by Robert Wilkinson
Today we take a look at important Sabian Symbols, aspects, and other important factors in play the next three weeks as Mercury is retrograde in Pisces.
This Mercury retrograde begins at 10:19 am PST, 6:19 pm GMT on March 5. The retrograde moves from 30 Pisces back to 17 Pisces, with the Inferior conjunction of Mercury and the Sun occurring at 25 Pisces on March 14-15. As this retrograde begins in the third decan of Pisces, it deals with the individual, mental, and spiritual levels of life, and has a sub-influence of Scorpio with an added dose of Mars.
The symbol for the 30th degree of Pisces is well known to long time site visitors. I believe it is so important that I regularly post about it whenever appropriate. It is the last degree of the zodiac, where all has been summed up, and all that cannot come into a new life is left behind.
Mercury going SRX on the degree of “dreaming the future” indicates we all are on the threshold of an extraordinary period where precise dreaming will yield huge dividends in the near future. We are stationed at a point of completion where Mercury retrograde will give us one last look back as we prepare to launch into a new era in April.
The Sabian Symbol for Mercury’s Stationary Retrograde Degree
The Sabian Symbol for the 30th degree of Pisces is "The Great Stone Face," taken from a Nathaniel Hawthorne tale. In The Astrology of Personality, where Rudhyar offers us the original notes from the Marc Jones class on the symbols, it says this is a degree of "Eventual concrete manifestation of all higher poetic images and enduring truths of the race. Sure culmination of effort."
In the masterwork, An Astrological Mandala, he goes on to say this is a degree of "the power of clearly visualized ideals to mold the life of the visualizer," which addresses our power of self-transformation expressed through our thought form building capacities. He offers that one of the most important spiritual qualities of this degree is This power can be developed through visualization, when the emotions and the will are poured into the visualized mental image.
This is one of the powers latent in the human vehicle, called "Siddhas," which have been demonstrated by many beings in many cultures throughout the ages. Rudhyar further compares it to the power in a seed to replicate and provide a pattern for the future growth of the generic plant archetype in its various forms. He states this degree falls in the Span of Protection, Scene of Perpetuation, and is the ultimate degree on the Individual-Mental level in the Act of Capitalization.
Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, says this degree "is a symbol of human responsibility as an immortality of the soul, and of a way of living which has become a continual manifestation of its ideal..." He states this dramatizes our “self-discovery to others as an encouragement to them in their own alignment to eternal reality.”
He continues with "Each individual selects the image within himself to which he would shape himself outwardly, and this he comes to resemble..." He reminds us that "Character is destiny," in the sense that as you shape your character you make your Destiny.
He offers us the keyword DISCERNMENT, and we are told that when operating positively, "the degree is self-integrity in its irresistible impact on the course of events." So this degree is a challenge to articulate an effective self-realization in a continual manifestation of some ideal, and “self-discovery” to encourage others to align with an eternal reality.
So the theme of this retrograde is a look back at how our past efforts have culminated in our current life, with our knowledge of “enduring truths.” This will give us echoes of memories as well as flashes of our larger Dreamscape where past, present, and future can come together in a clear vision of our eternal Truths we bring as we move from completion to greater vistas of Self-realization.
Take a new look at whether you’re living your ideal and are in harmony with your processes of “self-discovery.” Are you aligned with your Self-unfoldment? Take a new look at how you are living your integrity, and open to getting flashes of your wider futures.
This retrograde will slow things down so we can take a new look at recent developments so we can find a new approach to issues of inner or outer space. As with all Mercury retrogrades, some projects may have to be postponed, or a new way found to make something be more relevant to our current life. This can give us insights into why we need to get a new angle of seeing things, going inward rather than keep going in unfulfilling directions. All of us will get glimpses of how our past experiences and choices since the last Mercury retrograde have led us to a new view of Pisces related things in our past.
Short Term Future Triggers
During this Mercury retrograde period, pay attention to the roundabout signs and signals you’re receiving about past and present times you need(ed) to turn your concentration and focus inward. These lessons will be illuminated when the Sun crosses this degree between 3 pm PDT March 19 and 3 pm PDT March 20. The themes of 30 Pisces will remain in in focus through the time Mercury re-crosses this degree around April 16, when it finishes its 2nd forward motion shadow transit. We will all see the value in what has transpired when Venus occupies 30 Pisces on April 19-20 at the Full Moon at 30 Libra, also a degree of fulfillment.
It should be a great time to see things we didn’t understand before, or perhaps reclaim something from the past. Here we take a look back and reconsider or renew some prior vision or expression of our integrity. We can find a new angle of perspective on what we need to coordinate our lives to express our Soul, and revise and/or renew some things from the past. I gave you a lot about the themes of this retrograde period in prior articles in this series, so please check them out when you’re done here. Links at the bottom of this post.
As with all Mercury retrogrades, we can use this time to take a look back at whatever in the past has recently begun. This one in Pisces helps us re-shape our way of expressing Pisces energy in the house where that sign is active in our chart.
Behind the Scenes in this Pisces Retrograde
While in Pisces, Mercury is ruled by Jupiter in Sagittarius. This sign gives Mercury a broader view, a more open imagination, and higher truths and awarenesses. Sag is a very expansive energy, and even though Mercury and Jupiter rule opposing signs, when Mercury is ruled by Jupiter, it must open to a wider view and understanding.
The Guide of Souls ruled by Jupiter shows humor, imagination, and being a good sport are all things to keep in mind as we dance down this Sag influenced road the next 6 weeks! As Jupiter is the backdrop to the Sun and Mercury, it’s the “King of the Hill” and “behind the scenes” influence of Mercury, so get used to Jupiter both directing the play and stealing the scene over the next few weeks!
Aspects and the Moon
As this retrograde is taking place only hours before the New Moon, you can find out all you need to about all the aspects in play by consulting those articles which will post over the next several days. We have a lot of Octile series aspects going on, as well as quite a few productive ones indicating a favorable “three note chord” involving planets in Capricorn, Pisces, and Taurus. Again, I’ll explain more in the coming New Moon articles.
The Moon at 5 Pisces conjunct the Sun at 15 and Neptune at 17 Pisces indicates a very dreamy and “end game” Mercury retrograde period. We will definitely be led through the dreamscape into dress rehearsals for major life renewals to come, and can “master discouragement” as we are being guided into a more authentic and Soul-ful life. As it makes an extraordinarily favorable quintile to its ruler Jupiter, do your closure rituals, see what needs to be blessed to flow down the time stream, and say goodbye to old ghosts and hello to new spiritual group awareness! Have the right attitude as you stand on the threshold of a new life, and see the quickening as a chance to demonstrate skills you haven’t before now.
Remember, because of the RX quality, it may a) take a roundabout way to get there, b) require a delay before we understand what these things are about, or c) we’ll see how we’ve begun parts of our training and preparation, and now have to connect the dots or renew something we neglected.
This completes our initial look at the coming Mercury retrograde period for now. I’ll be posting more as the Inferior Conjunction draws near, so until then, get ready to take a new look at how you’re been led to the life dream you’re living. Get closure on old ghosts so you can move with more freedom into your new life beginning the third week of April, and remember forgiveness makes it possible for Grace to be made manifest.
A New Look At Mercury Retrograde
If you want to know what we can expect from Mercury retrograde in Pisces, as well as all the other signs and houses, if you haven't already gotten your copy, please consider getting my award-winning 2nd edition of A New Look At Mercury Retrograde.
The first major work on Mercury retrograde ever written, it offers in-depth information about Mercury retrograde people, Mercury retrograde in the various signs and houses, and what the entire Mercury Retrograde phenomenon is about. If you want to know what we can expect from Mercury retrograde in any sign or house position, it’s all in there.
Here's the Amazon link to the page where you can purchase a paperback or ebook edition of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde. Just make sure you get the 2015 2nd edition rather than the 1997 Weiser edition.
Previous articles in this series:
Mercury Retrograde in Pisces in March 2019 – An Overview
Mercury Retrograde in March 2019 – Time For A New Look at the Guide of Souls
The Guide of Souls in March 2019 - Mercury Slowing Down, Preparing to go Retrograde at 30 Pisces
Mercury Has Now Entered its Shadow Zone at 17 Pisces
Copyright © 2019 Robert Wilkinson
I can sense the energies and feel so blessed. I am currently going to a satsang and suddenly the previously difficult concepts have opened up oozing with life. I've struggled with for years, well actually, for my whole life with these things. And it all makes sense now. Thank you.
Posted by: Mary | March 05, 2019 at 04:05 AM
Thank you for the wisdom and clear information.
Blessings be to all.
Posted by: Nic | March 05, 2019 at 03:20 PM