By Len Wallick
Mercury stations retrograde tomorrow just before 5 pm EDT at 24+ Aries. As was the case with yesterday’s opposition of Jupiter and Saturn, it is a big deal that is a part of something even bigger. That expanded picture involves six major planets, both luminaries and the cardinal signs Aries, Libra and Capricorn. The radiating locus of that larger something would seem to be the Aries New Moon this coming Sunday. The theme is moving from duality into unity.
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Like a very large boat moving through the waters of time, the applying conjunction of the Sun and Moon has been creating a sort of wake for weeks on end. Mercury has been a part of that. Indeed, Mercury may be said to have been part of the first wave, and on the leading edge of those that followed.
Mercury entered Aries on March 9, less than a week after the previous New Moon in Pisces and two days before the Sendai earthquake. It entered its echo phase shortly before the Virgo Full Moon that some deemed ‘super’, but it was not the timing so much as the location that stands out.
The echo phase of a retrograde cycle is an arc bounded on two sides. On the front end, the boundary is designated as the degree of maximum retreat — as far back as the planet will appear to go before moving forward again. Because that point is first crossed weeks before the object in question even begins apparent backward motion, it is an echo from the future. We get a preview, or first review of what is to come. This time, Mercury did that in spades.
That’s because the location of the front-end echo’s boundary is also the location of the upcoming Aries New Moon, exact to the degree. That sort of synchronicity between a planet and the beginning of a lunation period does not happen every day. The Sabian symbol for this, the 14th degree of Aries, speaks to a complex and evocative image. It is that of a serpent coiling near a man and a woman.
How you interpret that particular Sabian symbol is not so simple or straightforward. It’s loaded. It depends heavily on how you feel about men and women as a set of beings. It also depends on how you respond to the volatile subject of snakes. One could fairly say that there are very few symbols as emotionally polarizing as this one. Which, not incidentally, makes the point and reinforces the theme posited for our current tableau. That being, once again, the resolution of an old opposition into a new unity.
While we are on the esoteric subject of Sabian symbols, it is also worth noting the subject of esoteric planetary rulers. That’s because Mercury is commonly considered to have that role for Aries. Largely as the result of Alice Bailey’s intuitive and psychic work outside the mainstream of 20th century astrology, the idea of an alternative to traditional rulerships opened up a whole new way of looking inside the workings of signs, planets and, by implication, ourselves.
The traditional ruler of Aries is, of course, Mars. It works very well as an outer expression of the sign. Acting as an outer expression of self suits the initiative associated with the zodiac’s cyclical restart. It speaks to the fiery qualities of the Vernal Equinox. But is that all there is, the outer expression?
That’s where the esoteric courageously steps in. And we do mean in: into the soul, the spiritual counterpart of the outer flame. It is the ‘equal’ in Equinox. Mercury, associated with thought and mind, would appear to be inside the stout and indomitable heart of Aries.
There is also another quality of Mercury, from the Vedic perspective, that spills over into both the traditional western and esoteric systems, serving to forge a union of sorts. That is the idea of awakening. The external, martial approach would entail something abrupt, even shocking, and there are times when anyone must express gratitude and admit they ‘needed that’. It is not necessary for all awakening to be rude, however.
There is also the sort of wake-up that comes not in response to a call, but rather that accrues naturally and gently without trauma. The only thing that is required is work: prolonged, consistent, disciplined and often repetitive inner work. Motivated by an inner flame of desire, the proverbial fire in the belly, this is the constructive expression of the highest potential of this particular Mercury retrograde. It is an inner awakening to the outer other, and an outer acknowledgment of the inner quality. It is a union of body and soul, will and spirit.
Offered In Service
Bonnie Koloc, just because:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uU45bf-5TPY&feature=related
(oh yea, and his sun in on my AC and our moons are conj – but that didn’t have anything to do with Mercury…hahah!)
AND might as well add that our ‘relationship’ (still doesn’t fit any “category” that’s yet been labeled!) has been all about both of us learning Relationship differently – and bringing that to others….and the “job” isn’t yet done….:-D
Inner Outer, Outer Inner…could be my belly button we’re talkin about.
Len – more poetry, the richness of which continues to teach me teach me. Belly Button and All.
Be – you made me smile re: “great loves” oh we must all have them, yes? Mine ‘one great’ and I have exactly opposing Mercury. And we are so “in-sync” even when we’re “out” it’s beyond believable (and great fun!)
My Pluto exactly conjuncts his Venus. And his Saturn opposes that Jupiter/Neptune/NN thing I’ve got going.
Additionally his Saturn, Pluto and Neptune form their own yod which interacts with both of mine.
All relationships are special. I mean All. I love people and interacting with them. But this ‘one great’ and I share some bond that is beyond understanding. Well, except you – and anyone else who’s been blessed to spend some of their life with someone with whom they share some vast’n’deep connection.
Mr. Len – I hope that this type of understanding, this type of connection is something our current astrology is opening doors for. What a greater place this world will be.
be —
you’ve outdone yourself in that comment! what fun. 🙂
my mind is all inner-outer-outer-innified. and my venus in aries simply seems to want to share the love & go play with the rest of those planets hanging out by the punch bowl in their rams’ horns.
Hi Len,
It just occurred to me that the inner Mercury-ruled esoteric side of an Aries person could well relate to an outer Mercury-ruled traditional Western side of a Gemini person, and vice verse. The inner Venus-ruled esoteric side of a Gemini person could be quite attracted to the outer Mars-ruled traditional Western side of an Aries individual. of course, Mercury, noted for his duality can get along with almost anybody’s inner or outer, if he is so inclined. In this case anyway, probably the two outer selves (Mars & Mercury ruled) could strike up an outer relationship and then later discover their inner selves (Mercury and Venus ruled) and find an even deeper and more meaningful self through each other. Just sayin’.
One of the great loves of my life had Mercury conjunct my Venus and my Mercury was conjunct his Venus. We were both Cancers who loved to talk! Still, we really understood each other; almost like twins reportedly do.
Anyway, Dane Rudhyer says about the symbol for Aries 14 “. . a third factor appears: the serpent, whose coiling represents the spiral-like process of evolution”. Eric Meyers, in his book “Climbing the Spiral Stairway” describes himself as an evolutionary astrologer, and says that one of the catagories in this description “includes any astrology that views the soul as a work in progress, that sees a human life as part of a process of soul growth over a series of past incarnations.” (see the Mountain Astrologer, April-May ’11 for interview/article)
Meyers also says in the final chapter of his book “The Spiral Stairway is a synthesis of how cyclical evolution and the quality of one’s consciousness interact. Ideally, as consciousness evolves, we climb the spiral stairway instead of chasing our tails.” My impression is that this is what you are saying about the message Mercury has called our attention to, and what the New Moon reiterates, that our polarized selves and our polarized societies have reached a point where unity can and must be found through the evolutionary process.
In the New Moon chart for April 3, all the planetary strength in Aries, and the opposition between Jupiter (+ Sun/Moon) and Saturn, and the square from Pluto, and the north node conjunct the GC, and the unification represented by Pisces planets Venus, Ceres, Chiron and, in 2 arc minutes, or less than 24 hours, includes the planet Neptune, are telling us what you are telling us. Wake up to something bigger than yourself; we are all one. You Aquarians never give up do you?
be
Thank you so much for this Len
Still thinking for reducing radiation
Electro essence – reduces radiation http://www.ausflowers.com.au see p386-391 The New Encyclopaedia of Flower Remedies (Clare Harvey) re electro essence and reducing radiation contamination, and remedies for cancer – in particular lilac (releases self healing), but many other combinations: petite fleur range http://www.aromahealthtexas.com
Len, thank you so much. I really appreciate how you develop the themes….. and also, more than any other astro writer I know of, you express the movement and flows of these events, whereas most seem to focus primarily on the moment of exactitude, or one discreet moment after another, rather than the actual movements developing…… Both are important of course, but I’ve not seen anyone do quite what you do with the ongoing motion of the energies.
I think I may actually be able to track with this echo phase this time, that will be interesting!
one of my all-time favourites for years and years:
http://www.william-blake.org/The-reunion-of-the-soul-and-the-body-(The-re-union-of-soul-and-body).html
Prometheus lives on within you Len!