for us to actually do more work, can increase. But know that some of the work you do here, will again be reviewed. This can be due to missing information, inaccurate assessments, etc. In other words, the data you receive now may need to be looked at with either suspicion or openness to change, depending on your basic approach. In fact, part of what this cycle is about is discovering new information. We must be willing to challenge our assumptions, look at new ways of looking at something and be open and even eager to examine anything we need to reassess. Assume that some of your thinking may be either flawed or incomplete and seek greater understanding.

What makes this particular retrograde challenging is the fact that it is in the sign of Aries and during a New Moon in the same sign. I will speak to more of this in the next newsletter, but the urge to move forward is extremely intense right now, and it is not advisable to completely give in to that urge. If something needs to be done, then do it. But anything you do now, or even think now, will probably need to be rethought. So recognize that. Urges are just urges. Some will no doubt be inspired, but the timing for implementation may not be as soon as one hopes. Take care, and if possible find out what house this Mercury retrograde is in your chart since that can tell you what area of your life in which you will need to be especially careful.

As always, we love the replies from our readers and want to hear how you are experiencing the Mercury retrograde period yourself.

Let’s use this time period for what it’s good for.

We would like to wish all of our readers a very Happy New Year. The coming year promises to be a very exciting one with many new cycles being born that will change our lives in exciting and unpredictable ways. The first major astrological event comes quickly as there is a Solar Eclipse on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at 1:03am PST. A Solar Eclipse always occurs at a New Moon, but becomes perhaps 100 times stronger in its effects than a regular New Moon. I refer to a Solar Eclipse as an inertia destroyer, as it seems to force us to make a significant shift in some aspects of our lives.

Where this eclipse occurs in our birth-chart will determine the area of our life that is likely to be affected most. This eclipse occurs at 13°Capricorn and it is identified as 13 North in the Saros cycle system used by Bernadette Brady. A Saros cycle specifies the nature of a particular eclipse according to a very long (sometimes over 1,000 years) cycle of a repeating theme of 19 years in duration. I have found that this system is a reliable indicator describing the nature of any particular eclipse.

Let me describe the nature of this particular Solar Eclipse. “This family of eclipses is concerned with groups and associations. Its energy is about large, ambitious group projects. In order for these projects to begin, a separation or the breaking of a bond that already exists is likely. The individual affected may well experience this eclipse as a separation and then as a joint achievement.” The way I interpret Brady’s writing is that before a new group or relationship can begin, something old that is outworn or energetically dead, has to end before the new cycle can begin. This nature of this particular eclipse seems to be more disruptive than most but promises to also cause the bringing about of new starts and new relationships.

The chart of this particular eclipse affirms this theme as there is a Venus trine to the Jupiter conjunction to Uranus which suggests that there is an easy flow and harmony in the establishing of new relationships or partnerships that are needed for one’s future growth. Jupiter is accelerating now and will enter the sign of Aries on January 22, 2011. When it does, we can expect a tremendous surge in new activity and the start of many new projects that have been emerging for the last several months. What has been postponed or tabled can truly begin in late winter and early spring..

This issue of the newsletter also contains an article by LeeAnn Lambright on the sign of Capricorn. Because this eclipse is in this sign, I would like to urge you to read it carefully, as it will inform you about the nature of this momentum changing transit. Let me add that while sometimes these eclipses bring about events within days of the eclipse, it also is set up at least a month in advance and can last for six more months (which is when the next eclipse occurs) as the changes beginning now start to grow.

Mercury Goes Direct

On December 30, 2010, Mercury turned back to its direct motion ending the Mercury retrograde cycle. This tells us that whatever new information we have gleaned over the last 3 weeks is now established so we can move forward with more confidence. However, the issues that came up at this time are still being processed in terms of what actions are necessary to take. Because of this transit along with both the Lunar and Solar Eclipses, much has been revealed and some action may have already been taken as a result of what we are confronting, but dealing concretely with what has come up is still very much a work in progress.

In general, we are entering a very active phase right now. There are no major retrograde planets and Jupiter will enter Aries at the latter part of this month, so it may be a great time to be open to making changes in our life that lead to a greater sense of freedom and opportunity. The excitement is increasing and we can enjoy it if we’re able to embrace the new, emerging cycle.

As always, please feel free to share what you are experiencing during this Solar Eclipse period.

Thanks so much.

In my discussions with friends and students, what is being expressed most of all is the sense that whatever I am focusing on now is quite important. There doesn’t seem to be time for ‘casual’ or ‘insignificant’ matters to be considered. We may not want to waste time on areas of our life that do not require our attention. And, if we do engage in such things, we may be more peeved about it than usual. The meetings we have with others seem to be necessary now and we may sense that they are likely to have deeper implications towards our future. We spend time thinking about the best approach rather than to just ‘dive in’ nonchalantly. If so, this is a good thing to do, because whatever we do set into motion now is indeed significant. Yes, more review may be inevitable, but that need not be thought of as a problem. What is developing actually is the possibility of a new ‘intention’ or ‘direction.’ We may find ourselves considering turning towards a new set of potentialities and while we cannot know if they will bear fruit or what kind of fruit they will produce, we do sense the need for a new direction to either be taken or at least be considered.

The meaning of the upcoming conjunction of the Sun and Mercury is that a new ‘seed idea’ is being born which simultaneously is being created by something old that is finally coming to a head. There is an odd sense that it is partially like a New Moon (the beginning of a new cycle) and partially like a Full Moon (the culmination of an already developing cycle). I know it may feel strange but you might like to reflect on what is developing for you right now to see if something from the past is coming together as well as something new being considered. Whatever you find out, it is likely that this is a very potent time, full of newly emerging opportunities. Of course, often we find that before something new can be born, something old must either die or change form significantly, but that’s just the way of things.

Two Ongoing Conjunctions As Well

Right now, due to the combination of faster moving planets slowing down or retrograding, we are in the midst of a ‘dance’ of two conjunctions that usually last for only a short time. This time they are dancing together for a considerable amount of time.

Venus dancing with Mars – usually Venus moves quickly past Mars in its normal transit since it is a very fast moving planet, but right now, because Venus is slowing down in advance of its coming change of direction (turning retrograde) on October 8, 2010, Venus is in a two-month conjunction with Mars. It began in mid-August and continues through mid-October. Although Venus and Mars are associated with love, romance and sexuality, it goes deeper than that. Venus is the symbol that rules the law of attraction, which can be defined as what we want to bring toward us and what we want to push away. Mars is the principle of self-assertion and how we go after what we want. Right now we are becoming clearer about both what we want and how we must approach getting it, if we are to be successful. Combined with the Mercury retrograde cycle we may be determining what these strategies need to be.

Jupiter dancing with Uranus – this dance is lasting many months. Specifically, it is in effect from mid-May 2010 to late January of 2011. This is due to the fact that they have conjuncted and are now retrograding together moving back and forth between early Aries and late Pisces. I have written extensively about this exciting combo. It is bringing forth all sorts of new paradigms, ideas, and insights. Because it is lasting so long, though, my sense is that it will deepen the profound possibilities that can come forth now. While it brings with it a lot of instability and uncertainty, it is going to be well worth it. One friend said that she is living hour by hour right now, as anything can happen and she can’t tell where things are going at all. This level of uncertainty is good for us though, however scary it can be. Learning to live in the moment is so important for us. Why?

Because the only ‘real’ life we can ever have is in the eternal moment of the now. The present transit between Jupiter and Uranus can be exposing us to this, whether we like it or not, and if we go with it, we may discover that we actually like it. It is where we can be so open that we ‘Feel’ the Life force so vividly that we find that we are in a state of constant inspiration. Anything can happen and sure enough, it does. It is where we can do the impossible or, more accurately, what we had thought was impossible.

Finally I would like to mention that this is a good time to be open to not only learning something new, but perhaps more significantly being open to a new paradigm. One helpful definition of the term paradigm is this – “A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the person and group/community of which they are a part.” A paradigm shift is meant to be a fundamental one and can lead to a ‘new way of Being-in-the-World.’ Because the conjunction is in Aries, some people will be only focused on themselves, what they want and desire, etc. Others will be concerned with the importance of personal rights and freedoms which we can already see developing with the growth of anti-government sentiments. But to me, the highest way this transit can manifest is for each of us to find ways to become more connected to what we know in our heart is what we are here are earth to do. We can claim the right to be ourselves in the fullest sense while also understanding that no person is an island and that we are a part of a larger Whole that gives us life and sustains us. These can be very exciting times with loads of new opportunities, but before this can show itself, we may have to prepare for the death of the old cycle. I believe that this is what the retrograde back into Pisces between Jupiter and Uranus actually signifies.

As always, I and the readers love to hear your thoughts about this article and anything on your minds that is in some relevant to what’s happening now. So, please feel free to write in.

Nevertheless, even a novice can take a casual look at the chart to the right and you will see that 7 planets are either conjunct, square or in opposition to each other. This is not going to be seen more than once in a lifetime for it is that rare. In a few words, this configuration creates dynamic tension. It can be a very creative period, but it also has built into it a great deal of resistance. It is common sense to know that the greater the desire and/or need for change, the greater is the likelihood of there being resistance to that very change. We can take our hints from looking at the news and even now we see that Sen. John Kyle (R-Ariz.) has come out for the repeal of the 14th amendment, which allows children of undocumented immigrants to be automatically granted U.S. citizenship. The repeal of an amendment to the constitution is a radical change . So, we can be certain that the seeing of this now means that the sentiments behind it are very significant and will be affecting the political life in this country for a long time.  Most things that happen in the news right now are apt to be important. How we are affected personally depends on where this is happening in one’s chart and also what has been building on one’s life. It can affect one psychologically, emotionally, physically and spiritually or in all of the mentioned ways. On the physical plane, it could manifest as one moving to a new city or home. It could mean that one gives birth or its opposite that one is dealing with the death or possibly death of someone dear to the person. Psychologically, it can manifest as the need to confront something or someone, to face what has been important for some time but which must now be handled. Finally, while it can create events, it may not do so immediately.

The Planets Involved

In this particular chart, the fast moving the Moon, Venus and Mars are acting as triggers which stimulate whatever is in the works and this is why events could occur at this time. The stress for action is very strong. Some people have expressed their feeling that an earthquake here in L.A. is coming or is likely. Such a severe event is not impossible, but that’s not necessarily the way this energetic tension could express itself. What it does signify is the feeling that whatever is happening now is going to be experienced as shocking, intense and extreme. Part of the tension is due to the geometric angles in which the planets find themselves but it is also due to the nature of those planets. Jupiter, the principle of expansion, philosophy, religion and spirituality is opposing Saturn, which is the archetype of restriction, delay, but also manifestation. Saturn is slow because it asks us to bring something into reality, to master something and to avoid missing any steps. This can produce frustration, but only if we try to rush something and do not accept the necessity that things must develop naturally. And with Uranus also involved in its conjunction with Jupiter, we see that the desire for radical change of something can also bring about fear of that change just as quickly.

The Best Strategies to Deal With This Transit

Here are some general ideas of how we might handle what is coming forward right now:

Openness to the New – a new paradigm or structure is emerging for us right now. With it come new challenges, but most of all it signifies some type of  new set of circumstances that we must either adapt to or with which we must work. The famous astrologer, Dane Rudhyar, regarded this type of moment in time as one in which a new seed is planted which will ultimately create an entirely new plant or new cycle. (By the way, this cycle will emerge must more clearly in the late winter and early spring of 2011 when Jupiter and Uranus enter Aries completely).

Intention – Once we understand or can feel what the new seed is about for us, we must then do what we can to embrace it fully, to own it, so to speak. Whatever it is, it is coming about as a necessity, so it is best to intend to work with it, to cooperate with its demands of us and see it as beneficial in the long run. For some this will be easy as the new seed is welcome, but for others, it can be resisted or even fought against. To do so is not helpful, since the coming changes are inevitable. We must learn to hold and even nurture the new seed, so that as it sprouts, we do all we can to help it grow into the new structure that is promised.

Patience – for a variety of reasons, the changes being signaled right now are just emerging and have a ways to go before becoming solid and clear enough to be acted upon fully. What is more likely is that we need to approach whatever we find ourselves being moved toward with openness, but also without any rush. It is too big to be something that can be handled quickly. Saturn is part of this process which means that we must not miss any steps and must go slow enough to build a solid foundation. Saturn provides the rules for all that develops, so respect for that process is so important.

Awareness – In any process that is truly new, there is an inevitable arousal of fears since we are always more familiar with the past that we can be with the future. The future is unknown and different, so if we find ourselves confronting fear as the new approaches, we do not need to be surprised or ashamed. Our job in that situation is to make the effort to continue moving forward.

Mercury Entering the Shadow

I will speak more about this in the next newsletter article, but I’m mentioning it here because it could cause delays in manifesting what the present intense transits are bringing about. Mercury will retrograde at 19° of Virgo on August 19, 2010, but is now in the area in which it will retrograde back towards, so whatever you are considering you can be certain that there will be a review process about it. More on this in future articles.

Mercury Goes Direct

On Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 3:27pm PDST, Mercury will return to its direct motion completing the review phase we’ve been in for the last 3 weeks. This means that right now the ‘Winged Messenger’ is moving very slowly and is considered to be stationary. This increases the intensity of any planet doing this, so one’s mental processes and way of communicating can be more intense than usual and the mind can actually fixate on one viewpoint at this time. This is a good time to avoid taking one’s thoughts too seriously. It is best to take note of them, but wait for a few days before acting on them. We need to see what we are thinking after Mercury turns direct or even a couple days after that. Some of those thoughts we may be able to trust. By the same token, the review process is mostly done.

Whatever has changed is not likely to change again, though what one decides to do with what has been revealed, may indeed change. This is something to take a good look at. There is a difference between changing one’s mind or view of something and what one then does as the result of what one has discovered. Mind (Mercury) is not necessarily an indicator of how one ought to act or what one should do (Mars). Often when we wait until we have processed Mercury’s information, we find that the decision about what to do comes naturally, but only if the process in not rushed too quickly. Another way of expressing this is to suggest that the process of receiving new information is about to end, but since Mercury is still in the area within which it retrograded, the ‘what-we-must-do’ part of the process is still yet to be determined. Sometimes, the new information can be a shock and we can be numbed by its effects. Unless you are certain that you must act, if you have been significantly affected by the last few weeks of transits, feel free to wait until you’re really ready before making any decisions on what to do. This is especially true right now because of what Jupiter and Uranus are doing.

A Deeper Look at Uranus

On May 27, 2010, Uranus enters Aries, the sign that can best be described poetically as the archetypal ‘first day of spring.’ Right now, Jupiter is approaching Uranus and enters Aries itself on June 6, 2010. They come together two days later on June 8. With this in mind, I’d like to focus on the nature of Uranus and how its energy is already in play, but is likely to become much more so in the next month.

Let me just express some basic key concepts for this archetype. Uranus is the principle of the unexpected and represents ‘out-of-the-box’ thinking and acting. It is the fringe element that seeks to leave the status-quo behind so as to free itself from the constraints of the ordinary, of sameness and of inertia. It is the principle of rebellion, revolution and seeks to upend the ordinary and wherever we must conform. It is the ‘maverick’ in the truest sense of the word. Uranus exposes us to sudden realizations, the truly new idea, that seems to come out of nowhere. And these ideas are often so far out, that they cannot be accepted since they cannot be proved, at least not yet. Often, great thinkers have Uranus strongly marked in their charts and are often only appreciated years after their lives. Sometimes a person is just so far ahead of the times, that they cannot be seen, certainly not by the mainstream. Of course, the other side of the coin can also be true. This planet can bring about erratic behavior and even extreme volatility; the need to change things for the sake of change, and not really wait to see if the change or the revolution is worth all that will be set into motion if it is carried out.

The most relevant part of Uranus right now is the concept of independence and freedom from restriction. I am often asked if Uranus is conservative or liberal and the answer seems to be ‘both and neither.’ Like the true outsider, Uranus cannot be understood if we attempt to put it in a box, define it strictly and categorize things in an ordinary way. In fact, it works to take us out of any box, label or model. Many conservatives act in a Uranian way when they express their desire to restrict or reduce government so that we don’t lose our freedom. They focus on independence on oneself rather than dependence on institutions to take care of us and they advocate reduced taxes. Libertarians act in a Uranian way when they advocate the legalization of ‘moral’ laws such as restrictions on certain drugs such as marijuana, wanting government to get out of the bedroom by ending all laws on who can get married to whom and the end of nearly all taxation. And liberals act in a Uranian way when they advocate for a humanitarian approach to people who are unable to take care of themselves and the creation of institutions that no individual can do by itself alone.

Uranus cannot be put into a box and this is exactly its biggest contribution. It is rebelling against any box, any model, any approach because it knows that any structure (Saturn) is not perfect and will inevitably outlive its usefulness. It asks the questions that we ‘shouldn’t’ ask, the ones that go against the grain and it is open to the unproven realm of the truly new.

With Jupiter about to conjunct these wild Uranian forces, it will expand all the impulses I’ve just mentioned and much more. Chances are that the polarization we are seeing will increase even more and that many people will feel disenchanted, unheard and alienated. The excitement level is going to be very high and many people may be easily triggered by an event and/or certain passions that could get out of control. But also, new solutions may be considered, the needed paradigm changers, and out-of-the-box thinking may lead to revolutionary changes, technological ones that could change the nature of the game we are in. There are so many ways the coming transit could manifest and all of the possibilities are likely to appear somewhere. The feel of the times will likely be ones of uncertainty, and even confusion as the structures will feel very unstable and unreliable. In other words, the illusion of stability itself will be seen.

I will be describing more as we move into the summer and as always I encourage my readers to take the time to respond if they feel moved to do so. And I also want to encourage everyone to take up the sword of the truly unconventional by being willing to stray beyond the dualistic model that so dominates modern thinking and to ask questions that consider possibilities that are outside the obsolete models we have relied on for so long. Perhaps the conservative/liberal ways of defining things can itself be seen as outmoded and limiting. One of the best images I know of to describe the most positive possibility of the coming transits comes from the movie “Cocoon.” It is the scene where the extra-terrestrials take off their bodies like a suit and are suddenly seen as bodies of light. Now that’s Uranus.

Each of us will respond to this period in ways that do arise from the potentials of our own chart, but there is a good chance that each of us will experience some sort of upheaval that could end up taking us far from where we are now. May we all feel expanded and able to enjoy the ride.

When I’m staring at the intimidating blank page, everything I thought I was going to write about suddenly comes into question. Is it really the thing I want to write about? Will people like it or find it relevant? How should I go about saying it? And why am I picking this topic and not something else that is equally important or interesting? Then I usually go blank until my thoughts seem to always come back to one basic question. Why am I writing this at all? What is my motive? Then I just go – Hmmm! Part of this question includes looking at not just why I find the subject interesting, but more importantly, why might the reader find this interesting. But the irony is that since I’m not a mind reader, I don’t know, and cannot know, what the reader will find interesting. At this point the mind goes quiet and I just sit. I gradually become quite simple with myself and ‘feel’ my own desire to have an adventure. That’s how it starts for me along with the hope that some of my readers will also have an adventure with me.

One of my favorite writers, Malcolm Gladwell, who wrote a book called “What the Dog Saw”, summarized his thoughts on this very subject as follows: “Good writing does not succeed or fail on the strength of its ability to persuade. It succeeds or fails on the strength of its ability to engage you, to make you think, to give you a glimpse into someone else’s head – even if in the end you conclude that someone else’s head is not a place you’d really like to be.” Having said all this, I can only add my hope that you may enjoy a short adventure into the mind of an astrologer who enjoys giving you a glimpse of what is in his head.

Mercury Retrograde

Many people nowadays are aware of the Mercury retrograde period. It occurs every 4 months or so and lasts for approximately 21 days, more or less. Sometimes, I think of it as the ‘scapegoat’ of astrology since so many blame events in their life on this astrological transit. Caught up in the blaming aspect, we can lose sight of the fact that this period is actually quite important, valuable and necessary.

Here are the details: Mercury went retrograde on Saturday night, April 17th, 2010 at 9:06pm, PDST at 12° of Taurus. It continues its retrograde movement until Tuesday, May 11th where it returns to its regular direct motion at 3:27pm at 2°40′ of Taurus. Anyone whose natal chart is activated by the area that is affected by this cycle, will be noticing its effects with more emphasis.

The value of all Mercury retrograde cycles is that it is necessary for us to review and look more deeply at some area of our life involving our thinking and communication with others. The regular motion of Mercury is quite rapid, often moving at a faster speed than the Sun. As such, our minds race forward and if it weren’t for this cycle, we could not only get way ahead of ourselves, but not have the chance to be aware of the need for reflection and reevaluation. This is exactly what is needed for the next three weeks. However, it is also true that this can be an especially active time, even though one would prefer to have time to kick back and ponder. This is due to the fact that another aspect of this period is that one is often going to feel a need or demand to finish a cycle. Often it is accompanied with a feeling that it absolutely MUST be finished. So, we have two contrary forces operating at the same time, rest and reflection - opposed by the need to make an effort to complete some cycle or project. Meanwhile, there is a greater likelihood of things breaking down or needing to be fixed, while simultaneously feeling the need to move forward rapidly, which, of course, is usually not possible. Lovely, isn’t it? So, what are we to do? Patience is what we need here, accepting, if we can, what we are able to move forward on and what are not. Not so easy, though, if you have a very demanding boss who knows nothing of Mercury retrograde and can’t stand hearing ‘excuses.’ That’s one of the problems of living in a culture that does not have a clue about timing.

Since this cycle occurs in Taurus, patience becomes even more necessary than ever. The strength of Taurus is thoroughness, steadiness and not missing the little details that are, in fact, so important. So, this particular retrograde cycle may feel even slower than most of them. If we can accept this, any developing frustration will be mitigated or even non-existent. It can also ask us to closely examine our underlying values so as to help guide us to a deeper understanding of what we really do care about and where we want to spend our time the most.

One astrological aspect this Mercury retrograde cycle will be making is a square to Mars. This will amp up the desire nature and increase our tendency to push-push, no matter what the obstacles. It could even heighten the tendency to become angry and hostile if frustration builds to the breaking point. So, it is going to be especially wise to remain calm no matter what is going on at work, on the road, or in any communication. I’ll be saying more when we get further into the retrograde cycle, especially when we reach what’s called the Inferior Conjunction between the Sun and Mercury, which will occur on April 28th at 8° Taurus.

Soon the Game Will Change

For the past 12-18 months, the underlying transits have all  had a very Saturnian nature. For one thing, Saturn has been in aspect to both Uranus and Pluto for this entire period. In its negative aspect, Saturn can increase one’s pessimism, emphasize what is not possible and all the reasons for why something will not work and provide the sense that life is hard and full of challenge and limitation. An example of this, in my opinion, is the Tea Party movement, which has primarily an anti-tax message. The interesting thing is that taxes for those earning less than $250,000 a year, is less than it was. Also, although there is more we need to know about the details of the bail-out program, it does seem possible that the actual cost will be less than expected. I’m not sure yet what is driving this movement, though in the coming year, I suspect we will learn a lot more about this.

The truth is that Saturn does approach every matter with realism and caution, but this can be helpful. It can temper us, prevent excessive enthusiam and focus our attention on taking care of our obligations (debts). Because Jupiter has been absent from this underlying transit, Saturn has had the dominant influence over us. It is this that will be changing very soon. In late May, Uranus will change signs and enter Aries, which will quickly be followed by Jupiter in early June. On June 6th, Jupiter and Uranus will conjunct in Aries and the energies of life will begin to feel quite different than it does now and do so almost immediately.

Jupiter is about expansion and freedom, while Uranus is concerned with independence, individualism and in Aries, great spontaneity. Together, they are likely to drive the Saturn restraint and caution out of the building. This is one of those transits that everyone will be able to experience personally. It will brighten things up a bit, but also create a great sense of volatility and unpredictability. I’ll have a lot more to say about this transit in the coming months and into the next year as well.

As always, I invite you to respond with your own experiences of Mercury retrograde and urge you to return to the blog from time to time to see what others are saying. I will try to respond to reader questions as much as possible. And if you also would like to share your own thoughts about your process of writing, please feel free to share. I’m sure many of the readers will appreciate it.

Enjoy!

I’ve had the chance to hear quite a few stories about the retrograde period. Some are posted on this site. In addition I’d like to share one specific example, primarily as an example of the value of a Mercury retrograde period. Yes,  there are the usual stories of Mercury retrograde causing delays with the mail and other deliveries, computers crashing and cars breaking down. They do seem to happen at a higher rate at this time. But as I’ve often said, there is an important advantage to this time as well.

This story is from someone who had been having a seemingly insolvable physical problem for over two years. Several diagnoses were made but none of the treatments worked. It appeared that there wasn’t going to be a solution, resulting in the necessity of having to live with a great deal of pain. It was in the middle of the retrograde period that a visit to the Doctor changed everything. Suddenly the Doctor ‘changed his mind’ and came up with a different diagnosis. He wasn’t sure if he was right but he gave a medication that would prove once and for all whether or not this ’new idea’ was the correct one. If the meds worked, then he had found it. Well, the medication did work and within a few days the condition that had chronically bothered the patient, was eliminated. This is but one example of the way in which Mercury retrograde can work in our favor. A completely new idea comes in and is discovered to be the right one. The truth is that our minds can easily become stuck in the rut of the same thinking. We go over and over the same thought-forms and somehow hope that this time a different result will occur. This is why ‘they’ came up with adage that insanity is doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different result. Mercury retrograde allows us and can even force us to consider some issue in a completely different manner that suddenly will open us up to new possibilities. This is why this period is so important and helpful.

At the same time, progress may not occur in the usual way. We can feel quite blocked if we try to ‘force things’ at this time. We do best when we take what we get and remain alert to any openings, because we can’t act on what we don’t see. I think one of the most difficult things about this time period is when we think we’re done, have had enough and the cycle is still not over. We become impatient and frustrated. This, in fact, may be where many of you are right now. But what I’ve noticed quite frequently is that if we think something is over before it actually is, we lose an opportunity. Here’s why. It is often at the end of a cycle that the most important realizations come to the fore. They occur when we least expect it. It is because we’re not done at all. We just ‘think’ we are. So, what causes us to feel done?

When we are feeling done it means that our usual approach to solving a problem has been completed. We think we’ve exhausted all the possibilities. We’ve thought and thought and what’s come up has come up so we’re done. But something important has not yet occurred. It is only when we have exhausted all of our usual thoughts and patterns that something truly new can come in. What we really need is something completely new. Since many of us may resist the new thought which can be ‘too far out of the box’ for us to consider, we simply won’t allow anything new to emerge. It is when we’ve exhausted all of the usual ways of approaching an issue that we are finally ready to receive a completely new approach.

So, in this last day before Mercury goes direct, I want to suggest that you not let boredom or tiredness prevent you from being open to a completely new idea or way of thinking. If you can refrain from the ‘belief’ that you’re done, maybe something amazing can occur. And when Mercury does change its direction early Tuesday morning, be ready for a shift in your energy. It’s fun to notice the new feeling.

Always love your comments to my post, so feel free to write your own story.

Within a short two day period we will have two significant transits each of which mark an ending of one cycle in preparation for something new to be born. There are differences between the ways these two will operate, but there’s a reason why many of you may be feeling like something is coming to an end, so let’s get to it.

The New Moon

At 11:44am PDST on Friday September 18 we are having the New Moon at 25 degrees of Virgo. It is in a very tight conjunction with Saturn which makes this cycle a focused and potentially very serious one. Saturn can be so exacting and demand that we approach every matter with so much realism that it feels cold, impersonal and severe. Yet, I used the word ‘demand’ for a reason. Saturn does not ask or request. We can interpret it that way if we want to, but the fact is that when Saturn is in charge, it will control the situation and demand that we show up fully, balance our accounts and if necessary pay for our mistakes. If a person has Saturn in significant aspect in their chart, they are going to be the responsible serious ones who make the sacrifices knowing that the day will come when everything balances out. They know that one must earn the reward in order to keep it. Saturn is exalted in Libra, the Scales, and so rules an impersonal justice that we may not ‘like’ but which we must handle. The coming month will have this theme as an underlying tone and since it is occurring when Mercury is retrograde it will ask us to take a look at any areas of our life where something that hasn’t been completed. In other words, it is an ending phase of a broader cycle. Endings are the phase prior to new beginnings and that’s exactly where we are cosmically.

The key principle whenever we are in an ending stage is ‘letting go.’ It’s all we can actually do, but it is human nature to try to hang on as long as we can and resist surrendering to the inevitable. The conscious and aware use of this time period then is to consciously let go of what you already know in your heart is dying or ending. This is rarely done at once, but is a process. How easy or difficult that will be depends, of course, on what it is that might be ending, bit it is important to realize that it is not a trivial process. Often we hear people saying to a ‘friend’ that they should just get over it. As if they didn’t know that. The truth is that it is helpful to remember that one is a process and that it will work its way out organically, if we let it.

Mercury Retrograde and the Inferior Conjunction

With Mercury retrograde nearing its conjunction with the Sun we are also in the middle of a cycle where we need to complete something which will take us to the emergence of the new. On Sunday September 20th at 3:05am PDST retrograde Mercury will align with the Sun. This phase of the cycle is an important one but is often difficult to see. It is like a New Moon, often called the Dark Moon because one cannot see it. The Moon is so close to the Sun that its image is washed out. We cannot see the Moon until a day or two have passed when we can see the tiny crescent in the early evening sky. It is also considered a dark period because it contains the seed of a new idea. In fact, the nature of the Inferior Conjunction is that a new ‘seed idea’ is born into us. But like a seed that is planted in the earth, we may not know its nature until enough time has passed. It will need time before it can emerge.

Ten days have passed since Mercury went retrograde and we have had to review areas of our life where decisions must be made or reviewed. We have gone over and over our options and may now have to make decisions. This is when we may do this. And when we do, something new is also born. One business owner has to decide whether he must close his doors. The decision has been in the air for months, but now the time has come when waiting is no longer an option. When the decision is made, it will begin a new cycle for him with many more decisions to be made, but the critical moment has now arrived. This is the type of thing that may be occurring for many people. Others who have been able to see the trends coming their way are prepared to act and move forward in a new direction. Depending on where this occurs is one’s chart, the shift may be big or small, but no matter how subtle, it is helpful to notice what is happening in one’s thoughts right now. What you are thinking the most about this weekend is apt to inform you of something that will be emerging in the near future.

On September 22nd Mercury retrograde will conjunct Saturn bringing more reality into any situation one is facing. After this one will know pretty clearly with what one is dealing. Planning can then begin. Yes, Mercury will still be retrograde meaning that a bit more will have to be reviewed, but the new cycle will have begun and we will feel clearer than we may be feeling now.

Mercury goes direct on September 29th which will be when things are likely to be fully clarified, but we’ll deal with that then.

I have written quite a few articles on Saturn. Why? Because it is often regarded as forcing us to deal with something we wish we could avoid. But Saturn is also the archetype of subtlety. It asks us to master something. So the question to ask right now is this. What am I being asked to master? Know that when you face whatever is happening, one’s life will improve. Perhaps slowly, for the processes of Saturn do work slowly. But inevitably and inexorably. There is a wild and crazy truism about Saturn. The more we deal with it openly and truthfully, the less we feel its oppressive side. When we deal with it head-on, somehow it goes away and life move forward again with amazing ease. Dealing with Saturn is in fact the line of least resistance and the way to bring peace into our lives. I love and hate this irony.

When we look back on decisions we’ve made, we have a tendency to forget that the idea that was the basis of that decision did not come to us fully formed. Rather, decisions and the ideas that sparked them are developed through a process. They rarely are fully developed from the beginning.

That process related to the development of ideas is replicated by how we understand Mercury’s movement in relation to the Sun. The Sun moves steadily forward around the sky, covering about a degree a day in the astrological chart, which is a map of the sky from our viewpoint here on Earth. Mercury, however, appears to speed ahead of the Sun until it slows down and reverses direction, going backward to meet and then pass the Sun. Eventually, Mercury again slows down and changes direction, back toward the Sun. This whole cycle repeats itself about every four months, with Mercury always staying within 28 degrees of the Sun.

We can begin to understand the cycle and relate it to the formation of ideas by dividing it up into its parts, and we commonly define eight stages to the cycle. They are:

1. Pre-retrograde to Stationery Retrograde station. (The Shadow)
2. Mercury retrograde Station.  (The definition. of a ‘station’: When a transiting planet, as it changes its direction, is momentarily not moving or stationary.)
3. First half of Retrograde period.
4. The Inferior Conjunction – when Mercury conjuncts the Sun while in its retrograde period.
5. Second half of retrograde period.
6. Mercury stationary direct.
7. Mercury stationary direct to the Superior conjunction – when Mercury conjuncts the Sun while moving in direct motion.
8. The Superior conjunction to the beginning of the next Shadow period.

There is an area of heightened focus within this larger cycle, however. Because of Mercury’s movement forward and backward, Mercury spends about two of the four months going over the same 21-degree area of the chart, first forward, then backward, then forward again. Those 21 degrees are focused on and represent an opportunity for review, for reflection, and for potential conscious change in the areas of our lives that those 21 degrees represent for us.

Indeed, Mercury has just entered this band upon which it will next focus. On August 17, Mercury was at 21 degrees Virgo. It will continue moving forward to six degrees Libra before it retrogrades back to 21 degrees Virgo, where it will change direction again, and go over the area between 21degrees Virgo and six degrees Libra for the third time. This will take two months; Mercury returns to six degrees Libra on October 13.

The period of the first pass through this band, from now until Mercury turns retrograde on September 6, is commonly called the “shadow” period; one would say that Mercury has just entered its “shadow.” Because Mercury will pass over the area twice more in the next two months, our current perceptions, decisions, and ideas will be reviewed and revisited in the coming weeks. Although I am personally not convinced that the image of a “shadow” is the best image to relate to this period, I will call it that for the sake of a common term. It is the first of the eight-stage Mercury cycle that we will look at.

The shadow period is a time of anxiety if we are not aware of its purpose. We tend to rush forward to complete things, or we act out and make rash reactionary decisions. Somehow, it seems as if we can sense the upcoming retrograde and realize unconsciously that things may have to be looked at more closely, or again. Our reaction then, with an anxious mind, is to try to shortcut the process and jump ahead by making the decision, change, or statement we are thinking about. We don’t want to go through the process since we feel we know what needs to be done, or what the correct answer is.

But if we are conscious of this period and what it represents, we can let go of the anxiety. There is no need to rush to complete things because we know that whatever we are thinking about now will likely have to be revisited in the coming couple of months. It’s just part of the process of progress. And we can guard against rash reactionary outbursts and actions as well by being careful. We understand that we may have to eat our words later as things are revisited.

What area of our lives is up for review will depend on our own personal astrological chart, but it is also visible on a societal level by looking at the astrological signs Mercury is focusing in on and where the other planets are in relation to that band of 21 degrees. The most obvious “ripped from the headlines” example of this at the moment is the debate surrounding health care reform that the country is currently engaged in. As anyone can readily see, this debate will undergo a lot of review, revision, and change in the coming months as the country moves (or doesn’t move) in the direction of more affordable and available  health care. The themes and style of the debate relate perfectly to Virgo and Libra matters, such as equality, health, fairness, criticism, balance, service, indecision, giving too much credit to your opponent, collaboration, compromise, giving too much attention to detail, and what is practical.

This particular cycle also involves Saturn, which is also in late Virgo right now, as Mercury conjuncts it three times from August 17 to October 7. This by itself might give additional focus to our ideas, help us think logically and look at details, and it may do so by making us focus on the reality of the situation. But things are changed considerably when taking into account that Uranus and Saturn are opposing each other and Mars is squaring both of them. So, Mercury’s conjunctions with Saturn may act as a trigger to unleash some of the explosive energy, passion, and even anger involved in that formation. We’ll keep an eye on these things as we continue to look at Mercury in upcoming articles.