by Robert Wilkinson
Today we take a look at important Sabian Symbols, aspects, and other factors in play the next three weeks as Mercury is retrograde in Sagittarius.
This Mercury retrograde begins at 6:42 pm on November 25. The retrograde moves from 23 Sagittarius back to 7 Sagittarius, going stationary direct on December 15. As this retrograde begins in the third decan of Sagittarius it deals with the spiritual and intellectual levels of life, and has a sub-influence of the Sun with an added dose of Saturn.
At 23 Sagittarius, our mind will turn inward and look backward at the themes of this degree involving “new openings that come to all who are willing to risk self for the sake of greater selfhood.” As this was where Mercury went SD on January 1, 2024, we’re getting a look back at the theme of the entire year. I can see this working several ways. It could be that we in fact realize we’re living a much different life than this time last year, or achieved a new level of expressing our true Self in the world. Whether getting a different perspective on what is, or what was in the past, or remembering other times we risked the lesser self for a greater life, we’ll all have a new perspective on the past year by early January when Mercury leaves its shadow zone.
The beginning of the RX period gives us a new look at where our sense of adventure has brought us to this point, or maybe find a new understanding related to how the promise of January has manifest. This gives us a different take on our abstract mind, or sense of our potential future.
Just beware of big ideas which are impossible to substantiate, or ideas which throw us back into loops we can’t break out of. Beware of arguments where a false premise justifies a conclusion, or a misrepresented or misunderstood idea is taken as a truth. There may be memories of when we entered into new lands and new lives in the past, or we may remember old truths set in a new light or context.
Take a new look at where you’re at, and if an old understanding or approach isn’t working any more, review the past to find a new approach to the future. This brings insights from a different angle in the life area(s) where we have Sagittarius. Mercury RX in any Fire sign is extraordinarily active and inspired. So this retrograde begins in the creative part of Sagittarius, moves through the self-initiating part of Sagittarius, and winds up in the expansive and visionary part of Sagittarius.
By the time Mercury is finally out of its shadow zone on January 3 we’ll all have a new understanding of the “new lands” we began to enter in January. We’ve all had “new openings,” and this will give us a look back to see what’s been accomplished, and what is yet to be accomplished through allowing an intensification of love to express itself through us.
There is also a possibility of revisiting ideas and experiences from the time when Saturn occupied this RX span. It transited 7-17 Sagittarius from mid-November 2015 through late November 2016, and then occupied 18-23 Sagittarius from late November 2016 through mid-January 2017. It then retrograded back one last time, occupying 22-23 Sagittarius between early July and mid-October 2017.
This was the span opened by Jupiter between December 2018 and early March 2019, and again from early May 2019 through the end of October 2019. So you may find flashbacks to those times, or see how a new intensification of love is related to those periods of restructuring your life in your Sag areas followed by new openings in 2019.
The Sabian Symbol for Mercury’s Stationary Retrograde Degree
The Sabian symbol for the 23rd degree of Sagittarius is “Immigrants entering.” In the Astrology of Personality, where Rudhyar uses the original Dr. Jones' class notes on the symbols, 23 Sagittarius is said to be a symbol of “new openings that come to all who are willing to risk self for the sake of greater selfhood,” “reorientation,” and “presumption.”
In The Astrological Mandala, Rudhyar states this degree is about “consciously accepting the ways of a new stage of experience, in readiness for the opportunities it will present.” He says “as we pass any threshold leading to a new realm of existence we have to meet certain requirements and the necessity to adjust to new ways of life – in action, thought and feeling. At times it may seem an ordeal, but it is inevitable. Everything that will follow depends largely on how we cross this threshold, and the spirit in which we meet unfamiliar and perhaps shocking experiences.”
He offers that we now find ourselves in a period of transition. We have to imitate, yet retain our inner integrity.” This degree is said to fall in the Span of Detachment, and is the synthesizing degree of the social-cultural level in the Scene of Transference in the Act of Group Integration.
Dr. Jones, creator of the Sabian Symbols, states this degree is “opportunity caught and held through its effective recognition in advance” as shown by “the creative faith of those who risk their well-being in bringing their skills into pioneer areas of self-expression.” He says “the human soul must be a consistent manifestation of its own special genius, and the individual escapes any major impasse in his life when he is able to transplant his roots.”
He continues “reality is never more sure than when regrasped in a radical reorientation.” He offer us the keyword ENTRANCE, and states when operating in a positive manner, “the degree is courage in crossing new frontiers and skill in repeating or improving on prior achievement.”
So the focus of this retrograde is about seeing how we’ve changed our lives in 2024, letting go of lesser things, perhaps having to imitate at times, while adjusting to a a new way of seeing ourselves and how we want to live life as a greater adventure. All Mercury retrogrades give us a new look so we get a more well-rounded view of how subconsciousness and unconsciousness create thought forms whether we know it or not. With the retrograde quality, we may see how our subconscious mind or the subconscious mind of another gave us a new understanding of how those work out in shaping our future.
Behind the Scenes in this Sagittarius Retrograde
As I mentioned yesterday, while in Sagittarius Mercury is ruled by Jupiter, and with Jupiter in Gemini, it is ruled by Mercury creating a Mutual Reception, a very powerful self-reinforcing closed energy field. Because they are in opposition, we can expect a lot of polarization in the air, as well as tugs of war, head butting, and seesawing back and forth between points of view. As both Mercury and Jupiter are retrograde, all the themes related to these planets will play a part in our reflections and impressions from the subconscious mind or past events we remember.
Mercury RX in Fire is harmonious with its Gemini nature. As noted yesterday, while in Sagittarius, Mercury is in its own 4th house relative to its Virgo qualities, and in its own 7th house relative to its Gemini qualities. So Mercury in Sagittarius is both grounding and externalizing, finding a basis for its Virgo qualities as it brings its Gemini to the surface. Of course, Mercury in Sag is in the sign of its “exile,” showing it’s as far away from its true nature as it can be.
Aspects and the Sun and Moon
In this retrograde station chart, the primary aspects to/from Mercury are many and heavy! It begins with a triseptile to Uranus followed by a sesquisquare to Mars, an opposition to Jupiter and a square to Saturn.
Pay attention to the period between December 3 and 8, since that period brings Mercury opposed Jupiter, sun square Saturn, the Inferior conjunction square Saturn, Mars going stationary retrograde, Venus entering Aquarius and conjuncting Pluto, and Sun opposed Jupiter just as Neptune goes stationary direct! The slightly offset T-squares created by Mercury and the Sun opposed Jupiter and square Saturn are a dress rehearsal for the huge Grand Mutable Cross featured in the Solstice chart, so pay attention and prepare accordingly.
The Moon is at 8 Libra, a degree of the promise of “hope for a renewal.” It’s a 3rd Quarter Moon phase, so is reorienting, inventive and future oriented. This phase wants to build systems and structures which preserve the seeds of the harvest to be planted in the future.
The Sun is at 5 Sagittarius, a degree of “poised wisdom observing life.” As the Sun is trine Mars, it’s good for seeing what must be done between now and May when Mars is again at 6 Leo in direct motion. This also opens an understanding of self-transcendence and the ability to shine a light on one facet of being we want to show our world.
As with the last Mercury retrograde, the main focus is on the forming Jupiter square Saturn and sesquisquare Pluto with Saturn semisquare Pluto. This impacts the early degrees of the Fixed signs and the middle degrees of the Mutable signs. The need is “right action” as new lands continue to open for future oriented people, This is a time to use the energies of Divine Mother to overcome any tendencies to discouragement as revolutionary ideas come forth.
Short Term Past and 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 focus to other angles of understanding the truth or untruth of what’s being/been stated. These lessons will be illuminated when the Sun crosses the SRX degree around December 13/14. We’ll get another look when Mercury leaves its shadow zone on January 3/4.
Looking Forward
A retrograde is always a great time to see things we didn’t understand before, or reclaim something from the past. Here we take a look back and reconsider or review how our imagination or subconscious mind worked when we were opening to a greater life in the past. Perhaps we’ll see new ways to apply our imagination so we can open doors of perception and see how to express some message to our world. Some may recall times in the past when they realized a new truth, or cut through some duality or saw through a dilemma.
We can now take a new look when “the Guide of Souls” takes us within where we can see what parts of the past still work for us so we can adjust the plan or the trajectory of our spiritual work. These retrogrades are great times for moving things forward which were stalled or delayed up to that point, so some things will no doubt make progress.
Use the Sun trine Mars to stabilize what you do and how you do it, and use the Jupiter/Saturn square to practice discernment, knowing what’s important and what isn’t. This will be another extremely dynamic retrograde period, with clear realizations about how we have to be practical in addressing the larger conflicts. Don’t let unnecessary rules or vague fears govern how you express your truths.
This is an integrative period, even if many will have to back into the dual realizations which share a common archetype. See it all as exploring “experiments in truth,” knowing that much won’t turn out as expected, or may take some strange twists and turns with delays before it all becomes clear.
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 the greater Capricorn and Aquarian work going on since 2020.
This period gives us yet another look at or understanding of how to shape our world view as an active participant in co-creating some part of the vision we pursue. See different ways of relating to Self, to others, and to Source. Just remember that 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 our Sagittarius sectors or planets need reconsideration in the context of the larger Aquarius and Capricorn training. If necessary, connect the dots or renew how you express your Wisdom in your own authentic way.
In general, these are excellent periods to 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.
In the next article in the series, I’ll give you how this retrograde will impact every sign and birthday. For now, please review what I’ve written so far, since it’s rich with material which can help you navigate the next three weeks and come out more aware of how you are fulfilled and can bring a greater harmony and greater good to the world.
A New Look At Mercury Retrograde
If you want to know what we can expect from Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius, 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 edition of A New Look at Mercury Retrograde. You can also get a Kindle ebook at that site. NOTE: make sure you’re buying the second edition with the award sticker on the cover, and not the first edition originally published by Weiser. The edition you want is published by Fifth Ray Publishing.
Previous articles in this series:
Mercury Retrograde in Sagittarius in November-December 2024 – An Overview
Mercury Enters Its Shadow Zone at 7 Sagittarius – Preparing to Review Our New Life of 2024.
Copyright © 2024 Robert Wilkinson
Comments