Weekend Astrology: Mercury slowing to station

There are those Mercury retrogrades that seem like they will never end; we may be in one now, though the end is near — that happens Wednesday, Aug. 8. The most interesting phase of the experience has yet to come.

Mercury has been retrograde in Leo since July 15. It’s about to station direct in a quincunx to Neptune in Pisces, which is another way of saying “slippery when wet.” Speak the truth and when in doubt, don’t say anything.

Speaking of wet, we’re entering what’s called the Mercury storm phase, a turbulent phase when the little troublemaker has slowed down to a near stop (moving a small fraction of a degree per day). This stretches across both sides of the station — that is, it will last for about four or five days after Mercury goes direct on Wednesday.

Yet regardless of the storm, the moment Mercury goes direct can come as a relief, and it can come with a revelation of some kind. I suggest you apply this astrology in a practical way and be alert for a discovery, or seeing through the veil of deception or denial that may be hanging around like a fog.

I suggest that the moment you discover something that is not true, pause and figure out what just happened, going as far back into the past as you need to go in order to understand what’s happening. You may be “keeping a secret from yourself” (that’s called denial) or your mind may be distracted by some other factor.

In matters of business, contracts and purchases, I suggest you wait until Mercury stations direct, and plan for an extra couple of days till you really have a sense of what information is relevant, and which is not. Be cautious of errors in judgment associated with alcohol or other mind-altering substances. At the moment, this factor is more significant than usual, which is saying a lot.

The Moon has just entered Pisces today, adding to the creativity, sexiness and possible fogginess of this Friday night. As it encounters Neptune, that speaks even more to being aware of how pliable your emotional state might become if you add any of the aforementioned substances to your unwinding. Once the Moon enters Aries just before 5 pm EDT Sunday, any weekend excesses may meet with strong, impulsive reactions. That doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Just be aware that between the Moon and Mercury, you’ll want to keep patience and mindfulness in your back pocket as you reply to emails (or open your mouth).

Also note: Venus will be in a sign other than Gemini for the first time since April 3 when it ingresses Cancer on Tuesday. As of today, it has spent four whole months — and much of that retrograde — in the sign of the twins. That is an entire third of 2012, and it underscores the influence of the Venus transit of the Sun on your experience of this year.

Consider taking some time this weekend to review any emotional intelligence you’ve enjoyed, or better still, any inner integration and resolution of opposites you explored during Venus’ retrograde and transit of the Sun. Venus in Cancer is a more mothering and security-oriented influence; more emotional than intellectual. As Venus moves into range of aspecting Uranus in Aries and Pluto in Capricorn and their era-defining square, we’ll explore those dynamics in the Daily Astrology.