Mercury square Neptune: Did You Know?

Curious about LISTEN, the 2013 annual edition of Planet Waves? Here is an audio introduction:

We seem to be in a moment of Big Lies on our way to Big Truths. The question is, how able are you to see through or mitigate the former? And if the Big Lies trip you up, will you be able to receive and accept the latter?

We’re at the tail end of Mercury’s second shadow (or echo) phase, which is the last leg of the retrograde process. Mercury will finally leave for new ground on Friday, Dec. 14. Before then, we get the third square between Mercury and Neptune in the course of this retrograde period.

Mercury square Neptune is slippery. With it, we tend to be prone to deception, denial, impractical dreaming and difficulty concentrating. Yet events around such an aspect can also conspire to bring out clarity, as we learn from recent prior events or even see the patterns of much larger trends. It can, however, take some determination to get there, which on one level seems to be the point. If you are coming into late-breaking information, the question is: what are you going to do with it? If you are finding out that you made decisions based on a misunderstanding, what are you going to do about that?

Think back (or check your calendar or journal) to these dates and see if you notice a trend involving the qualities just listed: Oct. 29 (just a couple hours before the Taurus Full Moon) and Nov. 13 (just a few hours after the total solar eclipse in Scorpio). Oh — and today. Are you feeling a little fuzzy headed? The third Mercury-Neptune square of the series is exact tomorrow at 7:57 am EST after Mercury ingresses Sagittarius tonight, but we’re in the zone now.

Back in late October Eric wrote of this third square, “This is the moment that may come with the feeling of, ‘I should have known.’ Therefore, starting now, I suggest you take it slow and recognize that you are responsible for what you do not know.”

How have you done with that? Has Mercury’s second shadow phase been kicking your butt with retrograde-like snafus, all because you weren’t quite able to slow down enough weeks ago to see the blind spots you were driving into?

We’ve put a lot of emphasis on the sexual shadow theme of this Mercury retrograde, at least for the Scorpio portions. But consider this: Scorpio also has to do with money — in particular, ‘other people’s resources’ — which could translate into an inheritance, or something as mundane as what you owe the IRS. And right now, Mercury in the last degree of Scorpio is making an ‘out of sign’ square to Neptune, which is in the first degree of Pisces. So the areas of sex, death and money may be the ones to be extra careful with today in terms of what you’re admitting to yourself (or not) and what you’re thinking clearly about (or not).

When Mercury shifts to Sagittarius, any slipperiness may shift in tone, or take on a broader scope. Sagittarius has to do with the need for freedom, travel, religion/spirituality and beliefs. If you start to feel yourself running full-steam ahead on some belief you hold to be of paramount importance, ask yourself if you’re sure your perspective doesn’t have any blind spots. Note also that Mercury and Jupiter will once again be in mutual reception; they exchange energy more freely and can be seen to trade places in the chart.

We’re still in a review phase this week, and there may be unfinished business coming up for review. As you consider what is surfacing, ask yourself, “What is true? What am I denying and why? What is my definition of true, and does it include some denial?”

There may be something precise involved, relating to a specific topic or set of facts. These questions of truth and denial and review are not likely to be general philosophical or spiritual inquiries — especially today. Notice if you’re feeling self-critical about something, or avoiding certain specific data because you’re not sure what it will reveal. Do you feel at all as though if one small piece of the truth gets out, something will give way and there will be no getting control of the situation?

As mentioned at the beginning, we are also headed for a moment of Big Truths. That refers to the Sun approaching its annual conjunction to the center of our galaxy, which lies at about 27 Sagittarius. One delineation for the Galactic Core (or Galactic Center) is, “That which we perceive as outside us but which is really within us.” The GC gets us closer to the intangible truths at the core of our existence.

Before we get there, we have to watch our step with Mercury and Neptune. Also, the Sun makes several conjunctions with the stable of centaur planets hanging out in mid- to late-Sagittarius. These are the points that push us to acknowledge and talk about family material, alcohol, concerns about sex, and the generally demolished state of personal integrity that many people live with.

Right in line with those Mercury-Neptune issues, we tend not to want to see or talk about this stuff. But the conversation may come up of its own accord. If you can see and think through the fuzz, fog and fear, it’s probably worth it to take the initiative — beginning with what’s going on within you. Mercury, once it’s in Sagittarius, will square Chiron right after it squares Neptune. Not only is the truth erotic, but it really can heal, even if it stings first. You just can’t do truth halfway.