by Robert Wilkinson
At 3:14 pm PDT on April 1, Mercury goes retrograde at 28 Aries, beginning our review of all things Aries in our charts. Today we take a look at some primary factors in the coming retrograde.
An Overview of the Retrograde
The coming retrograde will give us a new look at recent signals and information that we sent or received in the house(s) where we have 16-28 Aries. As with all Mercury retrograde periods, things from the past will be reviewed, re-examined, reevaluated, or understood differently. We can get a new look at how a “new identity” we’ve begun to live since last Summer. It is a time of “facing facts” and can take a new look at our individual spiritual potential, what we’ve actualized, and what needs to be rethought or planned anew.
We’ll get new insights into all things related to our second and third decan Aries responses from now through late April, including another look at how we view individual power and how to focus to achieve a potential which is authentic for us. This will play out in the house where we have the last half of Aries in our chart. This spans the individual-spiritual, social-emotional and actional-material levels of “Potency.”
This will be mostly great for planets we have in the last half of the Fire and Air signs, and help us rethink parts of our lives from new Aries perspectives in the houses where we have that sign, as well as where we have Gemini and Virgo.
Because our review begins at 28 Aries, this will give us a “back to the future” look at what’s been going on since 2017-2018 since Uranus hung around this degree. Take a little more time to evaluate and plan things, and take your time as you coordinate things, discover things, give and receive information, and see things from multiple points of view.
Mercury is now ruled by Mars in Pisces, showing Mercury will be more intuitive, more empathic, and more “in tune with the collective” and as mentioned yesterday, Mars is on the same degree where Saturn went SRX last June. This shows an activation of that rebirth energy, so if you’re wondering why things haven’t dramatically moved forward, expect that to happen now!
Mercury in the last decan of Aries is ruled by Jupiter with a sub-influence of Venus, Once it enters the Leo decan, it’ll be ruled by the Sun with an added dose of the Sun. While Mercury is retrograde, it will continue to slow until the Inferior conjunction of Mercury and the Sun at 23 Aries in the second week of April, after which it begins to increase in speed, finally going stationary direct at 16 Aries on April 25. Once Mercury and the Sun make their Inferior conjunction, Mercury will again the planet which “leads the Light,” showing that a prerequisite to “enlightened action” at that time will involve being authentic in the emotional and/or social spheres.
The next 3 weeks will give us a new take on emergent developments, and what must be reviewed and released, or researched and rehearsed to prepare us to move forward in May. Because of the “back to the future” quality of Mercury retrograde, we may also get glimpses of how the last 3 months have given us a new look at how we’ve “entered a new land.”
This retrograde period offers us a chance to round out our Aries functions in some important ways. Mercury retrograde is great for taking a new look at past actions, feelings, ideas, and people to come to a different perspective about how these impacted our lives since then. As per all retrogrades, we’re done with the initial approach where “the stone was thrown into the pond,” and now enter a time when the ripples will return to source in multiple ways.
A Bit More
In the next 3 weeks, we can see what life has prepared for us since the last Mercury retrograde in December 2023. The next 3 weeks are a good time to take a look at our position within the larger emergent future in motion since January and examine the life in our ideas to see if they are bringing us living experiences or dying directions. This is a self-directed, self-initiating spiritually focused retrograde.
While in Aries, Mercury is in its own 8th house relative to its Virgo qualities, and in its own 11th house relative to its Gemini qualities. So it’s very regenerative and aware of shared social values and resources, as well as more ambitious in Aries. I explain more about how Mercury functions in various signs in my pioneering work A New Look at Mercury Retrograde. Since it was retrograde in all three Earth signs last year and will retrograde in Fire during two of this year’s three retrogrades, if you want to know about Mercury retrograde in various signs and houses, as well as how it functions in worldly events, please get a copy. It’s both fun and informative, and will give you “a new look” at all things related to Mercury retrograde! (Just make sure you get the 2nd Edition with the award on the cover published by 5th Ray Publishing rather than the much older 1st Edition published by Weiser.)Summing It Up
For all of us, the next several weeks offer glimpses of new perspectives, new identities, and the need to face facts. This is giving us an opportunity to take a second look at our authentic self and what we really think about the new developments in our lives these past three months. This is a prelude to a new way of expressing ourselves in late April.
So welcome to many things being reviewed or coming back up from your subconscious mind or your connection to the collective these next three weeks thanks to the retrograde. This one allows us to get a new look at how we’re using Aries energies in our lives, and review how we’ve moved forward since January. As with all Mercury retrograde periods, this is a great time for new insights into how we’ve been guided to our Souls by what’s opened for us since the last retrograde.
Renewals, returns, reconnections, reunions, and a sense of responsibility for what our actions have led others to expect are promised by this retrograde, with new opportunities to heal something or mentor someone due to the retrograde conjunction with Chiron. Of course, more on this Mercury retrograde period will come over the next few days, including Sabian Symbols, Jones Pattern, aspects, and how it will impact all birthdays and signs!
Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames
Because Venus and Jupiter are in a “Mutual Reception” which governs all the other planets, She plays a big part in all the behind the scenes action at this time. In Pisces, She helps us to appreciate more compassionate approaches and attitudes, and in this chart shows we each get to go our own way and have our own responses as we attune to the “abundance” which is promised to us.
This retrograde will help us see if we really believe in what’s been happening or if we need to rethink our motives, our ideals, or our tolerance for collective illusions and delusions. Because often Mercury retrograde periods give us roundabout looks at potential futures, this one can provide a window into the value we’ll find when Venus transits the second half of Aries in coming weeks.
If you would like to know more about how to use your inner Venus power to shape your relationships and make them better than they have been in the past, please get your copy of my book Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames. Venus helps us eliminate difficult relationships by helping us see our changing vanities and values so we can attract more ideal friendships and responses when dancing with the countless Soul Mates we encounter throughout life.
It was written for both astrologers and non-astrologers, and will help you understand why you have attracted what and who you did, and how all your relationships have led you to open your heart and mind to encourage your ideal expression in your interactions. Each time you read any section of this book you will find new insights about your power to steer your personal evolution and have more perfect relationships in the future. You will understand how to throw off all the attitudes which have held you back from finding your ideal friends and partners as you fulfill your destiny as an Eternal having human experiences!
To order your copy, go to the The Magic of Venus: Friendships, Soul Mates, and Twin Flames page on Amazon, or you can always go to your local bookstore which is even better! The ebook is available through Kindle. And if you would, please write a review on the Amazon site, since the more reviews, the bigger the boost on their site.
It is the most comprehensive book on Venus ever written, and explains the foundations of long term healthy relationships and friendships, why Soul Mates come into our lives, and how to know the difference between a Soul Mate and our Twin Flame. Even if you’re not looking for a partner, this book will explain why certain people with certain traits came into your life and what they taught you about yourself.
It has chapters on the qualities of each sign’s natural mate, the qualities of Venus in each sign, and when crucial choices and changes are made, affecting who we attract in the future. It was written for both astrologers and lay people, and as it has a thousand gems for better relationships, with self, others, and Source, please consider getting your copy by going to the link above! (And when you’re done, please leave a review on Amazon, since it helps the book and all other books on astrology as well!)
See you soon with the next installment on Mercury Retrograde, with the Sabian symbol, aspects, and more!
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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