In Truth—Mercury Retrograde—October 14th

“What time has ever been a simple time for those who are living it?” asks author Elizabeth Gilbert…and yet, as news rushes through the tendrils of technology, flooding our nervous systems, squatting for days and weeks in our divided minds, this time, for most of us living in it, is knotted with perplexing complexity and information overload. What seemed sure and certain empties into the unknown.

 

Mercury turns Retrograde at 11 ° Scorpio this week and will station direct in his Promethean phase on the day of the US election, November 3rd (in a tense square to Pluto, Jupiter, and Saturn.) The Promethean phase of Mercury translates as vision and foresight, as we gather information, implement action, confront directly. On Election Day, Mercury will be in the air sign of Libra before returning once more to Scorpio.

 

The Retrograde cycle of Mercury occurs three times every year and moves through the elements of fire, air, earth and water, in a procession across the zodiac, alerting us the rhythm of inner reflection that is needed for a more conscious experience of living.

 

Mercury in Scorpio may act like a poultice, pulling up the toxins in our intimate relationships, unearthing buried secrets and the bleached bones of skeletons in our own lives and in worldly events.

 

Right now, we are all, on some level, experiencing a Mercury Retrograde cycle in the sign of Scorpio. Scorpio is a water sign ruled by both Mars and Pluto and is the sign of death and rebirth.

 

Mercury acts as the celestial teacher as events and circumstances challenge us to question our values, or alert us to our emotional, visceral, responses to life’s challenges. In our own birth charts, our watery houses will swirl with subliminal messages, subtle prompts carried to us in our dreams. Unresolved issues may surface as we question our deepest motivations and our heartfelt desires. The word, “Mojo” is Mercurial. It’s root is probably from Africa, and the meaning is “magic” or in it’s detriment, any poisonous or addictive behaviour… When Mercury moves through Scorpio, there may be demons to battle, poisonous thoughts to purify and release, "Mojo" to rekindle. When Mercury turns direct, he will remain in his “shadow phase” until November 19th, and those things left unfinished, unresolved will resurface throughout December, January and February 2021.

 

Mercury’s realm is magical trans-formation. He was the god of cross-roads and times of transition. Mercury was the only god who travelled back and forth from the Underworld.

In the nuanced language of astrology, the planets describe the quality of experience we assimilate and express. Mercury is the messenger of the gods. This planet rules communication, travel, and technology.

 

Mercury is an important planet in our birth chart, signifying how we access information from the unconscious as we silence the chatter of our mind. When Mercury goes retrograde, those areas of our life may become unpredictable and chaotic if we don’t slow down, stay present and open to the signs, pay careful attention to the deeper messages that an inconvenient delay, or awkward email exchange offers. When Mercury is in Scorpio, an old lover may re appear, or a long-buried desire or resentment may resurface. Mercury Retrograde times bring second chances to repair, to heal—to re-do, to take our time before making important decisions or signing anything that will be legally binding. If we really have to, remember to attend to the details, cross check, back up and cross check again.

 

Between the retraction of Winter or the swelter of Summer, the way forward may not yet be clear. We may have to be still. We may have to wait, reflect, stay open to second chances.

 

“Nothing is good or bad, but thinking makes it so,” said the Bard. Nothing exists until we become aware of it. It’s the awareness of our minds that births the world we see into being. It’s our perception that makes the time we live in simple, or painfully fraught.

All it takes is a conscious shift in perception to see things in a different light, to trust in the process of Life itself.

 

“Every thought you produce, anything you say, any action you do, it bears your signature”, says Thich Nhat Hanh.