Taking a Hard Look Ain’t Easy

There are times when we can feel forced to look at aspects of our lives that just aren’t easy to confront. We are entering one of those times. What’s happening in the heavens is that on October 7th, Mercury will align with Saturn at 27 degrees of Virgo after which Venus will go over the same point 5 days later on October 12th. As I’ve often written, Saturn asks (and sometimes demands) that we be realistic, even if what we must see is painful. The way this can work is that something occurs that forces us to pay greater attention, such as an illness that stops us in our tracks. It is then that we start to ask the important question of what we can do to stay healthy so that the problem might never happen again.

However, in this case, the conjunction of Mercury and Venus with Saturn is much more serious than it is usually. On Nov. 15th, Saturn will make its first of 3 squares to Pluto at 1 degree of Libra. This means that Mercury and Venus are ‘triggering’ the upcoming square to Pluto as it is only three degrees away from where it will take place. I will be writing much more about this difficult square in the near future, but it’s time to begin referencing it.

To introduce it, let me remind you of the last time that Saturn and Pluto were in aspect to each other. It last occurred from August of 2001 to May of 2002. The significant event of that period was, of course, the 9/11 terrorist attack. It set into motion a great many things – the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the creation of the Dept. of Homeland Security, a tremendous increase in the national debt and perhaps most importantly, a change in the feeling of safety in this nation’s psyche.

For us to understand the inner effect of a transit, we must be open to examining the unconscious whether it be for a nation or for ourselves. Pluto rules the underworld and while it does include any area of life that is very powerful and intense, it is the planet that seems to be in charge of those deep inner processes that can either lead to very powerful transformation or a very intense experience that can be terrifying if we repress or seek to avoid what is coming up for us.

There is a debate going on in this country and in the world about how to deal with Iran possibly developing a nuclear device. The biggest fear is that the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmajinedad, in his hatred of Israel and the Jewish people in general, might attempt to wipe Israel off the face of the map. What is so interesting for astrologers studying Pluto’s effects is that Ahmajinedad’s family has Jewish roots. Take a look at an article on this. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/6256173/Mahmoud-Ahmadinejad-revealed-to-have-Jewish-past.html. Why is he hiding his past and what is the effect of that on his psyche?

This debate is already creating intense reactions from every political corner. Some have advised that the U.S or maybe Israel destroy the nuclear reactors, even though that could throw the entire region into war (even more than it already is) and also affect the world’s economy greatly as the price of oil could skyrocket in response to “Western aggression.” This is because Pluto rules immense power and the struggles for it, while simultaneously also pointing to the hidden, repressed areas of our psyche that are actually controlling our outer behavior.

The key for us personally is to discover ways to deal with these archetypes without having to resort to the use of power. Something else may be necessary. And this takes us into Saturn’s territory. Saturn rules those areas of our life that test us because it is where we feel weak, defensive and afraid. Therefore we can be motivated to ignore and avoid those areas. We are faced with the psyche’s tendency to create defense mechanisms as a way of avoiding something with which we don’t feel able to deal. So, when Saturn begins to square Pluto the best thing to do is to be willing to look within, to blame no one, and be willing to work as consciously as possible with one’s own defenses and resistances to truth. Truth here simply means seeing what is.

We may get by ignoring ‘what is’ during much of our lives, but when there is great tension, which is what happens during a square aspect, what happens is that every defense mechanism is triggered. And this occurs because Pluto AMPLIFIES the defense mechanism or resistances we’ve created and work so hard to defend. In other words, Pluto often makes things worse so that we are forced to acknowledge that which we wish we could avoid seeing.

The worst thing one can do during this kind of transit is blame another. That doesn’t mean one doesn’t have to deal with something that is dark, fearsome or violent. But how we approach it is what this transit is all about. The breaking down of resistances, while difficult in the short run, leads us to an easy flow in the area that has been hidden. It is what this transit is going to be about for us. We will do well to be willing to face things truthfully and to INCLUDE THE OTHER when we do. It is necessary to understand one’s opponent. That will tell us the best way to approach dealing with them, including looking to see if they are, indeed, a real opponent.

What we see today in this country with the far-right gleefully enjoying every Obama failure, even if it harms the nation, is likely to continue to grow and hopefully be confronted for what it is. Is it not strange to see far-right conservatives who were the pillars of patriotism when Bush was President, now exude enthusiastic passion when Obama fails to deliver the 2016 Olympics to the U.S.? By not acknowledging Obama as a valid democratically elected President, is that not the height of being anti-United States? What is going on here? The answer is seen only when we are willing to go deeper and look through Pluto’s lens and see what is actually ruling the psyches of the people involved and more broadly, within the psyche of the nation as a whole.

If this is not made conscious, the polarization will grow exponentially. It is fair to debate issues and to disagree on policy, but when the OTHER is demonized, we have stepped into the worst of Pluto’s territory. Why? Because we then have to confront the very demons we have created. Yes, we have created. We may have opponents, but they don’t become demons unless we create them. One of the first things I read a long time ago that helped me understand this was the section of a book by General Patton. This incredible soldier respected his opposing General. He didn’t hate him. Sure he wanted to whip his ass, but that didn’t mean he had to hate his enemy. In fact, as many wise people have said, to hate one’s enemy is to become unable to deal with them successfully.

In the world arena, we need to understand Iran and what they want and need. It is then that we will be able to formulate an intelligent policy and execute it. The same thing is true as we approach very delicate and challenging issues in our personal life. Those who are the closest to us may suddenly do something that infuriates and upsets us greatly. We may even feel painfully betrayed. How we respond to such things is what matters. There’s a reason why the wise advise us to take the high road. It is only that action that prevents us from taking ourselves down into the filth of hate, blame and fury.

Saturn square Pluto will ask us to recognize what we can truly control and what we cannot. If we find that we cannot control another person or situation, then all we may be able to control in the end is OUR reaction.

Mercury Becoming Stationary

We’re in a very interesting time as Mercury is slowing down. In 2 days, on September 6th at 9:45pm PDST, Mercury turns retrograde and begins its 21 day retrograde cycle. What is happening now though is that it is slowing down considerably and will become even slower until it finally stops for a moment and turns the other way. To me, this period of time is so interesting because it can often be felt by each of us as it can be palpable in its effect.

As Mercury slows, the mind follows suit. Ironically, this can be helpful as it becomes easier to focus and stay on any subject we desire. But it also has a more difficult side, which can become especially noticeable a day before it changes direction. What can happen is that the mind can become stuck, just as a record can get become stuck in a groove, and find it very hard to get out of the groove in which it is stuck. This could result in over-thinking or even obsessing about something that would ordinarily pass in a few minutes.

Thus, it can be helpful to know about this tendency at this time so that if it does occur we can be forewarned and able to put what we are thinking about into perspective. Yes, it’s good to focus, but not to obsess or go over some trivial matter as if we had to decide our fate for the next decade.

This post is one of those times when I am asking readers to tell their personal stories about this 2-3 day period. I know many of our readers will enjoy hearing about what others are experiencing at this time. So, please make your comments and tell your story. I look forward to your responses.

The Process of Progress- More on the Mercury Cycle

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.

Mars – Just Causing a Ruckus

One of the key themes we often talk about in astrology class is Mars, and more specifically, what happens when a transit of Mars comes around and aspects a lot of other planets. By itself, Mars doesn’t do much, but when it contacts other planets, everything changes as Mars acts as a major trigger for the activation of those planetary forces to which it is connected. Sure, sometimes it can bring about something that is somewhat out of the blue, but what happens far more often is that areas about which we’ve been thinking or feeling for quite some time will suddenly be acted upon. Something we didn’t feel the need to act upon suddenly changes and we are certain we must take action.

Well, this past week on into the next one demonstrate dramatic examples of this. To be specific, Mars is squaring three planets – Mercury, Saturn and Uranus at 25 degrees of Gemini, Virgo and Pisces. Squares bring about tension, conflict and the need for action. Something that was merely irritating can suddenly (Uranus) emerge and we think (Mercury) that we must act. The best example of this in current affairs has been the vocal and sometimes disruptive town hall meetings about health care. Mercury and Saturn urge us to consider things logically, focus on details, get our facts straight and then move forward when we’re ready. Uranus in opposition brings about the need for reform. But Mars squaring all three, adds spice and even anger/rage if someone feels threatened. Mars rules war and tells us to fight to protect what we hold dear, so the T-square we are in right now is inflaming the passions in an increasingly tense way.

So, what is Mars really triggering and is it doing so in a significant way? In September we will have the 3^rd transit of Saturn opposing Uranus. The first one was on Election Day last November. This is a very significant transit and will be in play for another year. What it signifies is that the opposing forces of holding to the present structure (Saturn) are opposing the forces of change and transformation (Uranus). It is again playing out in the national consciousness. No doubt it is also playing out for many of you in your personal lives as well. It is often characterized as a struggle between the past and the future. By the way, Saturn often resists change. But that isn’t necessarily bad. Saturn simply wants to have our facts right. But when it automatically blocks change, then the constructive purpose of Saturn becomes a problem. That is when Uranus urges us to break free from all those restrictions and resistances to an outworn past and set upon a new course. Uranus is a complete restructuring or overturning of something. This is what Mars is triggering right now and it will continue for a week or more, so we’ll see what happens next.

The New Moon

Tomorrow, August 20^th we will have a New Moon at 3:02am at 27 degrees of Leo. This New Moon is not only activating the planets mentioned in this article, but will also oppose the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction I’ve written about along with Pluto. With all that is happening, it is likely to be a very volatile month, HOWEVER….. this is not a great time for major action. The intense forces of action are meeting what is called the period that preceded Mercury going retrograde, which is called the Mercury shadow (Kyle will be writing on this in his next installment). Mercury will go retrograde at 6 degrees of Libra on September 6-7 and return to where it is now. This means that everything going on right now is subject to review. Modifications are likely to be made at that time which means if we try to rush to make a decision now, it isn’t likely to turn out the way we thought it would. So, why rush? If we’re in the process of completing something, that is a different story. This is when we need to go ahead and finish and there should be enough time to do that in the next two weeks. Take the time you need and avoid missing steps is the best idea at this time, even if one feels a strong desire to push forward anyway.

I know our readers would enjoy hearing your comments on how you are experiencing these transits during the next two weeks, so if yu’d like to share, please leave your comments here.

Mercury – Messenger of the Gods

Most people, even those not interested in the study of astrology, have some awareness of Mercury retrograde. Awareness does not equal understanding, however. Indeed, Mercury retrograde is generally misunderstood only as a time when things go wrong, when we shouldn’t travel, when we should decide anything or when our computer or car breaks down. It has become a scapegoat, something to blame when things don’t go right. Of course, in reality this is an overly simplistic and therefore incomplete understanding. Mercury retrograde is best viewed as part of a broader Mercury cycle. There are eight stages to that cycle and each one of them (including the time Mercury is retrograde) represents an important stage in the development of ideas and other Mercury-related matters in our lives. We’ll look at each of the eight stages in upcoming articles, but initially, let’s take a closer look at Mercury itself.

Even though Mercury rules two modern astrological signs, and therefore is the chart ruler of about one-sixth of the planet’s population, it is easy for astrologers (and those interested in astrology) to overlook the significance of Mercury in a person’s chart. Perhaps it’s because Mercury is in the shadow of the Sun, literally and figuratively. Because Mercury and the Sun are never very far apart from each other, they are often located in the same sign, and Mercury may suffer from a lack of attention for that reason. In the sky, Mercury is the hardest inner planet to see with the naked eye, as it’s often so close to the Sun that it can only be seen either right before sunrise or after sunset, depending on where it is in its cycle. Or perhaps rather it is because astrologers are often more intrigued by the effects of what they consider the deeper, more intense, more transformative, and more emotionally and spiritually-charged outer planets. In contrast, Mercury is often regarded as shallow, simple, and straightforward. 

But Mercury should neither be overlooked nor taken lightly. Few things are more fundamental in a person’s life than the areas Mercury influences – how they think and communicate. It is as basic to our existence as breathing, which it of course also rules. Mercury provides the language needed to define our perceptions, so that we can understand ourselves and our world. Mercury can transform us through self-knowledge and understanding, and where it is placed in our chart tells us about our ability to make sense of our perceptions, to make sense of our world, and to communicate that both to ourselves and to others. In short, Mercury rules understanding on all levels, and to understand how Mercury influences us can unlock our ability to understand not just the other planets in our charts, but everything else.

In mythology, Mercury (Hermes) was a “messenger god,” and he is often portrayed communicating the proclamations and orders of Zeus, his father. It is he, for example, who is credited with giving the ultimatum of Zeus to Prometheus. Hermes mediated between worlds, bridging easily the world of the gods, the world of mortals, and the underworld. In our modern lives, we can also look at Mercury as a bridge. How an idea comes into our consciousness is a mysterious and amazing process, and Mercury is the bridge along which ideas, or the seeds of ideas, travel from the unconscious to the conscious mind. We commonly think of “having” ideas, but we don’t often delve into the origin of those ideas, how they came about. For example, think for a moment about how you decided to get married, or not, change careers, move to a new city or state, and you will realize that the idea was connected to an internal process, and not entirely a conscious one, at least not initially.

Moreover, this fundamental influence regarding the manner in which we think and communicate is unique to us. By way of example, imagine a group of people at a wedding. Now imagine what some of the individuals are thinking about as they wait for the ceremony to begin. One person is admiring the flowers, and likes how they are arranged. One person is thinking about their failed marriage. One person is eyeing the crowd for someone to flirt with later. One person is thinking about the things they need to do at work. One person is just listening to the humming in their head. One person is whispering loudly to someone across the aisle, unaware that everyone in the room can hear her. And so on. This example, although a bit superficial, highlights that people experiencing the same event can perceive it, or react to it, very differently. This is due to Mercury, as it rules our perceptions. By becoming aware of how Mercury acts in us, we can begin the process of awareness in all other aspects of our lives. Mercury is easy to watch in action for it is a quick moving planet with a reliable eight-stage cycle over each 4-month period in relation to the Sun. Look for more discussion of Mercury in action over the coming weeks as we watch Mercury through its upcoming retrograde cycle in Virgo/Libra.

Jupiter Aligns with Neptune – Mercury Goes Direct

Hi Everyone,

At 6:22pm PDST on May 30th, Mercury turns back to its direct motion at 22 degrees of Taurus. The few days before and after this date can often feel like we are intensely focused on certain issues or thoughts that have us captivated. What’s happening is that Mercury is barely moving or completely stationary, which is akin to the needle of a turntable being stuck in groove. There can be a tendency to react strongly to whatever we are thinking, and approach these with an all-or-nothing attitude. Also, our thoughts may be intense because they are actually revealing an aspect of our unconscious, inner world struggling to see the light of day. Usually, it is best to try to work out our own thoughts by ourselves before expressing them as they could come out quite strongly. And yet, it is simultaneously important to recognize that whatever is coming up really could be quite important. It’s just a matter of separating ‘what’ you are dealing with from the ‘way’ you decide to deal with it. If necessary allow a process to take place within yourself before expressing it outwardly, unless, of course, it simply cannot be done. The truth is that life often doesn’t allow us to take time out and we have to do the best we can to deal with whatever is coming out into the open. Things should smooth out and feel like we can move forward by early Monday or Tuesday.

Jupiter Aligns with Neptune (and Chiron too)

This major transit has officially begun. Jupiter conjuncted Neptune for the first time on May 27th (Wednesday) at 1:12pm PDST, and will do so two more times before Jupiter moves on into Pisces. This transit will last until early January and is already having a very significant effect on how we are perceiving the world. There are some wonderful characteristics of this transit but first let’s look at the more negative ones.

Neptune can create illusion, fog, uncertainty, and idealism and alongside Jupiter’s optimism we can feel that things are much better than they really are. Perception is important, but in a case like this, it can also lead to a severe letting down or bubble bursting later. Let’s give a specific example. Right now, the price of gas is going up and people are wondering how this can be. The common view is that it’s the coming of summer. But take a look at this article.

The view presented in this article is that the rise in prices is not due to increasing demand, but to the BELIEF that demand will increase. This is because it has become common to think that the recession will be over by the end of the year. So production is being ramped up and the prices rise as we get ready for things to return to normal. Things are going to return to normal?? Huh!!

To astrologers this is to be expected and has nothing to do with what is actually going on but with the Jupiter/Neptune lens through which the society is looking. If we examine the actual data, we see that unemployment is rising, large business credit card companies are going bankrupt, more layoffs are expected in many industries and our car companies are declaring bankruptcy with no one knowing what the future landscape for this area of our economy will look like. The list of unresolved problems is huge. So, why are we so optimistic? Well, part of it is that we want to be. We are tired of feeling negative, so we decide to feel better, even if there’s no evidence for it. But the ‘environment’ astrologically encourages us to do just this. Have faith and it’ll all be fine. Even blind faith is OK, at least for now.

The real problem with this, as I see it, is that the fundamental issues that got us into this mess have not been addressed, both economically and in the larger societal context. The needed reforms are not being made and will not be made as long as people believe that things will turn around without these changes. The transits that follow this Jupiter alignment with Neptune are far more serious than any we’ve seen so far, so unless the proper steps are taken to deal with the causes of the problems that got us here, we are still open to a major falling apart of our economic and governmental systems. Just look at what’s happening in California and you’ll see how serious things are becoming. No one can know what would happen if things got even worse.

On a personal level however, things are very different. This transit is a beautiful one for the development of compassion and sympathetic understanding. We may find that we are engaged in the emergence of a new faith and understanding towards Life itself and our connection to something higher, whatever terminology we use for that. This is a time for healing of old wounds (Chiron) by forgiveness and the adoption of a greater understanding of others that is impersonal and universal. There is a chance that our health care system may be reformed if we can take advantage of this short window to do so, since the idea that health care is a ‘right’ rather than a privilege can resonate now.

This is a mystical time. The boundaries between self and others and society are blurred right now enabling us to understand viscerally the challenges we face together just because we’re human, doing the best we can, and that we do share a common destiny in so many ways. This is also an aspect of the healing we can do for ourselves and the world in general. At the same time it is wise to remain aware that blind trust in people is an invitation to being used and conned. Whenever clarity is lost, which can occur right now, we must proceed with more caution, not less. It’s best to separate one’s worldly affairs from our personal and private approach to spirituality and transformational growth. The inner and personal one can thrive right now, while we may want to handle our financial affairs in a more practical way.

Finally, I want to suggest that we can be inspired powerfully right now. We can sense an awareness inside of things that we usually only dimly perceive. That awareness is of our highest Self, the god-nature that is our truest foundation and which we share with Life itself. It’s often a matter of allowing these deeper feelings to take root in us. There’s nothing necessarily to do per se, just allow something inside us that’s always been present to simply Breathe.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

I know the economy is difficult so I am continuing the reduced price of $110 for a 60- 80 minute consultation. I welcome people who have never had an astrological consultation to give it a try as well as those of you who have.

If you haven’t already, please check out the website for Sher School of Wisdom at www.sherschoolofwisdom.org.

Here’s wishing you all lots of beauty and joy.

All the best,
Jim Sher

Jupiter aligning with Neptune – Is the Optimism Excessive?

It seems we are in a rather odd period of time where even though there is a great deal of uncertainty, the desire for good news is outweighing most everything else. I’m just not sure that the real conditions justify the optimistic assessments. Here is just one article I’ve come across that takes a look at possibility that we are in a state of unnatural giddiness:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/wall-street-dc-and-the-ne_b_201899.html

This is directly related to the coming Jupiter conjunction with Neptune. Although it doesn’t occur until May 27th, its effects have already begun. Due to the fact that these two giants retrograde back and forth together, this transit will last until early 2010, when Jupiter will move on into Pisces. Until then, this planetary combination unites the principle of optimism and expansion (Jupiter) with idealism and possible delusion (Neptune) creating a new bubble that could easily burst. The above article has some of the exact phrases that also describe this transit. Galbraith calls it ‘the pathological weakness of the financial memory.”

In my view, while not being an economist by any means, the needed reforms are not being considered. The economic model itself is being viewed as fine, but we just need to tinker a bit and save the financial system. It is my belief that in the near future, a great many lifestyle changes are going to be forced on the nation that are still being avoided. Also, many states, California included, are facing very difficult decisions as the budgets are being slashed. One of the biggest problems that voters are having a hard time facing is the real possibility that many local services people take for granted will be lost in the next year or so.

What’s also interesting to me is that many people I speak with, including some in the financial business, also agree with this assessment. I’m hardly the only person holding this view. So, perhaps, even when we know better, our desire to believe that things are improving is over-riding what we know to be true.

As always, there is another side to the Jupiter/Neptune conjunction. This is a great time for spiritual growth and for developing more compassion and joy in our everyday life. This aspect is the archetypal mystic, asking us to experience our connection to the Divine in each moment of life. We know we’re being touched by these forces when we feel that somehow each moment is magical and contains intrinsic meaning.

More on Mercury Retrograde

We’re nearing the middle of the Mercury retrograde cycle when we have the Inferior conjunction between the Sun and Mercury. I urge readers to look at the Mercury retrograde period differently from how it is often described. Yes, there can be delays in communications and things can break down. But something more important than that is happening. This is a time for letting go of things that aren’t working and embracing any new ’seed’ idea that emerges. The time when the new idea begins is the Inferior conjunction which occurs on May 18th. It is similar to a New Moon in that one may not even notice the new idea at first. It’s helpful to be alert to what we’re thinking about at this time. Any new thoughts at this time could be indicators of a new direction for us. Yes, the idea still needs to be considered and adjustments may need to be made, but some of what’s happening now will be growing over the next two months until the Superior conjunction on July 14th.

Mercury retrograde periods are good times to take stock of things. If you feel a bit stuck, an astrological consultation may help you discover what new directions you might want to approach.

Announcements

I know the economy is difficult so I am continuing the reduced price of $110 for a 60- 80 minute consultation. I welcome people who have never had an astrological consultation to give it a try as well as those of you who have.

If you haven’t already, please check out the website for Sher School of Wisdom at www.sherschoolofwisdom.org.

All the best,
Jim Sher