by Robert Wilkinson
Yes, it's THAT time again! Mercury is radically slowing down, preparing to go stationary retrograde at 5 Sagittarius on November 6, 3:04 pm PST, 6:04 pm EST, 11:04 pm Greenwich. This has important implications for all signs.
I'll be composing several articles about this Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius over the next several weeks. Until then, adapt to the slowing pace of things, be willing to put some things on hold for a little while, and take a look at what's been set into motion up to now with an eye to seeing what has to be done before things can again move forward in late November.
I know there are many unfortunate things attributed to Mercury retrograde, but there are also many productive things that get done, connections that are made, and different angles of view glimpsed that make our understanding more complete and well rounded.
The two weeks before the retrograde is good for setting things in motion that will need a delay before being picked up anew. Or for doing things that will need research, rehearsing, or reworking to whatever degree before completion. The time before Mercury goes retrograde is good for doing what must be done so that other related things can be done later, as well as reconnecting with people and activities from the past that are somehow related to the future.
The coming retrograde will be an extremely important one showing us how to come to a wisdom that sees through the forms and understands the essentials. We can find peace and poise observing life’s dramas as a result of learning how to retire from old dramas during and since the last Mercury retrograde. We have all had opportunities to look back and distill wisdom from our past experiences while navigating the Grand Irrationality that’s been constantly active since the last Mercury RX period.
This retrograde will help us get focused and see “the world of the 5 senses and the mind as the playground of God and Soul.” We can find more confidence in our judgments and self worth, and will see the light of knowing what’s done, what’s to be done, and how to transcend old limitations through figuring out what to let go of to create space to attract what helps us integrate our personalities.
Consider the next 3 weeks as a transition period where we shall all cross a threshold, and much that follows depends on the attitudes we take toward unfamiliar experiences. It will be a trial of endurance for some, while others will experience “radiations of spontaneous faith.” It will certainly be an important retrograde, given the aspects in play!
This chart gives us several extremely important aspect indicating what’s up both for the next few days and the entirety of the retrograde period. First, there’s an exact Moon square Sun, showing the need to compartmentalize our affairs so we don’t find ourselves neglecting one valued thing in order to further another equally valued thing. Take a “both-and” attitude rather than an “either-or” attitude, and get clear about the difference between needs and wants.
Also front and center as a release point is Mercury square Neptune, bringing more echoes of Hurricane Sandy (given Mercury’s prominence as a trigger in that chart.) The only other frictional aspect of note is Saturn quincunx Uranus, showing some structures will have to be adjusted as a result of awakened parts of our individuality. Growth is in finding knowledge as things return to source, and overcoming prejudices as we demonstrate skill in a cyclic manner.
Harmonious aspects are prominent, indicating a productive and stabilizing time despite the turning of corners and coming out of confusion or a lack of clarity about who we are and what role we’re supposed to be playing. We see Moon tredecile Mercury and sextile Jupiter, Venus trine Jupiter, and Saturn sextile Pluto.
This indicates that if we can find the right points of view through sharing insights and information, we’ll see clearly whether we need to a) double down on learning what needs to be found and bring it to the surface of our lives, and/or b) come up for fresh air and sunlight from some symbolic aspect of “the underworld” in our lives. Many will see a broader view of their path and how it relates to others, and will understand the need to “divorce the past” as they synthesize information into comprehensive overviews.
THE outstanding quality of this chart is the massive quantity of septile series aspects between the planets! This guarantees that the Grand Irrationality is in full play, as well as other areas where we’ll confront important choices and changes altering the course of destiny, both for us and those in our lives.
The Grand Irrationality is put into action by the Sun septile Pluto and biseptile Neptune, along with Jupiter biseptile Neptune and triseptile Pluto. This lights up 4 points of the 7 pointed Star, and anyone with planets or points in one or more of the 7 zones will be heavily affected.
These zones are approximately 7-11 Capricorn, 29 Aquarius-3 Pisces, 20-24 Aries, 12-16 Gemini, 3-7 Leo, 24-28 Virgo, and 15-19 Scorpio. I discussed the zones and potential influences in the recent article The Full Moon of Scorpio-Taurus 2012 Pt. 2 – Illuminated Spiritual Warrioring Bringing Revelations of a New Way. Obviously when the Moon is moving through any of the 7 hot zones it’ll set major things into motion. I discussed some of this in the linked article.
Along with the Grand Irrationality creating an energetic field of destiny-producing choices and changes, we also see Mercury septile Venus and Mars biseptile Uranus. So we have irrational energy fields associated with Sun, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto in play right now. That’s a LOT of craziness where many areas won’t make much sense but we’ll have to be dealing with things anyway!
So besides the 7 zones listed above, we also have hot zones created by Mercury septile Venus at 11-14 Libra, 3-6 Sagittarius, 24-27 Capricorn, 16-19 Pisces, 8-11 Taurus, 29 Gemini-2 Cancer, and 20-23 Leo. The zones created by Mars biseptile Uranus include 22-24 Sagittarius, 13-15 Aquarius, 5-7 Aries, 27-29 Taurus, 18-20 Cancer, 9-11 Virgo, and 1-3 Scorpio.
As you can see, since all three sets of non-rational zones are in play, we have a HUGELY important time in front of us that will impact us across every house and sign in our chart. For example, hot zones during this RX include the spans of 3-7 and 20-23 Leo, 9-11 and 24-28 Virgo, 11-14 Libra, 1-3 and 15-19 Scorpio, 3-6 and 22-24 Sagittarius, 7-11 and 24-27 Capricorn, 13-15 Aquarius, 29 Aquarius-3 Pisces, 16-19 Pisces, and 5-7 and 20-24 Aries.
During the next three weeks the Moon will trigger these on a daily basis, and we’ll also have transiting Mercury, Venus, Mars, and the Sun triggering these at least once in the next few weeks. Welcome to a very wild ride that will throw us all into clearer destinies! And since much won’t make any sense and be thrown into some temporary confusion, or we’ll confront our own or someone else’s compulsions, kick back a little, show some style and heart, and keep eliminating outworn methods while seeing things from their symbolic angle.
This Mercury retrograde will give us many signs and signals for what will dominate Mercury-ruled areas from late November through late February 2013. This retrograde is a time of critical choice and change, where we can take a new look at what’s behind us before moving forward anew at the end of the RX period. We can get all kinds of new insights into future potentials, while seeing things in the recent past differently.
As the Inferior Conjunction happens 17 November at 26 Scorpio, the coming “fusion of life and mind” will show us how to adapt and be efficient as we learn to reorient our base of operations. All in all, a period of important choices and changes in trajectory and destinies thanks to the challenges and weirdness of the Grand Irrationality tripled, with ALL planets except Saturn involved on a constant basis!!
So welcome to a lot of major issues coming (back) up to the surface, given the retrograde quality of the time. Some will review and/or rework past plans and decisions or see the wisdom in past actions, some will get returns leading to a “translucid wisdom” with a greater confidence in past decisions, and some will get clear about permanent “conditioning factors” in life, find a greater heart strength, and learn how to use what they’ve found to “warm up” and illuminate life and others through balanced perspectives.
For all of us, during the next several weeks the future that's already rolling forward will slow a little so we can get a new look at crucial elements of the process we cannot afford to ignore. We will all have opportunities to grow in natural or creative self-expression, exchange views and information to come to balanced actions and views, and rehearse and/or research potential futures already showing themselves in symbolic forms.
This is the threshold of a new future, a new adventure, and a deepened focus. It promises to be a very intense time that doesn’t make much sense, but it doesn’t have to. Learn to ride the waves, adapt and adjust your rules and sense of limits as needed, and don’t get frustrated by the cross currents. They are leading us to simplicity, straightforwardness, efficiency, and an integrated broader and higher vision.
This will be an important retrograde, where the future is set into motion in some very direct ways. It will help us rehearse or do the research we need to get ready to spring forward in late November, freed to play roles we were born to play with joy and happiness. New ideas, new perspectives, new potential futures, and new ways of getting focused are promised by this retrograde. And of course, more on this Mercury retrograde period will come soon!
Other articles about this November 2012 Mercury retrograde:
Copyright © 2012 Robert Wilkinson
I have to admit, Robert, you called much of my recent situation back in August. Late September, things hit big, really big. But I have had to do some unique soul searching in the past few weeks. What am I about? Who can I depend upon, or even, trust? I have change my patterns too - work out more, care about my appearance, work on completely different things, etc. I have noticed some resentment from so-called friends or work peers in the moment. And more change, I can feel it, is coming. I just hope I can hold it together -- the gains I feel I've made. But, at least, I have garnered some new found adventure. My MC is at 9 Cap and I have oscillated it seems between career, publishing/school endeavors, and having it all.
So, people, Robert is legit!!! ;) (Not that he needs me to say so.)
Posted by: Jason P. | November 03, 2012 at 12:23 PM
Hi Robert. I hope you are all settled in for the upcoming Holidays and your move went well. As a loyal reader, I hope daily searching for some positive remarks for us Pisces. Maybe It's just me, born on the 19th cusp, but it seems Pisces has taken more than their share of a beating. Now, Mercury Retrograde, I'm losing my mind, lol. Anything light hearted coming up for us Pisces?
Be well and Happy Holidays.
Posted by: Norm | November 03, 2012 at 01:31 PM
Interestingly, as one of the many who have him rx natally, I find the retro often works in my favour, especially for things that I was overlooked for or not given credit for suddenly being given as if being put back in order. I dont know if others with rx find this, Id be interested to hear :) and this one is hitting on a few good points in my chart and there are a few things I would love to be returned to order just now.
Thanks Robert
Posted by: Debbie | November 03, 2012 at 10:06 PM