Last week Saturn had an emanation of sorts. It was a gaseous eruption technically. Euphemistically, some described it as a hiccup; others called it a belch. But with Saturn in Scorpio, perhaps those assessments run on the polite side of the gaseous spectrum.
Does Saturn’s outburst have an effect? Sure, at least on the symbolic level. Since we attribute Saturn so strongly to the mundane, have you noticed the urge to organize your files on your computer? Get all the coat hangers in your closet hooked in one direction only? Go through the medicine cabinet to ditch outdated supplies? Or perhaps it’s the realization that there are only two months left in the year and it’s time to hunker down and give those lingering aspirations and objectives for this year a big push.
Speaking of hunker down, for those of you on the Eastern Coast of the U. S. please act on the side of caution and ensure your safety. Cyberspace and posts such as these are etched into electronic perpetuity and will be there when you get a chance to reemerge. Be safe.
This super-storm Sandy surely poses some interesting speculation for next week’s Mercury station (November 6). Within hours of the closing of voting centers in the United States, Mercury stations in Sagittarius. Will electrical power be restored? Will coastal locations be underwater? Certainly early voting is impeded. Will voting even be possible in some locations?
Earlier this year I had a chance to chat with astrologer Jim Shawvan, one of only a handful of celestial observers to nail the insanity around the 2000 Presidential election. We had a bit of a discussion to the point that the election this year will likely possess its own level of strangeness. Could it be the storm? Very possibly. Could it be the claim by the CEO of a voting machine company that he intends to bring the election home for one of the candidates in a critical state? That depends upon party positioning. Could it be that other controversies yet unknown raise their most interesting heads? I’m thinking a recount might be demanded in a state or two. But the Mercury station will be trine Uranus and square Neptune and Chiron. Most likely it will be something not conceived by anyone.
Since a great number of you are not residing in the U. S. and for those who may be apolitical, the real deal comes back to what will this Mercury retrograde mean to you? Will it be a Franken-retrograde to apply the labels the East Coast ravaging storm bears?
The trine to Uranus brings in the “all bets are off,” “all options are open” lines of thinking. To apply a nifty Uranian axiom, it’s best not to anticipate what it might be. Stay balanced, keep your center of gravity low, your intentions lean, and when opportunities appear out of the blue, immediately execute your personal version of carpe diem.
With the Mercury station square to Neptune and Chiron it’s reasonable to expect a bit of a jet-lag kind of feeling. Being dizzy - both literally and figuratively - impairs clarity. The sensation of drifting may occur and result in the sense that a piece of the puzzle is missing. Should that sensation occur, default to your puzzle-building strategies. Do you arrange pieces by color or shape or put all the border pieces in a line? If so, given the trine to “do something new and unusual” Uranus, try a different approach. Bear in mind that trimming pieces of the puzzle to fit may serve an immediate purpose, but long term, the big picture will never be right.
Ask if the action you’re contemplating will serve your spirit or be good for what ails you. Envision if the suggested actions ahead contribute to a grounded progressive course of action. Though there are strong, tense patterns to the ethereal, free-floating Neptune, no drifting off into space (or daydreams) during decision-demanding moments. Reclaim your focus. Clear out the lingering Halloween decoration cobwebs and dust off your belief in magic outcomes for determined efforts.
Keep in mind that once during Mercury retrograde, the messenger lines up a direct delivery between himself, the Earth and the Sun. This is a clear “render a disposition,” “sign the dang contract” time. In the coming Mercury retrograde this alignment forms on November 17th. This time Mercury’s planetary gathering aligns with the node of the Moon and the centaur Asbolus. Asbolus demands are present tense accurate read of the signals of the world around you. If you can’t book a flight and the airport is closed anyway, is that an indication that driving is not an option? Should one perceive the life signals as stay home or perseverance furthers? Add the lunar node to aid in decision making. Does the action further your greatest objectives and are you honoring fiscal sensibility (the Mercury-Sun alignment is in Scorpio opposing the Earth in Taurus)?
What about the fact that this all occurs around two eclipses, the first being a total solar eclipse? Well, if you’re not connected to the eclipses directly, move along and don’t get stuck on points that don’t matter. If you are connected to the eclipses, look for heightened emotional reactions appearing in the interest of establishing impeccable clarity for your course. Avoid the temptation to amplify the moment into hyperbolized emotional drama. Reject all applications from intensity junkies who want to be your valet.
When considering the plethora of potential transits impacting your chart, work one at a time. Take each aspect and determine a course of action or prescription for getting the most out of it. In fact, write down three possible good things to do... except for transits to or from Uranus. Let them be a nice surprise.
Remember that Mercury’s station will more or less be the midpoint between the present positions of Saturn and Pluto. Clear thinking, deliberate choices, and swiftly applied action bring results. Yes, even during Mercury retrograde. I am reminded of something astrologer Joyce Werhman told me years ago. When discussing the submission of applications to speak at conferences and for groups, she recommended doing so during Mercury retrograde. Stunned, I asked why. She replied that during those intervals no other astrologers would be sending out queries. Joyce also came up with some of the concepts applied by the astrologers who successfully determined what was going to happen in the 2000 election. Perhaps the “do it while others are too distracted” principle fits all situations presently.
Anyway, get clear and stay focused. It’s a Mercury retrograde (at least three a year) and two eclipses (at least four a year), none of which are uncommon or unfamiliar.