I’m B-A-A-A-A-a-a-a-ck.

Actually, I’m not entirely back. Even though I moved only a few miles from my former home, it feels as though I’ve been sent through the teleporter, and all the pieces haven’t reassembled yet on the other side. And with Mercury retrograde, there’s a transporter accident waiting to happen.

Moving with Mercury retrograde has been quite educational. Or maybe I should say, “reaffirming.” I’ve experienced most of the classic manifestations, including mix-ups and delays. I’d planned to be done by June 2, but it took until yesterday evening to get entirely moved and to properly clean my old place.

I needed a dresser for a very small space and found one on Craigslist. After three days of rescheduling, I met up with the seller, only to discover that I couldn’t squeeze the darn thing into my car. It was too big by just an inch. Typical Mercury “humor.” We put it on the ground while we came up with a Plan B and noticed that the piece below the bottom drawer was cracked inside. And it was a different color than I was expecting. However, in classic Mercury retrograde fashion, the repair job is being done expertly and fast!

If anyone else is having similar experiences, please do tell!

On Monday, Neptune turns retrograde in Pisces. I’m a big fan of dream work, and this is an excellent time for it, with Mercury also retrograde. Mythological Mercury (the Greek Hermes) was the only god who could come and go at will from the underworld. This is symbolic of the mind’s ability to access the subconscious. Meditation is a good way to access subconscious thoughts and memories, including memories from other lifetimes. We also can access the subconscious through dreams. Neptune and Pisces are associated with sleep and dreams, but we don’t always remember them. That’s Mercury’s job, and right now he’s particularly inclined to “go back.” If you give him free rein, he could bring back some vivid images that are enlightening and possibly transformational.

Healer Chiron also is in Pisces, symbolizing healing of the collective unconscious, which contains millions of years of accumulated stress and trauma. Although dredging up these memories can be painful, it’s the first step toward changing the maladaptive behaviors humanity has adopted over the millennia in order to survive. These strategies got us this far, but now they have become a bigger threat to human survival than the dangers facing our early ancestors. Ironically, this state of affairs exists because we are now more connected to each other than ever before.

Of course, the same is true individually. Often we’re not even conscious of what we’re battling against, and then suddenly we access a memory that helps us make sense of it all. Some revelations can be life-changing.

Friday’s Full Moon in Sagittarius (Thursday in Western time zones) forms a wide square to Chiron, suggesting that old wounds will be triggered in some way. At the same time, Venus and Saturn are in a tight opposition, exact just two minutes before the Full Moon. Four minutes before that, Venus sextiles Chiron. Saturn trines Chiron just over an hour later. So, while old wounds may be reopened, immediate and powerful healing is available. It might hurt – a lot – and yet the timing is so compelling that it will pay to bite the bullet. Difficult issues involving love, sex, personal power, and finances are particularly open for a major breakthrough if you can muster up the courage.

Incidentally, Friday is the 13th. Just so you know, I didn’t fail to notice. I just don’t buy into any of the superstition.

Mars, meanwhile, is picking up speed after coming out of a retrograde on May 19. He’s now in a tight cardinal T-square with Uranus and Pluto, forming what’s left of April’s epic grand cross. Mars is cleaning up, so to speak, as he already has been in this territory and is retracing his steps as he moves forward. His first contact is a square with Pluto on Saturday, with the Moon and Pluto in close conjunction. Power struggles are aggravated by deep-seated emotional reactions that we might not be aware of unless we make a concerted effort to stay mindful. If you find yourself in an ego battle, step back and try to identify the real source of the problem. Why does one side feel the need for a power trip? Try to focus on the desired outcome, and look for areas where you both want the same end result. Mars-Pluto aspects, even conflicting ones, can be highly productive if channeled with intent and with a genuine desire for an outcome that achieves the greatest good.

I’m sorry that I’m not totally up to speed on world affairs this week and so can’t make any intelligent comments on how events in the news correlate to astrological signatures. I’ve been completely absorbed in moving. A nuclear war could have destroyed half the planet, and I wouldn’t have noticed. Hopefully the transporter will reassemble all the pieces by the Full Moon.

Much love and courage to all,

Wishing you all much patience, love, and courage,
Pat

© Pat Paquette, RealAstrologers.com, 2014.