As you’ve no doubt heard, a Mercury retrograde begins Tuesday. We’ve covered this in a number of blog posts and subscriber editions, though if you would like a concise summary, here is the article to read. This accompanies the November monthly interpretations for all the signs that went out a couple of weeks ago.
Before I give a few of the subtler messages that I see in the chart, let’s do a brief go-over of some basics of the current sky. We are still in the Samhain / Days of the Dead phase of Scorpio. These holidays fall a little in advance of the Sun reaching the Scorpio midpoint. That’s the actual cross quarter, and it happens Tuesday at 7:25 pm EST, about 90 minutes after Mercury stations retrograde. (I’ve got an old article that provides an explanation of the cross quarter days.)
For reasons a bit complicated to explain, when the Sun reaches the middle of a fixed sign (such as Scorpio), that activates the Aries Point, which is like an energy source in the first degree of Aries. This is the zone of the zodiac where personal material overlaps with political themes, and where the political realm reaches right into our personal lives.
Appropriately enough the contact point we’re experiencing is in Scorpio, which covers all the themes of reproductive issues, shared resources, sexuality and other taboo subjects. This happens with the Moon in mid-Leo (at last quarter), another one of the cross quarters. This is appropriate for a day where Americans are taking part in a political process that will have a significant impact on the world.
As for the Moon’s current condition, overnight Sunday into Monday. All of the traditional planets are currently located early in their respective signs, as are the the modern planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. By the currently adopted rules that most astrologers follow, this means we have frequent, unusually long phases of the void-of-course Moon; we’re in one now, as the Moon moves through late Cancer.
Moon voids are phases that come with a subtle (or very obvious) feeling of drift. They can be relaxing if you have nothing special you need to do. They can be frustrating if you’re trying to get things done. I suggest you get your Monday going gently, avoid pushing anything too hard and focus on what you can get done in the later part of the day.
Note that the Moon is still making aspects — for example, it will make a square to Eris and a conjunction to Varuna, two emotionally deep aspects, though they’re off the spectrum of normal consciousness. If you’re looking for a portal into the sensation of equality with others, this might be your opportunity. A situation that initially disturbs you can also evoke empathy, compassion or compersion.
The Moon will arrive in Leo at 2:49 pm EST on Monday, and it makes a rapid series of aspects to traditional planets that lasts for the next 48 hours, the first of which is Moon square Saturn and then Moon trine Mercury, which is currently very close to being stationary-retrograde.
Minor Planet Messages
Among the most notable attributes of this Mercury retrograde is that in the process, Mercury makes three squares to Neptune; one was in direction motion last week, the next will be in retrograde motion on Nov. 13 (the day of the total solar eclipse) and then once again in December.
This is a story about the truth coming out in layers — be it your personal truth, or that of some worldly situation. It places added emphasis on the usual caution of Mercury retrograde associated with signing contracts and making agreements. Not everything will turn out ‘badly’ though the situation really involves discernment (which most humans are not fantastic at anyway).
There’s another message coming through about changing your mind, despite having been attached to an ideology in the past. You may at first think you’re deceiving yourself, though any time you change your mind about something, it’s good to let the decision settle, and observe what confirmation comes your way.
Mercury stations in an exact conjunction to an asteroid called Isis. This can be about putting the pieces together. Isis can present us with a mosaic, and the key is to study the pattern to find the theme. This will take patience and observation, though as with assembling a puzzle, it helps to start with the edge pieces. Those are all easily identified by having at least one straight edge, so you know those particular ones will fit together. The message: if you’re trying to figure something out, use a method, and be patient while you look for the pattern.
One method you can try is, in any situation that you’re trying to figure out, make three lists: what you know for sure, what you think might be true, and what you don’t know. Check carefully what category you put any particular idea into, and see what contrasting the three lists tells you.
There’s another aspect pattern close to Mercury (early in the mutable signs Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces), which seems to involve confidence in love. There are many ways to read this one and I’m curious to hear your ideas about what this might signify, though Chiron in an aspect pattern with Atlantis, Achilles, Aphrodite and Teharonhiawako seems to be asking, “Will I have the courage to heal this sense of a spiritual injury that I have, which is influencing my ability to be confident in love?”
The deeper question seems to be about the conditions placed on ‘unconditional love’, so if that’s a concept that you use, now is a good time to consider what you really mean. Ask yourself when you’ve really felt love without conditions, who it involved and how it is you think you got to that space.
Other planets in the pattern describe the importance of honoring your agreements. This includes overt deals, contracts and promises, as well as implied ones. Monitor and honor the balance of giving and receiving, of offering and asking, of making demands and allowing yourself to be imposed upon.
You can afford to err on the side of generosity.
Belated thanks for this most interesting and thought provoking piece Eric.
I have Mars at 5 Virgo ( and itself in a stellium with one asteroid and 2 planets ) so I am majorly trying to put the pieces of me and my will power together at the moment! Also I noticed Lilith at 5/6 Gemini who surely must be included as part of the mix.
Confidence in love or Love? I feel there is a huge struggle in the collective and within individuals to allow Love to be present . and to let go of fear, hate and lack. I am working to clear karma ( of past lives curses and indoctrinated mental patterning ) to get back to something essential in my being which I feel is Love.
so excited and relieved to see you have re elected obama!
Gentler these days with the ‘stop’. More and more.
Mystes I’m with you with (the drink as) a Full Stop. That too is total and spontaneous as a response, and in my experience (over the years) with various effects: silly smile through rivulets, full blown rage, or eye contact and ‘fair comment’ end of story. Whatever, it is a Full Stop.
We women have it better than men in some ways. Does anyone know of mentoring material for men, rites of pasage, getting a hold on sexuality like Sarah’s tarot riding an eagle or arriving with your own wings. Mystes I know you said about groups. And women have some role. But the men where is the depth/awareness mentoring for men. (I haven’t looked at the patriarchy link yet perhaps there are ideas there obliquely?)
b – yours, too made me smile.
My son named me “Mimi”. When he was a baby (a few years ago…he’s not quite 4 now) I would sing him little songs in French – some in the style of Chevalier. And now he, too, sings to his Mimi. He’s called me that from the first, by the way. It means “boob” in Arabic. (He’s a Scorpio Moon, what can I say).
So not only are you a great astrologer we now know you have a psychic bent as well.
Great article Mystes! I, too have set my hair on fire. And a fingernail (bad silk wrap). So not only was it a great article, I now have the validation of knowing that others are also capable of spontaneously combusting their robes.
starry, astrodem, Huffy,
Could be partly due to the fact that Saturn is in range to a quincunx to Uranus – at least the antsy part.
be
Mimi. . .you silly little good-for-nothing, Mimi. . the one I love! Thanks for sharing your pants on fire , er I mean robe on fire story; made me smile a while. Maurice Chevalier once sang to his Mimi ( I just stole the words from him!)
be
Eh, Mimi… it happens…
“I married Isis on the fifth day of May
But I could not hold on to her very long
So I cut off my hair and I rode straight away
For the wild unknown country where I could not go wrong…”
– Robert Zimmerman
A fine article Eric, “confidence in love” is an important inquiry for me these day, thank you.
Yesterday my bathrobe caught on fire…with me in it. A beautiful turkish number that I had nicknamed “The Bear”. I’m fine but the Bear has suffered. I was making tea with cloves (and cardamom) to temper a toothache until I see the dentist (Wednesday). Very odd how it started on one sleeve and then very quickly spread to the other. Good thing my hair was wet.
Does that count as a Merc Rx event?
Now that I think of it, this isnt the first time I’ve accidentally lit myself on fire (never any harm to me or any one else – actually quite funny). Perhaps my Sun (Leo) and rising sign (Aries) render me combustible? haha!
Huffy thank you always for your kindnesses, and Mystes for your erudition and pithy humour that make me laugh.
Eric, thank you for the lists also.
Confidence in love (if you take that in its most simple forms and affecting everything) seems to be tied in with learning the piano for me these days. it is a physical unravelling of blocks – directly highlighted by things I ‘can’t do’ technically and dissolving as I persist until I can. The sense of making simple progress is astonishing for me, having become rather habituated to intense and prolonged effort without ‘visible’ effect in day to day life (for ages. Years).
i don’t know if this ‘counts’ – a simple example from today would be I can play until I play for my prof where suddenly I am impaired by anxiety and then panic. of course the solution is to practice in ‘public’ all the time until others/an observer/a ‘critical’ eye are no big deal. i can see that I have this tendency in life too – harder to follow things through in ‘public’ at any time, impaired by the gaze of others, timidity towards life. It is very interesting. Of course we discussed this today so now probably I will be able to play for her as tho I am practicing.
Hail Mercury full of grace! (don’t know where that came from…) Um, so I just purchased a domain name, http://www.psychspiritual.com, and webhosting and web builder by GoDaddy last night. I also ordered business cards.
Found out this a.m. that I purchased Linux web hosting and needed Windows based builder that comes with hosting instead, so had to cancel the order and reorder. An inconvenience, but not too awful.
I’m wondering now though if I should have started this process during a void of course moon and Mercury Rx soon to kick in? Then again, doesn’t seem practical to wait three months for Mercury to be completely direct to take action in creating my business.
Any thoughts, suggestions friends?
I’m with Astrodem and Huffy on that strange, uneasy energy feeling in the gut. Feeling VERY antsy.
You too, huh? Good luck with it, Astrodem! Am feeling a really strange, uneasy energy in my gut ,too.
I’m noticing that the bizarre and unexplainable technology glitches and errors associated with the Mercury station are already coming on extremely strong — and seem to be steadily increasing in potency and significance.
Anyone been ‘stung’ by the soon to be retrograde Mercury? This morning I lost days and days of work – luckily I was able to retrieve it in the end, but it took a while, and I’ve come out a few hours older and a few pounds lighter for it.
What michele said.
perfect <3
Great piece, Eric. Thanks so much.“Will I have the courage to heal this sense of a spiritual injury that I have, which is influencing my ability to be confident in love?” Yes, tentatively stepping out of the forest again. after many years of hiding in there – feels good, will let you know…
“One method you can try is, in any situation that you’re trying to figure out, make three lists: what you know for sure, what you think might be true, and what you don’t know. Check carefully what category you put any particular idea into, and see what contrasting the three lists tells you.”
Jesus. I should know this! Why does this feel like a revelation? I must do this? Don’t I? It’s common sense.
Thanks for the reminder. This is Very Important at the moment.