Mercury slow, Mercury direct

15 thoughts on “Mercury slow, Mercury direct”

1. Thank you Kate!

   I especially appreciated a couple of posts you made a week or two ago.

   (I’m just a bit player – a foot note here or there! But more and more human is the way to go)

   xxxp

2. ‘…all she did was put the curve back in. Her technique (from what I could see) was listening and sounding out – echoing sounds herself (expressing/taking the sound to herself?) as enough to change the note.’

   Pam, thanks. ‘…all she did…’ No small thing.

   Yes, I read books too, still do. And look for a lesson in everything! The worst things, the best things.

   I used to think I would run out of juice, that I could not keep giving, somehow dry up. And that actually prevented me from giving. There had to be a reason to give, something for me. Then it was whic is the best way, the method. Getting it right.

   Now it’s just giving for no sake other than giving. And I realise I have an endless supply. I will not run out. Eternally a student, eternally a teacher. A human being. Everyone’s a teacher, though of course, not always of beautiful and peaceful lessons.

   Thanks for responding.

3. I came back to say I mean no disrespect to therapists. (Jung wrote that even at the height
   of his capabilities he could only accompany a third of his clients sufficiently, a third somewhat, and a third not at all – he didn’t understand their symbolism).

   Kate reading your last post made me realise that when I have been in trouble I have always read books – anything fact or fiction that might give insight however obliquely, and also listened out for someone who had the breadth and depth of experience (humanity) to counsel me. Just do the best I can.

   Latterly it is music that helps me the most, the techniques of playing, and music itself change everything. Again this may be neptune in pisces, and also increasingly conjunct natal saturn.

   It possibly doesn’t matter which technique you use as long as it is helpful to you? One healer said that all she did was put the curve back in. Her technique (from what I could see) was listening and sounding out – echoing sounds herself (expressing/taking the sound to herself?) as enough to change the note.

4. ‘…it would be useful if all therapists trained as astrologers or refered their clients to an astrologer as standard practise.’

   From personal experience, I would also wish that the astrologer has attended therapy, and not just a toe in the water type thing. That they have experience of the process, and of working through their own stuff – otherwise they are in the same potential danger area as a therapist who has not been through proper training or therapy, which for some schools of theory, it is not a requirement.

   I did consult with some ‘astrologers’ back in the day, and I had more self-awareness than they did (and that’s saying something, as I was almost blind!). But I could see them. It was only when I came across Eric’s writing that I found this depth and quality of work existed. That is not to say that it didn’t exist before then, it just wasn’t in my line of sight.

   I struggled with astrology (still do occasionally, but far less so) as I could not get the empirical measure, the evidence I wanted. But, when I wander away from it, arguing with myself the whole time, and then something big ‘happens’ in my immediate world, not to mention the outer world, I find myself months later, wandering back in, looking up the ephemeris and aspect chart and find ‘ta dah’, guess where Saturn’s been, and Pluto, in my chart etc. And it makes so much sense it is incredible to me. So I don’t need the evidence. I have it.

   I think of astrology as a doorway to the self, as with mythology, and other fascinating schools of thought about the human condition – after all, nothing new under the sun. Ideally, a marriage of the whole damned lot.

   I realise, if I am honest, that I have been an astrology student since I was 12 (down to my Mother and her brilliant Linda Goodman book, followed by the unique Patrick Walker). I’m just about to be 49…

5. perimeters. Perhaps limited by fear would be better

6. In a way a therapist doesn’t have a sense of the patterns of your natal chart, IMO it would be useful if all therapists trained as astrologers or refered their clients to an astrologer as standard practise.

   Perhaps other people’s experiences are different, but I would choose an astrologer over a therapist any day – the first astrologer I consulted told me she had loads of mercury in her chart and I had come to her the day before a major mercury transit. She told me a load of stuff related to my chart and who I am (which rang true) but the thing that really helped me was that she said people coming to her born in Rhodesia between UDI and Independence often exhibit symptoms of exile: and that just put everything in perspective for me.

   IMO there is more chance of a succinct lead into what troubles you/something to be going on with, or the movement of cycles within cycles ie there there can be a change of gear, an exit, new information. Another astrologer told me that Neptune was just going over the top of my chart and not to be surprised if nothing came together for a decade, just to go with what came up rather than putting my own agenda in place. she also said that even if I lost everything (I did) jupiter was positoned in such a way that there would be a cushion of one sort or another (there was).

   Many difficulties (at least in my case) are due to not thinking big enough/not having a sense of big enough perimeters – if someone can encourage you to think bigger using the legitimate reference of your natal chart, there is an accuracy that is very helpful. Made to measuure.

   I’ve consulted an astrologer 5 or 6 times in my life, always to good effect.

   (Of course, apparently the neptune effect is never ending – perhaps when it exits pisces? Or praps I haven’t got out of the rut?!)

   Anyway happy day!

   xxxp

7. Re discussion thread:

   I find it all somewhat ironic, because in much of my experience so far, not only do I encounter similar views here in UK, but also the opposite.

   Since I started training as a therapist, it became clear to me that many people would be happier visiting with an astrologer, tarot reader, medium, etc than EVER go to see a therapist. Because going to see a therapist = you have a mental illness; that you are actually mad, have seriously serious problems which would mean you are a failure, or perhaps worse still, that you might discover something about yourself that means that you are mentally ill or a failure. And in much of the media here, therapy and counselling is slagged off constantly, (could poss be on a par with astrology actually) showing therapists as jesus-sandal, hessian clad, multi-coloured scarf wearing weirdos, who when they open their mouths, sound like they’ve just swallowed an entire bottle of Earnest & Sincere pills.

   And anway, with astrology they can always say ‘well it’s just a little bit of harmless fun, isn’t it’, I don’t actually believe it.’ But I wouldn’t believe that line either, because I suspect that in itself covers up the real wish or belief lurking behind, that the answer lies in the stars (or other people) and not in ‘my hands’, because taking responsibility for my life and the relationships I choose, the behaviour I choose, the jobs I choose, the blame I choose, the inaction I choose is a big ask. If it wasn’t, I’d be powerful beyond measure. And that would be the scary thing.

   Thing is, therapists, like astrologers are not made the same. Some are much, much, much better than others.

8. …again..

   “If you didn’t care what happened to me, and I didn’t care for you, we would zig-zag our way through the boredom and pain, occassionally glancing up through the rain, wondering which of the buggers to blame.. and watching for pigs on the wing…”

   -Pink Floyd

   🙂

   Me

9. Mercury is making station on my midheaven, it feels like a celebration to me. Launch point for a new version of myself. 🙂

10. the discussion has its roots in the fate versus free will debate of mock christians. It’s a retreaded warmed over leftover replay.

11. About the same time you posted this discussion thread last night, I was reading a Facebook post from a friend of mine that said, “I wish I could stop believing in astronomy and chalk the last three weeks up to Mercury retrograde.”

    The post had about 15 responses and likes all lamenting how terrible the last three weeks had been. That was one of those moments—the ones where someone like me who respects astrology can contribute something to the dialogue. I, however, found myself completely at a loss for the right words to say.

    Do I tell her she doesn’t have to stop believing in astronomy or that if she gave into that thing telling her to believe in Mercury retrograde, she could learn to have a more positive experience of it? Well, no, I don’t say any of that because I realize that my ego is tied up in those responses, but I don’t know how to find a positive way into a dialogue.

    I often see people giving a backhanded acknowledgement to astrology in situations like these. It’s at times when they want to relinquish their power. It’s kind of like, wouldn’t it be nice if I could believe in fate so I didn’t have to take responsibility for my life.

    I also have friends who tell me they don’t really believe in astrology when I try to talk about it, but will surf the net for love sign compatibility the moment something comes up in their romantic lives. There’s the problem that astrology is seen as a source of comfort or confirmation of misery and not as a tool.

    These moments feel like a way in to informing people that astrology has depth but the discussion is already framed with limiting assumptions. I’m working out what my role is in this.

12. David, Melanie, astrologers et al —

    I think part of what we can do is explain that the issue of scientism — a kind of fundamental religious approach to science — exists. It is astrologers who are more inclined to consider philosophy and ethics than are scientists, many of whom (scientists that is) say their role is the hard cold truth, irrespective of ethics (and as Vonnegut said, as a result “the truth is what exploded over Hiroshima”).*

    Geoffrey Cornelius does a fine job illustrating the differences between science and scientism as applied to astrology. What I love about Geoff’s approach (in The Moment of Astrology) is that in analyzing the various attempts over the years to prove astrology using science, he kind of debunks science itself.

    Said another way, it’s worth experimenting with the approach that science deserves to be treated with some skepticism, and its agendas seen for what they are.

    My profession before astrology was unraveling and covering scientific fraud (mainly toxic torts and fraud litigation involving organochlorine chemicals). So I came to astrology knowing that much of what science does is abuse the trust people have in it, and then hurt them. Others need to be shown that the slick marketing campaigns of “science” might not be true.

    As one of the attorneys who trained me said, “The statement of a scientist does not make something a scientific fact.”

    With those who would debunk astrology, we’re about as close to science as the study of totem animals (which are actually much more closely related to science as that study at least involves actual observation of critters).

    I find it amusing when those who say astrology is not empirical offer no empirical support of that supposed fact, nor have they presented a testable hypothesis and proposed experimental method — and withhold judgment till there is a repeated result from the experiment.

    Nothing else can be called science; science depends upon the scientific method. And it is kinda brilliant that these supposed valiant defenders of the empirical miss that fact entirely.

    They also missed that day in logic when the professor said, “You cannot prove a negative.”

    You cannot prove there are no black swans or that astrology does not work.

    ef

    *Footnote Borasisi

13. Hello again,

    Melanie wrote: “We must not, in my view, aspire to be accepted by the mainstream world, dominated as it is by scientism and secular (or religious) fundamentalism.” This is one of the options that I mentioned for resolving the scientism of the mainstream world versus the non-scientism of the astrological world. Different astrologers will draw different conclusions but I think that this is one very reasonable point of view.

    David

    —– Original Message —–
    From: Melanie Reinhart
    To: Eric Francis Coppolino
    Cc: Glenn Perry ; Donna Woodwell ; Gisele Terry ; Madalyn Hillis-Dineen ; John Marchesella ; Linda Leahman ; David Cochrane ; Lee Lehman ; Terry Johnson ; Joseph Crane ; Steven Forrest ; Tad Mann ; Enid Newberg ; Bob Mulligan ; Laura Nalbandian ; Tem Tarriktar ; Chris McRae ; Susan Miller ; Susie Cox ; Chris Brennan
    Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2014 9:27 AM
    Subject: Re: A query matching your search ‘Astrology’ has recently been added!

    Hello everyone ….and thanks, Eric, for bringing me into this loop …

    Agree entirely with the points you make, Eric. Indeed astrology can ‘endarken’ people. Many of us will have seen ‘casualty clients’, who are inwardly tormented by something astrological they have read, heard or been told. Agree that discernment is the key, on the part of both astrologer and client. Your client anecdote … did I see the same client as you yesterday ?!? Exact same issue – I salute your witty reply!

    Seems to me that the ‘need to be right’ is often what trips up both the ‘scientists’ and also the ‘astrologers’ … when this is the emotional agenda, discernment and wisdom are lost to the limited binary thinking of the ego. Here, I recall some of the ‘inter-necine’ conflicts which have surfaced from time to time in our own field of astrology down the years. However, ‘scientism’ is the prevailing mythos, and according to any tribal way of thinking, those who depart from the status quo simply must be hunted down and cast out. Astrology makes a good scapegoat.

    As this goes on, the more it will help us to re-cognize and re-confirm, inwardly, that astrology is an esoteric art connected to the core of the sacred whose form is expressed as the Wisdom Traditions and religions of the world. Meaning that one has to be called to it, respond to the call, and also invest a great deal of time and energy studying and practising it, as a skilful means which accompanies the path of awakening. If this is not understood, what’s left is disjointed, trivial or even harmful. Conversely, with this intuitive and felt understanding in place, it is possible for people who have neither studied formally, nor ‘know’ much, to use astrology wisely and intelligently. It’s not about which ‘technique’ is ‘the right one’, but about how wisely and usefully it is applied.

    We must not, in my view, aspire to be accepted by the mainstream world, dominated as it is by scientism and secular (or religious) fundamentalism. If an individual is open-minded enough to want to engage in a (truly) rational and open-hearted debate, let’s welcome it. But let’s not seek to try and ‘prove’ anything to anyone. Ever. Especially don’t let’s get caught in the hubris of trying to change the collective ‘prevailing view’. This always backfires, because of the ‘need to be right’ thing. The fact that the abuse of astrology, and indeed its potentially abusive use, is wide-spread, should not cause us to deviate from our personal dedication to its wise use. In the interests of custodianship, if this requires that we wear Pluto’s ‘helmet of invisibility’, so be it. Astrology has a way of ‘looking after itself’ and if it’s general use becomes too corrupt, it will be banned, as it was in 17th Century academia.

    Rant over!

    There must be something ‘in the air’ – perhaps Jupiter T-sq the Nodal Axis – as I’ve been asked twice recently to speak or write on this sort of theme … in one piece I riffed on the statement that, ‘A little knowledge is a dangerous thing’ … to which Einstein is reputed to have replied, ‘So is a lot’ !!!

    Love,

    Melanie

    On 27 June 2014 23:08, Eric Francis Coppolino wrote:
    Hi Glenn,

    I would agree with you and in this case it is we who would be meeting them on common ground, or on “their side,” rather than asking them to move.

    Were I doing this interview (from the “astrology side”) I would immediately concede the point that astrology can be harmful — and add that it’s true of every profession, from law to doctors to nutritionists to therapists. One must use discernment all the time. There is a brisk business in medical malpractice, much of which could have been obviated by getting a second opinion.

    One thing we need to address is that astrology is somehow special — that it exists outside the bounds of usual social experience, or outside the bounds of reality.

    None of these skeptics stand up to George Carlin — and that may be because they don’t really have a gripe.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r-e2NDSTuE

    We might adopt this strategy as a way of life; that astrology can enlighten or endarken. It’s always up to the individual astrologer to stand up to this challenge, though public dialog would help — we most certainly do not control that dialog yet.

    As i said to a client today who was pleading for predictions about when her life “will get better,” “You’re asking me to sell out your power and to sell out my soul. You’ll have to pay me more for that.” She got the joke.

    One problem here is that when astrologers talk about the supposedly unethical side of astrology, it’s almost always Sun-sign horoscopes that are held up as the supposedly bad thing. That demonstrates lack of discernment and misses all the other ways it’s possible to use astrology unethically, the more serious because it often happens in “reports” and one to one consulting.

    ef

    On Jun 27, 2014, at 4:12 PM, Glenn Perry wrote:

    Eric,

    Polarizing to people who have mistaken or distorted beliefs is not helpful. Clearly, there are ways “that belief in astrology can be in some way harmful or counterproductive to mental health…” The entire field of ethics in astrology addresses exactly this point. By demonstrating that professional astrologers differentiate between constructive and harmful uses of astrology, there’s at least a small chance of minimizing the PR damage that otherwise follows from a distorted, one-size-fits-all, tar everyone with the same brush hit job.

    It may turn out that such efforts are futile, but there’s no harm done in trying.

    Glenn

    From: Eric Francis Coppolino [mailto:dreams@planetwaves.net]
    Sent: Friday, June 27, 2014 4:03 PM
    To: Donna Woodwell
    Cc: Glenn Perry; ‘Gisele Terry’; ‘Madalyn Hillis-Dineen’; ‘John Marchesella’; ‘Linda Leahman’; ‘David Cochrane’; ‘Lee Lehman’; ‘Terry Johnson’; ‘Joseph Crane’; ‘Steven Forrest’; ‘Tad Mann’; ‘Enid Newberg’; ‘Bob Mulligan’; ‘Laura Nalbandian’; ‘Tem Tarriktar’; ‘Chris McRae’; ‘Susan Miller’; ‘Susie Cox’; Chris Brennan
    Subject: Re: A query matching your search ‘Astrology’ has recently been added!

    Common ground?

    Glenn, you’re a therapist — there is no common ground when someone has an agenda. It’s like saying to a bank robber, “Will you settle for half?”

    ef

    On Jun 27, 2014, at 3:40 PM, Donna Woodwell wrote:

    Yes, address queries to the query-40zr request

    Chris Brennan suspected it might be a response to this http://io9.com/why-believing-in-astrology-is-not-as-harmless-as-you-th-1595802206

    Posted a few days ago, and I think he might be right.

    Namaste,
    donna

    From: Glenn Perry [mailto:glenn@aaperry.com]
    Sent: Friday, June 27, 2014 2:38 PM
    To: Donna Woodwell; Gisele Terry; Madalyn Hillis-Dineen; John Marchesella; Linda Leahman; David Cochrane; Lee Lehman; Terry Johnson; ‘Joseph Crane’; Steven Forrest; Tad Mann; Enid Newberg; Bob Mulligan; Laura Nalbandian; Eric Francis; Tem Tarriktar; Chris McRae; Susan Miller; Susie Cox
    Subject: RE: A query matching your search ‘Astrology’ has recently been added!

    Very interesting, Donna. I’m going to respond, as maybe there’s a way of pre-empting the damage or at least minimizing it by finding some common ground.

    I’m assuming I should respond to: query-40zr@helpareporter.net ?

    Or is it: haro@helpareporter.com ?

    Glenn

    From: Donna Woodwell [mailto:four.moons.astrology@gmail.com]
    Sent: Friday, June 27, 2014 2:59 PM
    To: Gisele Terry; Madalyn Hillis-Dineen; John Marchesella; Linda Leahman; David Cochrane; Lee Lehman; Glenn Perry; Terry Johnson; ‘Joseph Crane’; Steven Forrest; Tad Mann; Enid Newberg; Bob Mulligan; Laura Nalbandian; Eric Francis; Tem Tarriktar; Chris McRae; Susan Miller; Susie Cox
    Subject: FW: A query matching your search ‘Astrology’ has recently been added!

    Hey folks,

    FYI, I watch what the reporters are asking for… This came across the wire today. So I’m guessing there’s going to be a fun article on the way…

    Namaste,
    Donna

    From: haro@helpareporter.com [mailto:haro@helpareporter.com]
    Sent: Friday, June 27, 2014 1:35 PM
    To: Donna@fourmoonsastrology.com
    Subject: A query matching your search ‘Astrology’ has recently been added!

    1) Summary: Therapist/researcher worried about adverse effects of astrology

    Name: Adriana Velez The Stir

    Category: Master HARO

    Email: query-40zr@helpareporter.net

    Media Outlet: The Stir

    Deadline: 7:00 PM Eastern Standard Time – 30 June

    Query:

    I’m looking for a therapist/counselor who thinks astrology is
    bunk and is maybe even concerned that belief in astrology can be
    in some way harmful or counterproductive to mental health and
    self actualization, or a researcher who has actually studied the
    effect of astrology belief on mental health, wellness, etc.

    Requirements:

    Someone in practice, or someone who has published on the subject.

    ———————————–

    12051 Indian Creek Ct., Beltsville, MD 20705, USA

    Your HARO subscription address is: Donna@fourmoonsastrology.com

    For delivery help: support@helpareporter.com
    –
    Team HARO
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    MELANIE REINHART
    http://www.melaniereinhart.com
    http://www.starwalkerpress.com

14. Hey Eric,
    Just read your July Stars. I love you man, just fucking love ya. Libra and Scorpio were such perfect words. It’s great to read something that keeps you on track, focused and inspired. I also think it’s so cool that the Sun is conjunct Jupiter (and Venus trine Neptune) on the 24th, Mars comes home to Scorp on the 25th, and there is a New Moon on the 26th. Like you say often, these are like one event.
    Thank you again,
    HugS

    …and thanks for this clip you posted some time ago. It always makes me laugh, esp during Merc Rx!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ebv51QNm2Bk
    😉

15. ..You might consider travelling out to the Grandmother Land with someone (a date?..), lighting a fire, and boiling some water (may as well make some tea out of it) in in honor of the Moons transition. 🙂

    Lotsa Love,

    Jere