Mercury turns retrograde today, slowing its fleet-footed mercurial motion to pause and pivot direction, with a bit of Sufi Dervish whirling to find a still point in motion. Its stopping point is at 27-28 Aries.
What a good time to take time, right in between Eclipses, right after major Holy days, and right on April 1, which used to be considered the New Year in other times and cultures. Of course, in synch with the current celestial choreography, there are special features of this particular Mercury retrograde.
Mercury Extended in Aries for 10 weeks, well beyond its usual two weeks or so. Mercury has been in Aries since the March 10 New Moon, backs up to 15-16 Aries— touching base with our North Node destiny point to evoke ripples of the 4/8 Eclipse— before turning forward. It then races forward through this innovative fire sign until May 15, when it enters Taurus, obviously changing the pace of events).
As I wrote previously,
”That's a long time for fleet-footed Mercury to be in one sign; yet it revels in Aries. Those mental fireworks spark fresh neural pathways in the brain, igniting excitement, distinctive originality, inventive brilliance. Dormant potentials wake up, turn on and change our mind. Light-directed frequency waves rewiring perceptions between head and heart, altaring our outlook on life. This is a collective process right now, heightened by Pluto in higher-minded Aquarius, so expect some mind-blowing ideas, information, news and options to emerge. Turn on, Tune in and Drop Deeper In, using that Aries retrograde to rewire further and heal any blown fuses especially during the April 8 Eclipse and onward.”
We will likely need that retrograde review and revisit time to integrate all the newness.
Mercury conjunct Eris
Eris is a highly controversial goddesses, epitomizing ‘fiesty’. Since her discovery in 2005, she has been stirring things up on many fronts, whatever is being ignored, hidden and otherwise suppressed that needs airing in consciousness. She pushes us to controversy to get all opinions on the table, to challenge any bias. No censorship on her watch! The most famous mythic Eris story took place when she was uninvited to a big feast on Olympus. She tossed an apple into the reveling crowd that was labeled, “For the Fairest,” resulting in a squabble among the goddesses and, ultimately, the Trojan War. Controversies are stirred up worldwide these days, on lots of topics. Let’s see how this Eris-infused Mercury retrograde works out! The two will meet again in mid-May. What will we all be thinking by then?
Let’s look at the Sabian Symbol for Eris, that imposes her meaning through this whole retrograde cycle:
”A Double Promise Reveals Its Inner and Outer Meanings”
What we thought we agreed to is likely to be more complicated that we thought, stirring a potential contrast between head and heart. Does someone renege on a promise, or do we change our minds based on new information? How do we align heart and head, find clarity between what we feel and what we think? An underlying stress from internal and external arguments is resolved, even as our thinking is rewired, both with the emotional intelligence of the heart and neural pathways clearing and opening a new level of perception.
Mercury Squares Pluto
Although across signs, this loose challenging dynamic is relevant since Pluto is still in the early stages of its Aquarian visit, and will return to Capricorn in September/October to clear away some final ‘debris’. Our mental state needs a good clean up, a sweeping out of old thought patterns that are clogging the airwaves and blocking the light-filled pipeline into our future.
Pushing Back the Night, Building the Inner Temple, is an orchid essence in the extraordinary collection from Living Tree Orchid Essences that speaks to our times. I have been tapping into these essences again lately, referring to Don Dennis’s Orchid Essence Healing guide. This essence, he writes, "produces a state of mind where vision and light become inseparable. Helps elevate our thoughts to the point where we can see the Sacred in life. An essence to help heal the destiny of humanity. Not only does it aid our own personal growth, but also invites the Light of the Future to Take Back the Night. In this way the microcosm affects the macrocosm. In this time when many negative karmas are being released upon [and from] the world, this essence is especially important for helping people not to be distracted from a spiritual purpose and light."
Venus conjunct Neptune, Divine Compassion
Aries is a highly active, fiery sign, but we have a strong team of planets in watery Pisces as well. The heart of compassion is being stirred very deeply by this close alignment of Venus, Goddess of Love and Beauty, with Neptune, Divine Grace and Compassion. This is an exquisite joining of planetary essences. In its highest expression, Love overcomes all argument, the Heart rules the day. We feel the softness, sweetness, holiness and beauty of life. Here is another orchid flower essence suggestive of this energy:
Rising to the Call of Beauty, Beauty is truth, truth beauty
is about “aligning and identifying with beauty. As modern societies have distanced themselves from natural beauty and inner beauty, dissonance, distortion and self=degradation have followed. This has influenced us in ways that distract us from the simple beauty in nature and in ourselves. What are the innate properties of beauty? Proportion, integrity, harmony and respect for the forces and mathematical dimensions found in sacred geometry. When beauty is a guide, the results of our actions naturally and harmoniously follow Universal Principles. Beauty’s strength will banish evil and ugliness from her presence.”
In other words, “Bring Me a Higher Love.”
The Sun in Aries is moving toward the upcoming Wow! Total Solar Eclipse in a week. Take special note of 4/4, when the Sun conjuncts the North Node of the Moon (4/4), the call to Destiny AND, nn that same day, Venus moves into Aries. Remember and take action on her call to Beauty, primarily a call to Love and Be Your Self.
This Mercury retrograde is a key component in the upcoming Eclipse— we’re in The Zone!— and through most of April that promises more world-changing planetary dynamics. [Note that Jupiter is approaching Uranus in Taurus, exact on April 20. Jupiter is shining bright in the west soon after sunset]. I will soon be sharing more about the Eclipse itself. Consider this post as a prelude.