Saturn and Mercury: In Cahoots?

For the entire month of June, we've been feeling the effects of both Mercury and Saturn's extended stays in Earth signs (Mercury in Taurus and Saturn in Virgo) as a result of their retrograde cycles. Taurus, a fixed sign, has a tendency to resist the energies of transiting planets: to stand its ground, so to speak. Mercury seems to have been empowered by its dance with the bull followed by a transit to its home sign of Gemini, where it joined the Sun in its growth toward the solstice. If you've been feeling exceptionally scatterbrained, blame it on Mercury, a planet associated with opposites, inner dualities, and general confusion.
Meanwhile, Saturn's transit through mutable Virgo generated within us an elevated sense of self-hypercriticism. Fortunately, both Saturn and Virgo are known for their ability to analyze details and fix seemingly small problems that may affect us more than we realize. Take the opportunity of Saturn void in Virgo (having no more major aspects before its transit to Libra) to organize your life with lists and schedules; even if you haven't found success in these methods in the past, the planets suggest that you give it another go.

We should have known that Mercury and Saturn were up to something when Mercury began covering new territory (after retracing its steps via retrograde) in the 13th degree of Taurus just as Saturn stationed direct in Virgo. Currently, these two bodies are approaching a conflict-oriented square to be completed at 12:23pm EST tomorrow. While the two planets in any square (a 90 degree angle) tend to aggravate each other, their back and forth antagonism actually stimulates their energies. Saturn, a planet based on structure and rules, is consistent in making us aware of our faults and shortcomings, and will make us deeply regret any inappropriate actions we make. Its battle with Mercury provides us with some hints on where to exercise caution; since Mercury rules our thought, reason, negotiation, and communication, make sure you tread lightly when talking to your peers about anything of importance. Now is not the time to make agreements or definitive statements of any kind. Regardless of whether or not you normally speak with confidence, keep in mind that it's better to second guess yourself than to say something you really don't mean.

This aspect of Saturn and Mercury will cause restlessness, an often inevitable side effect of any square. However, squares can also be an opportunity for growth. Although Mercury square Saturn seems to be an unyielding deadlock, it will help us learn to be more responsible about our decision making processes and social interactions. In addition, Mercury moves on to square Uranus on Friday, which will be a more laid back aspect that will ease our desire to criticize and appreciate the beauty within ourselves. Uranus, the planet of change, recently entered Aries, the sign of self, providing us an opportunity to make the necessary adjustments to keep our lives on track as we enter the second half of the year 2010.