by Robert Wilkinson
Today we explore specifics of the Inferior Conjunction of September 6 at 14 Virgo. 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 14 Virgo. It is said that the second third (decan) of any sign deals with the emotional and social levels of life, and being the Capricorn decan of that sign, invokes a sub-influence of Saturn with an extra dose of Venus.
The Sabian Symbol we’ve been given for the 14th degree of Virgo is “A family tree.” In the original Jones class notes Dane Rudhyar published in The Astrology of Personality, he states this degree is about “Importance of ancestral background in all accomplishments,” “Power to experience deeply,” “Cultural sensitiveness,” and “Heritage.”
In The Astrological Mandala, he says this degree involves “A deep reliance upon the ancestral roots of individual character.” He states that the power available to us comes from both physical ancestry and spiritual ancestry, and that “true spontaneity and creativity are always based on a structured sequence of antecedents if they are genuinely spiritual,” which he asserts such actions must meet some collective need.”
Here “one returns to the roots in order to produce the flowering of personality,” where “Root Power is essential to seed-achievement.” He says it falls in the span of Idealization, and it’s the technical degree of the individual, mental, and spiritual level of the scene of Characterization in the Act of Stabilization.
According to Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, the degree is one of “the ever-effective dynamic with which an established tradition endows (human)kind,” shown by the extent we embrace the values of those who preceded us and “accept the guidance stemming from them through their spiritual presence in (our) blood.” Here we exhibit the integrity we are endowed with while navigating our experiences and relationships.
He offers us the keyword of GENTILITY. He states that when operating in a positive manner, this degree is “exceptional fidelity to some unique promise of self and so an ultimate achievement of distinction.
So until the next Superior conjunction at 27 Libra on October 19/20, the theme of the current “inward turned fusion of Life and Mind” involves past and present honoring of our roots and the powers we have been endowed with through our tradition and both physical and spiritual bloodlines. By looking back and/or turning within these next few weeks, you can find a technique to disperse obscuring thoughts that distract us into material things.
There may be insights into other ways to show our skill in allowing our personality to flower in some practical way. As this involves a technique of Discernment on the mental and spiritual levels, perhaps a latent talent or “flowering of our genetic wisdom” may come forth. This is most likely to take shape when Venus transits 14 Virgo on October 22-24, depending on your time zone.
So we enter a time where Life is moving forward as Mind looks back on a) how we demonstrated the excellence of our heritage in the past, and/or b) how current events related to the past are again challenging us to take a new look at how we are or could express our heritage to fulfill some role in society. This “looking back” involves a period of review, reflection, and reconsideration of past individual, social, or spiritual values which led us to techniques to express the gifts of our heritage.
Because it’s a retrograde conjunction in the Earth sign of service, precision, health focus, and adjustment to greet an emerging social archetype, be flexible in your approach and response as you get flashbacks or memories of old demonstrations of excellence, or some special gift due to your past. Recall times when you were forced to “show your gifts” or when you needed to “honor who brought you to the feast.”
Just remember that all Mercury RX phenomena take a while to unfold, often during a subsequent RX period. Things which happen during a retrograde seem to have a way of moving forward in future retrogrades. This Inferior Conjunction will bring echoes of past outer planet transits in this sector of Virgo, some related to when Saturn was in this sector of Virgo in September/October 2008 and March through July 2009. Also, since Jupiter went stationary direct on this degree in May 2016, expect some flashbacks to what began then as a new life adventure or opportunity.
Important Dispositors and Aspects
The Inferior Conjunction is in Virgo, and so is ruled by Mercury in its home sign of Virgo. Interestingly, Mercury is also the final dispositor of all the other planets except Neptune, making it extraordinarily influential as “where the buck stops” when it comes to background influence in all the various planetary departments of labor.
Primary aspects to/from the conjunction include a square from the Moon at 9 Gemini, a trine to Jupiter, a tredecile to Uranus, a wide opposition to Neptune, and sesquisquare to Pluto. As you can see, this is a dynamic conjunction with 2 important Octile series, challenging “right action.”
As the Moon is on the same archer symbol where Mars went direct in January, this gives us several shots at taking aim at something to accomplish whatever we need to. The Earth trine voids in Capricorn show we can safely leave that which is obsolete or extraneous behind as we reorganize some of our practical affairs. Besides these aspects we also see the Moon sextile Venus, trine Mars, and quintile Neptune, making for a very productive and harmonizing time of high intuition.
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 10 Cancer in July with its theme of “being crafted to excellence” and finding a form of “the acme of civilized living.” 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 ideals it wants to express.
While Mercury is still slow in speed, from here it gradually speeds up, and will go stationary direct at 9 Virgo on September 15. It will continue to speed up until it outraces the Sun at the next Superior conjunction at 27 Libra on October 19/20. That Superior Conjunction ushers in several weeks of realizations about finding a clear higher vision, “quiet inner strength,” and “dwelling above the stress of existence.”
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 Virgo 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 shedding ideas, behaviors, and responses we no longer need. These will be the source of much information and activity in the next few weeks. Wherever you have 14 Virgo 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. See what’s come up these past two weeks, since those insights will be important once Mercury goes direct.
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 September 15 (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 the 2020 retrogrades in Pisces, Aquarius, Cancer, Scorpio, and Libra, the 2021 retrogrades in Aquarius, Gemini, and Libra, the 2022 retrogrades in Capricorn/Aquarius, Taurus/Gemini, and Virgo/Libra, and the 2023 retrogrades in Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo, 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 December 2022-January 2023 RX in Capricorn, the April-May RX in Taurus, and this August-September 2023 RX in Virgo, you’ll get important information about being guided to your Soul this 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. (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 Virgo in August-September 2023 – Reflections on the Standards We Live By
Mercury Retrograde in Virgo August-September 2023 - A New Look at the Guide of Souls
Mercury Retrograde in Virgo in August-September 2023 - An Overview
The Guide of Souls in August 2023 - Mercury Slowing Down, Preparing to go Retrograde at 22 Virgo
Mercury Enters Its Shadow Zone at 9 Virgo – Getting A New Look at the Standards of Our Life
Copyright © 2023 Robert Wilkinson
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