by Robert Wilkinson
Today we explore specifics of the Superior Conjunction of October 27, 2016, at 5 Scorpio. This “fusion of life and mind” will impact the rest of the Mercury direct period up to its next retrograde Inferior conjunction coming on December 28, 2016, 12 hours before the New Moon at 8 Capricorn.
The inferior conjunction is when Mercury (mind) conjuncts the Sun (life) while retrograde. This indicates 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 7 weeks.
Since Mercury is direct in motion and moving faster than the Sun, it now makes a “superior conjunction” that begins a several week period when mind will race ahead of life, heralding things to come. The degree of any superior conjunction shows how our perceptions have caught up with our lives, which can bring forth a new expression of our light.
The Sabian Symbol for the Inferior Conjunction
The Solar degree symbol for the Superior Conjunction at the 5th degree of Scorpio is “A massive rocky shore.” In "the Astrology of Personality," where Rudhyar uses the original Dr. Jones' class notes on the symbols, 5 Scorpio is said to be a symbol of “Revelation of absolutely stable elements in all life” and “strong confidence born of fundamental perception; or spiritual inertia.”
We are told in the Astrological Mandala that this symbolizes "the inertia of all institutionalized procedures.” We are told this symbol shows how slowly any culture changes its forms of expression, and how our lives are often conditioned by “the rhythms of city living, which obliterate vaster life processes and the moving tides of evolution.”
Rudhyar continues by stating “we see in (this symbol) how binding and resistant a communal way of life can become.” He offers that “there is strength and stability … in the social life of man – until new horizons beckon. The keyword is stability.” He says it falls in the span of Retention, and it’s the culminating degree in the actional level of the scene of Communion in the Act of Group Integration.
According to Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, this degree is one of “the dependability of the physical universe whenever (we) hold the center of reality within (ourselves) and use the static constituents in nature as a sustainment for (our) essentially dynamic being.” He says we need a “direct and continual attention” to our overall interests, and “here is an exaltation of pure experience in its eternal and universal lineaments.”
He offers us the keyword STABILIZATION. He states when operating in a positive manner, this degree “is a poised spirit and a firmness of personality which enable every individual to prepare (ourselves and others) for any possible contingency.”
So we'll use the ”fusion of life and mind” through the next Inferior Conjunction to take a new look at new ways to stabilize our lives, or see how prior decisions helped to stabilize our lives before now. This deepens our relationships and sense of connection, and of course, Scorpio always finds something to eliminate to create the space to attract more dynamic manifestations of what is desired in the now. On a side note, because it forms a tredecile with the last Superior Conjunction, we should see unique interactive blessings come that are related to the personality integration we’ve been doing since the last Superior Conjunction.
At this conjunction, mind is no longer following life, trying to catch up to it. Now mind races forward as herald, catching glimpses of knowledge, perception, and understanding that shows us where life is headed in the near future.
This Superior Conjunction can fuse foresight and life experience to see how new forms of light, life, and perspectives can come forth these next few weeks. Because this “fusion of life and mind” takes place in the first third of Scorpio, it represents a time of seeing how we are sustained by the universe when we are centered in a reality that furthers our true Self and we embrace a constant purification and self-regeneration.
Here we can examine whether our magnetism is attracting that which is not truly a part of our “root reality,” and take a fresh look at focusing our magnetism and desires in ways that help us know we have broadened and deepened our relationships. This symbol in some way indicates we will take a new look at the “absolutely stable” conditions in our life, allowing us to prepare for possible developments. This is stable Water that helps us go deeper into our experience of existence.
What’s Up After the Superior Conjunction?
As I have pointed out in the first article about the Superior Conjunction, at this Superior Conjunction at 5 Scorpio we will have “a fusion of life and mind” that will help set a platform. In blending these principles we will see a shift in our affairs, attitudes, and understanding about those things symbolized by Mercury in Scorpio.
Natal points in harmony with 5 Scorpio will see productivity, understanding, stabilization, and unique qualities come forth. Natal points in friction with 5 Scorpio will see turning points, blocks, braking action, and release of potential. These are the primary “Life-Mind” fusion lessons through the next Inferior Conjunction on December 28 at 8 Capricorn, a degree that will bring us some form of social power through performing the life roles we were born to play, and being at ease demonstrating the functions of that role.
What’s the Backdrop to What’s Happening?
The Superior Conjunction falling in Scorpio makes Mars the worldly ruler and Pluto the spiritual ruler of the conjunction. That implies that Mars and Pluto, both in Capricorn, are steering this boat, and are the dominant energies of this fusion of life and mind. As Saturn in Sagittarius rules the planets in Capricorn, and Jupiter in Libra rules Saturn, and Venus in Sagittarius rules Jupiter, it creates a mutual reception of Venus and Jupiter which is a very powerful self-reinforcing energy feedback loop. This rules all the other planetary functions except for Neptune, which stands alone in its home sign of Pisces.
From here, even though Mercury will outrace the Sun for the next few weeks, it’s going to begin to slow down in speed, and will go retrograde at 2:55 am PST, 5:55 am EST, 10:55 am GMT on December 19 at 16 Capricorn, a degree of cooperation, teamwork, and exercise involving some kind of actional group power. That will give us yet another period where we can learn about how Mercury functions from a retrograde “review and return” perspective. New adventures will open for many, due to the favorable aspects made between Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus.
Mercury’s duality is “Life/Death,” so we can get a new look at how our consciousness and responses are either creative, destructive, or both, to cite the venerable Kabalistic Arhat Paul Foster Case. Mercury is where we learn if our mental processes are creating chaos and disorganized scattered conditions through ambivalence, and thus come to see how to use discernment to coordinate various functions to bring forth perfect knowing how to do whatever needs to be done.
Because we’ll be dealing with Mercury retrograde energies beginning December 1 when it enters its shadow zone, if you haven’t already gotten your copy, you may want to purchase your copy of the 2nd expanded edition of "A New Look at Mercury Retrograde." You can find out all you need about Mercury Retrograde in the signs, houses, what it means for each sign, when it happens, and Mercury Retrograde celebrities and historical events that you'll never find in any other source.
ADD: I have a very limited number of copies of the book left over from the ISAR conference that belong to the publishing operation. I'm autographing them, and anyone who wants to order them direct from me via email will have a personally signed copy. All proceeds go to the Fifth Ray foundation. They're $13. I'll pay for the shipping unless you're overseas.
Here's the Amazon link to the page where you can purchase a paperback edition of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde. You can also get a Kindle ebook at that site, or go to Barnes and Noble for a copy on Nook. (Please note that if you go to amazon, make sure you're ordering the 2015 edition, and not the earlier one. There are plenty of used ones for sale, but they are far inferior to the newest edition.) Check out possible ways the coming Mercury retrograde effect could play out in December 2016 and January, February, and March 2017!
Copyright © 2016 Robert Wilkinson
An interesting Mercury Superior Conjunction in Scorpio.
I always enjoy the explanations that come from your understanding of the Sabian Symbols and the Astrological Mandala.
Blessings be to all.
Posted by: Nic | October 28, 2016 at 09:21 AM