The Sun enters Scorpio this week, heralding the time of year (in the Northern Hemisphere) when we turn inward and start thinking about the long winter nights ahead. At the same time, Chiron goes direct this week, just as Mercury is forming a trine, the third and final pass in a three-part transit resulting from Mercury’s recent retrograde. (Post continued below.)
First, let’s look at the Sun’s entry into Scorpio on Wednesday. With Mars and Venus ahead of the Sun, we’ve already had a good dose of Scorpion energy over the past few weeks. Venus moved on into Sagittarius last week, but Mars remains in Scorpio until November 16. Mars is the traditional ruler of Scorpio, which is ruled by Pluto in modern astrology, but the Warrior is still potent here.
Both Mars and the Sun are ego-affirming bodies, and in Scorpio, they will go after what they want without apology. This isn’t a bad thing, especially for those of us who either have been taught to defer to others or who believe that the Universe, God, Spirit, Source, or some mysterious higher power will provide for us. How far would über-Scorpion Bill Gates have gotten if he had entrusted his garage business to the Source?
Most of us aren’t comfortable in such ruthless shoes, and yet we don’t like not getting what we want, either. Scorpio is often described as a sign of tests and challenges. When we go after what we want, we typically meet with obstacles, as though someone is asking us, “How bad do you want it?” As the Sun moves through Scorpio, we’ll find out…
Chiron turns direct on Saturday and is stationed direct on Sunday when the trine by Mercury is exact. I’ve written here and on The Pisces Chronicles, my personal blog, about the significance of Chiron and Mercury, with the lunar North Node and Neptune in conjunction. Mercury, Chiron, and Neptune all went retrograde within hours of each other in late May. Mercury was in Gemini, in a close trine with Chiron, and now here they are again, in a trine as both go direct.
My take on this is that we have had a rare and precious opportunity over the summer to revisit old wounds, some of which go to our very foundations, perhaps even carried with us into this incarnation. In some cases, we have had to relive those old wounds, and now we have a chance to move forward with the next step in our healing. If your issues are with another person, this weekend will be a good time to talk through where you’ve been and where you want to go from here. Or, it simply may be time to move on in your own mind.
Do keep in mind that Mars will square Chiron next Monday (October 27), and you could feel the effects of salt rubbed into those wounds. If you’re still open and raw, this will be a test for you. If you’ve done a good bit of healing over the summer, you may be surprised by how well you can take a hit and not be fazed.
Also on Sunday, Mercury squares Jupiter in Capricorn, which likewise is a third pass in a three-part aspect. This is good for long-range planning and also for correcting errors in your thinking. After all, what we believe does affect our external circumstances.
Much love and courage to all,
Pat
Image: Jason and his Teacher, by Maxfield Parrish, 1908. In classical mythology, Chiron was the wounded healer who mentored gods and heroes, including Apollo, Achilles, and Jason.
RealAstrologers 
Ah, another Maxfield Parrish painting. :o)
My take on this is that we have had a rare and precious opportunity over the summer to revisit old wounds, some of which go to our very foundations, perhaps even carried with us into this incarnation.
I’m sure beginning to think so. Almost my entire summer was spent in the midst of a wound that goes, as you say, to my very foundation.
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Yes, Joe, Maxfield Parrish is a favorite of both Neith’s and mine. You’ll be seeing him from time to time. :-) As for the rest, I’m planning to write more over on PiChron. Look for it in a day or two…
Meanwhile, Moonlock asks on a previous thread:
What does “post retrograde shadow period mean please? You say it is in effect until oct 31.
I’ll answer here, since it’s still relevant. Moonlock, Mercury goes retrograde three times a year, for about three weeks at a time (retrograde planets appear to be moving backwards in the sky). But there are shadow periods before and after the actual retrograde period. Using this retrograde as an example, Mercury turned retrograde at about 23 degrees Libra on September 24, and he backed up to about 7 degrees Libra, which is where he returned direct on October 15. So the shadow is from 7 degrees to 23 degrees Libra.
Mercury first crossed 7 degrees Libra on September 3, so the pre-retrograde shadow period was from September 3 until Mercury turned retrograde on September 24. Now he will retrace that path, from the time he went direct on October 15 until he crosses 23 degrees Libra on October 31. This is the post-retrograde shadow period.
Post-retrograde shadow periods are good for clearing up any problems that arose during the retrograde, and once we’re past the retrograde degree, we can move on into new territory.
Does that help?
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P.S. Joe, I had the title of that image wrong! There are several works portraying Chiron mentoring Achilles, but the Maxfield Parrish illustration shows Jason, another of the heroes tutored by the centaur.
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