Prime Time Mercury ~ 30 September 2008

What a Mercury retrograde! Mathematicians at UCLA discovered a thirteen million digit prime number. Given that 700 billion seemed to be the number most affecting the prime these days here in the U. S., Mercury squeezes out an odd smirk that a number thirteen million digits long can be condensed and expressed as 13,000,000. Actually such a number, a Mersenne prime, is expressed as two to the power of p-1 (2 ^p-1), for this number p = 43,112,609. I don’t know about you, but I’m already feeling better about the non-bailout-bailout and to celebrate I’ve dusted off a copy of Flatland for late night reading. Seriously, if you’ve never read this book, it’s a must, or you can now buy the DVD.

This past week has been like a Donovan song, “First there is a bailout, then there is no bailout, then there is, then there is no bailout, maybe later” not to be outdone by “First there is a debate, then there is no debate, then there is.” McCain’s debate website posted he was a winner before it was announced he would attend. Stop, stop, you’re giving Mercury retrograde a far worser name that it ever thought of bearing before.

Certainly all this strangeness can’t only be Mercury. It’s not. Many planets cluster sharing their flux. Eris at 21 Aries sextiles Neptune at 21 Aquarius. Neptune squares Sedna at 21 Taurus. Three times in Mercury retrograde this messenger triggers these degrees. Uranus at 20 Pisces is not to be ignored. This cranky maverick sextiles Sedna and fits neatly in between Eris and Neptune. In November Jupiter joins the mix as does Saturn. Throughout the cycle the personal planets make multiple triggers to the outer body pattern.

The self-appointed weirdo, Uranus, in the most sensitive Pisces, compensates for rejection by the masses or the collective by announcing in advance that all marbles will be collected and taken home. “The hell with all of you. I’m not playing, leastwise by your rules.” Neptune’s too busy trying to locate the common denominator of humankind, isolate this week’s ethnic pogrom, satisfy the fears of economic instability and making sure that as one goes to sleep one can dream without visions of bomb blasts. Eris, convinced that no one is going to include her, carefully points out to those likely to exclude that the process of exclusion on any level - social, political, economic, theological and cultural - maintains roots in status, vanity and superficial social concerns. Sedna reminds everyone that two principle human denominators exist. Everyone wants food, shelter and safety as number one, followed by a number two of the desire to be cherished, adored, understood and “gotten.” Sedna contends that if all people in the world had these needs met in abundance, there would be no conflict in the world. The newly named Haumea and Makemake, though not in this pattern, agree with and wholeheartedly support the providence claims of Sedna.

The finances of the world swirl in the toilet bowl of greed. To Mercury’s perceptive notation, they can swirl in both directions depending upon your hemisphere of residence. So the leaders of the U.S. under Mercury retrograde attempt to tourniquet the bleeding economy. I’m actually hoping the agreement does not occur until the 6^th of October when the Sun, Earth and Mercury align. In any Mercury retrograde, this is a powerful and important pattern of successful mundane resolution based upon alignment and clarity. Mercury retrograde is actually not all that bad for “fixes” or patches on long-standing problems. When the recently recognized - and so frequently at that - Ronald Reagan met with Gorbachev in Geneva in November 1985 to discuss warming up the Cold War, Mercury was retrograde, conjunct Uranus. No on had any illusions that the summit would fix everything. But it was the start. In the past days, Mercury, in Libra, fit the outer planet pattern, requesting each outer planet submit its agenda. In mid-September Mercury fleshed out this pattern while aligned with Venus and Mars, staring the cycle we’re now sorting, and he intends to finish his part in the current trend in the last few days of October.

As October concludes with Mercury shedding light on agendas, perhaps this Halloween does not need to be so scary if we realize the planetary talking points. Saturn will be in the pattern in late October and Jupiter days away from being a player in the pattern. Let us examine each of the points the planets want heard and see if these can be applied. While we may not have the power to reach out to the powers that be for whatever good that would do, we certainly can apply these planets within ourselves and demonstrate the blueprint of the heavens as we engineer our personal evolutions.

Mercury - Think John Smith. Speak for yourself. Speak clearly and state every need in terms of minimum acceptable standards, whether emotional or economic. Agree to hear what others think and believe even if it is silly, banal or worse. This requires that you understand they actually believe what they say. That’s the thread that must be accepted for any interactive communication to succeed.

Jupiter - Dare to believe that even in troubled times the Universe provides. What skill set do you possess that can help the people on the planet through the next portal from poverty to prosperity? Can you think in terms of a loftier greater good? Can you assess your output in units of energy instead of believing tasks must comply with the crunch of time?

Saturn - It’s simple. Daily drill. Every day do something that undisputedly moves your causes forward. Painstakingly record each new idea with the documentation required to be able to understand what you were thinking a week from now. Nose to the grindstone, but do not overwork. Remember to apply IHT, Intensified Hug Therapy, especially on those wall-slamming days.

Uranus - Let’s not tear down everything just because we’re in a mood. Carefully assess what continues to work, flourish and thrive. Keep that stuff in place. As you intend to construct new foundations for the future, remember to install adequate and temporary scaffolding to support the tasks at hand. If you’re getting cranky, get some dang exercise that’s kind of fun. You can’t save the world with crankiness tainting your clarity.

Neptune - Where did that vision go? Restore hopefulness through whatever means you can other than checking out and drifting aimlessly in the ozone. You can watch sappy, inspiring movies or play tunes while your writing your empowering discourse(s). Remember water rituals. Bathing the body is good and helps your presentation in the real world. Drink ample water to flush away toxins of doubt and paranoia. Conduct an anti-fear Civil Defense system. When fears run amok, extend them beyond the beyond to the point of absurdity, then back walk to something that resembles reality.

Eris - Count yourself in. Assess your perception of status and success realigning the results with purpose, soulful expression and dharma. Do not seek membership in cliches in which you’d be embarrassed to participate. If you upset an applecart, have a better plan for displaying apples before you do. Make a clear demonstration that vain is in vain.

Sedna - Get it right. Take care of basic necessities first. Then, accrete what you must, starting with internal energy, to get out there and do the good stuff. Shun flattery and idle praise. Look for those who share your core visions. That will take some eye contact and energy sensibility. Think resourcefully, applying preservation consciousness. Hold to the future, understanding the past and honoring the present with propitiation.

Whether you reside in a country holding an election or not, you can vote victoriously in your own life. So vote. That’s what Mercury wants you to do. He’s got you all primed, right?