Best Mind Forward – Mercury’s Two-fer Weekend

Mercury will pass between Earth and Sun this weekend. From our perspective, it will be a conjunction of Sun and retrograde Mercury in Sagittarius. That’s just the half of it. Only 14 hours after the conjunction, Mercury backs into a square with Mars in Virgo. The two aspects can legitimately be considered one event. It’s yet another big chapter in the current saga of the Sun in Sagittarius. It’s also a big opportunity for you to enhance the power of your expression, so long as you put your best mind forward.

One way or another you have probably noticed that you can’t swing a centaur in Sagittarius without bumping into something powerful. It’s a diverse crowd too. Eclipse, you say? Yup, a big one just burned a hole right over there. Sun, you ask? Of course, it’s the star of the show, complete with an entourage of shadow material. Planet in the house? None other than Mercury. Gotta code? Blow your node. Perhaps something attractive? Only the greatest for you. Then, of course we do have the Galactic Core if you prefer your spirituality to be sourced locally. It’s not just the number of objects aspected, however, that distinguishes the current Mercury retrograde, it’s the sign.

Clear on the other side of the zodiac is Gemini. Mercury is the ruling planet of Gemini. By luck of the geometric draw, that means Mercury has to be in detriment in the sign that opposes Gemini. That, of course is Sagittarius. Detriment does not mean fold your cards and give up. As the late, great Rockie (Rachelle) Gardiner often reminded us, astrology is not destiny. For sure, a planet in detriment does not have the easiest time, but that may be a good thing for the role it plays in our lives. After all, how are you going to get better if you are not challenged?

What role does Mercury have in astrology? In the words of shamanic astrologer Sheila Belanger, planets are archetypes for something in your life. As our own Sarah Taylor averred just yesterday, archetypes have the meaning we give them. Human beings have always been able to see Mercury. Mythologies have grown up around the fact that it moves quickly and is never far from the Sun. From those observations and myths we have a very old archetype that is probably encoded somewhere in human DNA, having to do with mind and its expression. So, what about retrograde?

Some interpret retrograde motion as a kind of detriment in itself, bad news, something to fear. That opinion neglects a few facts. The apparent backward motion is just that, an illusion borne of our perspective. Retrograde says less about the planet than it says about something that is readily under our control, point of view. Then there is the fact that retrograde motion, apparent or not, simply covers the same ground three times. That’s not a bad thing. Who could not afford to take another look at where we have been and how we think now and then?

What Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius really represents, then, is an opportunity to challenge yourself as regards to the planetary archetype and come out of it with a stronger mind. Instead of reflexive thinking, why not take a moment to reflect? Instead of giving up on communication, why not do it differently? It would appear that there is something to gain by retracing your steps over where you may have previously tripped. Unless, that is, you are actually proud of having done it. That’s where the concurrent square to Mars comes in.

In the words of Robert Hand, the archetype of Mars says “This is what I am and I can be no other way!” In many ways that’s a healthy assertion of the energy that you need to maintain your identity, autonomy and integrity in a world with teeth. It’s a fine line to walk, however. Those who have best integrated the energy of Mars feel no need to reassure themselves through public declarations of strength. That’s just the sort of expression that can result, however, when Mercury squares Mars.

The archetype of an ostensibly debilitated and retrograde Mercury is very vulnerable to the internal tension of a square to Mars. Communications offered in good faith can be perceived as offensive or patronizing. Anyone not in agreement with you can appear to be a physical threat. Matters of ego can become matters of life or death. Fortunately, this time we have the Sun as part of the aspect.      
Put Mercury in front of the Sun, effectively eclipsing it, and we have the plain and simple image of putting our best, most thoughtful mind in front of our consciousness for a while. There is nothing to fear in that. A concession to thought is not going to block your big, beautiful light. Rather, let the solar conjunction to Mercury have it fullest meaning of merging the two archetypes and strengthening both. Then the square to Mars can become an asset of discernment rather than a defensive liability, contributing to healthy boundaries rather than debilitating isolation.

Mercury’s two-fer aspect this weekend is a perfect reason to be aware of astrology. Intentionally integrating the archetypes of intellect, consciousness and ego energy can make you a stronger, more creative, less vulnerable communicator capable of exchanging gracefully without conflict. Going through the challenge represented by retrograde motion in a detrimental sign full of other energies is not a losing proposition at all. Rather, it is the opportunity to put your best mind forward and distinguish yourself for the ability to be truly compassionate and win because, not in spite, of it.

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