It’s Getting A Bit Complicated

 

The study of astrology becomes really interesting when we have several significant astrological factors happening at one time. The period we are in right now is one of those times. Here’s what is happening:

1. Mercury is in retrograde, which began on November 23, 2011 and will continue that way for two more weeks.
2. We had a Solar eclipse on November 24th and will have a Lunar eclipse on December 10th.
3. Mars is in its ‘shadow’ period.
4. There will be the Inferior conjunction between the Sun and Mercury on December 4th.

Any one of these is important by itself, but together it creates a confusing, but active period full of cross-currents and complexities that can defy our attempts to navigate if we only use logic as our guide. You may want to refer to my previous article for more information on the Solar eclipse and Mercury retrograde which you can find here.

What I want to talk about in this article is how the Mars transit fits into all of this. To understand the Mars cycle, you will need to know that ordinarily Mars moves along smoothly at a fairly rapid speed. It moves almost 1° a day for most of its two-year cycle. Thus, unless it is transiting a particularly important part of our chart, we may not take notice of its influence. It takes about 2 years for Mars to orbit the Sun, but for 6-7 months, Mars does something very different and this 6-month period is actually 25% of its 2-year cycle. What makes this so important is that it spends this period in only 20° of the zodiac. This means that during this time, we are going to be very focused on a very small portion of our chart when it comes to Martian matters.

What Does Mars Rule?

 

The Mars energy is how we assert ourselves, how we project our Will out into the world, to affect it the way we want or, as is often the case, the way we must. It rules our strategies, approaches to projects and the way we act or behave to get what we want and need. During this high focus Mars period we are forced to really consider what we are doing. We will need to take a really good look at what we want to achieve and how we should go about doing that.

The Mars Cycle Itself

 

Mars will go retrograde on Jan. 23, 2012 and stay in retrograde motion for 11 weeks. Ordinarily, Mars is retrograde for only 8 weeks.  So this upcoming period of review is going to last much longer than normal and therefore be more intense.

Why Talk About this Cycle Now?

 

On November 17, 2011, Mars entered the territory it will retrograde back to by April 14th of next year. So, it is already in the area of your chart that will be a part of the “review and discovery” process that will last until early summer of 2012. That’s seven months. So, even though Mars will not go retrograde for another 7 weeks, the Mars cycle has actually already begun.

What This Means

 

Let me first say that this does not mean one should not act or do things. Such a notion would be ridiculous. But it is going to be helpful to note that whatever is set into motion right now, could be reviewed and/or modified over the next months. I’m suggesting that one ‘expect unanticipated results or effects from whatever we begin at this point.

Remember that with Mercury retrograde right now and a coming lunar eclipse, we are in a state of great transition. This is not a stable period of time, especially if your chart is affected by these transits. What I do during periods such as these is make sure that whatever I choose to do is as well thought out as I can possibly make it. I will tend to avoid snap decisions if I can and wait until I’m sure of whatever decision I’m thinking of making. But it is just as true that amazing new ideas can begin to come in to us. We should not refuse them, of course, but we also should not act on them yet as they are not likely to be fully formed for quite awhile.

Mars in Virgo

 

Mars is now in Virgo and will be for 7 months. Virgos love to break things down into their parts and see what is out of balance or what isn’t working the way it could. Then, after that, they want to organize it into a comprehensive whole. That’s the hardest part for them as they can focus excessively on details and not see the whole picture. They also love to improve the techniques or style of whatever they are involved in. This is a great time for all of us to focus in on health, diet, and nutrition issues as we can discover new ways to take care of our body and mind. Also, any health issues that come up for you now or in the near future, should be taken seriously as they could be hints of problems you will want to address.

Mars square Mercury While Retrograde

 

In the middle of all this, we also have a potential crisis that we would do well to handle without falling into a severe argumentative approach. This transit which happens on December 4th and January 1st, 2012 is a time I would suggest all of us watch carefully. These two periods are a time where people could take belligerent or argumentative stands. Things could easily turn nasty and create long-lasting effects. What this period is good for, if both parties of a dispute can remain composed and focused on solutions, is to find creative ways to look at their conflict from a new perspective. Another constructive aspect of this transit is that if two people are trying to work something out AND one of them has been less powerful than the other in the past, then this period could allow for things to equalize. The weaker person may suddenly want to be heard and seen. The outcome will depend on how well the stronger person handles this ‘new’ approach by the other. If the dominant one doesn’t like the change they see, they could fight back aggressively and become intransient, which would make moving forward impossible. For some, this could be a trying time. Patience and calmness is extremely important now. With the Sun/Mercury Inferior conjunction also occurring on December 4th, clarity is possible as we can see more than ever how things really are. What we do with that clarity is important, but I suggest that we not rush to resolution. Issues coming up now may be significant ones, so much so that they cannot be solved quickly. It will be enough to agree to enter a process with the other person, if both sides want to work through the problems. But it may be that the conflict cannot be resolved. This is another reason why it is best to wait and see rather than push towards a solution that cannot happen right away.

As you can see, the first 10 days of December are quite difficult for some of you. We will succeed if we can hold our tongues while still asserting ourselves in as constructive a manner as possible and remain patient and non-reactive.

I will be writing more through December as so much is going on.

The Coming Solar Eclipse and Mercury Retrograde

 

This article takes a look at the potentially important date of November 23-24, 2011, when two significant transits happen within hours of each other. Each of these by itself can bring about important changes, but when they coincide, one can pretty much count on it bringing some interesting effects. This will depend, of course, on whether or not, a particular chart is activated by these transits.

Mercury Retrograde

Astrology has become more and more popular in the last 10-20 years. In fact, as a result of this growth, much of the scientific community seems rather irritated and concerned with it. Even those rascally comedians, Penn & Teller have attacked it with great vigor. Yet, astrology grows in spite of or perhaps because of this criticism. Also, because more and more people are seeing the accuracy of astrology in describing what and why is happening in our daily lives. The reason why I’m so confident of this growth is that I find that many people are aware of the effects of Mercury retrograde. In fact, many people blame all sorts of things on Mercury retrograde, unfortuantely even when Mercury isn’t retrograde at all. Still, a lot of people know about the phenomenon and include it in their voccabulary.

Part of the problem with interpreting Mercury retrograde cycles is that its effects don’t just occur during the 3-week period itself. It’s actually a 4-month cycle with at least 8 sub-cycles, all of which are part of a holistic understanding of the retrograde cycle. I say this because Mercury doesn’t turn retrograde until Nov. 23rd, 2011at 11:21pm PST, but is affecting us already. It will turn retrograde at 20° of Sagittarius and will then go back to 3° Sag. on Dec. 14th , 2011. It is affecting us now because it is already slowing down and is in what is called the ‘shadow’ period. This is the territory in which Mercury will travel three times. This means that wherever it is located in a person’s natal chart signifies an area on one’s life that will be given focused attention for almost 2 months. Specifically, from Nov. 5, 2011 through Jan. 1, 2012, Mercury will be traveling between 3° – 20° of Sagittarius. If you are a serious follower of astrology you may want to know where this territory is located in your chart and what aspect of your life will be receiving special focus and understanding.

This is much closer to how Mercury retrograde cycles affect us. The view that Mercury retrograde periods bring about computer crashes, car repairs, problems with phones and other forms of communications, delays in deliveries, cancellations of appointments, etc. are all a common part of this cycle, to be sure. There are often a lot of inconveniences that come up for us at this time. But, frankly, this is due in part to not caring for these ‘predictable’ problems much earlier. Maybe we were too busy with other things to change the oil, fix the heater, and so on. Suddenly, Mercury retrograde strikes and problems occur that could have been prevented if we chose to get them fixed earlier. Still, surprises do occur as a natural part of the cycle.

Basically, this is Mercury retrograde is a time to focus on two things:

1. It is a time to review.
2. It is a time to finish projects that are near completion.

The Solar Eclipse

Solar eclipses are inertia changers. They can suddenly change the direction and momentum of events in a person’s life. This eclipse takes place about 23 hours after Mercury changes direction. It happens on Nov. 24th, 2011 at 10:10pm at 2° Sagittarius. If your Sun, Moon, or Ascendant occurs with 1°-2° from that point, then there is a strong likelihood that you will notice this eclipse. People who have the same degree in the mutable signs of Virgo, Gemini or Pisces will also be affected.

I will be going deeper into the chart of this eclipse in next week’s article but I would like to mention the Saros cycle that this eclipse activates. It is called 14 North and is considered to be an indicator of odd or strange effects. Specifically, it can bring about a time of confusion in personal relationships (Venus and Neptune dancing together), unexpected happenings in financial matters, and even a degree of disappointment and despair. However, it may be more of a feeling from within than a reaction to a specific event or happening. This is not a time to make important decisions as one’s response may not be accurate, due to confusion, miscommunication and even delusion from others. By the way, this is also not a good time to make significant decisions due to Mercury going retrograde.

As in all matters, sometimes we are forced by life situations to make decisions whether we like or not, so if you are faced with that necessity, then use as much caution as possible and if possible, see if one can delay having to finalize the matter.

Next week I will be going deeper into both the Mercury retrograde and Solar Eclipse areas.

A Time of Hidden Potency

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

Are We In For An Economic Catastrophe?

As the Sun enters Leo and we prepare for the 4-month cycle of Mercury going retrograde, the U.S. is facing what some think is a potential economic catastrophe. The notion that this country would ever default on its bills, debts that were created by Congress, has always been unthinkable. Because it is has always been regarded as a total impossibility, no one, even the best economists, can know what the outcome will be. How will other countries react? How will it affect interest rates? And most importantly, how will it affect the banks that we deal with everyday? Before getting to this, I think I must first describe where we are concerning the Mercury retrograde cycle.

Right now, we are in what’s called the ‘shadow’ period. This is the territory in which Mercury will travel back and forth between July 15, 2011 and September 9, 2011. This territory covers 19° Leo and 1° Virgo, so Mercury will be in this 12° area for 7 weeks. For the United States, Mercury will oppose the U.S. Moon. This will tell us quite a bit as we go forward. Mercury will go retrograde on Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at 8:50pm PDT. The retrograde period ends on Friday, August 26, 2011 at 3:03pm PDT. This one fact means that the public (Moon) will be changing their minds during the retrograde period. So, whatever people are thinking right now is very subject to change in the coming weeks.

Personally, I do not believe the new Republicans in the house who are pushing this draconian activity understand either history or economics. I can understand the idealism of their thinking, but they have not thought through the huge impact and consequences of their aims. For them, the idea of closing the U.S. government seems to be a trivial, almost fun, matter. This tells me that we strongly need Mercury retrograde at this particular point in time, as it is likely to force people to change their minds.

Let’s start with the meaning of the shadow period. Although people often do not pay attention to this part of the cycle, it is one of the most important. Firstly, we know that every decision made or considered right now will be reviewed. This is guaranteed. I have found that this is one of the most unstable periods there are in terms of astrological cycles. It can be described as an upsurge of unconscious material into consciousness. Thus, it is unpredictable and can easily create problems for the person. Let me give an example. A few years ago I met with a client who had said some very rude things to a close friend. It happened in the shadow period. As she thought about it during the Mercury retrograde period, she began to acknowledge how much she had hurt her friend, how severe and out of proportion her words were and she had begun to feel a great deal of regret. She sought to understand what had happened that caused this ‘needless’ and self-inflicted crisis in her friendship, which had been a good one for many years. What came up over several sessions was that she realized that she had not expressed her real feelings to her friend about certain problems in the relationship for a long time and that resentments were slowly building up during the entire time. She didn’t realize how angry she was when suddenly (during the ‘shadow’ period) she burst out with a nasty tirade that surprised even her. This is not unusual at this time. The problem, of course, was actually with her as she had not spoken with her friend at all about what she was feeling.

There is one more aspect of the story that is most important. After she did speak with her friend, she found out that most of what she was feeling was due to a small, even trivial misunderstanding that had become completely overblown due to its not being dealt with during the prior years. Her friend was extremely shocked at the entire episode as what was really going on was completely different from the perceptions of her friend. The entire matter need not have ever happened if my client had gone to her friend and straightened matters out in the beginning. In regular everyday life, this sort of thing happens all the time and while our lives can become quite stressful and difficult, the problems can be fixed. But now let’s asks the bigger questions. What happens to a nation when the same phenomenon happens? Are not the consequences going to be much, much bigger? Might they lead to catastrophic consequences?

This is what is happening right now in my opinion. The new legislators in the House of Representatives do not understand and do not seek to understand the consequences of the U.S. government’s failure to pay its legal and obligatory debts. This is a great example of idealism triumphing over practical knowledge. It is based on gross misunderstandings of what the consequences will be. The only thing we don’t know is what the Obama administration will do if no deal is reached. There is the 14th Amendment, which states the following:

“The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for the payments of pension and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be questioned.”

There is no consensus among constitutional scholars on how this might affect the present situation, but that is only because this has never happened before in U.S history. It appears that Obama does not want to use this option, but if he did, while it would be challenged in the courts it could take years for his action to go through the legal process and by then, he would either be serving a second term or be replaced.

Now, let’s go back to the fact that the Mercury retrograde cycle opposed the Moon of the U.S.

It certainly means that the media and public will be watching the events of this process with the same attention and intensity that is given to a Presidential election. It will be analyzed and debated 24 hours a day and will ignite the passions of a confused and disturbed public. This alone suggests a degree of panic, caused simply by the great uncertainty of what effects of the default will be on the average citizen. Will it cause a cascade effect that brings about a depression and/or a collapse of the U.S. currency? Will it feel like complete chaos or will things return to normal? Do the Republicans in the House have any idea of the consequences of their extreme position and what will they learn from this? Or, will this turn out to be a non-event?

My view is that we are a democracy and that this is what is being challenged. In a democracy it is always easier to say ‘No’ to things and to take positions that stop the advancement of solutions to problems. But this is my position.

So, to end this article, I have a question on a subject that I am not even close to understanding. I would love to hear from the readers of my newsletter on its possible answer.

Why is the so-called Tea Party, who is composed primarily of blue-collar and middle class citizens (although financially supported by extremely wealthy oligarchs) so vehemently against increasing the taxes on the super rich among us? These are the citizens who can easily afford to pay the extra taxes and who did so in the recent past. Many of them did not object then and are not objecting now. The richest person in the U.S., Warren Buffet, is one of them. Why is the Tea Party protecting the wealthy 1%, of which they will never be a part?

Your responses to this article are welcome.

Best Wishes,

Jim Sher

The Dynamic Aries-Libra Full Moon and More

 

We have a Full Moon on Sunday, April 17, 2011 at 7:45pm PDT that is very potent and will have effects for many of us that last for more than a year. But first, I want to speak about the Mercury retrograde cycle that we are in and won’t end until next Saturday, April 23, 2011. It is always interesting to see how Mercury retrograde periods can cause some delays, even in the most dynamic of situations. We can be bursting with enthusiasm, optimism and the excitement that comes with wanting to manifest a new dream or just get started making something new happen, but it’s just not quite the time. That’s how it is going to be for us for just a little longer.

Mercury Retrograde

We are in the depths of this retrograde period and I’m hearing story after story about people’s experiences. I’m having some of my own as well. For me, this retrograde has included becoming focused on how to get the right medication that does not have horrible side effects. It’s been quite a battle with many changes, most of which made matters worse, and at times, things seemed hopeless. Right now, something new and very different is being tried with better results. The process may not be over though as we still have 6 days to go, but there is some improvement. Also, I’ve noticed that I am not having a hard time communicating with people I am close to and with whom I really need to speak, but it’s completely different with people who I want to talk to, but who I don’t know yet. It seems to be impossible to get a hold of someone who is new to me. This is not surprising because new relationships are hard to develop while we are in the middle of a Mercury Retrograde. What we need to do instead is focus on areas that need to be reviewed and the people with whom we already have a relationship.

This is a time to really observe what is coming up for us, what is disturbing or bothering us and to deal with it in a straightforward and direct way. This period is about confronting what is. My thought here is that what this retrograde does is force us to get to the root of something that has been dangling or avoided much to our detriment. We often can let things build up or maybe we don’t express something because we think that it’s not that big of a deal, when in fact, it is. Something festers so that when it does come up, it can come up suddenly, fiercely and erupts without our being able to express it in a constructive manner.

For some people, this may have already occurred while for others, there remains a lingering set of unresolved matters. But what makes this time so important is that it is accompanied by a very potent Full Moon that will push us to act.

Aries-Libra Full Moon

As I’ve often written in previous articles, the Full Moon period, which has been growing for the past several days, is concerned with bringing things to a head. It is a time of culmination or fulfillment and may result in a revealing of something that was born at the New Moon or in this case, which began in the last month or even earlier. But since it is ‘surrounded’ by the retrograde Mercury, what may be emerging now is that which we have been reviewing, looking at and realizing. There are very important things to see here, and we cannot act until they are fully seen. This is what tells us what to do. A Full Moon can create a huge urge for action once we know what we must do. Since the polarity of this particular Full Moon is an Aries-Libra one it is likely to concern itself with relationships and the need to balance one’s own needs with the needs of another person.

Just because we are seeing more clearly now doesn’t mean that what we are seeing is pleasant or comforting. What we do know is that we must not let time go by before we act on what we know we must do. For some, this period is not going to be as intense as what I am describing, but the theme is a common one that can be seen in many different ways. Also, once Mercury does go direct, we will really need to ‘hit the ground running,’ as is often said. By then, we should know what to do and have prepared for getting started on it.

So, while you may be chomping at the bit, don’t worry, your time will come and it will come soon. Also, this Full Moon has a conjunction between Mercury and Mars, which is great for opening to new ideas. It can help us jump start our thought processes and amp up our desire to learn and express what we are thinking and wanting to do. The energy can be super-heated right now in whatever area in which we have become interested and engaged. You can love the desire, but remember also that enthusiasm can wane just as rapidly as it came on. So, if what you are interested in is a passing idea or thought, it’s fine to just fire away with passion, but if you believe that what you are considering right now is more than a passing fancy, you may want to also remember that one cannot learn it all at once.

The Sun enters Taurus on April 20^th, so things will start to slow down a bit then, but only a little as we are going to have several planets in Aries for the next few weeks.

As always, I hope some of our readers will want to share some of how they are experiencing this Full Moon and Mercury retrograde, so please feel free to reply to this article.

The Active Aries New Moon – 2011

On Sunday, April 3, 2011, we had a very unusual New Moon at 13° of Aries. As the recent articles on Aries suggest, this sign is one of the most active of all of the signs of the zodiac. It is the true archetype of Spring in that it represents the return of life with all of its hope and natural enthusiasm. I am from the Midwest, where we had hard winters. The truth is that while we do have spring in Los Angeles, it is just not the same as it was in Missouri, where there was a sudden, astounding growth of life that could change one’s mood every time one walked out the door. We couldn’t wait to go outside and run, play sports, or just lounge around in the new green grass. Suddenly there were all kinds of smells and the contrast between the winter’s dormancy and the sudden return of the life force was, in a word, ecstatic. That is the Spring I remember and is the essence of this New Moon.

If you look at the chart of it, you will see 6 planets in Aries, including the expansionistic Jupiter, which makes us want to climb the highest mountain and conquer that biggest challenge we can imagine. Nothing is impossible right now, or so it seems. Except there is just one little thing to consider in addition to this. In the midst of this joyful, innocent enthusiasm, there is also an exact opposition to Saturn that counterbalances the Aries energy.

Saturn – is the archetype of structure, order, planning, and it slows things down so we can create some kind of form or system. It is an opposing force to the Aries excitement, but it does have its purpose. I do not believe that Saturn in this position automatically puts up obstacles that block the development of anything. Some people think in this way and that belief does in fact create the feared obstacles themselves. A much more constructive way to look at this is to regard Saturn as having an intention that challenges the youthful Aries energy to take what is being considered much more seriously. Right now, something important is happening, and while a new impulse can be wondrous, in this case, some of these impulses are important enough to really matter. They are meant to endure and develop much further that a mere impulse or spontaneous eruption of excitement that lacks follow-through. Right now, I suggest you focus on examining what is coming up for you that is really important and something that demands your attention, effort and hard work.

Saturn retrograde – the stabilizing planet, the rings that set boundaries and asks us to make conscious choices is still retrograde and will be until early June. We can get frustrated with Saturn’s slow pace and delays, but actually this period is not just mere stoppages. There is a purpose to the Saturn retrograde period and it is this. There is something we need, before we can go forward successfully in whatever we are working on and this is the time to go back and pick it up. We often do not know what that is exactly. It could be knowledge, information, etc., or it could be a person we need to meet and perhaps partner with, before we can achieve the aims we’ve set for ourselves. We are in that period now, and in fact, it may have already appeared.  This is due to the completion of the opposition of Jupiter and Saturn that has just occurred as well as the Aries New Moon.

Mercury retrograde – As I wrote in the last newsletter article, usually a Mercury retrograde period asks us to review and reconsider some area of our life. Often, new information comes in that requires that we look at things from a new, fresh perspective. Also, we are advised not to act on this new information yet, since more may be coming. Thus we are urged to ponder and even digest what is coming forward, but…..

Mars Conjunct Uranus – is at 1° of Aries. This placement of Aries is an incredibly active and potent starter of new and exciting events. I have already heard from quite a few students and friends as to how they are being affected by this fast-moving and shocking transit. One friend has so many things on her plate she can barely see straight, while another had a bicycle accident. To ask someone to go slow at a time like this is absurd. The energy is too high to be ignored or just placated.

My Suggestion – let’s take a look at these contrary forces and try to make sense of it. The energy demands we really be open to spontaneous inspiring ideas, concepts, and possibilities. And, to me, some of them need to be acted upon, even with all of the reservations I have spoken of in this article. So, the obvious suggestion is to separate thinking and pondering from actually acting and to handle them differently. It is best to be totally open to new thoughts, suggestions, and to follow up on any leads that are developing. When it comes to acting upon them, though, try to keep your cool and slow down enough to really think and see if it’s time to act yet and even if it is, try to determine what the most effective action is right now. Allow yourself to be led by the emerging events and if you really feel you must act, then go for it and see where it leads.

Aries can be incredibly intuitive. Sometimes its just blind luck, and at other times, it’s that sixth sense that knows what to do while not knowing why or how it knows. It seems to me that sometimes astrology can be interpreted as being a little like an old grandma or grandpa who seems to only know two things to say: It’s either “Shhhhh” or “Don’t do…..” So, if you’re in the mood to really ‘go for it” and it seems right, then do it and see where it leads. To ignore the opportunities for inspiration and change is too high price to pay.

I’d love to hear from you on how you are being affected by these opposing forces. So, let’s hear from you.

A Period of Intense Opposing Forces

 

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.

Lunar Eclipse, Inferior Conjunction, Winter Solstice…..oh my

 

It is rare when three significant astrological transits occur at nearly the same time, any one of which is likely to be important, but that is exactly what will be happening between December 19 and 21 of 2010. On Dec. 19 at 5:23pm PST, there will be the Inferior Conjunction between the Sun and Mercury at 28° Sagittarius. It will be quickly followed on Dec. 21st by the Lunar Eclipse at 12:13am PST and finally by the Winter solstice at 3:39pm, which is when the Sun reaches its southernmost declination and marks the first day of winter. I want to deal with these one by one, but as you read, I hope you will do your best to imagine that they are all happening basically at the same time. It is so rare that these two astronomical events haven’t occurred together in 456 years. They are all going to affect us in some way, though the people who will be affected the most will be those whose charts are aligned with where these three transits are occurring.

The Sun-Mercury Inferior Conjunction

This is the mid-point of the Mercury retrograde cycle and has a dual meaning. The nature of any Mercury retrograde period is to review some area of our life. Obviously, the need to review something means that something new must have been revealed. The Inferior conjunction is usually when there is the revealing of something important, though it may have already come to light. Now, we must take the new information and process it during the next 10-11 days as the Mercury retrograde period comes to an end. So, we are still reviewing, but not in the same way. The second aspect of this period is that often when a ‘seed’ idea is formed in us which beckons us forward. This ‘seed’ is mostly hidden and may not be felt consciously as of yet. It may still be a bit dark, so we might try to sense the new emerging thought-forms, or wait until more is revealed, which occurs at the end of the Mercury retrograde period and develops further in the next two months.

This Inferior conjunction may be full of extra surprises though. It exactly squares that Jupiter-Uranus conjunction in Pisces, which often brings sudden surprises into our lives that can create total game changing events or information. Uranus rules shocks and surprises while Jupiter can bring forth the desire for truth and the willingness to be expanded by that truth. The fact that this Inferior conjunction makes this aspect to both Jupiter and Uranus makes this cycle especially potent and revelatory, though possibly quite upsetting as well. It also can evoke some brilliant ideas and solutions to long-standing problems. It is a very catalytic period and then there is the next transit that amplifies things much further.

The Lunar Eclipse

Only two days after the Inferior conjunction we have the Lunar Eclipse. This type of eclipse happens on the Full Moon and intensifies it. Ordinarily a Full Moon brings something to a head, a culmination of some idea or possibility that begins at the New Moon. An eclipse however is much more powerful than a regular Full Moon. These occur every 6 months, but this Lunar Eclipse is a total one and is at the 29° degree which is referred to as a finishing degree. What this means is that this Eclipse has the potential to bring out deep, radical, cathartic emotions which will lead to much greater clarity in the long run. Whatever happens now allows us to end an old cycle in preparation for a new one to begin. It also will square Jupiter and Uranus, so the same shocks and surprises I mentioned before are likely to continue into today.

It is helpful to know that ‘eclipses begin before they begin.’ What this expression means is that events do not happen in an isolated way. There is a deeper cycle at work right now and if you are especially affected, you have likely been dealing with what is emerging right now for several months and especially the last 30 days. Before the eclipse, things are being set up, taking shape and as events occur, this will trigger more events as people begin to respond to the demands of what has now started.

With Mercury being retrograde as well, there can be delays in communication as well as the likelihood of some degree of miscommunication or misunderstanding. If you are in a situation that is intense with lots of letters, emails, texts, etc. going back and forth, be aware or beware of this possibility. Check facts and don’t assume too much yet. When there are a high degree of shocks and surprises, we can be thrown off balance. I love the quote by Pema Chodron warning all of us not to throw ‘kerosene on the fire’. This is very good advice at times like this. If it is possible, we will do best if we allow things to develop organically. But as I say this, the great news is that this 3-fold set of transits may break open any old stalemates or blocked flows that have kept us stuck in inertia and prevented from breaking free. Changes in moments like these though can be very sudden, putting us on our heels a bit and challenging us to ride the waves of change. We can either try to go with it as a surfer would or we can be rigid and stiff, which will get us nowhere and could cause a breakdown.

The Winter Solstice

While it is true that every three months, there is an important period when the Sun either crosses the equinox point (Spring and Fall) or the Solstice points (Summer and Winter), the one which many astrologers give the most significance to is the one that is happening now. Many astrologers create the chart for the year by basing it on the moment when the Sun enters 0°Capricorn00′. The reasoning for this is interesting and there is quite a bit of history involved. When the Sun reaches its southernmost position, which is located at approximately 23° south in declination and also is called the Tropic of Capricorn, it begins its movement back to the north and the days slowly begin to become longer again. This suggests the beginning of a new Solar year and the emergence of the newly born Sun (Son) after its death at the end of Sagittarius.

Given what I have said, since the square to Jupiter and Uranus is a very important part of this year’s chart, the year itself is likely to have a great many shocks and surprises in store for us. Freedom and independence are likely to be the watchword for the year. Also, these two planets are leaving compassionate Pisces and entering very independence minded Aries. With Jupiter and Uranus strong in this year’s chart, the world is likely to also be emphasizing technological innovation more than ever. China has decided to invest billions in certain specified areas they feel will become more important in the future. Exactly how committed the U.S. is to this type of economic development is uncertain. In the past, the growth of U.S. technology has always been triggered by government investing in the private sector, especially by the Dept. of Defense. This does not seem to be likely to continue in the present political climate.

As always, I want to encourage readers to reply to this blog article. Also, we hope you may enjoy coming back to see what others are writing about as we encourage replies to all postings.

We want to wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Thank you for your interest and support.

The Inferior Conjunction between the Sun and Mercury

As many of my readers may be aware, the basic meaning of the 3-week Mercury retrograde period that occurs every 4 months or so is that it asks us to review matters that have either been ignored or which are moving towards further development. The midpoint of the retrograde period is known as the Inferior conjunction and it occurs this Friday, September 3, 2010 at 10° of Virgo. Ever since Mercury began its retrograde motion, we have been thinking about important issues in our life, but especially those which require introspection. It is a time for self-reflection, a period where we can examine our thought patterns and discover whether or not they serve us and, if they do not, what ways of thinking would be better for us.

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.

The August New Moon & the Coming Mercury Retrograde

In this week’s article, I’d like to focus on the present Sun/Moon cycle and what it might mean for us. Then, I’ll write a bit on the Mercury retrograde that begins on Friday, August 20, 2010. Each month there is a New Moon. It can be divided into either four or eight sub-sections. To keep it simple and understandable, let’s just look at the meaning of the four sub-sections.

This month’s New Moon began on Monday, August 9, 2010 and occurred at 17° of Leo. The New Moon in astrology marks the beginning of a new cycle and can be thought of as the arising of a new ‘seed,’  which will grow as the month develops. It is often called the Dark Moon, not only because we cannot see the Moon since it is too close to the Sun to be seen, but also symbolically because the ‘seed’ that is planted at this time is not yet visible or known. Often, we see articles suggesting that this is a good time for us to make a wish or create an image of what we want at this point in our life. While I do not disagree with this sentiment, it is often best for the wish to be a ‘soft’ one, one that has a built-in openness, so that it can grow and adjust to the proper context and demands of one’s life. I suggest that we encourage openness to new ideas, thoughts and actions, but also give ourselves space to allow for the emerging ideas to grow and CLARIFY. It isn’t time yet to act on anything, unless that action is necessary from the previous month’s activity.

The next phase is called the First-Quarter Moon. In the present cycle, it occurs on Monday, August 16, 2010 at 11:14am PDT. Dane Rudhyar referred to this as a ‘crisis of action.’ This is when we now have enough information about the newly planted ‘seed’ to be not only able to act, but it is where we need to act in order to allow for things to continue developing. It is helpful to understand that the process of growth I am speaking of is ORGANIC in nature. By this I mean that things develop naturally. When we are sensitive to the timing of things, we know what to do and when to do it and as a result, things will work out most of the time.

The Full Moon occurs on Tuesday, August 24, 2010 at 10:05am PDT at 1° of Pisces. This phase marks a time of fulfillment or culmination of what has been developing the last two weeks and is when we know clearly what the new ‘seed’ is about and where things are likely to moving towards this month. It is like planting an unknown seed we found somewhere so that we don’t know what it is. At the Full Moon we will see and know it for what it is as it is revealed at this time. The Full Moon reaps what is sown at the New Moon. It also is the beginning of the waning phase where the energy of the month begins to decrease, until the cycle ends at the next New Moon where the cycle starts again.

The final phase occurs on Wednesday, September 1, 2010 and is called the third quarter (or last quarter) phase. It represents what Rudhyar has called the ‘crisis of consciousness,’ which is a time to look and examine all that has developed so far. We can feel that the energy of the cycle is running out and we have little enthusiasm for starting something completely new, though we are beginning to consider what changes may be needed and what direction the coming new cycle will ask us to to move towards.

Cycles and Sub-Cycles

One way to describe astrology is that it is the study of cycles. One of the fastest and most frequent cycle is the one being described in this article, the monthly Sun/Moon cycle. But there are many other cycles, lasting for much longer periods of time. For example, there is a Saturn cycle that goes through the same general themes that I’ve described here, but the cycle is 29-30 years in length (rather than 29-30 days as is the Sun/Moon cycle) and instead of going through its phases every 7 days or so, it goes through its phases every 7 years.

This tells us that it helps us to think in terms of levels where the faster moving cycles are actually triggering the ‘Intention’ of the much longer and slower moving cycles of which it is only a part. So, each New Moon isn not just ‘coming out of nowhere.’ There is a definite context for it which can only be understood if you are aware of the longer cycles each of which is simultaneously unfolding for you. This is really what an astrologer is doing when they look at your transits. Transits actually do not come and go as randomly as some people think. They bring about developments and changes for us from existing cycles allowing us to move forward accordingly. We do, however, have to meet the ‘tests’ given to us if we are to fulfill the highest aims and potentials inherit in our chart.

How we are affected particularly by a Sun/Moon cycle is, of course, dependent on where the New Moon is occurring in your own natal chart. But one thing we can pay special attention to is the first New Moon in ones own personal 1st house. It is this New Moon that sets the stage for all of the subsequent Moon cycles that will occur for you on that year. Thus, again we see that each new Moon is a part of a broader cycle of emerging developments.

The Next Mercury Retrograde

In the midst of the present Moon cycle we also see that Mercury goes retrograde as it does approximately every 4 months. It begins on Friday, August 20, 2010 at 12:59pm PDT and is located at 19° of Virgo. It will retrograde back to 5° of Virgo, so if you have planets or your Ascendant or Mid-Heaven in this territory, this Mercury retrograde is likely to affect you more at this time.

As I always do, I want to remind you that during Mercury retrograde periods newspapers do get delivered, banks still work, and life does go on. Yes, problems occur more frequently at this time, especially in the area of communication, transportation, and scheduling, but if we pay close attention, the problems can be minimized. There is something much more important about these periods that suggests what the real value of this astronomical phenomenon is.

It is best to think of it as a time of necessary review and examination. When Mercury is moving forward, and it can move much faster than the Sun, we may unwittingly find ourselves rushing, going too fast and as a result, we miss taking care of important things that will come up later as problems that we MUST solve. For example, it is true that cars can break down at this time or computer problems can develop. But it isn’t really ’caused’ by Mercury retrograde. No, it is caused by the needed maintenance that was not performed earlier. So, the things we have neglected can suddenly appear during this period and we are forced to take care of them. It is just the way of things here on planet Earth.

But if we are so focused on the inconveniences that can happen at this time, we could miss the value, which is to take time to contemplate, take stock and discover what one must give more attention and thought to so that when the period is over, we can begin to move forward more productively.

As always, I want to encourage the readers to express how they are being affected by the present transits. Stories can give life to astrology, more than just raw data, so I hope to hear from many of you.

All the best!

Jim Sher