Note: This is a reprint of an article from one week ago. Some of the placements are outdated but lead into the present moment. Mercury is currently solidly in Leo, and Venus is about to ingress Libra. — efc
Mercury has been working its way through late Cancer, still settling down from its recent retrograde. A lot came out in the wash when Mercury stationed direct on July 20, as if deeper layers of emotional and mental reality suddenly opened up in a downpour.
This has been driven by more going on in the water signs than we’ve seen in years: Jupiter, Pallas, Mars, Saturn, the North Node, Neptune and Chiron are all in water signs (as was Mercury until yesterday), and many of these factors are slow-movers. Water can be a challenging element in our over-dry society on our drying-out planet. It’s the constant challenge to feel, a challenge that nearly every factor in our society guides us to evade. As part of that evasion, we are pushed to remain immature and distracted, and to keep our true opinions to ourselves.
Mercury has been in Cancer since May 31. That’s a long time for fast-moving Mercury to be in one sign, especially a water sign; in the water signs, Mercury can lack objectivity and the ability to perceive multiple viewpoints (Pisces may be an exception).
Mercury in Cancer can be self-absorbed and subjective, and come with the sense that one’s own feelings are what should (or do) dominate existence. Interest in the feelings of others can be compromised, if it’s there at all.
On Thursday, Mercury changed signs to Leo. I think we’re feeling that shift, especially since we’ve lived with Mercury in one sign for 10 weeks, through its full retrograde cycle. Remember, this is the year that Mercury is spending more than half its time in water signs, due to its retrogrades in Pisces, Cancer and Scorpio.