Mercury retrograde roundup: Wild times

August 2, 2012 By

mercury retrogradeI knew this would be a tough Mercury Retrograde period when I wrote this post.  With Mercury and Uranus turning retrograde on the same day, we were bound to be in for some surprising (Uranus) twists of fate and weird events and we are certainly seeing that in some corners of the world, especially in the highly charged electrical atmosphere of yesterday’s Full Moon in Aquarius.

In my own personal world, this week I have (a) incorrectly scheduled a lunch date with a friend, (b) had a client forget his appointment, (b) scheduled a consultation for Eastern time when the client lived in Central time, (c) scheduled a consult for 11:30 PM instead of AM so it didn’t show up on my morning calendar, (d) had a service contractor attempt to repair something that wasn’t broken instead of something that was.

What’s happening in your world?

Share
Filed Under: Astrology in the news Tagged With: , ,

Planetary news this week: expect intensity

July 16, 2012 By

Storm Brewing by  Mikey Studios.  Rebellious Uranus in a challenging square to intensely transformational Pluto. Mercury and Uranus, the two planets of the mind, have just turned retrograde.  A coronal mass ejection from the Sun has hit the Earth’s magnetic field, causing alterations to the Earth’s magnetosphere and a spike in the planetary K index of geomagnetic activity (to a 6 at the time of this writing).

But wait, there’s more!

Jupiter is moving into an awkward aspect (quincunx) to Pluto this week.  This  is not a major aspect but can create some problems in light of all of these other dynamics occurring at the same time. Jupiter seeks expansion with confidence and a relentless optimism that can defy reality, and under this aspect Pluto will attempt to put a kibosh on any grandiosity that has no basis in reality and is likely to fail anyway.

This aspect culminates on the 18th, but meanwhile Mars will set off the awkwardness of this dynamic with several different interactions: a harmonious trine to Jupiter, enhancing the expansive desire to shake off any restrictions, a challenging square to Pluto – a defiant aspect that virtually ensures a major eruption of some kind, and a tense opposition to Uranus which radicalizes the experience and suggests a shocking shift of some kind which provides an outlet for the intense energy of this alignment.

Mars moves relatively quickly and its effects don’t last long, but it can serve as a trigger for greater and more powerful cycles.  With Uranus and Pluto moving towards another alignment this fall, the Mars influence is nothing to sneeze at.  Mars brings its aggressive urge and ramps up the energy, which we can utilize in our own lives if we channel it constructively through physical activity and other assertive activities.

The week of these dynamics, between the 14th and the New Moon on the 19th, are some of the most intense days of the summer. You can prepare by releasing your attachment to anything you think you know or your ideas of how things ought to be. This will help you to burn through any blocks and issues that are holding you back, and then this can be an exhilarating time of personal transformation.

Share
Filed Under: Inspiration Tagged With: , , , ,

Mercury and Uranus turn retrograde in tandem

July 13, 2012 By

Uranus retrogradeYou might want to read about the concept of “higher octave planets” if you missed that post before reading this one.

Uranus will turn retrograde early in the morning on the 14th EDT (late morning GMT) and Mercury will turn retrograde late in the evening EDT on the 15th (early morning on the 16th GMT).

Planets of course don’t really change direction, but astrology is person-centered. We are the center of our own universe, and that is how we observe the planets astrologically.  Sometimes the movement of the planets appears to retrograde from our perspective on earth, and during those times the operation of those planets functions differently, and usually in a more inward than outward fashion.

The outer planets are retrograde for about six months out of every year, and Mercury is retrograde for three weeks four times a year, so these events are not uncommon.  Still, they tend to arrive with a lot of weeping and moaning from the astrocommunity.

While it’s true that Mercury retrograde periods can be challenging for planning a trip, coordinating meetings, all kinds of communication equipment including email and voicemail, they are also valuable times to rethink any areas of life where additional processing is required.  Mercury rules the mind and the mental functioning as well as the transmission of information.  Mercury is involved in the learning process, as well as the method through which we communicate our understanding and in retrograde motion our knowledge and awareness of the interconnections in our universe can deepen past the superficial.

As the higher octave of Mercury, Uranus elevate the workings of the mind to a superconscious state.  The flashes of insight that come from scientific discovery or personal intuition – those moments of “Eureka” and “Aha” in which we suddenly are aware of a reality that is so absolutely true and certain, yet which has no basis in our previous awareness – this is Uranus at work.

As has been said over and over in this column, and will continue to be repeated for the next three years, Uranus and Pluto are locked in a challenging square at the moment.  The retrograde turn of Uranus during this cycle brings Uranus back towards the exact angle to Pluto that will continue to create more upheaval and release as the revolution, both internal and external, continues.

Ouranos was the sky god – from his viewpoint in the sky he could see all, and know all.  Thus the Uranian archetype expands Mercury and takes our ability to witness and observe to a higher level.  Under the Uranus influence we have a greater perspective and an ability to see the larger picture.

With both Mercury and Uranus turning retrograde within a day of each other, there is a powerful focus now on the way in which we translate what we see in the world into an understanding of it.  Any place in which we are blinded by emotion or a lack of reason will be highlighted now.

When Uranus is retrograde we tend to look more closely at areas of our life that need change.  When we’re in a time of great change such as we’re in right now, this can be enervating and inspiring.  It can also be somewhat terrifying if we stare too long into the abyss.  There is a lot of mind and mental activity right now, so any activity you can do to offset that headiness (yoga, swimming, meditation) will be very helpful.

 

 

Share
Filed Under: Astrology, Mercury retrograde Tagged With: , , ,

Uranus turns retrograde today!

July 9, 2011 By

Uranus turns retrogradeI had been meaning to write about Uranus turning retrograde and then I read Beth Owl’s Daughter’s blog post from a couple of days ago:

I have been somewhat surprised to find that I am on becalmed waters.

Not because of a lack of things to do. On the contrary, I should be busy gearing up for the Fall launch of my next series of classes, both in-person and through teleconferencing. I have a deadline looming for my next article for The Meta Arts Magazine, preparations for my teaching session I’ll be leading with the Gaian Tarot Circle in a couple of weeks, and a myriad of other tasks and projects sitting on my desk. Some of them fairly urgent.

And yet…nothing seems to be happening. Is this the dreaded resistance? Self-defeating procrastination? Depression?

I told myself, okay.. Maybe I just needed to take a few days off around the Independence Day holiday. I did.

Then maybe I could do some long-term strategizing for the coming year or two, as I am very definitely feeling some fundamental shifting going on in my practice and how I intend to serve in these changing times in which we find ourselves.

And with the appearance of The Magician this week, I thought – okay! Here we go!

But instead, I still find myself on hold. I find myself dragging my feet, in maintenance mode only; not really wanting to start anything new. I sit down to my planning worksheets .. and I turn away. Instead, I feel a deep hush inside my spirit, as if waiting for something.

And what’s funny about this, is that during this same past week or so, my friends and my clients have been echoing the same theme:

Can’t seem to get the old engine to turn over… None of my customers seem to want to come back from out-on-holiday mode… Indecisiveness… Absent-mindedness… Seem to have lost my motivation and drive… Things feel flat… Stale… No one is returning my calls, and frankly, I am relieved…

How about you? Do you feel a sort of stasis right now? Is it just me and a dozen or so people who have confided in me, while everyone else is in high gear? Is it just lazy Summertime? Or something else?

Yes, dear Beth, it IS something else. It’s the change of direction of the planet Uranus!

Uranus has been stationing retrograde for a couple of weeks now, making it more difficult to begin those new projects. Uranus inspires change and the infusion of new energy, but when retrograde it’s harder to get those engines to turn over because we first must go back over old ground to see what can be preserved and can come along with us into the new energy, and what must be left behind.

As a planet prepares to change direction its motion slows down to a virtual standstill, and because Uranus has the effect of infusing us with a desire to create change we’re feeling the edges of that inspiration but not quite able to get things going. There is likely also a sense of being scattered and moving in many directions at once.

After Uranus picks up speed again those new ideas will begin taking root. Until then, keep the engine running and wait for the express train to pull in!

Share
Filed Under: Life Tagged With:

Uranus retrogrades back into Pisces, August 2010

August 16, 2010 By

Uranus in PiscesThis was the topic of yesterday’s radio show, which you can listen to here if you like.

Uranus is the planet of autonomy and individuality – the planet that urges us to live as authentic a life as possible.  Pisces is the sign that represents the completion of a spiritual cycle.  Pisces is symbolized by two fish swimming in opposite directions, connected by a cord that represents the higher and lower selves – the struggle to live in a material world as a spiritual being.

Uranus first entered Pisces in March of 2003 and moved into Aries for just one degree from May until August, entering the fray of the Cardinal Drama.  Now with Uranus having left the cardinal signs for the more mutable Pisces, the intensity of the Cardinal Drama will begin to subside and we will be left to pick up the pieces as we seek to find more balance and integration between the individual Self and our spiritual world.

Uranus and Neptune are in what we call “mutual reception” now – Uranus is in Pisces, ruled by Neptune, and Neptune is in Aquarius, ruled by Uranus.  This links the Uranus/Aquarius principle to the Neptune/Pisces principle in a more powerful way.  Here are some of the phenomena we have seen since Uranus entered Pisces in 2003 beginning this “mutual reception” realignment:

  • There has been an awakening (Uranus/Aquarius) of group consciousness (Neptune/Pisces) and an expansion of group meditation and prayer events around the globe, especially since the “harmonic concordance” in November of 2003, building online communities (Uranus/Aquarius) of spirituality (Neptune/Pisces).
  • The rise of the social networking craze, beginning with the launch of Friendster in 2002 which took off in 2003 after Uranus entered Pisces, followed that year by LinkedIn and Myspace and with Facebook in 2004. These social networking sites helped to blur (Neptune) the definition of friendship (Uranus) and facilitate the expansion of the online community idea.
  • The exposure of musicians (Neptune) through internet sites such as YouTube (Uranus) and the rise of the .mp3 downloads (Uranian technology) as the predominant way that music (Neptunian creativity) is purchased.
  • Bizarre weather resulting from the clash of the dry Uranus/Aquarius influence with the watery Neptune/Pisces influence: droughts, floods, tsunamis, hurricanes.
  • Increasing acceptance of psychic phenomena in the mainstream (television shows such as Psychic Kids, Medium, the Ghost Whisperer) and of astrology as well.
  • A growing sense of compassion and fairness (Neptune/Pisces) thanks to the spread of information across the internet (Uranus/Aquarius) that makes it nearly impossible to keep secrets.
  • An increase in “internet addiction” to the point where it was proposed to the American Psychiatric Association in 2007 as a new disorder to be listed in the DSM manual.

How we are affected personally by the retrograde passage of Uranus back into Pisces depends primarily on how our personal chart is affected.  If we are on a spiritual path, we will likely be faced with a dilemma or confrontation between the needs of the individual Self versus the needs of the spiritual realm.  For some of us that will necessitate engaging more completely with a spiritual practice.  For some of us it will be important to find a greater sense of Self in the midst of a blossoming spiritual experience.

Under Uranus in Pisces, we are called to find our own individual experience and authentic expression (Uranus) while exploring the realms of a deeper spiritual connection to the Divine.  This necessitates finding a balance within our own sense of Self that can deepen our connection to the Source that we find within.

Uranus is the revolutionary, and under its influence the status quo is not enough.  We may find that we need to make deep changes in the way we see the world, or in the ways that we express ourselves creatively and spiritually.

Uranus will move completely into Aries in March of 2011 and the world of Spirit will take a back seat until Neptune enters its own sign of Pisces in 2012.  Uranus is the Awakener, and under its influence the doorways of perception are opened wide.  So let’s utilize this time to find new ways of opening up our understanding and awareness to the Source within us that guides all things and grants us the gifts of love and beauty.

Share
Filed Under: Consciousness, Planetary cycles Tagged With: , , ,

Uranus retrograde: July 5 2010

July 5, 2010 By

Uranus retrograde July 2010Uranus, the planet of innovation, change, social justice and radical new actions dipped its toes into Aries just long enough (at the zero degree point) to stir the pot of restlessness and dissatisfaction and now it is making a U-turn and heading back towards Pisces.

The zero degree point of Aries is the very beginning of the zodiac.  There is a sense of initiation and new beginnings here, and the casting off of old ways that are no longer useful.  Jupiter conjoined Uranus at this degree a few weeks ago (see this article, this one, and this one from my own experience) which really set things in motion, made even stronger by the powerful alignments that occurred at the Full Moon eclipse on June 26.

When a planet prepares to change its apparent direction from our perspective on earth,  it slows down and its influence intensifies.  When it’s the beginning of a new cycle, or changing signs such as the current example of Uranus moving into Aries, the influence is even more powerful because a new dynamic is being introduced and we must adapt to assimilate it.

Uranus will move back into Pisces in mid-August and it will remain in Pisces until the Spring of 2011, completing its work of the past seven years as it traveled through the sign of spirituality and loss of Self.  This period has corresponded to the rise of internet (Uranus) addiction (Pisces) as well as a spiritual (Pisces) revolution (Uranus) and acceleration of our energetic fields.

During this time Saturn and Uranus will form their last opposition, completing a rebalancing of our desire for structures and form (Saturn) with the new ideas and lifestyles (Uranus).  In addition, Jupiter and Uranus will align in the last two conjunctions which will expand these brilliant new philosophies and inventions even more.

All of this will lead up to next year when Uranus and Pluto face off in a challenging square and revolution begins to occur at all levels of human experience.  In the meantime, this is our opportunity to rebalance our own lives so that we can move quickly through any changes that are to come.

Share
Filed Under: Astrology Tagged With: , ,

Mercury square Saturn, and Uranus prepares to retrograde

June 25, 2009 By

Mercury is moving into position today to form a square to Saturn tomorrow.  Mercury, the Winged Messenger, presides over not only messages and communication but also the way we process our experiences through our conscious awareness.  In Gemini, its own sign, it is particularly facile and communication typically flows without interruption.

Saturn will put the brakes on that easy flow for a few days.  Saturn, lord of restriction, karma and time, stops the presses while corrections are made.  Saturn demands that we apply focus and diligence to all of our communication projects.  This is not a time for easy promises; accountability is required for the next few days until Mercury has moved out of range of the square.

Meanwhile Uranus has slowed down to a standstill in preparation for its change of direction on July 2nd, and between now and then we will begin to see the force of change dominate the news to a greater extent than before.  Watch for destabilization of the financial markets and political structures in general.  Uranus is retrograding back for its last passage through Pisces before it moves into Aries next year, and in my view this demands a wakeup call.

Uranus is known as “The Awakener” and Pisces rules sleep, and while Uranus has been in Pisces (since 2003) the disruption (Uranus) from the longing for the unconscious (Pisces) has been powerful.  Uranus will move into Aries in 2010 and there will be no more opportunity for sleep.  This then is a good time to begin to prepare for Uranus entering Aries by completing the awakening process within our own lives.  Where are we stuck in subconscious reactions to situations?  Where do we limit ourselves by taking the easy road?  Uranus always asks the question:  Where in our lives can we be more authentic?  While Uranus is retrograde we will have a deeply personal opportunity to discover the answers to these questions.

Share
Filed Under: Planetary cycles Tagged With: ,

Jupiter joins the Summer Retrogrades

June 15, 2009 By

I’ll begin by quoting myself:

When planets are retrograde, their influence becomes more subtle; more internalized. It can be more difficult to achieve momentum in the areas over which the planet presides. It may be necessary to apply a greater conscious intention to areas of life ruled by that planet. When all three outer planets retrograde at once we are often forced to perfect a part of our life that has been neglected and which is holding us back from evolving as individuals.

Jupiter turned retrograde yesterday, joining Chiron, Neptune and Pluto all of whom are traveling backward in their apparent path as observed from earth.  Chiron and Neptune changed direction at the end of June, and Jupiter moved slightly beyond the conjunction before turning retrograde yesterday.

Jupiter will catch up with Neptune first, in July 9th, and for the next few weeks these planets will continue to dance together in a celebration of the evolution of the soul and an expansive opening to creative inspiration.  That’s the good news.  The bad news is that this same blissful opening of the soul can also open up the temptation of escapist behavior, addictions, and illusions if we venture too far into the world of rose-colored glasses without remaining grounded on Planet Earth.

Chiron has not gone far, and remains within one degree of Jupiter and Chiron which is certainly close enough to add its voice of wisdom to the mix.  Chiron asks where in our lives are we harboring painful memories or ill-will that needs to be released in order for the soul to continue its journey towards evolution.

Readings for clients have been very interesting under this triple conjunction.  Several people in one day were experiencing longer mourning periods than they felt was appropriate after losing several people that were important to them over the past few years. Some people are suddenly remembering incidents that occurred years ago, but which suddenly seem important.  Other practitioners are telling me that their clients are asking, “What should I be doing with my life?”  It’s as though we have all suddenly awoken to the fact that we are spiritual beings wearing earthly clothing.

The emotional pain that we may be feeling is an important part of the cleansing process and can’t be avoided under Chiron’s influence.  It is the clearing of the emotional debris that facilitates our ability to shift into a new way of living in the world in true peace and bliss, with an experience of real love that comes from within.

It will be the end of July before Jupiter begins to retrograde away from Chiron and Neptune, and by then Uranus will have turned retrograde (Uranus retrogrades on July 2).  Uranus has slowed down as it prepares to turn retrograde, and it is at its most powerful now, urging us to pursue freedom, liberty and the happiness that comes from living an authentic life.

This is a powerful combination of planetary energies!

Share
Filed Under: Planetary cycles Tagged With: , , ,

Retrograde Uranus in the News

June 27, 2008 By

Uranus turned retrograde last night, as it does every year, creating interesting sudden shifts and reversals for citizens of Planet Earth.

Planets don’t really change direction, of course, but because astrology looks at the movement of planets from our perspective on earth it appears from time to time that planets slow down and then reverse course. When this occurs their influence is felt more intensely, especially if our personal planetary radio is tuned to the frequency of that planet (if the retrograde planet is strong in our birthchart) or if we are experiencing a transit of that planet to a planet or point in our own chart.

It could just be a coincidence, but the stock market in the US chose that moment to make the biggest drop since 2006. This was largely driven by a sharp increase in oil prices, proving that increasing supply (since Saudi Arabia had just agreed to begin pumping more oil) is not the cause of high oil prices. Speculation in oil futures is rampant – the last gasp of the Pluto in Sagittarius mindset as Pluto completes its Sag journey before re-entering Capricorn at the end of the year. OPEC is now warning of oil prices reaching $170 a barrel (consider that oil was around $80 a barrel when Bush took office – but that’s another story.

In other reversals, the Supreme Court declared that the right to bear arms found in the second amendment of the US Constitution applies to individuals. For the last 200 years this language has been in contention, and the conservative Supreme Court in this ruling gives free rein to gun ownership. Uranus rules personal freedom and social justice for all, so in some ways this ruling complies with the Uranian desire for equal access. But it also paves the way for the social uprising that is coming when Uranus transits into Aries and begins the square cycle to Pluto in Capricorn.

President Bush removed North Korea from his Axis of Evil blacklist, and in a gesture of cooperation the North Koreans yesterday blew up a nuclear reactor tower. This gesture is largely symbolic, because the agreement signed does not address uranian enrichment or sale of nuclear materials to other rogue nations.

As Uranus travels back through Pisces it will begin a series of oppositions to Saturn that will begin during election day. That opposition cycle will enter its second phase in September of 2009, and will conclude in May of 2010 with the final opposition to Saturn which will then be conjunct Jupiter. The first rumblings of the Uranus/Pluto square begin in the spring and summer of 2010.

Change is inevitable, and change is easier for some of us than for others. Regardless of how well we adapt to change, knowledge is power and understanding the energy behind these cycles help us to be better prepared to navigate them.

Share
Filed Under: Planetary cycles Tagged With:

Retrogrades galore this month!

May 15, 2008 By

Jupiter turned retrograde last week (on May 9), and Chiron turns retrograde May 25, just before Mercury and Neptune on May 26. Planets don’t really move backwards, but because we view the motion of the planets from our perspective on earth in astrology, they sometimes appear to turn backwards, or retrograde.

Retrograde planets operate on a more internal, deeper and more personal level. Individuals with a large number (4, 5 or more) of retrograde planets tend to be more inverted, with a greater internal focus and less attention to the outside world.

Before planets turn retrograde, they slow down to what is called a “station” as they prepare to turn. This is very like a car making a U-turn, which remains in the same general location for quite a while as it makes that turn. When the motion of the planets appears to slow down, the influence of those planets becomes more powerful and more intense, and this is true right now. Jupiter and Saturn (which turned direct earlier this month and is still traveling very slowly) will only cover a little more than one degree all month; Uranus about the same. Neptune travels only about ten minutes worth of distance, and Pluto only about 30 minutes. This intensifies the effect of all of the planets and their influence.

By the end of the month we’ll have four traditional planets plus Chiron traveling retrograde and it may be more difficult to navigate through the world during this time. This is rather like navigating a ship in the dark of night – we have to rely on our instincts and our inner maps rather than guidance from external landmarks.

Retrograde periods are not “bad,” they are merely times of assimilation and deepening of our internal wisdom before we turn back to the outer world and our lives of action.

Share
Filed Under: Astrology Tagged With: , , ,
« Older Posts