by Robert Wilkinson
Mercury goes direct in motion 3:04 am PDT April 23 (11:04 am Greenwich) and speeds up for many weeks to come. This shows a quickening of the ability to coordinate, put things together, understand the whole and the parts, the process and the larger cycles. Mercury, or Hermes, "the Guide of Souls," is also known as the Divine Trickster, as well as all lesser models. It is now stationary at 13 degrees of Aries, affecting that area for months to come.
We are told the symbol is "An unsuccessful bomb explosion." Rudhyar says this is a degree of "Intangible fears of nascent selfhood: the creative stirring up of a new perspective and a new identity suddenly revealed."
In "The Astrological Mandala" he states the keynote is "an immature evaluation of the possibility of transforming suddenly the status quo." While I believe this interpretation is a bit negative, along with his keyword of "adolescent frustration," what is important is that this degree is one of dealing with the feelings of how fast or slow the conflict between "two concept-feelings of order" is resolved.
He also is of the opinion that this degree is "a symbol of immature refusal to conform, in the name of an overidealistic desire for harmony and peace." However, taken with the revealing of a new identity and perspective, perhaps this degree merely synthesizes the two forms of order into a new way of responding to the truth of each.
Of note is that this was Jupiter's degree in the "Super Full Moon" of mid-March. Therefore over the next four months Mercury will bring us signs and signals of the lessons Jupiter has been teaching us since then. We may receive messages or ideas related to opportunities and expansions set into motion then, or we may come to understand some form of blessing, protection, higher truth, or possible future Jupiter promised between March 19 and April 17.
In any case, Jupiterian openings will be seen in new ways, or weaved into our lives. Of some importance will be when Venus transits this point April 30 and May 1, as well as when the Moon crosses that degree just before Venus (Moon conjunct Venus at 11 Aries, the same degree as the first Mercury conjunct Jupiter in March!) When it crosses 13 Aries, Venus should help us capture resources, relationships, or valuable reflections related to this theme.
In any case, we should all start seeing, hearing, and understanding things that point the way to some Jupiterian promise, truth, or vision. And since Mercury, or Hermes, is known as "The Guide of Souls," then perhaps here the Guide can lead us to our better interests in terms of new identities and perspectives.
Given where it falls in Aries, it shows us some form of direct communication, unedited and/or new knowledge, and fresh understanding. The symbol is oriented toward individual-mental "Be-ness," pure potentiality, or brand new realizations. It follows the glimpse of the cosmic order at 12 Aries and precedes the "ritualization of relationship" of 14 Aries.
Mercury going direct will re-activate many of the aspects it's made over the past few weeks, since it made important conjunctions, oppositions, septiles, biseptiles, and semisquares during that time span. Now that it's direct again, it's in very close opposition to Saturn.
In early May both Mercury and Venus together will semisquare and then biseptile Pluto and then septile Neptune and Chiron. Both of these will eventually conjunct Jupiter at 25 Aries (Mercury's SRX point!) after which Mercury will move out of the retrograde degree span, moving into "unknown zones" where the themes of this retrograde will be played out in forward motion.
Besides the ones just mentioned, other important aspects influencing coming weeks are the many conjunctions made by Mercury, Venus, and Mars with Jupiter in late Aries followed by sextiles to Neptune and trines to Pluto, Venus square Pluto and opposition Saturn, and the Sun trine Pluto, quintile Neptune, quincunx and then biquintile Saturn. Taken together, this will show as a multi-layered productive and specializing push in whatever events are symbolized by all the planets clustering and conjuncting in Aries.
Probably the strongest influences working at the time Mercury goes direct are all of the conjunctions in Aries, biseptiles to Pluto, and septiles to Neptune. Every time a planet rolls across the Aries span of The Grand Irrationality it will trigger some fairly important choices, decisions, and forks in the road of destiny. Please consult Jupiter in Aries Showing New Grand Irrationality Directives and follow the internal links to learn more about this most important period for everyone!
Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, tells us here we can see the "survival of good through evil intention and effort, and of the infinite capacity of the world to absorb and nullify the destructive acts of man." Sounds good to me, given the human-made disasters currently plaguing our Earth!
He goes on to tell us that here we need "a better instrumentation of the action springing from the deeper sources of selfhood." The keyword is IMPETUOUSNESS, and when positive, we are told this degree is "a dramatic rejection of any accomplishment falling at all short of very deep or hallowed purpose." As this is where Mercury goes stationary direct, these issues will be the bottom line themes of late April, May, June, and July.
So at the end of this retrograde period, we find ourselves poised to use our creativity to show a new identity and perspective arising from a deeper sense of selfhood to "nullify" some destructive energy, including any "intangible fears" that come up. Tamp down any frustration with the pace of change, and beware of impulsive actions and words that will only leave you more frustrated with the pace than you already are.
As Mars rules Mercury, it's time to get it on! Whether you withdraw in dignity, or find a "non-biological" form of potency, we can find ways to sustain our reality through a personal way of creating or recreating our world. We can insulate ourselves from passing judgments, rewards, and the "unprofitable and self-diffusing superficialities of normal relationships." Here we win through a fidelity to self and our ideal of our current and future capacities.
The coming 3 months promise major openings into a greater future for all who are riding the waves that were shown as a promise of a greater future, truth, or vision last Summer. These have been accelerated over the past several weeks even as we've had to take a new look, or do rehearsals, reviews, revisions, and/or research at parts of this emerging process during the past 3 weeks. Again, now it's time to get it on!!!
Here we face the future, and do what we must to weave elements of that future into our current life and affairs. Here we divorce the attitudes and people no longer appropriate to our emerging process, and given Mercury's dance with Venus over the next few weeks, open to new people, new ways of being with others, new values, and new ways of capturing what is pleasing to you.
We're riding the edge of change, and confront major shifts between now and May 10 that will change our lives forever. So open to new ideas, signals, interactions, and adventures, since we now are moving into a time that will affect everyone for many years. Focus your potency, your energies, get clear about needed boundaries, and by May 21 manifestations of a new quality of being rendering the old patterns obsolete will be upon us.
Use skillful direct action dressed in Venusian pleasantness, fairness, and elegance and even though things are fast-paced, you'll know you're very much alive! There are adventures and blessings to be lived, so go for it!
© Copyright 2011 Robert Wilkinson
Robert,
What more can I say other than a BIG Hell Yeah!!! It is indeed time to "go for it". We, as well as our world, need a new creative direction forward. Thanks for the spark!
Posted by: GB | April 22, 2011 at 04:18 PM
Love Gratitude...aum
Posted by: Veronica Norman | April 22, 2011 at 07:01 PM
Love, thanks, Vrrrrooooooom!!!!
Posted by: Morvah | April 23, 2011 at 12:18 AM
oh my dearie, who are You? how do You know all this?
i suppose you are super good energy & help to speed up 'end all suffering' process; thank you, all good forces.
sheel in India
Posted by: Sheel Palm | April 23, 2011 at 04:59 PM
"Who knows the power that Saturn has over us, or Venus? But it is a vital power, rippling exquisitely through us all the time."
DH Lawrence – Author
Posted by: astrology | April 24, 2011 at 12:51 PM
Hi all - Glad you like the article.
Hi Sheel - I know this because I am a consummate professional in the craft with many years' service, study, and practice. I am a Spiritual Astrologer in service to my world. And yes, ending suffering is a good thing for all of us to aspire to. You're most welcome. Namaskarams....
Hi "astrology" - I do wish you had read the guidelines and asked me first if you could advertise your site on the cheap with my people. The only reason I didn't delete your "comments" entirely is that the quotes were good regarding astrology in general.
Posted by: Robert | April 24, 2011 at 12:59 PM
Thanks so much Robert! Exactly what I needed to hear, definitely needed some perspective!! xoxo
Posted by: Beth Rifkin | April 24, 2011 at 06:49 PM
Hello, I'm new to the site, and crazy enough I was directed here because I was googling an Aquarius reading for 2007! I've been in such a beautiful spiritual space lately it doesn't surprise me that a random search would bring me here. I love what the posts and will definitely be back. Much love. namaste
Posted by: J Heston | April 25, 2011 at 02:12 AM
Hi RW, Thank you for your super response to my comment... you made me happy. sheel
Posted by: Sheel Palm | April 25, 2011 at 07:07 PM