by Robert Wilkinson
The Inferior conjunction marks the halfway point in this retrograde period. At 12:18 pm PDT on May 21, we experienced the "Inferior Conjunction" between Mercury retrograde and the Sun at 1 Gemini, after which Mercury will gradually begin to speed up. The Inferior Conjunction is an important point in the dance Mercury and the Sun do each year. So just what is the difference between the Inferior and Superior Conjunctions of Mercury with the Sun?
I last gave you some of this at the January 2022 Inferior Conjunction at 4 Aquarius. As usual, I’ve updated the material.
Inferior and Superior Conjunctions Fuse Life and Mind Two Ways
Mercury conjuncts the Sun two ways. When Mercury is direct in motion, it's called the Superior Conjunction. When Mercury is retrograde, it's called the Inferior Conjunction. These conjunctions of the Sun and Mercury mark important points showing how our life and mind are fusing past and present to vitalize and shape the future.
Mercury symbolizes our mind, eternally racing forward or backward, both slowly and quickly. The Sun symbolizes our life-in-the-making, illuminating the integrity of the moment. The Sun radiates the Light, Illumination, and Integration available to us and others. We measure the Sun’s movement from our perspective on Earth, and so it holds a steady pace while all the other planets move in their orbits.
When the Sun and Mercury conjunct, it allows the mind to evaluate and process past, present, and future Life/Light experiences in the NOW. Mind understands Light in a specific way that is different from the usual experience of separateness or “distance” between Life and Mind. At the Superior Conjunction, Mind catches up to Life; at the Inferior Conjunction, Life catches up to Mind, which is backward turned and moving much slower than usual.
In understanding the meaning behind the process in which Mercury speeds up and slows down, we can understand how to navigate the fluxes and flow of our life experience. By knowing the timing appropriate to the moment, we can learn what to do and when by taking advantage of these never-ending periods of life.
I explain a lot more about Inferior and Superior Conjunctions, and how the mind operates when racing forward and looking backward, in the award winning 2nd edition of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde. There are chapters for natal and transiting Mercury Retrograde in the signs and houses, what it means for each sign, when it happens, how people with Mercury retrograde learn in their special ways, and good things to do during these periods. By checking out the section on Mercury retrograde in Aquarius and Capricorn you’ll get valuable information about the Mercury retrograde influence over the past 4 months, and by referencing the section on Mercury retrograde in Gemini and Taurus you’ll get glimpses into the next 4.
Here's the Amazon link to the page where you can order your paperback copy of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde. You can also get the ebook version there or from Barnes & Noble’s Nook. It will prove to be an invaluable resource for understanding past, present, and future Mercury retrogrades for years to come!
What follows elaborates on the process of how this “fusion of life and mind” works its unique magic. The next article will cover how the Inferior Conjunction at 1 Gemini will affect all of us, and go into greater depth about the qualities of this particular Inferior Conjunction.
Mercury Retrograde and the Superior and Inferior Conjunction
The Inferior and Superior Conjunctions of Mercury with the Sun are two critical points in the Sun-Mercury cycle showing us whether Life is chasing Mind or Mind is chasing Life, since they are the points where these shifts occur. Each type of conjunction is followed by the other type of conjunction during and between retrogrades. An Inferior Conjunction of Mercury retrograde is always followed by a Superior Conjunction when Mercury is direct, which leads in turn to the next Inferior Conjunction during the next Mercury retrograde.
The Inferior Conjunction brings insights, signs, or signals from the past, or collective consciousness, or our subconscious mind, or unconscious mind. As it merges with the life and vitality symbolized by the Sun, these signs and signals show us “days of future past,” to be incorporated into our lives or our Light.
They can be reflections leading to new insights about past or present life coordination issues, our Soul issues. They could be messages or symbols from the personal or collective subconscious field, and/or they could be new or alternative insights about some part of the life experience, also symbolized by the Sun.
The Sun is the Law of our Light-Life, the Central Order of our personal Solar System of our material, emotional, and psychological affairs. All conjunctions to our Sun are important fusions of parts of our life, affecting the era to come, whose length is determined by the particular planetary cycle engaging our Sun.
Other Inferior Conjunctions
The Sun can only make “inferior conjunctions” with Mercury or Venus when they are retrograde. All other Solar conjunctions to planets happen when they’re direct. It could be said that the Solar conjunctions with Venus when it’s retrograde are a sort of “inferior conjunction” with that part of life symbolized by the retrograde planet.
On that subject, about 10 years ago we had a fusion of “likes with life” when Venus conjuncted the Sun in June 2012 while retrograde. You will recall it was considered a VERY BIG DEAL at the time, a very rare cosmic event that would shake our world. That hyperbole aside, you can find more about that celestial event through the links on the bottom of this article.
We just had another Venus retrograde between mid-December 2021 and late January 2022. Like the one in late 2013 and early 2014 which began at 29 Capricorn and retrograded back to 14 Capricorn, the 2022 retrograde began at 26 Capricorn and retrograded back to 12 Capricorn. Those Inferior Conjunctions between the Sun and Venus are not astronomical “transit events;” the next one is in 2117.
The Retrograde Process
So let’s do a quick recap of what conjunctions of Mercury with the Sun mean. When retrograde, Mercury, the Guide of Souls, “looks back” at the recent span of experience it crossed when originally direct in motion. That’s why these periods are good for review, re-working, re-thinking, rehearsing, or reconsidering something that caught our attention or our focus in the recent past.
The Inferior Conjunction is actually the point of maximum retrogradation, where Mercury’s speed is as slow as it will get. After the Inferior Conjunction, it's still retrograde for a brief period, reviewing the past and getting further away from the Sun. Then it goes stationary direct, after which it speeds up, eventually resulting in the Superior Conjunction when Mercury conjuncts the Sun about half way between the previous and next retrograde period.
So Mercury is direct when it first enters its “shadow zone,” which is the span of degrees of the actual retrograde period. At that point it slows down tremendously, and goes stationary retrograde. From our point of view on Earth, it seems to reverse course and traverse the span it just went over. Then at the end of the retrograde period it gets as far away from the Sun as our perspective allows, after which it begins to speed up and at some point goes stationary direct.
It then takes all that it learned from the first period when it initially transited those degrees that became its retrograde span, and through its new “forward view” of what it’s gotten information about two different times (1 direct, 1 RX), in this third phase it puts it all together when it again traverses that “shadow zone” span of degrees during its new direct motion phase. This 3-fold understanding is an extremely important “span of focus” in the life areas shown by the house in which it falls.
Mercury Direct
When Mercury is direct in motion, it again shows mind in a direct approach to our life, symbolized by the Sun. It quickens its motion, speeding up until it makes the connection at the subsequent Superior Conjunction one or two signs later. About 7 weeks after the Superior Conjunction, Mercury again goes retrograde, preparing for another Inferior Conjunction when it again delivers all that it has learned since the last Superior Conjunction.
Mercury's direct motion period is when it directly learns, evaluates, classifies, divides, and generally dissects reality. It is more of a theoretical, or information gathering phase, since after the Superior Conjunction Mind is outracing Life, which won’t begin to “catch up to Mind” until Mercury enters its next shadow zone.
Mind (Mercury) gets as far ahead of life (Sun) as it can before it reaches its maximum limit. Then it begins to slow and turn inward, look backward, listen to other beats, other drummers, other interpretations, other ways of weaving the experiences of life into something we can understand from a different point of view. This is how we gain perspective, and is essential if we are to learn the many ways the Higher Self both is and is not.
Sometimes the indirect path leads us to greater understanding
The experience we get through Mercury retrogrades give us perspective that allows us to become well rounded in our knowledge and ability to apply our knowledge, skills, and talents in ways that fulfill our purpose on this Earth. Mercury helps us adapt to different points of view, different ways of interpreting and applying what we know, and can assist us in filling in the blanks in our understanding of a thing.
Mercury, or Hermes, is legendarily “the Guide of Souls." If that is true, then perhaps looking back with a different perspective may help us to reconsider our footprints in time, and choose to re-think some of our assumptions that are not leading us to our Higher Self. Then we can consciously choose a different way to coordinate our mind, feelings, and lives, and begin to live a more fulfilled sense of purpose.
Mercury retrograde periods are an extremely important period of getting signals that can lead you to your Soul. Take an unusual view, look back with a new perspective, see the patterns, both productive and destructive, and then when it goes direct, implement your new insights and perspectives into new ways of seeing, communicating, and envisioning.
At this Inferior Conjunction at 1 Gemini, we will have “a fusion of life and mind” which will help set a platform where, as we blend these principles, we will see a shift in our affairs, attitudes, and understanding. This will be specific to those things symbolized by Mercury in Gemini and the house(s) in our charts where this retrograde takes place. Because Mercury spends the end of the RX period in Taurus, it’s like this is a Gemini retrograde which winds up with Taurus tools to move forward.
In terms of the Inferior Conjunction, natal points in harmony with 1 Gemini will see productivity, understanding, stabilization, and unique qualities come forth. Natal points in friction with 1 Gemini will see turning points, blocks, braking action, and release of potential.
In the next article in this series, we will explore the specifics of this May 2022 conjunction in Gemini, and what its lessons hold for us over the next 4 months.
Here is the article on the January 2022 Inferior Conjunction of Mercury with the Sun at 4 Aquarius. This “fusion of life and mind” impacted the span from then to now.
For your review, here are the articles on the 2012 Venus “occultation event.”
Venus Transit of the Sun – What Is It, How Does It Happen, and Other Historical Transits of Venus
Venus Retrograde Conjunct the Sun June 5, 2012 – What Does That Rare Event Mean?
Here’s the article on the 2021 “inferior conjunction” of Venus and the Sun:
Venus Retrograde Conjunct the Sun at 19 Capricorn in January 2022 - What Does This Rare Event Mean?
Copyright © 2022 Robert Wilkinson
Mercury Retrograde in May-June 2022 - How Will The Inferior Conjunction at 1 Gemini Manifest in the Future?by Robert Wilkinson
Today we explore specifics of the Inferior Conjunction of May 21 at 1 Gemini. This “fusion of life and mind” will impact the rest of the retrograde period, and many weeks after.
As I offered in earlier articles, an 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 four months.
Mind is now reconsidering territory it’s already seen. This “fusion of Mind and Life” allows Mind to see where the Light has already been, and thereby written in our Book of Light/Life. Mercury, Guide of Souls, now has slowed down enough that the Sun has caught up and they come together for a brief moment. That also means Mercury again leads the Sun, showing Mercury is again the Gatekeeper to the Light.
We now enter a phase of looking back at Life to see how certain things in the past impacted how we got to where we are today. This is “Illuminated Mind looking back at inward, outward, and collective processes which have shaped our Life. As Mercury is retrograde, the degree of the inferior conjunction shows how our perceptions will merge with our Life and bring forth a new understanding of our Light.
The Sabian Symbol for the Inferior Conjunction
This Inferior Conjunction falls at 1 Gemini. It is said that the first third (decan) of any sign deals with the material and actional levels of life, and being the Gemini decan of that sign, invokes a sub-influence of Gemini with an extra dose of Jupiter.
It is interesting that this Inferior conjunction degree is the same as the Superior conjunction degree 3 years ago in 2019. Perhaps this “fusion of life and mind” looking back will find insights about the forward looking “fusion of life and mind” then?
The Sabian Symbol we’ve been given for the 1st degree of Gemini is "A glass-bottomed boat in still water.” In "the Astrology of Personality, where Rudhyar uses the original Dr. Jones' class notes on the symbols, 1 Gemini is said to be a phase of "Depth of realization in a consciousness constantly in touch with the sources of life," and "sensitiveness to collective images."
In the Astrological Mandala, he says this degree involves "the revelation of unconscious energies and submerged psychic structures." Here we become aware of the "hidden contents of man's collective Unconscious" if our "boat," or ego, has a "glass bottom" allowing us to see that which is below normal perception. He states that our conscious mind must be somewhat "translucent" so we can become aware of the "psychic depths below the normal level of consciousness."
He goes on to say that in this discovery process this is a stage of vision, where we find that which we did not know existed. Here "a new dimension of reality is perceived by the earnest inquirer." He says it falls in the span of Zeal, and is the first degree of the actional level of the scene of Discovery in the Act of Differentiation.
According to Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, the degree is one of "alertness to ramifications of experience," and the need we take action that benefits us if we would "capitalize on any particular opportunity." This shows that even inactivity is of value if it allows us to "regrasp our destiny" to our advantage, since it gives us the ability to touch "the transient stream of everyday affairs."
He offers us the keyword of CURIOSITY. He states that when operating in a positive manner, this degree is "high competence in the estimation of life's potentialities."
So we'll use the ”fusion of life and mind” through the next Superior Conjunction to look back, reflecting on things which have been, old discoveries which moved us in that direction until we find ourselves here. We can look back by seeing how we opened to a new depth understanding, or can now “see beneath the surface” of routine life in some roundabout or internal way. We will again take a new look at some things we’ve discovered the past three years, or in some way the next few weeks will open up a a new curiosity which will help us “regrasp our destiny.”
So we enter a time where Life is moving forward as Mind looks back on a) how we found or discovered depth insights in the past, and/or b) how current events related to the past are again challenging us to take a new look at what’s below the surface of things. This “looking back” involves a period of review, reflection, and reconsideration of past discoveries in ways which open the way to even deeper insights about how life is related to the mind’s imagery and our reaction to previously unknown things.
Because it’s a retrograde conjunction in the Air sign of the mind exploring all there is to explore, be flexible in your approach and response to discovering unknown things, or remembering past ideas. Take a look back to see how you have discovered many things and changed your communication style since May 2019. Remember past awakenings, past communications, and past depth perceptions to find even more awakenings and depth perceptions.
Just remember that all Mercury RX phenomena take a while to unfold, often during a subsequent RX period. Things that happen during a retrograde seem to have a way of moving forward at future retrograde. This Inferior Conjunction will bring echoes of past eras when the outer planets were in this sector of Gemini, as well as a foreshadowing of what will come when Mercury, Venus, and Mars transit this degree over the next few weeks, as well as when Jupiter transits this degree in late May 2024 which will activate the lessons being brought to us over the next few weeks.
Important Dispositors
The Inferior Conjunction is in Gemini, and so is ruled by Mercury, and therefore “whole unto itself.” This makes Mercury the major player on stage related to this conjunction. With the very favorable and productive sextiles between the conjunction and Jupiter, and with the Moon exactly biseptile the conjunction from 19 Aquarius, this is a time to remember how we rose to some urgent need in the past, “put out the fire,” and found our power within a group setup. In some way, the coming weeks could echo a time in the past when we had to mobilize with a sense of “indomitability” to rise to some challenge and find success in our efforts.
This Inferior Conjunction can fuse hindsight and life experience to see how new forms of light, life, and perspectives are coming forth as we practice integration or reintegration techniques. Because of the emphasis on Gemini, the next 10 weeks until the Superior Conjunction are a time to be open to different approaches to giving and receiving knowledge and understanding to open new perspectives.
A benefit of Inferior Conjunctions is they offer us views of how we prepared in the past for current attitudes and ideals, or conversely, through the retrograde lens see how past attitudes and ideals led us to where we’re at right now. When Mercury gives us a backward look or alternative view and understanding of something from the past, it also in a strange way prepares the ground for the future when other planets cross this degree.
So What’s Been Going On, and What Will Happen From Here?
I’ve explained this “two-step” process of Inferior Conjunctions followed by Superior Conjunctions alternating with each other in previous articles. The last few weeks we’ve been under the influence of the last Superior Conjunction at 14 Aries on April 2 with its theme of becoming aware of the dance between the inner male and inner female, setting aside fear, blame, and shame so we could allow the eternal Self to shine forth into the world. Now, at the Inferior Conjunction, we’ve reached the end of the direct influence of that conjunction, and will go into a process where we will take a new look at many things, including the need to take a new look at our subconscious mind and what it’s trying to express.
While Mercury is still slow in speed, from here it gradually speeds up, and will go stationary direct at 27 Taurus on June 3, about 38 hours before Saturn goes stationary retrograde at 26 Aquarius. It will continue to speed up until it outraces the Sun at the next Superior Conjunction at 25 Cancer on July 16. That Superior Conjunction ushers in several weeks of realizations about receiving a “mantle of power” which confers leadership in some way.
So while up to now, Life has been catching up to Mind, it will now outpace it for weeks to come. Once Mercury goes direct and hits its maximum speed, we’ll get the next Superior Conjunction, after which Mind will again outraces Life, exploring ideas and perceptions of experiences yet to occur.
The Inferior Conjunction marks the point when Mind is being absorbed by Life, or Life takes on the results of subconscious or collective ideas returning to source. For the next short period, Mercury will still be slow in speed and retrograde as the Sun moves forward, putting distance between it and Mercury. Still, from this point on, Mercury gradually speeds up, so the slowest part of the retrograde process is now past!
Once Life gets as far from Mind as it can, then Mercury goes stationary direct, and continues to speed up through its shadow zone and beyond as it prepares to enter unknown zodiacal zones after leaving the shadow zone. The “pulses” of the Inferior and Superior conjunctions of the Sun and Mercury constitute an entire field of research unto themselves. I explain this process in greater detail in A New Look at Mercury Retrograde.
Mercury, or Hermes, the “Guide of Souls”
All Mercury retrograde periods teach us about how Mercury functions. As I explain in Chapter 2 of Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend, Mercury’s duality is Life/Death, so when the “Divine Trickster” slows down we can get a new look at how our consciousness and responses are either creative, destructive, or both, to cite the venerable Kabbalistic 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.
As we explore this new energy showing how our mind and life relate to each other, perhaps we can learn how to deal with Mercurial energies in ourselves or others from a different angle of view, organizing or reorganizing or ideas, perception, interpretations, and way of communicating. All in all, the coming 4 months will bring interesting returns, reflections, and rehearsals of how and what we’ve already dealt with in the realm of learning to use early Gemini and late Taurus energy productively.
The new views, understandings, and reinterpretations shown by this Inferior Conjunction should be considered in the light of the house in which this retrograde inferior conjunction is happening. (I gave you that information in the top linked article at the bottom of this post.) We can see our ideas from a different angle, find a new focus, and make progress in transformational regenerations that will be the source of much information and activity in the next few weeks. Wherever you have 1 Gemini will bring a fusion of Life and Mind, especially related to the houses where you have Gemini and Virgo.
Once the Inferior Conjunction happens, whatever has seemed delayed, postponed, or dragging along will move forward soon. This can bring forth a greater holistic vision of how events and people are connected, as well as why we must rethink some things, people, and plans.
Generally, the 11 days before the inferior conjunction (fusion) of mind and life is a good time to take a new look at how you can bring out your inner wisdom by adjusting to a future vision or broader perspective that's opening for you. It's also good for getting a new point of view regarding what your imagination is willing to consider and how to coordinate your life to reorganize it productively.
It's great for intuitive flashes, insights into the larger collective consciousness and unconsciousness, and seeing how you're being led to see elements of your Soul you may not have recognized before now. So think back on what's happened in the past couple of weeks, and find a new way to view how those things may symbolize the future somehow.
Just remember during retrogrades, especially Mercury retrograde, that often things that don't turn out one way lead directly or indirectly to other things somewhat related manifesting down the road. It's as though nothing should be taken at face value, and often what we do or think during Mercury retrograde creates odd echoes in the future that take different shapes, or different functions related to the original intention.
A New Look At Mercury Retrograde
Because we’ll still be dealing with Mercury retrograde through June 3 (and to some extent for the 2 weeks after that while Mercury is still in its shadow zone), if you haven’t already, you should get a copy of the 2nd edition of A New Look At Mercury Retrograde. It offers in-depth information about Mercury retrograde in the various signs and houses, and what the Mercury Retrograde phenomenon is about.
By knowing more about 2018’s Mercury retrograde periods in Aries, Leo, Sag and Scorpio, the 2019 retrogrades in Pisces, Leo, Cancer, and Scorpio, the 2020 retrogrades in Pisces, Aquarius, Cancer, Scorpio, and Libra, and the 2021 retrogrades in Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra, you may see patterns in what has been going on in your life, the different things you’ve been taking a new look at and why, and how this "looking back" has influenced your choices as you moved through past events. By taking a look at the qualities of the January-February 2022 RX in Aquarius and Capricorn, this May-June RX in Gemini and Taurus, and the September-October 2022 RX in Libra and Virgo, you’ll get important information about being guided to your Soul this year. A further benefit is by looking at Mercury RX in Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo, you’ll get insights into how the 2023 Mercury retrogrades will impact you next year.
Here's the Amazon link to the page where you can purchase a paperback edition of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde. If you want an ebook, you can order one at the link, or go to Barnes & Noble and it's available through Nook. ((Again, if you’re going to purchase a copy, make sure it’s the award-winning second edition published in 2016 and not the 1997 edition!)
Previous articles in this series:
Mercury Retrograde in Gemini and Taurus in May-June 2022 –A Call to Action
Mercury Retrograde in Gemini and Taurus in May-June 2022 - An Overview
It’s Mercury Retrograde in May-June 2022 – A New Look at the Guide of Souls
The Guide of Souls in May 2022 - Mercury Slowing Down, Preparing to go Retrograde at 5 Gemini
Copyright © 2022 Robert Wilkinson
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