This Mercury retrograde period is a bit cosmic. The midpoint of the retrograde period lands on December 22 at the solstice point. We all know the story of the solstice, one version or another. It’s the birth of the light. The Sun, which has been sinking lower and lower in the sky, making the days shorter and shorter is miraculously born again into a slow and steady rise which will brighten the skies and bring another round of spring and then summer (even if it takes a while). Even folks who live near the equator celebrate the season. It’s an archetypal moment in the human psyche. What can we take from Mercury highlighting such a moment with a conjunction to the Sun (called cazimi)? Could it be that we need to bring as much awareness and understanding as we can gather to the New Year that will take shape as the days grow brighter? This brief moment of Mercury cazimi, as it sits at the heart of the Sun (which is the heart of the heart of our solar system) seems to be a powerful reminder to listen to the still, small voice within, the one that is easily blotted out by the relentless barrage of noise and distraction. To listen deeply at the solstice is to hear the animals speak, all of nature in fact. Capricorn reminds us or tries that we are part of nature. We benefit from her abundance and we suffer when she becomes sparse or damaged. It’s that simple. To acknowledge this is to settle down in our bodies even as we once again, celebrate the miracle of the birth of the light.
As Mercury enters the shadow of the retrograde it will be in Sagittarius. It will square Neptune and conjunct Mars (which will square Neptune later in December). These are uneasy aspects. As it moves into Capricorn it makes more favorable aspects: a sextile to Saturn and a trine to Jupiter. This retrograde period has two parts: Reminding us in Sagittarius that even if there is a sucker born every minute it doesn’t have to be us. While in Capricorn it shows us that when we align with the natural world, when we overcome the distracting chatter and allow that we are embodied beings, we benefit. As it leaves the shadow it will square Neptune and conjunct Mars once again before finding stability again in Capricorn. There is a heap of information as well as misinformation in this world. Be mindful. And once you make it through the ‘fire swamp’ of the square to Neptune, as January turns to February there are things to be done if we are to be good citizens of the natural world. Tell that to your politicians.
For the exact dates of the aspects you can check the Insights column at my website. To join the alignment event for Mercury retrograde and resonate with the best of this astrological aspect register at www.LightTravels.com
Warm regards,
Julie
Aligned for Mercury Retrograde 
Flavor of Mercury retrograde April 1 – April 25
Expect the Unexpected…
April is full of astrological events. There is Mercury retrograde of course as well as a total eclipse of the Sun on April 8th and a conjunction of Jupiter and Uranus in Taurus on the 21st. An interesting month. Nonetheless explosive.) Eclipses and Uranus in the same month suggest that good old oxymoron: Expect the unexpected, something only humans attempt.
Mercury steps into these stellar influences reminding us as always to be reflective, to pause before hitting send, to measure twice and cut once. Of course, in Aries that is much easier said than done! The message in its bottle is to slow down our reaction time, as best we can. Haste, not speed.
In the shadow of the retrograde Mercury will conjunct Chiron. A little later, after Mercury is retrograde the eclipse will also be conjunct Chiron. Mercury will make that conjunction twice more: Once during the retrograde and once in the shadow going out. Chiron is the wise teacher whose wisdom comes from wounding. There is plenty of that going around on Planet Earth at the moment. Mercury wants us to learn all we can as it conjuncts Chiron, about our own reactions and how they can wound us. It’s quite likely that we are all feeling wounded as we witness the details of the suffering in other parts of the world. We can acknowledge this without becoming less sensitive to the wounds of others. In fact our response to the rest of the world is likely to be more authentic and helpful if we know who we are and how we think and feel. Aries is a first responder. The one who runs toward the fire, not away. Retrograde in Aries, Mercury is still inclined toward this but encouraged to take a breath before dashing off.
The other aspect of note is always the conjunction with the Sun. This is the exact middle point of the retrograde period and there is often a shift away from confusion and miscommunication which are common in the first half of a Mercury retrograde period and toward actions and completions we would like to make happen.
For the exact dates of the aspects you can check the Insights column at my website.
Warm regards,
Julie
Join us for the alignment on April 1st!
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