By Len Wallick
Later tonight or early tomorrow, depending on what you call it based on your time zone, Mercury will be conjunct with Jupiter in the sign of Aries. [The aspect between retrograde Mercury and Jupiter in Aries is exact Monday at 11:59 pm EDT.] It may seem to be a straightforward aspect. For cookbook-formula type astrology, that would almost certainly be the case. In the specific context of this particular event, however, it would be advisable to take another look.
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A conjunction is when two objects seem to occupy the same place from our point of view on Earth, or when represented on a piece of paper in two dimensions. There are three things to remember about the aspect. First, it is usually seen as the beginning of a new cycle for the objects involved. The monthly conjunction of the luminaries known as the New Moon is a good example.
The next thing to remember about a conjunction is the concept of energies merging. One must begin with where the aspect is taking place. It is important to ask about the element, qualities and planetary ruler(s) of the host sign. As to the objects in question, if they have a compatible nature, their mutual expression can be strengthened. Think of stacking batteries on top of one another in a flashlight. On the other hand, if the conjoined planets are somehow incompatible, synchronicity may find us in interesting times.
Which leads to the third and often overlooked feature of a conjunction, something that’s along the lines of relationship dynamics. Two conjoined objects may correspond to not being able to see the obvious for reasons of being too close, too involved, too invested in each other. You might call it a blind spot.
At first glance, the Mercury-Jupiter conjunction is about big ideas and acting on them. This is because of the qualities associated with each planet in the context of Aries self expression. Mercury has to do with information and thinking. Jupiter has a generous, expansive quality. It tends to magnify that with which it is associated. Mars, the traditional ruler of Aries, is driven to act first and ask questions later. All of this may contribute to the conceptualization of something that could trigger a great deal of enthusiasm. You may feel as though the light has come on and be compelled to act on it unilaterally and immediately.
It would do well, however, to keep in mind that Mercury is in retrograde and will continue to be so for more than a week. The two planets are in fact hooking up three times. Tonight is the second one. The restart of their mutual cycle is taking place over an extended period of weeks and weeks, rather than just a couple of days as would normally be the case. There’s your blind spot. This particular conjunction is an aspect in development. All of the information is not in yet.
That does not mean that tomorrow’s conjunction of Mercury with Jupiter would correspond to anything that is necessarily errant or false, although that is a possibility. Also, you should take into account the other side of the Jovian coin, the potential for exaggeration. In other words, sit with that idea for a while. Or better yet, air it out, share it with people you trust, let it be tested, allow it to mature. See what it feels like on this very day next month (May 11) when Mercury is out of its echo phase and hooks up with Jupiter for the final time. As the late, great astrologer, Rochelle (Rocky) Gardiner would remind us: “Patience is the key to heaven.”
Offered In Service
(“relative” was not to your writing; rather a reference to the times we are in, less than solid I would say….!)
Len, thank you for this today; it was a very satisfying read somehow – just the right taste of some (relatively) solid information.
Be, thank you to for mentioning the 11s. I could feel the pull of today but didn’t understand. Also, I am very much looking forward to Mars heading into Taurus. That transition feels as though it will be a milestone in my continuing journey to resolve my “Taurus syndrome” issues – that is, family baggage that’s all wrapped up in negative taurean tendencies and has manifested in my life mostly via people of this sun sign for who-knows-why. I’ve been working hard to use that info in a mirror-like way; and seem to be making some headway. Let’s hope, because all this baggage has been really darn heavy.
Writing too is happening (dare I say outloud?) Not flowing fast, but don’t seem to be boulders in the way either. Kinda freaky…like when you suddenly know where the sweet-spot is on your golf-ball and you know you can hit it again, but youre kinda scared to try because, well, what if you’re right and you’ve crossed a threshold?
Yep, that’s me with Mars on Moon and Uranus on DML. what a ride — and can I add just how difficult to keep certain topics of conversation off the outloud table? Patience indeed!! I can see a new future unfolding in front of me, and yet still struggle with my tongue like it’s some wild beast to keep it quiet when I need to let others see for themselves what they need to see and not have me “tell” them what I see ….and to let the universe do what it does best which is allow us all our own journey for our own reasons. Patience. Breathe deeply and Repeat after Len; ” Patience!!” 🙂
xo
Be, Venus will be in my progressed first house, which is Taurus 25.
Be the surgeon is a gemini and I believe that eclipse is pretty much conjunct his birthdate. This is a total hip replacement and he is trying to mitigate the harmful effects of the two hip replacements I had in 2007 which happened when mars in capricorn was conjunct my chiron. A retrograde chiron sound curiously like retrace, repair, and balance. All of my important men are gemini this year, and I feel very good about this man and his concern for my long-term well being. He even said that he didn’t want to be worrying about the effects of the surgery 10 years from now, and i know he has read everything there is to read about metal ions and impact on kidneys, etc. Gemini with a clear conscience. he’s one of the best surgeons in the world and rated in the top 5 in the country. He does a lot of charity and missions work too – my kind of man.
Patty,
The date of June 8 doesn’t have any major planet challenges other than a contraparallel between Venus and Pluto (very early AM) so you should not be unduly worried. However, it does follow a partial solar eclipse so there might be something “hiding” that you are unaware of. Please check this out with an astrologer you trust and see whether or not your Virgo Moon or any other planets or ascendant would be in orb of a square or opposition or other difficult angle to the Eclipse’s 11 degrees of Gemini. Be aware that Chiron will be stationing retrograde at that time also, making his healing energy more intense. To make a call on the outcome of a surgery for you on any date would require looking and studying your whole chart.
I can assure you that we will send you healing vibes now and on that date should your decision not change. Please keep us posted and I am praying for your successful outcome.
be
Len and Be, this might be too big a question, but is June 8 a good surgery date? I was offered May 11 but wanted to wait for June. Moon is in Virgo in my 11th house, sun is in my 8th. My rising sign is progressed to Sagitarrius and progressed sun puts Gemini in the 1st house. whaddya think?
mystes: Thank you for your kind words. Most of all, thank you for the description of how your intuition’s “little shocks” were validated. It’s a great example emulate under the current energetic circumstances.
be: Thank you for your kind words as well. Thank you also for your question. Yes, the May 11 conjunction will involve three major planets on the same day as a change of sign for Mars. To reiterate, that conjunction is an aspect in development. All the information is not in yet. The involvement of Venus does nothing to change that, nor does the Mars ingress to Taurus. Would agree that the personal planets are playing a role, that of a day-to-day link.
There is a quality of angular momentum to the holistic setup. Tending to the present and being patient for the future while keeping everything on the tracks may be enough for now.
Hi Len,
As mystes said, glad to see you back on line and sharing your wisdom. I admit to not always taking the time to consider all the conjunction ramifications that you explained. Thanks very much for doing that today. Can’t help but think of Mercury as teasing Jupiter, you know, the Gemini side. . . flirting maybe, but definitely not wanting to commit too soon. Boy, after reading mystes’ experience with the new landlord, it would seem to bear out that image.
Another image that comes to mind is that of the dragonfly in the Vernal Equinox chart last month. Mercury and Jupiter made up the wing in the 7th house (DC chart) while Saturn and Moon made up the other wing in the 1st house in Libra. The Moon utilizes her feeling info and Saturn cautiously structures, while Jupiter invisions and Mercury scopes out the data. Good for Mercury! Who would have thought that in Aries he would be so thorough? Must be his Virgo side. Anyway, it is still about relationship and finding balance, right?
And about this comeback of Mercury on May 11. This year being all about providing portals on “11” days (today being one of them) for making headway on the ever-transitioning evolutionary process we and the earth are climbing through, he will be hand-in-hand with Venus, who really, really cares about value as they conjunct Jupiter on that day. And just as another member of the Me First club (this time Mars) moves on to Taurus. (After all his work in the birthing process of Uranus, I should think he would welcome a brief rest as he awaits Venus, but maybe not.) So what do you make of that? Are the personal planets easing us through this process? Translating all that outer planet info from Pluto and Uranus into everyday common-sense guidance? I surely hope so and wish you would get back to us on your thoughts about that.
be
Thanks, Len! Great to see you back on the blog!! I have found this Merc Rx especially toothsome as it sits in my 4th house, stirring up the household move that Uranus initiated with its transit into Aries last month. Yesterday I went to go hash out terms with my potential new landlord, but told him I wanted to wait to sign until April 23. He wasn’t thrilled, but he knows I’m serious (and he has the deposit to prove it). Patience, eh? So I am driving home (the new place is in another town) and keep getting these weird little shocks every time I think about the place. “Yes” zzzap! “But I like the place.” Zippetyzaapzzap! “Oh come on, I’ve done my due diligence, it’s the right place.” ZZZZZZAAAAPP! I get home and try to puzzle out what the source might be. There are a million possibilities, but none of them quite ‘fit’ this energy. I look on CL for that town and discover that the landlord has listed — during my drive home — the unit downstairs. AHA! I wrote to him, and he responds that when he got home there was a notice from his other tenant. Now I much prefer the view from the upstairs unit, but I don’t prefer the extra $$ in cooling/heating the place, which is going to be formidable – between 2-3x as much as my current bill. So, as you say … Patience.
Much hug,
M