Tag Archives: mercury

Mercury, the Moon, and The Inner Journey of Virgo, Part II

Zemnya, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

In Buddhist teaching, the highest perfection is said to be the perfection of wisdom.

There is an ancient Buddhist scripture called the “Holy Heart Sutra of the Perfection of Wisdom” (often just called “The Heart Sutra” for short). This scripture tells of a conversation between the historical Buddha and one of his heart disciples, Sariputra. In this scripture the Buddha says to Sariputra:

Form is emptiness, emptiness is form
Emptiness does not differ from form,
and form does not differ from emptiness.
~ The Heart Sutra

This speaks to the deepest mysteries of Virgo, and it is important to understand what is really meant by “emptiness” in this context. It doesn’t mean “nothing,” but rather refers to space, which is “empty” of physical forms but filled with spirit, filled with love – filled with all that we value, yet cannot see or touch. It speaks to the synthesis of spirit and form that happens in Virgo.

In Esoteric Astrology, the Tibetan refers to the Moon as the “Mother of All Forms.” In certain Buddhist traditions, reference is made to the “mother void” and the “son awareness.” This is referring to the karmic cycle through which physical forms arise from the “void” (or space), then awareness (of self) arises through form, and then divine awareness (soul) returns to the void (space) through synthesis, after the dissolution of form. Esoterically this is described as the synthesis of father (spirit) and mother (form) which gives rise to the birth of the child (Christ consciousness). At a higher level, the unified mother-father is simply referred to as mother. The deeper mysteries of this divine process lie within the Virgo-Pisces cycle of arising, awareness, synthesis and then resolution. This is how the deeper mystery of Virgo, symbolized by mother (spirit/form) and child (awareness), leads to the expansion of divine love.

After the Moon has done her earlier work in Cancer, creating the conditions for us to transform negative emotions into positive altruistic states such as compassion, she returns in Virgo to teach us how to flow the subtle physical energies of compassion through the subtle channels that have been created by Mercury. Again, this is a two-way street that speaks to the highest purpose of Virgo. Through the channels created by Mercury and under the conditions created by the Moon, we experience a greater expansion of divinity into physical form and come one step closer to experience our soul – that droplet of divinity which resides within each of us.

Likewise, as a result of the expansion of the human heart and a greater flow of human compassion, there is a greater experience of human potential within the divine. Heaven travels to earth, and earth meets heaven. Interestingly, the ruler of Virgo at the hierarchical level is the expansive, magnifying planet Jupiter. So we can see that the expansion of love on many levels and throughout many realms is deeply connected with the highest soul purpose of Virgo.

Virgo stands for the “womb of time’ wherein God’s plan (the mystery and the secret of the ages) is slowly matured and – with pain and discomfort and through struggle and conflict – brought into manifestation at the appointed time.
~ The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology

The Moon is a bit of an anomaly, an enigma, in astrology. Technically, she isn’t really a planet at all (for moons are not planets). Indeed H.P. Blavatsky (author of the earlier esoteric works The Secret Doctrine and Isis Unveiled), Alice Bailey (channel for The Tibetan, Author of Esoteric Astrology), and mystic Vera Stanley Alder all agree that the Moon is “dead,” having no life force or vitality of her own. Yet the magnetic pull of the Moon affects the Earth’s tides and likewise the emotions of humanity. So here we have the esoteric symbology of the Moon, something that is dead and connected to the past, yet is still tugging at us. The Moon symbolizes those aspects of our past that are no longer useful or beneficial for our spiritual progress, yet we collectively and individually (in our personal natal chart) haven’t released them yet.

The Moon thus creates conditions of human experience that are womb-like in the sense of being deep, dark, and quiet. In Virgo, she creates the conditions for “the valley of deep experience wherein secrets are discovered and eventually ‘brought to light’; [Virgo] is the place of slow, gentle and yet powerful crisis and periodic developments which take place in the dark and yet which lead to light.” (The Tibetan, Esoteric Astrology)

Esoterically, the Moon veils Vulcan (according to Esoteric Astrology, Vulcan is a hidden planet), and Vulcan is known as the blacksmith of the gods. In the alchemical fiery furnace of Vulcan, physical forms are transformed like molten lead into gold. It is this alchemical action of Vulcan that conditions the physical form to be more receptive to light and thus enables the synthesis of spirit and matter in Virgo.

The Moon/Vulcan conditions the form, while Mercury lays down a connective network of light on all levels. With this dual action of Mercury and the Moon/Vulcan, the physical human form becomes a pure and suitable vehicle for light and the subsequent birth of Christ consciousness.

This time of year, under the influence of Virgo, we all have an opportunity to deeply contemplate our life and ensure we are fully aligned with our divine purpose or vocation. If you have Sun, Moon or Rising Sign in Virgo, it is important that you be aware of your physical energy and stay grounded. You are here to radiate love into the world.

Ruth

[hr_small]

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

About the artist: This oil painting, the sixth in the Empowered Feminine Zodiac series by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie, features the Lithuanian harvest goddess Zemnya as the representation of Virgo. She is dressed in traditional Lithuanian embroidered clothing. For more information about the symbolism in this print and to view other works in her ongoing series, check out her website, Karen MacKenzie Art (her prints are very affordable).

Mercury, the Moon, and The Inner Journey of Virgo, Part I

Zemnya, original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

Virgo season is upon us once again, bringing with it the opportunity to focus on our true vocation, or divine purpose. Virgo is associated with purity, purification, health, healing, well-being, the Virgin Mother, mother and child, the physical human form, and divinity in form.

It is no accident that it is harvest time in the Northern Hemisphere, as Virgo is also associated with the harvesting, or results, of what was sown. This is the time of year that we realize the practical reality of reaping what we sow, and if we don’t like what we see, it gives us an opportunity to prepare the ground to plant a different crop next year.

It is the Soul purpose of Virgo to purify and prepare our physical form so that it is more receptive to light and becomes a suitable vehicle for the cultivation and gestation of the Christ consciousness that will be born in Capricorn. Whether we have planets in Virgo or not, at this time of year it is an ideal time for each of us to contemplate our divine purpose and check whether we are fully aligned with our true purpose.

Following the journey of the soul through the 12 signs of the zodiac, after the completion of the individuation process in Leo, the individual now prepares for service by ensuring that the physical vehicle is ready to receive the light. Virgo has two planetary “space-holders” (rulers) that create the conditions necessary for this crucial stage of our soul’s development: Mercury and the Moon. We explored Mercury’s role in Gemini and the Moon’s role in Cancer, and here in Virgo, both planets create different conditions, because Virgo is an Earth sign, so they are more practically and tangibly conditioning the physical form rather than feeling and thought.

Mercury creates connections and pathways for communication, or communion. Esoterically, Mercury creates the ultimate pathway to connect us with higher mind, the antahkarana or “rainbow bridge.” Although we are strictly speaking in terms of energy and energetic pathways, it is helpful to think of the analogy of mercury as liquid metal. Imagine the speed and fluidity of liquid metal as it creates tiny sparkling rivulets, then streams and then rivers, spreading and branching out wherever needed to create pathways of light.

At one end of the bridge Mercury connects with the light of the divine; at the other end of the bridge Mercury is sending roots down into physical form, enlivening and stimulating the growth of neural pathways – nature’s own communication network for consciousness – so that conscious awareness can travel deeper into physical form. This is a two-way communication. Through the activity of Mercury, consciousness “communes” with form, and form becomes awakened, aware of consciousness. As a result, somatic awareness (the felt-sense in our body) deepens in Virgo, and the fully integrated Virgo soul can feel when they are flowing pure Love through their physical work and/or actions. Using your nervous system as a medium for communion, Mercury sensitizes you to spirit, awakening you to subtler and subtler levels of energy and consciousness.

Whereas in Gemini there is still duality, a perceived separation between form and spirit, between the divine and the personality, Virgo is a sign of synthesis. So in Virgo, the action of Mercury prepares the physical form to receive. The connections made by Mercury prepare for the synthesis of spirit and form, so that ultimately there is no separation. Spirit is form and form is spirit.

This is not an easy stage of our developmental process. Part of the process involves cognitive stimulation, the stimulation of thoughts and cognitive processing, and it is this side-effect of Mercury that leads some people with Sun, Moon or Virgo Rising to feel edgy, anxious, or worry to excess. If you are experiencing this, it is because you need to ground this Mercurial energy, and that is easier said than done. Having said that, it is part of your divine purpose as a Virgo to be a kind of cosmic lightening conductor! Do whatever you need to do to connect with your heart center. It can be yoga, Reiki, or even gardening, but do whatever you need to do to feel the physical flow of energy through your heart center radiating throughout your body and down to earth. Once you have done that, your energy will become grounded into the physical, rather than having too much energy in your head!

As we saw in my previous article on Cancer, the Moon rules physical form. So it makes sense that once Mercury has created the pathways, the Moon would step into a higher role in holding the space and ensuring the conditions are ripe for spirit to be fully imbued into physical form. The sign of Virgo is associated with perfection. This leads the Virgo personality to misguidedly seek perfection in the outer world, where the Virgo soul seeks perfection of the inner world.

In Part II, we’ll go deeper into Virgo’s connection to the Moon – the “Mother of All Forms.”

Ruth

[hr_small]

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Mercury, Venus, and the Inner Journey of Gemini, Part I

Gemini (Iris & Arke Goddesses of the Rainbow), original artwork by Seattle artist Karen MacKenzie. See end of article for more info.

Gemini Season is here again bringing with it the interplay of light through form.

The Soul, which began its journey in Aries as a “point of light in the mind of God,” became a beam of light in Taurus and now divides into multiple beams of light in Gemini. Think of the quality of sunshine playing through the leaves or the dancing sparkles of light on water, and you have the light, playful, fairy-like quality of Gemini. The one becomes many, and the Divine dance has begun.

Don’t misunderstand the playfulness of light; indeed, a sense of play is in the nature of light and is inherent in the whole of creation. The apparent superficial quality of Gemini belies his deepest mysteries: the mystery of life and the mysteries of our divine purpose as a spiritually awakened humanity. Gemini is associated with the breath, and indeed the divine use of the breath, through words and sound, is a clue to the deepest mysteries of Gemini.

Gemini has three planetary “rulers,” each of which is important in understanding these deeper mysteries of Gemini. The personality ruler of Gemini is Mercury, the Soul ruler of Gemini is Venus, and the Hierarchical ruler of Gemini is the Earth herself. (Esoterically, Venus and Earth are said to be sister planets.) It is through Gemini that humanity fulfills its divine purpose as custodian for Earth and the elemental kingdoms. Gemini connects us to the etheric and the elemental at one and the same time. This apparent sign of duality is actually a sign of multiplicity, connection, and communion. Through Gemini we realize our interconnectedness with one another, Earth and her creatures, and all sentient beings.

At the personality level Gemini is ruled by Mercury, the winged messenger of the gods. Esoterically Mercury is responsible for the Rainbow Bridge, or Antakharana, connecting lower and higher mind. It is through Mercury that we learn to connect and commune with our higher selves and hear our spiritual calling. It is ultimately through the activity of Mercury, conditioning, expanding and awakening our perception, that we attune to higher consciousness and perceive our divine purpose. It is through Mercury that we realize our interconnectedness to one another, that the brotherhood (or sisterhood) of humanity becomes the body of humanity as we transcend separatism and realize the divine task of humanity as custodian of the Earth and her creatures.

At Soul level, Gemini is ruled by Venus. Once the activity of Mercury has expanded our perception, we are open to the activity of Venus through the heart center. This brings a spiritual awakening in the form of a deep sense of communion and connectedness with all sentient beings. There is an awareness of love, not as an idea, but as a living energy which permeates and radiates throughout all life. This shift in perception brings us to the realization of our interrelatedness with one another and all living things.

Mercury opens portals of communion between lower and higher self, so we connect with our inner “guru,” coach, or our own, wise self. However, there is still a perceived duality, a separation, as experienced from the side of the personality. In last month’s article, we looked at the harmonizing aspect of Venus as experienced through physical matter in Taurus. Venus achieves harmony through the law of right relationship. What makes the difference between music and a collection of disharmonious sounds? It is the relationship between each note. When each note sounds in right relationship to the others, the human ear (and indeed all of existence) recieves it as music: in other words, sounds that are played in harmony with one another.

As Venus begins her work, Gemini moves from the lower octave to the higher octave and begins harmonizing all perceived duality. It is the conditioning effect of Venus and the law of right relationship that allow Gemini’s higher octave to resolve all duality. Gemini has a unique role in the zodiac and, esoterically, it is the only sign that is connected with each of the other eleven zodiac signs. This is because, according to the Tibetan,* Gemini will play a vital role in the future astrology, be resolving all duality and polarities so that eventually we have six zodiac energies rather than the currently perceived twelve as Aries-Libra, Taurus-Scorpio, and so forth, synthesize into one energy. This synthesizing effect of Gemini is due to the unique relationship between Mercury and Venus, opening a pathway to higher love.

As this Mercury-Venus connection grows, clarifying and strengthening the Rainbow Bridge, the Soul presents ever more clearly and strongly to the individual. Hence the Soul keynote for Gemini:

I recognize my other self and in the waning of that self I grow and glow.

This speaks to the individual process of Soul recognition and identification, whereby eventually the Soul experience is so strong, the connection is such that the individual realizes, “This is who I am.” At that point, the grip of the personality is loosened and the individual lives freely as a fully Soul-centered being.

Next: Gemini’s role in awakening humanity to the power of love.

Ruth

* Esoteric Astrology, the wisdom of The Tibetan (Master DK) as channelled through Alice Bailey.

About the illustration: Karen MacKenzie has been working on a series of astrology inspired paintings using goddesses from different cultures. For more information about the symbolism in this print and to other works in her ongoing series, check out her website, Karen MacKenzie Art. Her prints are very affordable!

[hr]

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Weekly Forecast May 21: Mercury Enters Gemini

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.

Whew, I definitely felt that eclipse. What about you? It was overcast and foggy here, so I didn’t get to see anything, but around 3:30, I essentially passed out and was in a deep sleep for two hours.

It was a good thing I got some extra rest, because this week promises to be insanely busy. We’ll be in the wake of the eclipse through Tuesday, while Mercury straps on his winged sandals and gets ready to fly into his home sign of Gemini on Thursday. Fortunately, our brains will be quick enough to keep up when life shifts into high gear.

Indeed, this week is all about Mercury. As of Friday, all the planets will deposit to him until June 7, except Neptune and, for a few days, the Moon. This means that all areas of life ruled by Mercury will command our attention and take on additional urgency – the most important among them being all forms of communication. With Venus retrograde in Gemini, we may notice an upswing in contact from people we haven’t heard from in some time. I’ve already had one of those experiences and am waiting for the second, as they typically come in pairs. Gemini is, after all, the Twins.

Mercury himself is not just the speedy messenger, associated with rational thinking and a quick wit. Remember, in mythology, he was the only one of the gods who could move freely between the world of the living and the world of the dead. That’s why, when Ceres demanded that Pluto return her kidnapped daughter or else, she had to send Mercury as the intermediary.

The phenomenon symbolized by Mercury is at work when thoughts bubble up from our subconscious, or when images flash into our mind in the space between sleeping and waking. If you’re a creative-minded person, you may get many of your ideas in that space. If so, then you’ve experienced the essence of Mercury. If effect, you’ve received a “message from the gods” via the Messenger.

The reason I bring this up is that we normally think of Mercury as the planet of communications and quick thinking, and while this is true, there’s more to the Little Guy. And we’re going to experience his dual role this week as he aspects Jupiter (the Big Guy) on Tuesday, Neptune on Friday, and the Sun and Uranus on Sunday. Keep a notebook handy and write down your ideas. They may come and go so fast that if you don’t record them, you’ll forget … which would be a shame, because truly, we’re receiving major “downloads” right now, some of them as fleeting ideas and others as major revelations. The synchronicities continue, as well.

One of the things that always has fascinated me as I contemplate Gemini is the concept of communications between the two hemispheres of the brain. Where do these intuitive thoughts come from, how do they enter our conscious awareness, and how do we process them? As a writer, I depend on this process for inspiration. Once I come up with an idea – and who knows, really, where it comes from – I make a note of it and then wait for my subconscious to do the “research.” Invariably, ideas pop to the surface as I’m waking up or while I’m commuting on the ferry, staring at the water and thinking about nothing in particular. Sometimes, something will happen during the day that literally brings the information I need to my fingertips.

Some people are disturbed by these strange ideas out of “nowhere” and quickly suppress them. This is all the more likely to happen to those who are entrenched in belief systems that would collapse with the insurgence of one radical truth. I suspect there’s going to be a lot of that going on in the next few weeks, individually and collectively.

Communicating within relationships is going to be very important this week, too. Venus is now retrograde but moving very slowly, while Saturn also is retrograde. While they never form an exact trine, they’ve been tracking within a degree of each other and will remain within a couple of degrees of a trine all week. Saturn is in Venus-ruled Libra, the sign of relationships, reminding us that commitment comes with responsibilities. The first responsibility is to communicate. In romantic relationships, honesty is paramount. We often tell little lies, thinking that we’re sparing the other person’s feelings, when the real motivation may be elsewhere. If you’re not being truthful with your partner, you might want to have a little discussion with yourself and try to figure out why not. What’s at stake? What is served by hiding the truth? You may have legitimate reasons, but more often than not, information is withheld as a means of control.

On Saturday, Mercury also conjoins the lunar South Node. I’ve been hearing a lot from friends and clients about past-life memories, often triggered by meeting someone from another lifetime. I expect we’re going to get a lot more of this in the next few weeks, too. The Sun crosses the South Node the day before, which also may trigger some synchronicities or events that feel “destined.”

However, it’s Mercury I’m watching this week. Whether the communications come from within or without, they’re likely to come fast and to be worth our attention. Keep those antennae up! And for those of you who are getting slammed, this is just another admonition to keep your eye on the goal and don’t lose your nerve. When you’re surfing a giant wave and driving on a high-speed freeway, you can’t afford to allow your attention to lapse for even a second.

Much love and courage to all,
Pat

P.S. For photos of the eclipse as well as good information about solar activity, check out Space Weather.

Mars, Mercury, and the Inner Journey of Aries, Part II

In Part I of this article, Ruth explained the meaning of Aries in Soul Astrology. In Part II, she elaborates on the concept of Mercury as the esoteric ruler of Aries. ~Pat

My Aries son in flames. © Osk Ingad Alden, 2012.

Esoteric Astrology speaks of three stages of spiritual development known as the mutable, fixed, and cardinal cross.¹

Those on the mutable cross are personality centered and have little or no awareness of Soul. Those on the fixed cross have some experience of Soul. They have begun awakening, but there is still duality: separation between personality and Soul. The individual on the cardinal cross has fully integrated Soul and personality. There is no separation. Such an individual would be a highly realized spiritual being like Christ or Buddha. Most of us on the planet at this time will be on the mutable cross, while a fast-growing minority are beginning to awaken on the fixed cross.

The majority of people on the mutable cross will still relate and be receptive to Mars as the ruler of Aries. Those on the fixed cross who are awakening and becoming aware of their Soul presence will begin perceiving the qualities of Mercury and its influence in Aries. When the Being is sensitive, and receptive enough to receive Mercurial energy, then Mercury takes over from Mars and begins the process of awakening, ripening, conditioning and developing the intuitive body.

Mercury is responsible for the development of the antahkarana, or Rainbow Bridge, by which we connect lower and higher mind.² Aries is very much a sign of the mind, and it is through this ripening and conditioning effect of Mercury that Aries arises from his lower nature to reach his full spiritual potential. The effect of Uranus in Aries lies beyond the individual and is known only at the hierarchical level. As we awaken spiritually, developing our senses and deepening our perceptive capacity, we become aware of the more subtle influences of these energies. In Aries it is the effects of both Mars and Mercury that are creating the perfect conditions for spiritual development.

During the early stages of our spiritual journey, like tender vulnerable seedlings, we are very susceptible to the energies that condition our growth, but there is a reciprocal effect that comes later. Just like a fully mature forest gives back and sustains the environment which nurtured the individual trees, so we too as fully flowering mature spiritual beings will have the capacity to emanate beneficial energies, such as compassion, to nurture and sustain all sentient beings.

I cannot too strongly reiterate the constant necessity for you to think
in terms of energies and forces, of lines of force,
and energy relationships…
The whole story of astrology is, in reality,
one of magnetic and magical interplay
for the production or externalization of the inner reality…³
~ Alice Bailey

Soul Astrology is astrology of our inner world: our energy field, of all five “bodies.” The natal chart is our own personal mandala, showing us the energetic patterns and dynamics that were present at the precise moment that we came into incarnation and the planets that are co-creating the conditions for our growth. How much we grow spiritually and increase our capacity to receive and perceive the potential influences depends very much on us — on our motives, intention, motivation, and the choices we make. We must strive to expand our perception if we are to be aware of more subtle influences.

Will we recognize Mars as the benevolent father of life on earth, driving us steadily towards Mercury and the revelation of our Higher Self? Or will we continue to cast him down as a god of war? The choice is ours.

Next Month we will explore Venus, Vulcan and the Inner Journey of Taurus.

Ruth

[hr_small]

Footnotes:

1. This is not the same as having a grand square or cosmic cross in one’s own natal chart.
2. Esoteric Astrology, the wisdom of The Tibetan (Master DK) as channelled through Alice Bailey.
3. Ibid.

[hr]

Ruth Hadikin – Soul Astrologer

To get your personal Soul Sign/Life Purpose Report (FREE with a consultation), contact Ruth via her website. You can also request a FREE mp3 download, “The Energetics of Soul Astrology.”

Second Full Moon in Scorpio – May 19/20

Full Moon in Scorpio
The Full Moon on May 19 (May 20 in the Eastern Hemisphere) falls at 29° Scorpio, just before the Sun leaves Taurus and enters Gemini. This is called the “anaretic degree” or “critical degree” and marks the ending of a phase. It is an opportunity to review our understanding of the lessons of the sign involved.

Scorpio has been the focal point of this last cycle from Full Moon to Full Moon, and hopefully most of us have had realizations about what we need to let go of or release to the highest good.

The Sun is still conjunct Venus in Taurus, emphasizing appreciation of what we have and the importance of being in the body. When the Sun moves on into Gemini and joins Mercury and Ceres there, air signs will be able to breathe more easily, whereas the earth signs will be reluctant to give up touchy feely Taurus. The fire signs are just happy to have Mars in Leo instead of Cancer! It is a bit dry now for water signs.

One of the more interesting patterns in the sky on this Full Moon is a wide fixed grand cross formed by the nodal axis, the luminaries, and the Chiron/Neptune conjunction in Aquarius. This particular pattern impacts my chart strongly and prompts me to feel the key here is to take advantage of pain to discern what needs tossing from one’s life. It’s a truism that humans change more readily when it’s too painful not to, and the conjunction of Chiron/North Node/Neptune looks very much like just the crew to do that. Aquarius provides the detachment to stand back and observe the source of the pain Chiron is pointing to, while Neptune provides the anesthetic (boy, is this going to hurt when it wears off . . .), and the North Node in Aquarius indicates the path we need to travel toward the greater good. The Scorpio Full Moon gives us the wherewithal to dig deep inside ourselves and haul what we need to review to the surface. May passing through this experience help all of us feel lighter and freer to truly be ourselves.

We are still working with Jupiter sextile Uranus, but in this Full Moon chart, Mercury conjunct Ceres in Gemini is square Uranus. This may be a clue as to why so many are feeling Mercury retrograde is casting a deeper shadow than usual. Once Mercury goes retrograde on May 26, the square to Uranus will widen and won’t begin to close until after Mercury goes direct on June 20. Uranus is essentially standing still now as it prepares to station retrograde on June 28, but we won’t cross that bridge for awhile yet . . . thankfully.

The next chapter following this Full Moon will unfold slowly due to Mercury’s change in direction. Perhaps the best course of action is to keep in mind Scorpio’s theme of rejuvenation and review, as Mercury retrograde is certainly a good time to continue with it. Life has been moving very quickly since the powerful New Moon in Aries, and a breather would do us all good!

posted by Neith . . .

Mercury in Gemini: Can You Just Hear the Twitter?

There’s no better image of Mercury in Gemini than twittering birds, and it’s no coincidence that we now have Twitter on Real Astrologers.

Mercury in Gemini is tailor-made for Twitter, the new way to keep track of friends and family. The messages are short, sweet, and not too deep. Think of it as a hybrid between blogging and text messaging from your cell phone. We think of it as a mini-blog and a perfect new format for astrology. Thus, Astro-Twitter was born!

You’ve seen it in action … and there will be a whole lot more action when more of you join! Don’t be shy. You don’t need to be an astrologer or even know much about astrology to participate. All you need to do is let us know what you’re doing and how you’re feeling, and we can compare that to what the planets are doing to see how they correlate.

This is also great if you’re from another country and feel a little challenged writing in English. The short Twitter format doesn’t require grammatically whole sentences, and no one will notice if subject and verb don’t agree. So please don’t let that stop you. At last count, Real Astrologers had readers in 34 countries on six continents! We’d love for Twitter to be an international flock, too.

It is very easy to sign up for Twitter, and it’s free. Once you have an account, ping me via e-mail or through Twitter messaging, and I will add you to our list. That’s all there is to it. All we ask is that if you plan to use Twitter for other purposes, please create a separate account and screen name for participating in Astro-Twitter. Otherwise, we’ll be inundated with so many off-topic messages that it won’t be Astro-Twitter. Do you follow me?

Join the fun! Add your voice to our fledgling Astro-Twitter community.

Pat

P.S. If you’d like to add Astro-Twitter on your own blog, let us know, and we’ll send you the code.

Slogging Through the Obstacles

This is an exciting week, with major astrological shifts that should leave everyone feeling a lot better. I’m more than ready to get out of this stuck space, and I know you all are, too.

The week begins with several planets in their detriment or fall, including Venus, Mars, and Jupiter. As I noted in last week’s SkyWatch post, when planets are in their detriment or fall, the energies they embody are somehow “off,” and we feel it. Venus has been demanding and selfish in Aries, while Mars is paranoid, moody, and passive-aggressive in Cancer. In Capricorn, Jupiter turns into a workaholic, when he’s so much more jovial as master of ceremonies.

Although Mercury isn’t technically in detriment or fall in Taurus, this isn’t his best sign, and this will be doubly true when he squares Neptune on Tuesday. Slow, foggy, and confused thinking will be the order of the day. Have you ever been on the phone and momentarily forgotten who you were talking to? It’s like that…

On Wednesday, Venus enters Taurus, which is one of the signs she rules. We should start seeing signs of beauty, grace, and a general return of yumminess, with fewer selfish demands, especially among couples.

Thursday is May 1, celebrated as May Day and known to the ancient Celts as Beltaine, when virgins were deflowered, and it was OK to mate with someone other than your spouse. Venus trines Pluto, which is sure to create some irresistible temptation. And if you’re looking to make it more permanent, her trine with Saturn later in the day could bring just what you’re looking for. Saturn is about to turn direct, too, so this will be a powerful day for romantic commitment.

Saturn turns direct on Friday at 8:07 p.m. on the West Coast of the United States. He’ll take a week or two to start moving forward, but we all are going to start seeing some real progress in areas that have had us stuck for months. As I noted in a new post today on The Pisces Chronicles, the simultaneous station of Jupiter in Capricorn and Saturn coincided with an interesting experience over the weekend that seems to have bumped me up a notch on the consciousness spiral. Among other things, I made some progress in a couple of areas where I’ve been desperately stuck. Could the chant to Ganesha (pictured above) have had anything to do with it? He’s apparently an expert on dealing with Saturn issues.

Earlier on Friday, Mercury enters Gemini. Seeing as how we’re interacting primarily in cyberspace, we’re going to feel this, and I’m betting it will be almost instant. Look for lots of communications activity this weekend.

Sunday will be deliciously lazy and sensual, with the Moon exalted in Taurus trining Pluto and Saturn, then conjoining Venus – all in preparation for Monday’s New Moon. Effects of the New Moon can be felt within three days before or after peak fullness, so we should start seeing the results of all the painful breaking down we’ve been going through since the Full Moon in Scorpio.

So hang in there, and keep in touch. One of the ways we learn about how astrology works is through the stories you leave here. And don’t be shy, even if English is not your native language. RealAstrologers.com is a truly international website, and it’s always exciting for us to hear from the four corners of the planet.

Much love and manifold blessings,
Pat

Seeing Double with Mercury

You just have to love it when planets act out their astrological roles.

In astrology, Mercury rules Gemini, the sign of the Twins. Under his influence, people and events often arrive in pairs. Mercury also is known as the trickster (which we’ll see more of in a few weeks, when he turns retrograde in Gemini), and it seems that he had some of our ancestors tricked into believing there were two of him.

That’s because of his elusive visibility. There’s a great article by Joe Rao on Space.com with some fascinating history and Mercury trivia (another Gemini specialty). According to Joe, the next few weeks are an excellent time to view Mercury, because he’s far enough from the Sun to get a good look at him.

Here is Joe’s article. Just don’t forget to come back, OK?

One reason to do so is our exclusive Mercury Retrograde Watch. We keep you apprised of retrograde dates and shadow periods, which often can be as chaotic as the retrograde phase itself. There’s a shadow period coming up shortly, so bookmark this page and check back frequently for updates!

Pat