by Robert Wilkinson
This Mercury retrograde period starts November 13 (Nov 14 for EST and points east) and ends December 3 (Dec 4 in Europe and points east). This retrograde moves from 11 Sagittarius back to 25 Scorpio, with the inferior conjunction between Mercury and the Sun occurring November 24 (Nov 25 in east Asia and east) at 3 Sagittarius. The degree is "Two men playing chess," symbolizing a "recreation of a world of manifestation through symbols and intelligence," "the transcendent ritualization of conflict," and the need to focus on what's important and the ability to plan many moves ahead.
The inferior conjunction is when Mercury (mind) conjuncts the Sun (life) while retrograde, indicating that signals, messages, and ideas from either outer sources or subconscious sources will fuse with the life principle, setting the tone for the lessons involving how our minds are relating to our lives during the next four months.
We are also told that it symbolizes "the self confidence and authority which come...through the refinement of skills and discipline of understanding, and... mobilizing every potentiality of self at any point of challenge...." Dr. Jones' offers that "His gift of concentration is his genius of self-fulfillment," with the keyword ABILITY. He writes that "... the degree is high sensitiveness to every possibility of accomplishment or broadened self-discovery."
This retrograde beginning at 11 Sagittarius retraces ground we covered October 25-November 13, and is a degree of "The lamp of physical enlightenment at the left temple," showing us the influence of society upon individuals, the power of "primordial images of Unconsciousness," and "Activity dominated by fate." It will challenge us to recognize the wisdom of our body instincts, and decondition our mental reliance on quantitative values and linear thinking. Experiment in forms of self-expression, see the world as a "laboratory of the Soul," and reconcile past achievement with present necessities.
The entire retrograde Mercury is favorable to Saturn, Neptune, and Venus. This will stabilize our thinking and way of viewing our responsibilities and limitations, as well as give some unique intuitive flashes and productive magnetism in relationships. We will find a more easy self-expression, and find ways to organize our thinking, creativity, and self-expression along lines that open doors to a new autonomy. This will harmonize wherever we have Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Libra, and our higher spiritual Sagittarius and Pisces qualities. We can find an instinctive wisdom in the Mercury-ruled areas, while productively reorganizing our social expression. Our creativity should become more sound, structured, and recent new beginnings will naturally stabilize in a new life order.
All in all, there are very few afflictions to Mercury during this retrograde period, indicating more of a favorable time than the usual frustrations and scattered energy of most Mercury retrograde periods. Most of the problems are due to the on-going T-squares, none of which involve Mercury. Mostly we just have to get free of unnecessary hassles, get oriented, and remember that things often don't turn out as we might suspect, so chill, defer, and prepare to begin new movement in early December when both Mercury and Mars go stationary direct.
The only real affliction is from Mercury squaring Uranus, showing us a challenge to bring our genius down to practical usefulness, move from wishing and hoping to actual accomplishment, and not get too theoretical. We can use this to best effect by keynoting what's important, communicating it to others, and being a spokesperson for something we feel is important. The challenge is to assert ourselves appropriately, find ways to use the down times productively, be stirred to a greater love, and have faith that if we do what is natural, we will find what we're looking for.
During the 11 days before the inferior conjunction (fusion) of mind and life, take a new look at how you can bring out your inner wisdom by adjusting to a future vision or broader perspective that's opening for you, and get a new point of view regarding what your imagination is willing to consider and how to coordinate your life to reorganize it productively. It's great for intuitive flashes, insights into the larger collective consciousness and unconsciousness, and you should find a new ease and sophistication among those you're with. As with the Mercury retrograde in August, be a peacemaker while Mars square Saturn from Taurus to Leo. You may find some interesting parallels from that period, or the return of some old business that can help you understand how to manage these volatile energies.
Just before Mercury goes retrograde it is part of a Grand Fire Trine with the Moon and Saturn, which should harmonize many parts of our life, helping us move into the retrograde period with less stress and tension than usual. Remembering that nothing turns out as expected during a Mercury retrograde, and that things take strange twists and turns and there are curious returns of people, ideas, and experiences in new forms that resemble old forms, open to useful but overlooked angles of viewing things, learn and teach through a sense of perspective of how past and present relate in unusual ways, and be alert to roundabout or indirect communications that show things going on below the surface.
As I said before, most of the tensions have nothing to do with Mercury, but do involve the on-going Fixed squares and crosses. These storm zones occur around November 14-15, followed by the Moon-Mercury-Uranus T-square November 16. The next Fixed T-square is November 21-22, followed by the Mutable T-square involving Mercury November 23. The volatility closes the end of the month with the Sun square Uranus and the Grand Fixed Cross on November 28-29, so get ready to ride the storm out, and if it's not a return of something you should have taken care of before then, remember that whatever happens, it probably won't turn out the way it seems at the time.
The New Moon of December 1 at 10 Sagittarius vitalizes the Mercury stationary retrograde degree, and shows Mercury repidly speeding up preparing to go stationary direct December 3-4. Favorable to almost every planet, it'll be a great time for cultivating a deeper "x-ray vision," allowing us to analyze what is sound or unsound in situations, and offers us a structural knowledge that can assist us to get clear about what works and what doesn't. The forced growth promised by that New Moon in Sagittarius will take clearer shape around the Winter Solstice on December 21, and in December if you're ambitious, you "win the prize."
Mercury going stationary direct at 25 Scorpio on December 3-4 shows that through early February 2006 we will come to understand how to spot strengths and weaknesses in situations we face through a "sharp and applied discrimination" by understanding basic structure and causes. We will see we need to keep ourselves fit for performing our part in some common function we share with others. The keyword is "Investigation," and we are told that when functioning at its best, this is "an exceptional power of analysis."
Mercury retrograde periods reveal their own unique rhythm in offering us a new look at things. Every period in some way echoes the messages of prior retrograde periods, and affects those to come. That's why it's important to observe what has been revealed during other periods in the recent months and years past, so that you can see how Mercury, or Hermes, the "Guide of Souls," is leading you to your authentic self. Regardless of appearances, or how difficult or easy, Mercury retrograde periods show us the path to our Soul. Part 2 of this article will explain how this recurring phenomenon affects each of us individually. Part 3 will explain how this period is part of a larger series of periods that affect our reality and our understanding.
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