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.

Pseudo-Black Thursday

Around 2:30pm yesterday, May 6, 2010, Wall Street experienced a scare reminiscent of the stock market crash of 2008. Amidst a day of downwardly sliding stocks, the Dow suddenly plummeted an alarming 998 points in under half an hour. Our ongoing fears that the debt crises (one of which is coming to heated point in Greece, but we'll talk about that later) in Europe would spill over into American investments had been realized. Or had they?
Certain sources have received information that a trading glitch may have triggered the initial decline (marked by a 40% plunge in Procter & Gamble, a commodities mega-corporation considered one of the most solid investments on Wall Street) which sent stockholders into a selling frenzy, abandoning their more volatile assets for safer holdings such as mutual funds.

This activity is a textbook play for Mercury's retrograde cycle; throwing a wrench into the machine that is the American economy matches the classic M.O. of our favorite trickster, Hermes. Amongst three quarters of encouraging economic growth comes a mini-crisis that almost sparks a nationwide panic founded upon a simple miscommunication or computing error.
Keep in mind that electronic forms of communication are highly subject to the woes of Mercury's anti-communicative influence. Just because your messages are contained within your trusty computer-box does not make them invulnerable; in fact, electronic messages often work on a delay, and are much less reliable than face to face communication. Expect Mercury to take every advantage it can in disrupting these forms of communication.

Meanwhile, Greek's economy spirals as it bears the burden of a debt crisis combined with a regional economic downturn. The European Union as well as the IMF have proposed "bailout" measures for the country, but are debating it amongst their respective governing bodies. The people of Greece can only pray that the Moon's travel through Pisces will leave an air of compassion and sensitivity for the less fortunate, inspiring the EU or IMF to come to their aid.
These issues plaguing the Earth's globalized political economy draw strength from an opposition in our sky; Jupiter, ruler of the Gods and symbol of power and growth, opposes Saturn, which represents conventions and boundaries. When power (assuming it intends to grow, as capitalist economies do) clashes with systems and structure, some degree of crisis is inevitable. Political divisions become most apparent, the economy's cash flow diminishes, and a confidence in the system is lost. However, oppositions are not necessarily deconstructive; these two planets may likely come to an understanding to yield change. Therefore, this will be a time for crucial decisive action by Greek leaders. But enough about them... how does it affect us?
As the value of the euro declines against the dollar, America seems to be riding the waves of Jupiter through our Moon, which are both currently moving through Pisces. Jupiter, a ruling planet of the Pisces sign, can foster the rapid growth of the economy as well as bring out a large economy's excessive wastefulness, often manifested as an increasing division between the rich and the poor. As our country still boasts a 9.9% unemployment rate (which beats the hell out of Greece's 20%), hopefully the Moon's transit through Pisces will inspire in us a sympathy for the human condition, and an awareness of the economic and social oppression that many people refer to as "misfortune". Poverty and unemployment are not necessarily synonymous with misfortune, but rather the byproduct of a wasteful economic structure. As Greece's economy flounders and forces economic reform, perhaps we best heed their example and evaluate our own situation to ensure that the same "misfortunes" do not befall us. Pluto (which ironically also tends to incite power struggles) currently rests in Capricorn, telling us to accept the changes, losses, and economic woes, let go of them, and to start planning responsibly for the future.

Mid Week Moon

The Moon, our closest celestial body, is growing full.
The shining silver goddess will soon oppose the Taurus Sun, leaving us in the middle.

In traditional astrology the Moon represents our inner life, our emotions, and our darkside. Just as the Sun was occupying a particular sign at the moment of your birth, so was the Moon. It is this sign that represents your private self. The self you share with those you feel the closest to and who you feel most comfortable with.

It takes the Moon approximately 28 days to orbit the Earth. As Luna travels through our sky, her appearance changes. The lunar cycle follows the Moon’s progression of phases and begins with a new Moon. This occurs when the Moon is positioned directly between the Earth and Sun.

As the Moon advances along its orbit the lit portion grows. Luna then takes on a crescent shape. This growth is known as waxing. The waxing crescent soon reaches first quarter phase (Often called a half Moon). This occurs when the Moon makes a 90° angle with respect to the Earth and Sun. Now called a gibbous, (Meaning more than half but less that full) the Moon continues waxing. Maximum illumination occurs when the Earth is positioned directly between the Sun and Moon.

Now, more that halfway through its cycle, the Moon beings to wane. As it approaches another 90° angle, the waning gibbous reaches third quarter phase. Waning still the Moon tapers back to a crescent until she disappears from sight.

Each phase of the Moon brings a different vibe. The new Moon brings a feeling of new beginnings. This is a great time to make plans, start projects, and set goals. As the Moon waxes through its first quarter phase our actions grow. This time is traditionally associated with building and gathering information. The full Moon is a time for understanding and reflection. It is here that we should take stock of our progress and use the Moon’s energy to adjust our plans. Finally as the waning Moon goes dark we are encouraged to clear our lives of any negativity.

Today’s Scorpio full Moon invokes the feeling of “bring it on.” The challenges of Spring have made themselves clear and as we move further through the season our path forward will appear. While the Aries new Moon on April 15^th encouraged action and re-invention of one’s self, this full Moon in Scorpio pushes us to look beyond what is visible and turn our attention to what exists below the surface.

Scorpio deals with things we normally save for an accountable professional or our next of kin. Themes involved here include death, sex, and consequences. Combined with Mercury’s current retrograde, this full Moon brings us either results we cannot yet see or a mystery we can’t keep our eyes from. Additionally Mercury’s meeting with the Sun brings forth ideas of self-awareness. Factor in the winged messengers retrograde and what we have are memories.

As we push through these forgotten moments the idea of empowerment through transformation arises. Where in your life are you in need of change? Or perhaps a better question: What in your life appears to be changing beyond your control? According to this full Moon the answer begins with the self. However, before change can occur there must first be a complete understanding of where things stand and where our motivations are formed. It would be beneficial to our hearts for our heads to hear the truth.

It is the beginning of the end that makes another beginning possible and today’s full Moon is that beginning.

Making the Most of Your Retrograde

Anyone who has read at least a few astrological texts in their day has probably heard something about Mercury in retrograde. It's a flashy term that's great for impressing people at parties... but what does it actually mean? Is it really all that important? How will it affect me?
Describing a planet as "in retrograde" (as opposed to "direct" or "in direct motion") refers to its trajectory through the sky as seen from Earth. Remember, all astrology relates to our positioning on Earth and the relative angles and courses of the celestial bodies around us. When a planet changes from direct motion to retrograde, it appears to the Earth-borne eye to literally reverse its course in the sky. If you were standing on the east coast of the US, you would have noticed this phenomenon around 12am on April 18th. Mercury's retrograde motion will last until about 6:30pm on May 11th.
Don't worry; Mercury is ok. In fact, it hasn't changed its orbital pattern one bit. The perceived shift in direction is actually a naturally occurring optical illusion caused by the Earth overtaking Mercury in its elliptical journey around the sun.
However, this reversal causes some serious chaos on Earth. As Mercury, master of all communications, loses its direct hold on our planet, expect messages spoken, written, and unspoken to miss their targets. We may often find ourselves making statements or accepting agreements based on a series of miscommunications or even a complete lack of communication, and therefore later regretting our haste. As a perfect example, does everyone remember May 2nd, 2003? It was the date that POTUS George W. Bush landed on the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln to announce our victory in Iraq, stating that all major combat operations have come to an end. Mercury just so happened to be in retrograde at this point in time.

In retrograde, Mercury's mythological role as a trickster (more so in Greek mythology as "Hermes" than the Roman conceptualization) truly comes into play. The breakdown of communication is not just an interpersonal hindrance; unfortunately, Mercury also controls communication within our own bodies, from our central nervous system to our emotions and thoughts. Sound advice from any astrologer for this time period would involve a lot of "do nots" and "should nots", including avoiding making any important decisions such as signing contracts or solidifying major plans. So, can we use Mercury in retrograde to our advantage, or is April 18th to May 11th just a wash?
Mercury's retrograde is a time not just to put our feet in our mouths, but also an opportunity to meditate on the past several months. Astrologer Erin Sullivan has observed that the ratio of Mercury retrograde to direct corresponds with the average human sleep cycle; that is, Mercury spends as much time in retrograde (compared to direct) as we do asleep (compared to awake). By her view, this chaotic period can be seen as a time to relax, reflect, rejuvenate, and wait out the storm.
My advice: sit back and reflect on your experiences over the past few months, assimilate them into knowledge, and grow from them. Stock up on your energy, wisdom, and communicative urges, because come May 11th, it's time to move forward.

Weekend Forecast

As the moon prepares to exit Leo and set the tone for our weekend with its entrance into Virgo this afternoon, don't expect many of your plans to come to fruition. The moon throughout its transit maintains an opposition to Neptune, which hangs on to the cusp of Aquarius for the next several days. This opposition in our sky cautions us to postpone any decisive action until this void-of-course moon settles into Virgo.

The relationship between Neptune and Aquarius is one that will guide our thoughts for the next few days. Neptune, the ruler of our dreams and romantic ideals, will fall victim to the woes of erratic Aquarius, which will emit unreliable and even contradictory energies throughout the weekend. Moreover, Neptune has an inherent connection with the poisons that enter our bodies, so be careful when indulging in drinking or drugs this weekend, especially while the moon and Neptune (the co-rulers of our bodily fluids) remain in opposition. Although Neptune's positioning will affect our thoughts and dreams, try not to let the spontaneous and rebellious spirit of Aquarius overtake your worldly sensibilities; look to our Sun in Taurus to keep yourself grounded and rational.

Wait for the moon's trine with Mercury Saturday morning to get down to business. By then, the moon will have settled well into Virgo, flooding our consciousness with practical thought and a keen attention to detail. However, keep in mind that Mercury remains in retrograde; expect communications to break down, and realize that we are in a period of time that is more suited for reflection than action.