Mercury stations retrograde on Tuesday, Election Day in the United States. As we approach both events, it is important to have both a plan and perspective. After Mercury’s motion appears to reverse, we will all enter a period when we should plan to review and revise how we think. After the election, it will be appropriate to put the results in perspective. Either way, we will be dealing with what it is.
Acting with and upon what it is does not mean you are giving up your power. It means you are working within the limits of your power. Mercury in apparent reverse motion will allow each and all of us to discover those limits one way or the other.
One way or another, United States presidents have discovered the limits of their power. Somewhere along the line, the commander-in-chief lost the authority to end war and still remain in office. More recently, chief executives have lost control of their cabinets. Some presidents have figured out how to work within what it is, some have not. In a way, that has become the job description.
Whether you are a United States citizen or not, all of of humanity will have a similar job description when the presidential campaign ends and Mercury’s apparent reversal begins. The nature of that employment will be to evaluate the state of the world and review (possibly even revise) your place in it. The timing will be good. The first week of Mercury in retrograde will begin with the last quarter Moon, and end with a Scorpio New Moon solar eclipse while Mercury is retracing its steps in Sagittarius.
One week of Mercury retrograde in the cleansing fires of Sagittarius while the lunar cycle resolves will give you the opportunity to formulate some resolutions of your own. The innermost planet’s final approach to pass between Earth and the Sun will be a good time to get clear with yourself. That will be important. Getting clear about your own values and priorities will be essential if you are to work with Mercury’s return to Scorpio.
Just hours after the November 13 Scorpio solar eclipse (which will shadow the South Pacific), and scarce hours before Mercury re-enters Scorpio waters, the fleetest planet will back into the second of three successive square aspects to Neptune in Pisces. Those who have resolved what it is they are about before Mercury’s second square of Neptune will be better able to act on what the world is about. That advantage will come in handy during the weeks to come.
Following the Scorpio solar eclipse, Mercury will return to the deep end of the same sign for nearly four weeks. Those firmly in possession of their heads are less likely to be in over them for that duration. It will not have to be a perilous trip. There may be some whose resolutions entail a risky route, but that will be a matter of choice. Navigable channels and sheltered waters will be included in what it is, as your mind traverses Scorpio seas into December. Regardless of the the course you choose, there will be three things you can get a fix on to plot your passage.
First, know that you are on a journey, not at a destination. Mercury retrograde between eclipses means being on the the move mentally. Next, stay up on deck, where you can see what it is, and where others can see you. This will be no time to batten down the hatches and ride it out. You will want to handle your own rudder. Finally, what it is, whatever it is for you, will not last forever. There will be another side to the eclipse cycle, and it does not lead off the edge of the world, either. After that there will be just as reliably be a conclusion to the Mercury retrograde cycle when your mind can ground itself once again in new territory.
On November 26, Mercury will turn tide direct nearly halfway into Scorpio. The direct tide will take you out the other side of the eclipse cycle two days later. On December 10, for most of us, Mercury will return full steam ahead to Sagittarius and you will be able to dry off. Until then, get and stay clear about what and who you are so that you will be able to observe clearly, remain in touch with, embrace, and act upon what it all is.
Offered In Service
Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.
Reading your article Len, with a hunch is reached with mercury retrograde in conjunction to the North node, I would see a return of something from the past that it will be ask to do something again…
Good Sunday to all 🙂
Dear Maeve
I know what you mean about ancestors. My growth was directly related to my Father’s cancer. I did not want to loose him.
A great book to read is by Edmond Bach called “Heal Thyself”. Dr. Bach created the Bach Flower Remedies. He wrote that all illness begins on the etheric level.he has a rather angelic face I think.
My sense is if you ask for guidance the right people- things will show up. Follow your intuition. Pay attention to your thoughts. The CD you mention is a great place to start. Perhaps acupuncture is not what you need right now but a better modality for this moment in time will show up for you. I needed Ron and found someone he trained. I had no idea of the connection until I was laying on her
Shiatsu table. Trust that the Universe and support are there for you.
You sound like a creative woman. Use your creativity as a source of healing. Create your intention. And allow yourself to breathe. Trimming your hair and making something out of it is a great idea. I made some small sculptures from my own hair in connection with healing the planet. Do what feels right for you.
Mia
Mia – Thank you. I’ve been trying to feel through how to prepare for this. There is a LOT of stuff wrapped up in this cyst (like, ancestral payback kind of stuff), and I’m trying to … figure out all the bits I need to do in advance. With the “coincidental” departure of my long-time acupuncturist, I am trusting that I will find the best person I need, when I need them (while at the same time, doing what I can to make that a reality). I hadn’t thought much about preparation on the day of (other than keeping myself relaxed) yet. Huh. I just remembered I’ve had this CD on my wishlist on Amazon for… years. Songs of Kwan Yin, or something like. Hmm. Maybe I’ll actually buy that soon.
I plan on going up to my old home town next weekend, where I know the lay of the land (unlike where I am now), and go to the spa and sit in the sauna for a long time and spend a lot of time in the warmth and waters. I plan on cutting my hair a bit, too (originally for practicality’s sake, as right now, it’s down to … oh, about six inches below my hips). I mentioned this to a friend, and she recommended I do bit of a ritual with the hair cutting, which I can dig.
So far, I’ve been caught up in the logistics. I only got surgery scheduled on Tuesday, so it’s… a bit sudden.
My doc said there’s an 80% chance I’ll lost that ovary (the cyst is inside the ovary, and at a steady 7 cm), but a friend pointed out that that’s still 20% chance I’ll keep it. Beyond that, I expect to keep all my other bits and will be revising consent forms to indicate such.
I will remember to remember the spiritual and mental aspects. I’ve long forgotten about that side, and that’s been a lesson, too. I don’t know if I can find a body worker for day of, but I hope to at least see someone the week before.
Oddly, one of the things I’m currently worried about is being completely nekkid. My jewelery lives on me, I rarely take any of it off (some pieces haven’t been off for any appreciable amount of time for 15 years), plus my piercings stay where they are. But for this… no clothes, no make up, no rings, no necklaces, no steel. Just my tattoo and me. It’s a little scary.
Your message is received, and thank you. I’d started a bit more of a spiritual thing recently and started pulling runes in the morning to take with me through the day. I forgot today, though, after a week of remembering.
Any additional advice is welcome. 🙂
Dear Maeve,
I needed to respond to your situation. In 1997, shortly after the death of my Father, I had a massive polyps growing out of my cervix and actually coming out of me. Mercury was retrograde at the time. I saw my second doctor on a Tuesday afternoon. She had just returned from vacation and sent me across the street to the hospital for pre-op testing. My surgery was Friday early afternoon. I could have died from infection walking around like that. I went for shiatsu in the morning to a new practitioner and learned that she had studied with the man I had gone to for years before he passed away from AIDS. It was like going to Ron all over again. I remember we both cried. I had checked with an astrologer in advance of the surgery. He gave me my options based on the aspects. I went in not knowing if I would need a complete hysterectomy. I had done the shiatsu and spent several hours listening to the soundtrack from Cinema Paradisio with my headphones, refusing to give it to the nurse until my doctor arrived in the OR. My surgery was close to four hours long. No hysterectomy, no problems. Three days later it was as if it had never happened. My doctor, a woman, was great. I told her about the shiatsu and the music. She said my pulse was steady and strong the entire time which she attributed to my preparations and she would now encourage her patients to do the same. My astrologer, Roger Rubin, told me that there was a good possibility my healing would happen overnight. Regardless of Mercury I encourage you to prepare on a mental and spiritual level and make that be what you bring with you on the day of. It helps a lot.
Good luck!
Mia
be – thank you. 🙂
I’ve been in contact with Len about this for months, and he says (in my very rough paraphrasing) that it’s most important to resolve this issue ASAP, and that for my chart, this retro isn’t … horrible. I think. 😉 Admittedly, however, this post was a little… concerning? But that’s probably more to do with my lack of faith in myself (an ongoing theme) than direct subject matter, since I have more personalized info from Len.
It is _definitely_ encouraging to know that there are good things in my corner (the fire trine you mentioned). The more I realize there are, the more there seem to be. I need to remember this, rather than look at the things that don’t appear to be in my corner (my long-time acupuncturist is moving and will be gone days before my surgery commences).
My surgery is scheduled for 1030a.
And really… thank you for responding. It’s always tough to open up and communicate fear, and I appreciate you seeing that and offering encouragement. 🙂
Courage Maeve, we will be sending you love and light. There is an encouraging fire trine between the Sun and Uranus early on the 26th, as well as a powerful stationing-direct Mercury in Scorpio, enabling your doctor/surgeon to perform brilliantly.
be
I will be following comments and conversation on this post avidly.
I will be getting surgery on November 26th (laproscopic, with the Da Vinci robot thing, to remove a long present ovarian cyst (almost two years, at least) that has begun to cause more pain). And my pre-op appointment is November 14th (just after the eclipse I didn’t know that was happening).
I’ve been trying to find an option other than surgery for many months now, but it doesn’t seem like it’s running that way. It’s a little nervewracking to schedule and prepare for a surgery in the midst of Mercury retrograde. I called early this week to see what my doctor had available (she is very pregnant and due in December, and taking that entire month off, which I didn’t know until I saw her two weeks ago), and found out she had no availability at all… booked solid. The scheduler said she’d have to ask the doctor if she wanted to make time special just to see me. I figured that would provide me the best direction. Turns out she did, and opened up the 26th.
With the exception of my tonsilectomy when I was 10 years old, I’ve never had A Surgery. So this is scary. Doing my best to prepare, and choose my words and intentions carefully (for example, I had typed “Trying to do my best to prepare”, and changed it to “Doing my best to prepare”… I’m doing a lot of that lately). Also doing my best to help myself, best I can. Try not to worry about heavily pregnant doctor, not worry about Merc retrograde, not worry about a, b, c, and q…
Mercury seems to be in a multitude of situations Len; he’s joined by fellow communicators Iris and Hermes in Sagittarius, while being squared by Chiron and Atlantis in Pisces and Orcus in Virgo. Atlantis symbolizes over-dependence on technology and Chiron hurts and Orcus is transformative (even in water) much like Pluto.
On the day he stations retrograde, election day in America, the voters will be under the influence of a powerful Mercury stationing, along with other messengers, as well as Isis in the same degree as Mercury. Isis picks up pieces scattered hither and yon and puts them together again. Mercury in the sign ruled by Jupiter, and Jupiter in the sign ruled by Mercury will be working on a mutually beneficial project. Jupiter, still conjunct Chaos in Gemini is trying to find balance through an opposition with the Great Attractor and Juno. Juno is the symbol of connectivity and the GA is the huge gravitational pull bringing us all together at Juno’s behest. Juno aims to please her husband Jupiter but expects equality in return. Chaos provides plenty of opportunity for a creative solution. . . perhaps in the voting booths across America.
Voters will still have Hurricane Sandy’s pain to think about. Something else to think about is that Aphrodite is conjunct the Mercury entourage in Sagittarius adding a little love to the message. However, Hybris is square the Sagittarian group from Gemini. He too is retrograde, along with his companion in Gemini, Atropos. Hopefully this means that some of the hubris we Americans have developed in our over-dependence on technology will die (thank you Atropos).
There is also the little matter of Achilles in Virgo who opposes Chiron and Atlantis in Pisces, making that a painful thing to do. Hopefully, the addition of Okyrhoe, daughter of Chiron and healer in her own right, is also conjunct the GA and Juno and even though squaring Karma conjunct Elatus in Virgo tells us that what goes ’round, comes ’round, it is a challenge we can overcome.
There will be enough time to re-think as Mercury re-enters Scorpio and think deeply. While he does this, Iris and Hermes will carry forward in Sagittarius as Isis picks up the pieces left in Sandy’s wake. Aphrodite will share the love. We here benefit from the love you share with us too Len.
be
PS Jann thank you – I read your link there too!
Jann or maybe grow your own. Jere gave us the direction of horizonherbs.com for seed – there are other seed sellers but HH are good with a wide variety of stock. Doesn’t everybody grow a few veg in Havannah (who can) and sell the surplus.
I cry at the drop of a hat these days.
Thank you Len!
And I liked this too from the oracle this morning:
Mar 16, 2007
LEO – Weekly
In its usual backward thinking, the world often teaches us to be “spiritual” before we learn or dare to be human. In the process, we impose ideas on biology; we impose morals on emotions; we burden the basic facts of life with an endless and ultimately meaningless ethical debate. You seem to be in a space, rare to find on the planet at the moment, where you have put being human as a higher priority than being a mystic. Necessity has been dictating for some time that you see others as simply and purely human — but to do this, you’ve needed to exert some superhuman powers. This week’s solar eclipse should bring some welcome relief from that.
Pam: This Michigander thank you for the link to the Detroit Vimeo. The changes in Detroit may provide ideas on new ways of living, particularly urban farming. Not all is doom and gloom here, though the pundits would have you believe that. Check out this article from Utne Reader: http://www.utne.com/arts-culture/young-people-detroit-revitalization.aspx
My mantra: make friends with organic farmers.
JannKinz
Len: Kinda step by step, which leads to “Slowly I turned, step by step, inch by inch. . .” But this isn’t vaudeville, Abbott and Costello or any other “routine.” This is the week by week guide to this very consequential Mercury Rx.
Oh, yeah – print and paste on the refrigerator.
With much gratitude,
JannKinz
Cynthia: You are very welcome. It is certain that you will be a better captain of your own ship than anybody else.
beth: Thank you so very much for your thoughtful comments. A solar eclipse conjunct your natal Neptune is a profound opening for creativity. If you can remember what hapened November 13, 1993 (when there was a solar eclipse in the same degree of Scorpio), you will have a preview.
jinspace: Thank you for an observation that is as true as true can be, that we are all on the same page.
mia: You are very welcome.
pam: Please don’t let the tin men get you down.
Kelly: You are too generous, but sincerely appreciated.
Carrie: Thank you and happy birthday to Dave. We could use a million more like the two of you (preferably voting in te battle ground states).
Thanks, Len. I wish I had recorded Dave’s solar return because it was for Nov 6th and the things you said about that day gave me such hope. His solar return and the election day have the same chart so the hopeful things you said will also be there for all of us.
WoW. You *are* good.
Yes thank you Len for the encouragement, and then I saw the Romney video and then this http://vimeo.com/22102417.
Dear Len,
As junspace says, thank you for coming to the rescue in the nick of time!
Mia
We’re all on the same page it seems.
I was thinking this one’s to print out and stick on the fridge – and so I shall.
Thank you Len, for coming to the rescue in the nick of time.
Thank you Len. I was headed down the same path as Cynthia, an early hibernation. I’ve been wanting to withdraw and escape. This perspective you give allows me to see how to face it all with strength, rather than weakness. I’ve been a bit nervous as the November 6th astrology creates a grand cross with my natal T-square – transiting Mars at 21/22 Sag in my 5th is opposite my natal Jupiter at 22 Gemini, square Pluto/Uranus conjunction in the 2nd (18/19) and Chiron/Saturn conjunction in the 8th (19/13). Retrograde Mercury is exactly conjunct my moon at 4-14 Sag, which is opposite my NN conjunct Psyche and Nessus (3-30/4-41/4-49 – female from my past messing with my head…?). The Total Eclipse on 11/13 is conjunct my natal Neptune and is connected to this grand cross. I was feeling like I needed to watch my back and lay low, expecting yet another surprising blow (it was extremely difficult for me when Pluto moved through this position that Mars will be in on Tuesday), but at least now even if everything explodes, I feel I can face it, whatever it is, press forward allowing all to flow, and keep moving, keep my head above water instead of sinking into the depths. I will be working on getting clear with myself between now and then (I have had a lot of dreams lately about levitating…). See you on the other side.
I have courage from reading this. I was about to stock up with supplies and batten down the hatches. Now I’ll take the rudder!
As always, dear Len, thank you!