Weekend Astrology: Cancer Full Moon & Mercury in Capricorn

Today is Friday, Jan. 6, 2012.. Mentally and emotionally, this is a busy weekend. The two big events are the Cancer Full Moon early on Monday (2:30 am EST) and Mercury leaving Sagittarius for the first time since Nov. 2. It enters Capricorn at 1:34 am EST. If this were a short newspaper horoscope, it might simply read, ‘Whatever you are feeling or thinking, stop and take a breath – or ten – before you express it’.

This is because Mercury makes a slew of aspects between now and Monday, right on the Aries Point — that mysterious cosmic amplifier. It’s in the Uranus-Pluto hot spot, with Jupiter giving a boost, so you may find one choice leads to some kind of surprise or unexpected turn. Plus Full Moons are generally polarizing and this one is in a rather emotional sign. Our minds will likely be changeable and active and our feelings heightened, but neither situation is necessarily a bad thing. Both simply call for awareness, though that may not be so simple.

The swing toward the yin/feminine that comes with a Full Moon may actually bring us collectively closer to gender balance. As one person said of this Moon yesterday: “When in doubt, hold to the yin.” This Moon/Sun opposition along the Cancer-Capricorn axis also brings an opportunity to find balance between work and home, structure and flow. Remember to give each side of the equation some attention as you find balance.

Today, before Mercury makes its move, it’s still conjunct the center of our galaxy. Where you are vociferously committed to your sense of justice and liberty, watch out for soapbox conversations when you’re ’just getting to the good part’. Where do you fall along the spectrum between having something meaningful to say (or listen to) and being full of hot air? That said, if you do take a time out to meditate today, keep your antennae up: downloads from more extensive domains of order are the order. The Galactic Center also has a way of working behind the scenes, out of sight. Look for what is influencing you that is not apparent or visible.

Now, what about the assortment of aspects that Mercury makes this weekend? In terms of ‘exact’ aspects, some occur just before it leaves Sagittarius and some right when it enters Capricorn. But really, since we’re talking about a span of three degrees, they’re all basically happening at once. That sounds chaotic, but there are some clear themes you can feel for, and if you have a little time to reflect this weekend, you may even notice the shifts.

A pair of sextiles to Saturn in late Libra and Neptune in late Aquarius are a bit like a tap on the shoulder: a gentle reminder of energy you can use with ease. (Another way to describe this is that Mercury is at the midpoint, or balancing point, of Saturn and Neptune.) Mercury is about thinking and communication, and this particular setup could be summed up as “Om, grow up” (mantra courtesy of Buddhist monk and writer, Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche). In other words, without the structural integrity that Saturn can lend our thoughts and speech, it is very difficult to convey, evolve and make tangible our Neptunian creative vision. We need to ground (Capricorn) that vision and focus it like a laser if we’re to make the most of our relationships (Libra) and our social and technological interactions (Aquarius). The point is that this is actually possible, and it is a brilliantly creative synthesis.

Mercury also makes a trine to Jupiter in Taurus, a square to Uranus in Aries and a sextile to Chiron in Pisces. Goodness. With so many planets early in signs, we will get some version of this multifaceted dialog every time a planet, the Moon or the Sun changes signs.

Mercury square Uranus is probably the most interesting and surprising one of the lot: there is an idea, a real idea, in the midst of all of this. This aspect involves the Aries Point, and puts Mercury into the zone of the revolutionary aspect marking the next three years: Uranus square Pluto. You might feel a struggle between acting on impulse and intuitive insight versus a practical and rational understanding of your thoughts, which could lead to some argumentative behavior. This seems like a good moment to remind you we’re working up to a sensitive Full Moon; take a breath and if you need to disagree, do so with maturity, precision (not pickiness!) and compassion.

Luckily, Mercury’s trine to Jupiter in Taurus lends some good judgment and keen observation to the mix. Since the aspect is a trine (all flow, not much pressure or compulsion), you may have to consciously invoke this energy. But if you do, there is a natural expansiveness that may help you to keep that ball rolling, complete with optimism and a dash of material comfort. See if you can ground the feelings in at least one tangible step toward continuing them.

Finally, it’s fitting that one of Mercury’s earliest aspects once in Capricorn is a sextile to Chiron, given the inner spiritual odyssey we have all been on these last two months. That’s what this whole litany of aspects is leading to. You may feel suddenly activated, as though you’re being pushed to a new level of intuition and awareness. This is an extremely versatile aspect and it seems to favor writers, actors and speakers. It has a bit of the golden tongue, whether speaking truth or not.

The spiritual realities and non-linear experiences you may have recently had may be easier to understand, as they come into focus with a more directed quality. This is about healing your mind by using your mind. If you’re in any kind of healing process, chances are you are discovering in what ways your mind was turned against itself in childhood or what beliefs you carry that are not truly yours. Chiron helps us see these things so that we can change them. The thing about Mercury-Chiron is to remember that not everything is true, even if it would be nice if it was. You will have to use discernment — and we could in fact view this whole sequence of aspects as an exercise in just that skill.

In the midst of this weekend’s sensitivity, know that opening up to vulnerability — however scary or appealing — is necessary for true intimacy and healing. Capricorn’s cardinal initiative suggests it’s time to establish a clear healing goal and carefully plan the steps to get there. All may not go as planned, but if we share what we learn with others along the way, we stand to benefit from the giving as much as the receiving. As Donald Shimoda (the ‘reluctant messiah’ of the book Illusions) said, we teach what we most need to learn.

P.S. Check out the blog for the Pickwick Press to see photos by Irina Skornyakova of the Analog Tweets as they were being made.

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