Tag Archives: Mercury retrograde

Weekly Forecast December 28: Full Moon Lunar Eclipse in Cancer

Have we turned a corner? I think so. It’s hard for me to know for sure, with my sensory apparatus globbed up by so much sweet and rich food, not to mention the wine and chocolate.

Despite the unnerving astrological influences currently in play, I’ve been sleeping very well the past week, after months of tossing and turning. And I know I wasn’t the only one. Everywhere I went, people talked about not being able to sleep. If your sleep patterns have changed in the past week, please leave a comment and let me know.

In the meantime, we’re gearing up for Thursday’s Full Moon lunar eclipse — and on New Year’s Eve, at that! I suspect that familiar pre-eclipse buzz will return by Monday or Tuesday, and we may have a few sleepless nights. Then, maybe not. We’re heading into uncharted territory, and little is going as expected.

Speaking of expectations, if I were to try to predict events for this eclipse, I would say to look back at what was happening in mid-September and mid-October. As you may recall, we had a powerful New Moon solar eclipse at the last degree of Cancer on July 21, but few people I know experienced any immediate developments at the time. Instead, shifts occurred 60 to 90 days later, toward the New Moon on September 18 and especially at the New Moon in Libra on October 18.

This eclipse will be the culmination of those events, the coming full circle, with possible new beginnings. Diane will have more in her New Moon report early this week, so be sure to check back.

In the meantime, Venus conjoins Pluto and squares Saturn on Monday (Tuesday in the Eastern Hemisphere). Issues of love, sex, and commitment come to the fore. With Mercury and Mars both retrograde, talking through issues to your satisfaction may be tough. You may need to agree to disagree for now, or you may need to accept that there aren’t any immediate answers. Sometimes there is no solution but time, and picking at scabs only irritates wounds and prevents healing.

The Moon enters Cancer on Wednesday in preparation for Thursday’s eclipse. Emotions are closer to the surface, so prepare for a bit of drama. Again, with Mercury and Mars retrograde, you may witness more than a few temper tantrums and meltdowns.

As it so happens, Mercury and Mars form an exact quincunx (inconjunct) on Thursday. You might not even know why you’re angry or upset, let alone what’s motivating anyone else. Try to be patient and kind, with yourself as well as with others, and keep your expectations in check. This is always a good idea, but even more so now, in this period of surprising changes.

There are no major planetary aspects for the rest of the week. The only thing I’d watch out for is the Moon’s conjunction with Mars on Sunday, for all of the reasons I’ve already mentioned.

Do continue to keep journals of unusual dreams, flashes of insight, or events during your day. New patterns are forming, and writing down seemingly random occurrences will help you identify them.

Love and light to all as we head into another new year,
Pat

Image: Return of the light. It’s normally overcast and gray at this time of year here in the Puget Sound region, but on Christmas Day, we were blessed with blinding sunshine, calling us out for a late afternoon walk on the beach.

Saturday Extra! Oh, What a Time for Mercury Retrograde

My HP Pavilion prefers hanging out with lemons, since it is one.

The day after Christmas is the biggest gift return day of the year. With Mercury stationed retrograde, I don’t even want to think about the lines at customer service.

Not even the promise of after-Christmas sales could lure me anywhere near a shopping mall today — especially not with Mercury stationed retrograde. The lines will be long and traffic gnarled beyond the usual stop-and-go. And with Mars now retrograde, you can bet that tempers are going to flare. Already I’ve heard several reports of honking horns, squealing tires, and cutting in line.

Retailers desperate to end the year solidly in the black are offering great deals on their entire stock. I know you’ll be tempted, but remember that Mercury retrograde is not the time to make major purchases. The exception will be if you’re replacing something that’s broken. Even though “return” starts with an “re” — activities normally acceptable during Mercury retrograde — I’d wait until the middle of January to exchange unwanted gifts.

As many of you know, my laptop went belly up a few weeks ago. It wasn’t even three years old. I didn’t have control over the purchase, as a third party helped me purchase and program it for some contract work I was doing at the time. I begged them not to order while Mercury was retrograde, but I was talking to a wall. They thought I was being ridiculous.

Predictably, I’ve had nothing but problems with this machine. It wasn’t delivered on-time. The programming was screwed up. Programs that were supposed to have been installed weren’t, or there were errors. There were connectivity issues. I was tearing my hair out and burst into tears of frustration more than once. (Apparently I wasn’t alone; others who bought the first machines using Vista were similarly upset.)

When I took my computer to the repair shop, the technician rolled his eyes the instant he saw the make and model number. My HP Pavilion evidently is one of a few series made in 2007 that was recalled due to problems with the motherboard. Fortunately, here in the Seattle area, I was able to find a shop with the special equipment required for the delicate repair, but problems apparently remain, and the prognosis isn’t good.

I’ll probably need a new laptop sometime in the next year. If you do succumb to the deep discounts in the next few weeks, at least don’t buy any electronic equipment. If you do, keep all the receipts and opt for the extended warranty. The extra cost will be well worth it.

I’ll have more in my weekly forecast. In the meantime, I hope you can enjoy a quiet holiday weekend and find some of the joy and peace of the season.

Pat

Weekly Forecast December 21: Sun Enters Capricorn, Mercury Retrograde

This is a very big week. And not just because of Christmas.

Today, Monday, is arguably the most important day of the year astrologically and one of the most important days of the entire decade. That’s a pretty strong statement, I know, but I say this because I believe a portal will appear on this day. Anyone who wishes to step through can do so.

Portal to what or where, you might ask? To higher awareness and elevated consciousness, to healing and wholeness, to feelings of connectedness with all things, to greater understanding that brings peace.

Perhaps it is a portal to love.

Today is the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, so it also is the return of the light. From now on, the days will begin getting longer again, even though we may not notice much difference for another month or so.

I sensed the opening portal the week before equinox, when the Sun entered Libra. Inexplicably, I woke up very early that morning and was “called” out of bed to the doors opening out onto my deck. Venus was shining brightly on the western horizon. If I had gotten up any later, I’d have missed her, as she began to disappear in the light of dawn.

There was an important message there, and I suspected it had something to do with love and the reunion of the universal male and female energies. I was at the gate but couldn’t step over the threshold, and although I could see something there, it was out of focus. The message was that I would be able to see more when the portal was fully open.

I began looking for upcoming dates that were astrologically significant. None was more compelling than today. Not only is it the Solstice, but Jupiter and Neptune form an exact conjunction, with the Moon conjoining both a few hours later. Venus is sextile Neptune as well. We’re also coming up on another pair of eclipses, with Venus in conjunction.

There is nothing that I can tell you to do, except to open your eyes and mind to whatever may come your way. In most of the United States, the exact moment of conjunction will occur overnight, so perhaps a message will come to you in a dream. Or, it might come before you go to sleep or upon awakening. I often have revelations in the hypnagogic and hypnapompic states.

There could be developments in the days that follow as well. I believe the portal will stay open for most of the week and possibly through the New Moon solar eclipse on January 14. I’ll let you know if I pick up anything. Please leave a comment if you experience any unusual effects.

In classical mythology, Mercury was the Messenger between worlds. With planet Mercury about to turn retrograde later this week, it’s even more likely that we’ll receive news, flashes of insight and understanding, and breakthroughs in consciousness. These insights may come via someone close to you.

The Sun’s conjunction with Pluto on Thursday also feeds into this phenomenon, as Pluto rules the underworld or, as I like to think of it, the “otherworld” — in other words, invisible realms that are all around us but just outside the conscious awareness of most people.

Now, shining light into dark corners can reveal unpleasant truths, so don’t be surprised if something very uncomfortable comes up. Try to keep your nerve and be still.

On Friday, Venus enters Capricorn, and she’ll conjoin Pluto on Sunday. If you have a romantic partner, new levels of passion and intimacy are possible, but you’ll probably have to work through some issues first, unless you’ve gotten them out of the way already. So many things keep us from connecting with each other, and many of the obstacles, we’re not even aware of. We can become aware of them now.

Also on Friday, the Sun squares Saturn. This is an oppressive energy, but we are more likely to grown and learn through challenges than when everything is going smoothly. I’ll be whining right along with you — I’m tired of hard lessons, OK? But ultimately I’ll take notes and try to figure out what I’m supposed to do next.

For those who celebrate Christmas, family get-togethers could be a bit testy. I don’t know many families who don’t have control issues. Hopefully, seeing them in a clear light will help you figure out the best way to respond, but do be aware that with Mars retrograde and Mercury stationed, tempers will be short, with a high risk of misunderstandings.

Mercury turns retrograde on Saturday morning in the United States. If you need to return a gift, check the receipt to see how long you’ve got, take a deep breath, and have another bite of fruitcake. Even a bad one will be preferable to the lines at the mall.

Better still, sit down with a warm cup of spiced cider, a blank journal, and a fast writing pen. Let the material stuff wait. It will still be there when you’re ready to make an exchange. But the portal has limited hours, and we need to get as much information as we can while it’s open.

Wishing you all limitless love and light this holiday season,
Pat

Image: As promised in my Saturday Extra! post, here’s a photo of my 80s party. I let myself get talked into doing karaoke, first time ever. The song was “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This),” by one of my favorite 80s bands, Eurythmics. In hindsight, I couldn’t have picked a better song for the Jupiter-Neptune conjunction!

Weekly Forecast December 14: New Moon in Sagittarius, Mars Retrograde

Blewett Pass When I’m traveling by air, I hate it when the plane lands and, for an agonizing few seconds, I’m subject to the negative g-force. That’s the feeling I have this week as Mars slows down in preparation for turning retrograde.

Although there’s a lot going on astrologically this week, the impending retrograde of Mars is what we’re likely to feel the most. That’s because Mars rules our physical energy, and when he’s slowing down (that’s what it looks like from down here anyway), we tend to do the same.

Mars also rules steel and moving parts, which means we’ll see his effect on holiday traffic. With Mercury also slowing down, we can expect mall traffic to be even more of a nightmare than usual. If you find yourself in that situation, stay alert for drivers who may be inclined to take out their frustrations on the gas pedal.

In her New Moon post, Neith already mentioned the dominant aspects of this week, but I’ll run through them here chronologically.

On Monday, the Sun squares Uranus and sextiles Jupiter. Conflicting angles between the Sun and Uranus sometimes suggest accidents and disruption, and while Jupiter may amplify them and make them really big, his lucky influence also can bring happy endings to tense situations. For many people, this planetary combination may indicate an exciting break in routine for something fun and totally unexpected.

On Tuesday, the Sun sextiles Neptune, which is in a three-way conjunction with Jupiter and Chiron. Sextiles tend to be easy, and often they pass without any notice. It’s also going to be just plain difficult to figure out which planetary combination triggers which event, since there are so many planets involved … kind of like trying to determine who caused a 12-car pileup.

Tuesday’s Moon-Venus conjunction makes this my favorite day of the week for a party or for getting together with friends after work for some holiday cheer.

Wednesday is the New Moon in Sagittarius, three degrees from the Galactic Center. Be on the alert for “downloads.” They could come in brilliant flashes of insight, in dreams, while meditating, or by some other means. Be sure to record these messages somewhere so that you can contemplate them over time.

An hour and a half after the New Moon, the Moon enters somber Capricorn and immediately triggers the Saturn-Pluto square. You may feel lonely, isolated, or disempowered under this influence, but it won’t last long.

Venus trines Mars on Thursday, just as he’s close to a complete halt. She’s got a captive audience, so he’ll just have to sit there and listen to her, and then he’ll go off and think about it. If any of you are having “discussions” with a partner who’s lagging a little behind you spiritually or emotionally, be patient and give him or her some space, while continuing to be completely honest about how you feel.

Saturday’s sextile from Venus to Chiron and square from Venus to Uranus promises to bring a surprising breakthrough in healing a rift between you and someone else.

Mars finally turns retrograde on Sunday. If you’re out and about, give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. Keep your to-do list short and your shopping reasonable, as it won’t take much to get shopped out. The Moon opposes Mars later in the day, increasing the risk of arguments due to overstimulation and fatigue.

Fortunately, we’ll also have Venus in a lovely sextile to Neptune and Jupiter to lift our spirits and help us remember what the holidays are all about. With so much media pressure to show our love through material gifts, we often forget that the best thing we can give is precious moments truly connecting with those we love.

Love, joy, and holiday wishes to all,
Pat

Image: Snow on Blewett Pass, one of the few routes through the mountains separating the Seattle metropolitan area from the vast open stretches of Eastern Washington. Photo by Pat Paquette, all rights reserved.

Saturday Extra! Holiday Planning with Mercury Retrograde

Blizzard in the UK As most of you know, another Mercury retrograde period will be upon us soon, just in time to mess with the best-laid holiday plans.

With Mars also about to go into reverse, the typical delays and frustrations that vex us while Mercury is retrograde could cause temper tantrums and emotional meltdowns everywhere. The holidays are stressful enough as it is, and I’m sorry to have to report that this season may be memorable for all the wrong reasons.

Fortunately, since you know about this in advance, you can take some measures to mitigate the worst effects of Mercury retrograde. Indeed, all of you seem to be aware of this already. According to our Wednesday poll, the majority of you are planning to get your shopping and mailing done early, before Mercury and Mars go retrograde and turn all the UPS trucks into pumpkins.

As for holiday shopping and other daily activities, the usual caveats apply and then some. Be absolutely sure to buy all big-ticket items early this month. Hopefully, you even took advantage of all those Black Friday specials and have most of your major shopping out of the way. Electronic devices in particular need to be purchased while Mercury is direct. Watches, a popular gift item, also should be purchased now, as should cars and auto accessories – anything that has to do with transportation.

Most companies don’t make hiring decisions at this time of year, and they may put off important new business until after the first of the year. That will be problematic, as Mercury will be retrograde until January 15. If you get a new job opportunity, hopefully you’ll be able to stall signing the contract until then.

The effects of Mars retrograde are a bit harder to deal with and will take some mindfulness to counter. First of all, we all will need to make a sincere effort to communicate clearly, and when the inevitable breakdowns occur, we will have to resist the urge to blame the other person. Even if it seems like the other person was insensitive or not paying attention, respond with love and kindness, and be willing to forgive and forget. If the person in question really is malicious or intentionally showing you disrespect, that will come out again later, and you can deal with it then.

I’ll have more on Mercury in my weekly forecast on Monday. In the meantime, I wish you all much love and abundance.

Pat

Ask Our Readers: Going Retro for the Holidays

As most of our readers know, Mercury and Mars both go retrograde this month, just in time to mess with the winter holidays. Although Mercury doesn’t reverse motion until December 26, he’ll be in the pre-retrograde shadow period starting on December 10. Mars turns retrograde on December 20. This combination doesn’t bode well for a smooth holiday season, and we can expect long lines for gift return.

In this week’s poll, we’d like to know whether being aware of Mercury retrograde is changing your approach to the holidays.

Online Surveys & Market Research

Pat

Weekly Forecast October 5: Mercury Enters Libra

This should be a slow week, not without a surprise or two, but mostly we will have a chance to assimilate new information from the Full Moon and other recent events.

In terms of planetary transits, there isn’t a whole lot going on. As this week begins, we’re still in the wake of Saturday’s Full Moon in Aries. For some of us, this Full Moon may have been the culmination of a shift that has been evolving since July, when we began a new series of eclipses. If that happened to you, then the next two weeks will be an adjustment phase.

Mercury begins in earnest this week to retrace the steps of his retrograde path. On Thursday (late Wednesday in western time zones) he conjoins Saturn in Virgo, the third of three passes, and on Saturday, he makes a third and final square to Pluto.

You may have a chance to resolve a particular issue that came up in mid-August. Mercury-Saturn aspects can increase our ability to think critically, and this is especially true when the two are conjunct in Virgo. The downside is that there could be a tendency to find fault in small details, both in ourselves and others, that may not matter much. If you’re stuck in a cycle of negative thinking, just be aware of it for now.

Mercury re-enters Libra on Friday, and at that point, your point of view will balance itself out. Sometimes it’s our perception of the world and not actual events that cause us grief. If this has the case for you, you should feel a weight lifting later this week. That said, you may have to get over a bit of a hump first, as Mercury and Pluto make contact and expose an uncomfortable truth.

Friday could also be a day of surprises, when Venus opposes Uranus. This is not a heavy duty Uranus aspect. Although there is a small possibility of upsets in relationships or finances, you may just get an opportunity to get out of your normal routine and do something different, probably in the context of a close relationship.

The dominant energy of this week likely will be Jupiter’s station in preparation for returning direct on October 13. He’s in my first house, and I’ve been feeling a drag on my energy. Depending where he is in your chart, you might feel slow and heavy, too.

On Saturday, Jupiter gets a positive trine from the Sun. This is a highly optimistic combination, and you might get a clue about what’s to come when Jupiter returns direct next week. There’s a sense of excitement and anticipation in this aspect, and while we don’t want to succumb to wishful thinking, we need positive reinforcement from time to time to remind us that dreams can and do come true.

Love and blessings to all,
Pat

Ask Real Astrologers: Why Can’t We Communicate?

This week’s question comes from Anita in Maryland:

I am currently in a relationship with a Cancer man who is very special. However, the last three weeks have been awful. We seem to miscommunicate and hurt each other’s feelings so easily. This isn’t the first time this has happened. We were apart for most of January of this year. I really love him and I know that he wants to take some time, but is there any insight you can give us to understand each other better?

Pat’s response:

Anita, there’s a lot going on between the two of you to explain the rough spots, but the immediate problem you’re describing has the marks of Mercury retrograde all over it.

During Mercury retrograde periods, even the best relationships can suffer from miscommunications. Relationships that aren’t on sound footing can fall apart (it has happened to me a few times in my life). This Mercury retrograde was particularly hard on your relationship, because Mercury was sitting on your Descendant, an important chart angle that is the cusp of the seventh house. The seventh house rules marriage and committed partnerships.

Mercury returned direct on September 29, and he’ll cross back over your Descendant a week from today. At that time, you should be able to discuss your most recent problems and get some clarity as to where the breakdown occurred.

Since you indicate that you’ve had ongoing issues, you likely will have to address those, too, and fortunately we’re coming up on a great time for you to do so. Not only will Mercury be in your seventh house, but there’s a New Moon in this area of your chart on October 18 that should help you get a fresh start with your sweetie.

In the meantime, I strongly advise you to get a reading with a qualified astrologer to help you understand the broader aspects between you. I encourage you to ask your partner for his permission to do this and to see whether he’d like to join you for the reading. This is the ethical thing to do, and it will help build trust between you.

I think you’re going to be just fine, but do write and let us know how it goes.

Neith’s response:

Anita, when it comes to relationships, the first thing I always do is look at the natal charts for information on behaviors and habit patterns both people bring with them. Natal aspects to the Moon and Mercury can hold the keys to our habit patterns (Moon) and the way we communicate (Mercury).

On one hand, your Mercury in Aquarius is trine Uranus, blessing you with an innovative, brilliant mind. On the other, it is square Neptune, ruler of your Sun sign, Pisces. I suspect that when emotions enter the picture, you start second guessing yourself, leading to confusion. Be thankful your Moon is generally well-aspected, giving you a high degree of emotional stability.

Your Cancer man has Mercury square Jupiter and Uranus – great for jumping to conclusions before all the facts are in. Since we don’t have a birth time for him, it is not possible to determine whether his Moon is in late Pisces or early Aries. However, in either case Uranus will oppose his Moon, increasing his need for lots of space and feeling emotionally independent.

Pluto in Capricorn conjoining your Moon and squaring his natal Moon-Uranus opposition was the likely culprit triggering the problems you two have been experiencing. Pluto has a way of introducing us to our issues with control and our little obsessions. When it comes to Pluto and Uranus, the tighter Pluto tries to hold on, the faster Uranus will run.

Does any of this sound familiar, Anita? If so, then perhaps an honest discussion about how much space you both need to really appreciate your time together is in order. You both have your Mercury in air signs, enabling you to articulate your feelings, very important for two water sign-Sun people.

Have faith in yourself, Anita, and do your best to keep your hands open, not clenched. Good luck!!

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Saturday Extra! I Blame It on Mercury Retrograde

Surely I’m not the only astrologer who read about yesterday’s 9/11 Coast Guard snafu and automatically thought, “Mercury retrograde!”

But this is not just any Mercury retrograde. Pluto was stationed and just hours from returning direct. Saturn and Uranus are close to exact opposition. Mars is about to cross the degree of an eclipse in July that was the first in a new series. More about all of this below. First, let’s have a quick look at what happened.

The U.S. Coast Guard was conducting what it called routine training exercises on the Potomac River, just as President Obama was arriving at the Pentagon for services commemorating the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The CNN newsroom heard the chatter on its police scanner and mistook it for a real attack, and other media picked up the story. CNN staff later said they tried to verify the story with the Coast Guard, who said they knew nothing. But the network made the decision to run with the story anyway. As a result, flights out of the busy D.C. airport were delayed, and even the Coast Guard was confused about whether the attack was real or just a drill.

In a press briefing at the White House, Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs got into a tiff with the reporter covering the conference for CNN, blaming the incident on the network and saying they should have checked their facts before broadcasting the story. Both the White House and the Coast Guard refused to apologize for the snafu, but the Coast Guard later issued a press release saying it would conduct a full review of the incident and hinted that the boats involved in the drill may have been using the wrong radio channel to communicate with each other.

Of course, any glitch in communications is automatically a function of Mercury retrograde. But this was a very big oops! I took a look at the chart for the event, which, according to news reports, began at 9:30 a.m. The Ascendant is 21 degrees Libra, with Mercury retrograde in the twelfth house, the sector ruled by Neptune, the confusion planet and also one of the two planets that rules shipping. Jupiter is the other, and chart ruler Venus was exactly opposite Jupiter, who is retrograde but still in close conjunction with Neptune.

Pluto was three hours from returning direct after five months retrograde. He’s stationed at 0 degrees Capricorn, in the third house, which concerns communications, and he’s square retrograde Mercury. In the original chart for the 9/11 attacks, Pluto was in close opposition with Saturn, which many astrologers considered a key indicator of the attacks, since Pluto rules subversive elements in society.

In yesterday’s chart, Pluto also is in wide opposition to war planet Mars at 10 degrees Cancer, the closest planet to the Midheaven at 24 degrees Cancer. The United States is a Cancer nation, concerned with security, a keyword for Cancer. The ninth house, where Mars is located in this chart, includes training and improving skills.

That all chart four angles are in cardinal signs is a clue to what this event might signify, other than just a very big Mercury retrograde mistake. Mars is about to cross the degree of the lunar eclipse of July 7, which was the first in a new series of eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer. These eclipses are going to amplify the cardinal energy of 2010, when Saturn, Uranus, and Pluto form a T-square in Libra, Aries, and Capricorn. The handwriting is appearing on the wall, and it’s starting to look like a road sign for how to move forward.

There are two other interesting things to note about this chart. First, Ceres is on the Ascendant, signifying that wisdom ultimately prevailed. We may not always be this lucky, but we can hope, and perhaps as more women take up positions at high levels of government, we’ll adopt a more balanced approach to war and national defense.

Second, Comet Lulin is lurking in the background. On Sept. 11, 2001, Lulin was at 24 degrees Pisces, which is where Uranus currently is sitting and where he’ll be opposed by Saturn next week. Lulin conjoined Saturn in late February at 20 degrees Virgo. At the time, Saturn was the only planet retrograde, which was notable, because Lulin moves backwards, unlike any other known comet. Now Saturn is moving forward and Uranus is retrograde. There seems to be a message here about going back, remembering, and understanding how we got where we are as a prerequisite to moving forward.

Mars and Lulin will conjoin at 17 degrees Cancer on September 24. I don’t know if we’ll see any effects, but keep your eyes and ears open for anything that improves our understanding about past events or how we got to be the way we are.

Meanwhile, perhaps there’s a clue in a statement to the media by the Coast Guard’s chief of staff, John Currier, following yesterday’s mix-up.

“We’re going to take a good hard look at what we did here today and ensure that if we need to modify procedures, if we need to modify notification, we will do so in the future,” he said.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

Image: The U.S. Coast Guard conducting drills on the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 11, 2009. Photo by Kevin Wolf for The Associated Press.

Weekly Forecast September 7: Mercury Retrograde, Pluto Direct

If nothing else, this is going to be quite an interesting week. Rather than putting labels “good” or “bad” on it, I suggest only that you keep your antennae up for certain kinds of experiences, as these will contain information that could be critical for your future.

I say that, because most aspects of any consequence this week fall in the early degrees of the cardinal signs — Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn — and this is going to give us a taste of the cardinal T-square that starts next year, when Jupiter and Uranus enter Aries. At times during 2010 and 2011 when faster-moving planets are in Cancer, we’ll have a grand cross. This is going to be a wildly instable period during which we’ll experience sweeping changes, as individuals and collectively.

So why worry about that now? Well, not to be alarmist, but by the time the collective changes are upon us, our options for dealing with them may be severely limited. Those who foresee the challenges and act accordingly will be better prepared for what could be some pretty serious disruption.

We begin the week with Mercury stationed retrograde at 6 degrees Libra, in a separating square with Mars. Mercury retrograde periods are great for reflecting, rethinking, revising, and regrouping, but not so good for reacting.

The nice thing about Mercury retrograde in Libra is that we are better able to find the balance in refraining from action. There will be plenty of opportunity for that in the future. Do be prepared for the inevitable frustrations and delays, though, and you know all the rules by now about not buying expensive toys, especially electronics, while Mercury is in retreat.

Mercury also is in an applying square to Pluto, who turns direct on Friday at 0 degrees Capricorn. You’ll feel this shift most strongly if you’re a Scorpio or Rising Scorpio or if Pluto is transiting a key planet or angle in your birth chart.

Pluto will be part of next year’s T-square, with Uranus in Aries and Saturn in Libra. From now until July 2011, we’re also in a series of eclipses in Capricorn and Cancer, which will act as an accelerator to change. This series began a couple of months ago, and while some of you felt them, my general feeling is that their messages were delayed. With Mercury retrograde and Mars coming up on the degree of the first eclipse in the series (exact on September 19), those messages will get louder in the next few weeks.

We may hear some whispers this Saturday, when the Moon enters Cancer. She’ll oppose Pluto and square Mercury before conjoining Mars on Sunday. Lunar transits are fleeting and don’t always register on our radar screen, but if you try to tune in, you should get some feedback. Once again, try not to put a label on it. Just observe. I’ll be recording my impressions in my journal.

The only other aspects this week of note are oppositions from Venus to Neptune & Co. She starts out by aspecting Jupiter on Friday and then aligns across from Chiron late Sunday (Monday morning on the East Coast of the United States and in the Eastern Hemisphere). I don’t foresee anything too jarring here. Indeed, if you’ve been impacted by this powerful three-way conjunction, she may help you make some sense out of it and assimilate the new information into your body/mind. It may not be the most comfortable feeling, but it won’t hurt too much, either.

Keep your eyes and hearts open.

Much love,
Pat

Image: Mercury Appearing to Aeneas, by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, 1757. In Virgil’s Aeneid, Jupiter sends Mercury to Trojan warrior Aeneas, who must choose between his destiny to found the city of Rome and his love for Queen Dido. The story recounts the mythological events of a changing era and the dawn of a new empire.

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