If this were a ‘regular’ Mercury retrograde, I may have been tempted to overlook writing specifically about it. ?C’mon those of you who are committed to your own personal evolution know that a Mercury slow down can be excellent for contemplation and reflection, in essence to ‘un-busy’ yourselves. ?But, hell, I’m not a solar/lunar Gemini or Virgo, I don’t have either of these Mercury ruled signs as my Ascendant. ?(So forgive me if my tone seems a bit dismissive, it is not intended to, just being direct).
Mercury will be focusing his incredible mental energies in Scorpio, the sign of mysteries and other peoples’ resources. ?His apparent backward motion from Earth’s perch will last from 5.29am CDT, Monday October 21 to 3.12pm CST, Sunday, November 10, 2013.
This retrograde is extremely emotional, but it will not just sashay its feelings for all to see. ?Scorpio wants to test your motives for worthiness. ?There will be no ‘casting pearls before swine’. ?The pearls represent your hard earned wisdom, the swine oink in as the undeveloped parts of yours and other’s people’s unexamined nature. ?Mercury, under his guise of the journalist will question those dubious character, for sure. ?In Scorpio, he behaves like a private detective who has a law degree.
Pluto acts as landlord and mafia boss to Scorpio. ?He represents the urge to transform your singular self aka as ego into something lasting and meaningful. ?Sex comes to mind, but so does reincarnation, profound conversations and musing about how to share all the resources on this blue green jewel of a planet.
Uranus acts more like a spiritual godfather to Scorpio. ?He is called the esoteric ruler of this intense determined (read: stubborn too) water (feeling/soul) sign. ?When bellies are full and bank accounts checked, waxing esoterically makes for beautiful feelings and thoughts. ?Uranus and Pluto square off for the fourth time on November 1. ?That what makes this Mercury retrograde feel more urgent than usual, because it occurs with these power packed planetary forces altering the atmosphere of how we think and perceive our shared reality.
These two heavyweights will be at the tenth degree of Aries and Capricorn, respectively.
Scorpio is connected to debts, taxes and death (oh joy).. ?The awakening of the individual and the transformation of our perception of authority (parents, bosses and government). ?Realize Mercury was the only god to travel in out of Hades/Pluto’s underworld without having to exact a toll. ?(Our thoughts need to have free reign to come and go into what motivates us from a deep soul level aka the underworld).
Bottom line: ?you’ll find life’s darker moments go better with reassessing the why behind your outer world and its activities. ?However, act like Hansel and Gretel, leave a trail of breadcrumbs to get back from the witches’ house. ?Scorpio and Pluto can become emotional fixated and obsessed on the past; Mercury retrogrades can deliver an unhealthy looking backwards. ?Maybe amends need not be made, but you can feel the grace of forgiveness.
The Sabian Symbols for the tenth degree of Aries and Capricorn are:
Aries: A Teacher Gives New Symbolic Forms to Traditional Images.
Keynote: ?Revision of attitude at the beginning of a new cycle of experience.
Emotional allegiance means everything during these times.
Capricorn: ?An Albatross Feeding From the Hand of a Sailor
Keynote: ?The overcoming of fear and its rewards.
Radiating a harmlessness can be sensed by animal (and our inner animal) self. It is important to remember how we are all connected and to overcome division and strife.
Mercury retrograde in Scorpio teaches us to see how, and more importantly to feel our soulful unity. ?Universal themes abound, lest isolation awaits.
These planetary cycles bring to mind the 1930’s and 1960’s…as one teacher said,
“History may not repeat itself, but it rhymes”.