by Robert Wilkinson
This retrograde Mercury begins septile to Mars and quincunx Pluto, and then a septile to Venus. Changes and forks in the road of our lives are afoot! Mercury moves back through squares to Jupiter and Neptune, showing a need for re-thinking or re-imaging the ideas and ideals glimpsed in late April.
This is the next natural step in understanding and stabilizing very similar energies related to the last Mercury retrograde period in January, when it moved from early Aquarius back to late Capricorn. This span is trine the Mercury retrograde degree span in January 2009, so we should see the stabilization of whatever indirect or roundabout information we got then.
A few technicals: The very productive sextile to Uranus throughout the entire retrograde period into mid-June will assist us all to find productive ideas and ways to coordinate intuitive innovations in simple ways to anchor material and nonmaterial resources. The lower (waxing) opening square to Jupiter and Neptune throws the stress on coordinating the Higher and lower minds to find a way to clearly articulate collective material and open venues to higher, long range ideals.
As noted, this retrograde period begins with Mercury in close septile to Mars, followed by its septile to Venus. Since these are waxing septiles, it heralds what decisions will have to be made as the Sun transits the Gemini SRX point in late May, followed by Mercury moving over that point again in mid-June. The process of unfolding the potential of this degree is finished in July, when Venus and then Mars cross 2 Gemini.
This will put half our chart at critical forks in the road of emergent discoveries, opening the seeds of what will unfold in July. Take a look back these next few weeks, preparing for that which will confirm your worth through interesting or roundabout processes. For those who have purity of heart and prepared to receive blessings from the Spirit world, gifts are definitely on the way!
Mercury also begins its retrograde biseptile Saturn, echoing a "last blast from the past" of forks in the road and critical decisions made Autumn 2008. This biseptile persists the first third of the retrograde period, showing a final chance to see what is of value to us culturally, and confirming one last time what we've found that's venerable since last December.
As I've noted in other articles, since December 2008 Saturn has been showing us glimpses of our own or another's nobility, and the possibility of accepting a "royal office," at whatever level we operate. This is about understanding our "spiritual lineage" and accepting a collective status. With Saturn going direct, we shall now be able to live these things with a sense of everything moving forward toward Destiny.
On a related note, Mars is waning triseptile Saturn at the beginning of the period, while Venus triseptiles Saturn May 10-16. This shows the fusions occurring symbolized by Venus conjunct Mars are now putting us at a critical fork in our relationships and activities relative to our purpose, duty, responsibilities, and the work of coming out of fear, being controlled, or enslaved by obsolete rules.
Perhaps the least understood and most fortunate aspect dominating this period is Mercury biquintile Pluto, promising if we take care of tough stuff up front, we'll reap unique interactive rewards in June. Other than the constant sextile to Uranus, the most prominent aspects do not involve Mercury. Venus and Mars both sextile Jupiter and Neptune, promising a most productive time in many areas in the Aries, Taurus, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Aquarius, and Pisces areas of our charts.
The waxing squares to Jupiter and Neptune will bring all of us to challenges where we must show nobility, strength, clarity, and see what must be eliminated and/or regenerated to bring continuity to what we've begun to move toward this year. Aquarian energies are on the move, and expanding by the minute. This is where Mercury, the herald, is at a forward threshold showing us the Aquarian impulse that will develop throughout this year.
The Inferior Conjunction will be a very important time, as Sun and Mercury will both tredecile Saturn, showing some very serendipitous circumstances and gifts that will perfectly complement our situations. For some, a renewal perfect for their unique qualities and gifts. For others already making a new start, gifts to assist that help stabilize those rebeginnings.
After the Inferior Conjunction of May 18th, Mercury RX moves into the very tight square to Jupiter and Neptune, throwing the voids into Leo and Scorpio. This will most affect those with planets around 24-30 degrees of Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius.
Since the squares intensify while Mercury is in Taurus, what we're reviewing and reconsidering involving these lessons began in late April, will become intensely focused just before and after the Inferior Conjunction, and will be complete the second week of June, when Mercury makes its final squares to Jupiter and Neptune.
These lessons involve being very clear about our roles we're playing in our world, and not indulging put-downs aimed at self or others. We must assert our sense of things, and try to be as clear as possible in all our communications. These lessons challenges us to awaken self and others to deeper or broader meanings and implications of events and situations, and see the stages that precede and follow whatever is coming down.
This is a good time for reviewing the best means for carrying out our desires while getting understanding from others. Beware of getting lost in side issues, subtle points that may not matter very much, or vague notions asserted as though they were fact. This is a good time for being able to see things through "larger eyes," or "empathic eyes," and learning how to argue a point through moving backwards.
In other words, start from how another sees it, then work you way back to your own conception of things. Just strive for consistency, focus, concentration, nobility, and a sense of generosity in all communications.
This period can offer alternative understandings to what we're about to move into. Explore wherever your curiosity leads you, but remember that it's probably not exactly as it seems. Many things Taurus will be seen in different ways, preparing us for capturing and acting on these energies when Venus and then Mars move through the Mercury RX Taurus degrees between June 27 and July 12.
This RX period is ruled by Mercury and Venus. Mercury in the first week, since it's in Gemini, the sign it rules. The second and third weeks when it's in Taurus makes Venus the ruler, since that planet rules Taurus.
Keep in mind that since Mars is in Aries, it's the big Kahuna governing everything right now due to it being the final dispositor for all the other planets. That fact promises this will be a highly energetic Mercury retrograde! It's time to act, to take initiative, to be direct in moving into whatever Martial directive we've heard or felt, or acting on our own initiative to move into pioneering new directions. Everything is being jumpstarted into something new, thanks to Mars in Aries! (Take it from one who was born with it!)
Mercury toward the end of its RX period is in late Taurus, said to be a span of "Enjoyment" in the Emotional-Cultural level of "Confirmation." While Mercury occupies Gemini and Taurus, many will find they are discovering many new insights that help them reconsider what they hold as valuable that confirms their social or emotional worth. Expect a profusion of ideas, and communications that will take many twists and turns before becoming simplified and steady visions of what the focus of June and July requires.
Mercury goes stationary direct on 23 Taurus 6:22 pm PDT May 30 (May 31 everywhere east of Casablanca and Reykjavik.) At that time it makes very favorable aspects to Venus, Saturn, and Uranus, showing overall we can be led by the general harmony and productivity into stable situations where we can release the power of the squares to Jupiter and Neptune.
As the Sun transits the Gemini span of this retrograde May 20-23 it will illuminate what the RX was about. Given this transit happens during the "Old Moon" just before the New Moon in Gemini 5:11 am PDT May 24 at 4 Gemini, bring things to completion and wait until after the New Moon to launch new things. More on that very important New Moon in a few weeks.
Of great importance this retrograde is Mercury's Inferior Conjunction degree promises us a rebeginning through an ability to transcend old limitations and self images. This will give new perspectives on life, and an admiration for the benefits that maturity brings. I'll do an entire post on the coming Inferior Conjunction in a week or so.
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.
All in all, given the aspects between Mercury and the other planets, there will be a lot of productive activity helping us flow slowly and steadily into more secure conditions opening ideals and group work promised by our experiences of February 2009.
Mercury going stationary direct at 23 Taurus on May 30 shows that through September 6-7, 2009, we will have the ability to find an "abundance of permanent spiritual values," or display a "traditional achievement." We will find our inner gifts, and secure what we need to prove our worth to ourselves and our world.
Dr. Jones comments the keyword is PRESERVATION, and that this is a degree of "the personal display by which man may cherish the rewards of his efforts" making them durable. "Here is the luxury which mirrors any marked achievement in character or skills." We are told that this offers us "a happy gift for shaping all vision to larger dimensions and directing all aspiration to more than trivial ends."
So at the end of this retrograde period, we'll wind up being clear about how to show the world our achievements and rewards for our excellence, and over the next few months find our worth certified on the social, emotional, and cultural levels. This should bring us what we need to sustain our outreaching activities presenting themselves in late June and early July, so accept the gifts and resources as something naturally yours that you deserve.
So it seems that this next step in the ongoing Mercury retrograde blended Air-Earth signs sequence we'll continue to get new ideas, perceptions, gifts, certifications, and concrete rewards in the social realm. This continues the pattern of 2009 of us all getting ideas and perceptions of practical necessities, doing an Air-Earth "two step" dance, preparing us for when Mercury moves into a long term sequence of retrograding back through Earth signs from December 2009 through December 2010.
Copyright © 2009 Robert Wilkinson
Robert,
I began my day reading Part 1 and now I'm blessedly reading Part 2. I affirm my beliefs about your Mercury Rx book in that it shows these periods can be unusually productive. As an Aries who has his natal Mars in Libra, I've taken the transiting opposition to reflect on (and to re-strategize accomplishing) the goals I've set for myself since my last Mars return - especially the goals that are Venus-ruled. From this write-up, it sounds like my natal Venus is the focal point of this Rx period anyway. And believe me - I'm determined these days.
As always, thank you for sharing your bountiful insight.
- Matt
Posted by: Matt | May 06, 2009 at 04:27 PM
Robert,
Oddly enough as a Gemini I find I like Merc Rx. It gives me a chance to catch my breath and everything seems to slow down and life becomes easier to interpret during these periods. This piece is incredibly timely with the transitions careening through my wheelhouse. I find that I think or process many of the things you are writing about intuitively either before or after you write them and I see what is unfolding. It is a great gift you bring to be able to be able to reinforce my 'gut instincts' with your insights.
Thank you & blessings
PSW
Posted by: Preston | May 08, 2009 at 05:50 AM