Mercury square Jupiter: broaden your vision, watch the details

How deep are you willing to go? How do you know when it’s time to keep tunneling or submerging, and how do you know when it’s time to broaden your vision, or to begin translating that vision into parallel tracks (such as simultaneous inner and outer exploration)? As we experience Venus and retrograde Mercury in their Pisces conjunction, Mercury is also moving into a square with Jupiter in Gemini (exact Saturday) and just before that, a conjunction to Chiron in Pisces. What are you hearing when you slow down enough to listen to yourself?

I ask partly because in the last couple of hours before writing this, I have had one close friend begin working with a spiritual healer — something that previously would have been far beyond his comfort zone, his sphere of interest and his worldview — and I’ve had another old friend express curiosity about doing the same.

I get the sense that they are not the only people for whom Mercury’s journey through Pisces is becoming something like going deep-sea diving through underwater caves — especially with this retrograde leg of the trip being made with so much planetary company.

The sea-caves of the soul may not be visible from dry land, but once you get into them, you realize just how amazing and spacious they are. As noted Tuesday by Len Wallick and also in Tuesday’s Daily Astrology column, Mercury-Venus in Pisces is marked by a sense of walking the walk in terms of acting on what you value (and Pisces rules the feet, after all), as well as truly intimate communication and inner awareness.

So tangibly taking steps to embark on a healing journey or other counseling relationship fits the bill: it demonstrates that you value your own spiritual health and are curious about it.

Chiron’s steady presence in the current aspects emphasizes the idea of exploring within and communicating outwardly for the purposes of healing. Eric recently wrote that, “What is of the Pisces realm is more subject to faith than it is to proof.”

You might not have any proof that the steps you are about to take are the ‘right’ ones. That’s okay — all you need is faith that if you are here, at the mouth of the sea cave with your air tank and flippers and flashlight, then you must be ready to enter.

But what about the square that retrograde Mercury is forming to Jupiter in Gemini? This is looking like the opportunity to translate your new self-awareness and insights into bigger plans and long-range goals for your spiritual healing and creative endeavors.

It’s not quite the same green light that we get when Mercury stations direct and then leaves its second shadow phase. We’re still moving in the overall direction of ‘inward’. What we get now is the ability to glimpse the whole picture; we can sense just how much further we can go with it. Particularly in the case of creative projects, we may get some foresight into the financial decisions and transactions that would further those goals.

The caveat is that our enthusiasm over our inner discoveries and vision could lend itself to being sloppy about details. We might overlook things that don’t quite fit into that vision. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep the idea of inner direction or review in mind in terms of any action taken at this point. You don’t need to be afraid to move things forward in the world, but do exercise a degree of hyper-awareness toward any details you might be tempted to gloss over.

Mercury square Jupiter, especially with Jupiter in Gemini, can equal a very active mind — the kind that translates to forgetfulness. (You know, like when you’re thinking of everything else in the world except your keys as you leave the house — and lock yourself out.) This Mercury retrograde seems to be less about electronics on the fritz and miscommunication than some tend to be, but that’s no reason to invite such things through careless thinking or overconfidence.

Speaking of overconfidence, Mercury square Jupiter at its worst can translate into arrogance, self-righteousness and rash decisions. These qualities could alienate the very people you might be counting on to help you move forward with your newfound insights and creative vision. Remember to hear yourself before you start to speak.

Luckily the Moon moves through Capricorn and Aquarius as the Mercury-Jupiter square builds. With Saturn related to both of those signs, the idea is to rely on existing structures to help guide realistic first steps — and actually work with what you have from where you are. No skipping steps, though you may be getting a boost right now. But do take the steps.