How did you go with the Mercury retrograde period? Every now and then I cop a really bad one, and this most recent Merc Retro was one of them! Thankfully Mercury moved direct on the 2nd, easing for us all attempts at communication, getting from A to B, having mail delivered on time and so on. Yet we’re not completely out of the woods until the 18th when Mercury passes over the same degree it went retrograde in. Here’s the lowdown on Mercury:
2 November, Mercury moves direct while in Libra
12 November, Mercury arrives back into Scorpio
18 November, Mercury arrives back at the same degree (9 Scorpio) that it originally retrograded in
1st December, Mercury moves out of Scorpio and into Sagittarius
While retrograding in and out of Libra and Scorpio, Mercury is spending more time in those zodiac signs than it normally would. All up, the whole Mercury in Libra-Scorpio phase lasts from 28 September until 1st December, and with Mercury in those zodiac signs our attention is on relationships – both the superficial and the deep. It’s as if we are being given a good opportunity to consider which relationship connections are best kept on a superficial level and which can work more intimately. Some previously close friends might become less close, some social acquaintances might become best buddies, someone you thought was just a friend might become a lover, someone you thought was the love of your life might turn out to be a passing ship in the night. After the 1st of December when Mercury moves into Sagittarius, things will be much lighter and Mercury’s attention will turn to the fun and good times of the summer season. Until then use your powers of observation and discernment to guide you in relationship choices and also take time to brush up your negotiation skills. Some honest and transformative conversations are on the agenda.
To add weight to the depth of Mercury while in Scorpio, there’s a Scorpio New Moon on the 10th (at 17 degrees). This is the perfect time to address power imbalances in your life and to work towards righting past wrongs. If you have felt yourself to be a victim in the past, now’s the time to make a stand for your true worth and to claim your right to be treated well. Or if you’ve been too dominant and demanding, now’s a good time to assess your approach. The Full Moon happens on 25 November in Gemini. This is a perfect party weekend. Full moons bring about bursts of energy and Gemini is a very social zodiac sign. To recap:
10 November, New Moon in Scorpio at 17 degrees
25 November, Full Moon in Gemini at 2 degrees
Among Gemini’s qualities are changeability and indecision, so it’s interesting to note that the Federal Election happens on the full moon weekend when there’s such mind-changing energy in the air. Also of note is how Uranus (the planet of dramatic changes, shocks & surprises) turns direct on the 24th (election day) after approximately 6 months of retrograde slumber. I wonder what surprises the combined energy of a jumpy Gemini full moon plus a Uranus turnabout will bring. If we can’t decide between the two major parties (like Gemini are they simply two-sides of the same coin?) will we vote in some Uranian outsiders? After all, Uranus likes to shake up the status quo.
24 November, Uranus turns direct
All of November, Jupiter straddles the energies of Uranus and Pluto
In the October AstroWeather I discussed the crazy antics that Jupiter square Uranus might bring, and I don’t know about you, but I certainly felt like a cosmic guinea pig throughout that period! Of course, the cosmos wasn’t doing anything to me – that would be ignoring my part in my own soul growth – but my conscious self had no idea what my subconscious had in store. I woke one morning to a dead computer, which could not be repaired, had to find a benefactor for a new computer, bought a new computer, installed new programs & transferred data, discovered the new computer had a substantial flaw, had to argue for a replacement computer, uninstalled and deleted programs from the dud first computer, then re-installed and re-transferred data onto the replacement new computer. All this was happening during the Mercury Retrograde period, so as you can imagine there was much, much more to the story than I have given!
I tell this story because its symbolism about transitioning from the old to the new is particularly relevant to current trends. Next month Jupiter teams up with Pluto and this alignment will challenge us all to make the leap from the old to the new. What areas of your life did Jupiter and Uranus disrupt in October? November is the month to reflect on this while Jupiter straddles the energies of Uranus and Pluto. Next month Jupiter will take what it started while teamed with Uranus and hand that over to Pluto for an ‘extreme makeover’. Despite feeling like Alice-in-surreal-techno-land for at least three full weeks, I now have a new computer system and can make many long-desired improvements. And when Jupiter hits Pluto in December I could really benefit from this soul-directed evolution if I don’t resist too much. It could be a tough month for all of us with Pluto’s input, but resistance will only make it tougher. Take time in November to reflect on the changes unfolding in your life and to prepare for the powerful evolutionary upgrade in store when Jupiter teams up with Pluto. In case I’m sounding too dire – Jupiter always brings positive growth, so these changes will ultimately improve your chances of enjoying and delighting in the experience of being here on Planet Earth!
15 November, Mars turns retrograde in Cancer (12 degrees)
As we get closer to the big cosmic shift in 2008 when Pluto moves into Capricorn, it’s as if all the planets are limbering up for their roles in humanity’s evolution between 2008 and 2012 and Mars is no exception. There are huge planetary alignments in-store over that 4-year period, but more on that in future newsletters. I’ll finish this month’s Astroweather with Mars’s important sojourn in Cancer. Mars shifted into Cancer on 29 September and won’t completely leave that zodiac sign until mid-May 2008. For Mars that is a very long time in a zodiac sign, yet not all of it will be spent in Cancer because during Mars’s retrograde phase it will shift back into Gemini. It’s a bit like what Mercury’s currently doing in Libra-Scorpio (see above). When planets go retrograde they often visit the previous zodiac sign. I plan to write more next month on Mars’s Gemini-Cancer phase. For now, let me just say that from 15 November when Mars shifts retrograde, our attention is being drawn to family and loved ones. It’s a time for honouring connections and strengthening those ties, whether with our birth family or our families of choice as adults, or both. Improving communication channels with loved ones is very important to help navigate the major planetary shifts that begin when Pluto moves into Capricorn in January next year.
Wishing you all recovery and relaxation during November in preparation for December’s Jupiter-Pluto evolutionary prod!