By Len Wallick
Well my mind is goin’ through them changes, I feel just like mittin’ of time…
-Buddy Miles
Mercury enters the cardinal water sign Cancer today at at 3:09 pm EDT, the latest in a rapid succession of planets changing sign or direction since the first of June. Among them all, the trickster is setting the tempo at this point. The implication is that we are encountering events head first. That may be a good thing. It may not. At the very least, we should be aware that it is our minds that are both taking the brunt and leading the way through a complex and demanding cycle of eclipses.
The whole thing started with a partial solar eclipse in Gemini on June 1. The Moon cast its shadow over Earth’s geomagnetic north pole. Less than 24 hours later, Mercury, the planet we associate with magnetism, left lush Taurus behind. It came home to the sign it rules. It found the Moon still there spooning with the Sun right on top of the lunar south node. If you can forgive the employment of a biblical allusion, it would be fair to say our trickster knew that eclipse better than any other planet.
A wealth of puns aside, the symbolic connection between Mercury and the first of three eclipses is hard to miss. The planet associated with mind found its twin bed occupied by brighter lights. At about the same time our consciousness was confronted with the intimate lives of public luminaries. Our thoughts were challenged to find the narrow path between attention and distraction. To ignore the situation completely would have been to deny our sexuality; to become obsessed would have been an act of neglect. Our consciousness was taking the brunt of too much information. At the same time we have needed to be fully conscious to find our way through events in a healthy manner.
Yesterday’s lunar eclipse brought things to a head, both literally and figuratively. Paradox, polarity and dualism were the names of the game. The luminaries were opposed and also closely conjunct the lunar nodes, and that dual polarity made it a totality. The Gemini Sun found the light of its consciousness linked with the karma precipitated by past actions as represented by the lunar south node. On the other side, the Sagittarius Full Moon found itself paradoxically in the dark while in proximity to dharma’s potential as symbolized by the northern node. Finally all of them, Sol, Luna and nodes, were returning to very nearly the same position they were in 19 years ago. Taking all of that together, you may have experienced a Frodo moment of not being able to see anything at all.
In spite of participating from the rear threshold of Gemini this time, Mercury once again found itself out front. As the object most closely opposing the Galactic Core, it symbolized our minds locking on to the homing signal emanating from the center of creation as we know it.
Outside of our galaxy there is no one point of reference for everything. The last stop to fuel up on perspective is our Sun’s ‘sun’, the middle of the Milky Way. If you got through yesterday in good enough shape to comprehend these words, you probably have Mercury’s opposition to the center of our galaxy to thank. It was the single most distinguishing feature of the lunar eclipse. It was the aspect that told us the past was not intended for repeating. It was the symbolic link to what we can do to make sure of that. Namely, to establish contact between our minds and the core of their creation.
Now, after symbolizing both the use and keeping of our minds through two eclipses, Mercury moves on. After being the first planet to change signs after the first eclipse, it becomes the first to change signs twice this month. After making itself the last object to aspect a Neptune in direct motion, it will be the first to hook up with Neptune in Pisces going both ways. After representing our mind goin’ through them changes, the trickster plunges head first into the waters of the crab.
In the sign of Cancer, ruled in orthodoxy by the Moon and esoterically by Neptune, Mercury will carry on. As the first planet in this new quadrant, it will remind us to keep our heads up and our thoughts forward as the Sun follows close behind and the Moon comes around to meet it. Mercury is not done. By the same token, we are not done in any sense of the word. We are still in the mittin’ of all the times of all our lives. We are movin’ on head first with a clear message from our fleet ally. The trickster is speaking from experience in telling us all: Keep thinkin’, that’s what you’re good at.
Offered In Service
I awoke finding the remenants of dream strange; now they are not so much — mother (moon and my creator) stoically serving me (sun) ‘spirituality’ (GC in Sag) on a silver plate.
As badly as I want/ed to understand the depths of my soul (in one serving), I refused the offering.
Something else awaited; and something is not to be repeated.
I awoke with un-communicable questions.
Cancer is a lifetime ‘sore spot’ for me; and therefore uncharted waters. I anticipate Merc’s journey will be an interesting trip as already my denied fantisies, emotions, BEING are consciously and constructively bubbling to surface.
Blessed Be Me; Mercury, Neptune and Pisces….and you Len. Thank you.
Green-star-gazer: Amen, I’m going through something similar. And it is a bit different this time, I’m less thinking it “happened to me” and more thinking “it happened and I’m still here”. Maybe we’re being forged, gold is made prettier by the hammer blows it recieves. Hang on to that centaur mane!
Len,
As always your contributions are bright and sparkling as Sirius itself, thank you so very much to all who are tracking these celestial road maps and illuminating the way. It is so very much needed and appreciated.
For me, this eclipse cycle brought up a very old and very familiar pattern, one that always catches me by surprise when it happens. The pattern is what some might label “betrayal” or “abandonment”. I am (sadly) so familiar with the territory that now, at least, I don’t take it personally, but it always comes suddenly, without (much) warning and with Uranian like thunderbolt from the sky drama. It usually involves a male who is in partnership with me in some form or another… someone whom I feel I’ve developed a bond, either as a friend, or a lover, or a collaborator of some kind. There is a lot of Mercurial, trickster qualities to this pattern because it almost always is about me fully believing that what people are saying, and telling me is the truth. Since being truthful is of high importance to me, it always catches me off guard to discover people are very willing and represent themselves one way for a long period of time and then, boom, switch 180 degrees and vanish. Or, drop a lead wall between us and effectively sever the connection in very short order.
This time it happened again. The first hints crossed my intuitive receptors around the first eclipse so I was on alert for traps and cross-currents in the wind. Sure enough the ground was no longer as solid as it appeared. But, I did not back down when the patriarchal male character tried to “put me in my place”. The unconscious undermining continued and I was willing to co-operate and even compromise a little for the sake of the project, which was dear to my heart and had been a labor of love for the past 11 months. The words coming from the other side were smooth, charming and seemed to speak of a glowing future. By the time this second eclipse rolled around, I knew the Universe was making big changes, however I just didn’t see this one coming at all. I so still take people at their word! It’s the Sag rising in me I suppose… always wanting to believe the best in people.
So when the rug had been pulled out, trap door opened and I found myself in free-fall once more, the day before the eclipse, I was grateful to know that all of this was Divinely orchestrated and co-created. I looked back on my part and saw that what I was in “control” over was handled well enough. I had no regrets or second doubts, especially about myself. This was indeed new. In the past (oh so MANY times!) I would wander in a limbo land for eternities after events like these wondering what I had done to “deserve” this… and why were my dreams unable to come true …. again?.
THIS time however a very new message came thru as I sat with the Earth as she transmuted the frequencies from the GC thru the Moon and Mercury… what came this time was the message that these disappointments are not about depriving me of joy… they are in fact all about strengthening Spiritual character and flexibility. In other words, the flying carpet rides are not about missing the destination, but rather learning how to free-fall well and without regret or blame… and still remain compassionate even in deep disappointment. Not everyone is here to “live their dream” in the way that we THINK it should be.
From the Soul’s perspective, perhaps a lifetime of “betrayal” and “abandonment” may be a huge success because something else is gained by living thru these dramas, and flourishing despite them… perhaps even because of them.
Still… fine thoughts aside, emotionally it sucks! And with a very heavy water chart learning how to move thru the violent currents of betrayal and abandonment have not been easy. But hey, I signed up for this so onward we go! I cling to my Centaurs mane as a new arrow is knocked in the bow and we re-set our sights on a whole new horizon now that the old one has vanished.
Can’t wait for act III !! Thanks SOOO much for shining a light on the “program notes” for this opera !
Back now to the trenches!
How true Len, the mind is going through changes. All things considered, going through them pretty fast too. Maybe not fast enough for the Republicans and Democrats on the Hill, but Anthony Weiner today will announce (or has already) his resignation. Elected politicians, anxious to move away from the media’s (and by extension the public’s) focus on non-political issues, will breathe a sigh of relief now.
Our thoughts “were challenged to find the narrow path between attention and distraction”. I think finding the path between thinking and feeling has also been challenging. What with the “brighter lights” of Sun and Moon having been diminished somewhat in the first half of this month, Mercury has done admirably in utilizing his own light, thanks in part to his agility, his sign of Gemini, and his partnering with the GC. It has already produced noticable results in Mr. Weiner’s realization that fighting his party and their great need to put his story behind them, was not a wise decision. Listening to some of his constituents being interviewed it is easy to see that a choice between emotions and thinking was going to require some higher level of wisdom to bridge the impasse. Here the GC balancing with Mercury in Gemini could work out the problems of past vs future while they were in tandem with the Moon’s nodes. Something we all could use.
In your recent article “The Window Within” you said “wounded people are everywhere” and Mr. Weiner has been the poster child for wounded people this month. But you also said that “we have been left in control” and I believe this lunar eclipse, with it’s display of flexibility and adaptability symbolized by Mercury is also connected to being and staying in control. These are requirements of being able to survive change. Not all by himself of course, but when trying to find a path or a bridge or out of any conundrum you get caught in, who you gonna call?
This Spring the equinox chart had Mercury opposed the Moon from action cardinal signs, but this month’s solstice chart has them trine each other and both in water signs. Ahhh, that’s more like it.
be
“The past was not intended for repeating”. That’s been what this week has taught me. I’m glad it’s not just me, even though it’s not nice to go through, at least I’m not alone.