March 22nd ~ 29th
“Silkie” by Arthur Rackham
Cold hearted orb that rules the night, Removes the colors from our sight. Red is gray and yellow white. But we decide which one is right, And which is an illusion? ~ The Moody Blues
We can be totally convinced that something is irrevocably, unconditionally true, only to find out later that we were completely mistaken. A few years ago Lama Zopa Rinpoche told a story about a tiger. From a distance you see this tiger up ahead. You see it for yourself with your own eyes, and there’s no convincing you otherwise that it is not a tiger. But as you get closer, you come to realize that it is actually only a yellow bush. You may ask yourself at this point: Where did that tiger go? But it is not that the tiger disappeared. It was never there to begin with. Mercury, the trickster, will finally station direct on the 28th, but as it does so it will be conjunct Neptune in watery, deceptive, emotional and fathomless Pisces. Pisces is a sign that can be filled with fantasies, dreams and delusion. But it can also inspire us to transcend the mundane world, and expand our minds and our perceptions. In this light we may ask ourselves: what are we actually seeing, and are we truly seeing it correctly?
Neptune can bring all sorts of confusion and even despair, tears, sorrow and loss. It can also bring the bliss and compassion that transcends sorrow and despair. Neptune traveling in its own sign of Pisces has incredible potential. But when our perceptions are clouded and immersed in these Neptunian realms it becomes difficult to tell where one thing begins, and another ends. Like being swept up in a tidal wave, it can feel like everything that we once held to be true is being threatened or swept into oblivion. Rather than being awash in hopelessness and despair, a very critical semi-square to Uranus, is asking us to shift our perspective, and look at things in a different, perhaps more enlightened way. We don’t have to keep doing things the way we have in the past. There are alternatives. And sometimes they are better.
Mercury will be conjunct Neptune on March 24th and April 2nd, but we will feel its effects clear through the 1st week of April, even after Mercury is direct again. Therefore, knowing that we will be navigating this misty, foggy weather for the next few weeks, here are some pointers for what to avoid and what this weather is actually good for:
What to watch for during the Mercury/Neptune weather:
Deception: This is probably the one thing we would most want to watch for, whether it means falling prey to someone else’s deliberate deceit; or self-deception, where we see only what we want or fear to see. It is important to make sure that you are truly seeing things the way they are, and that you have all the information you need to make a rational decision. Even better, wait until the clouds lift if you can! Mercury retro in Pisces conjunct Neptune is like sailing in a thick fog without a light to guide you.
Miscommunication: This is typical Mercury retro any way. All the more so in Pisces and when traveling with Neptune! Things are being misread, misconstrued and misunderstood. It’s like two people trying to communicate when they are speaking completely different languages. Without an interpreter. Be very clear that you are hearing what others are trying to tell you, and that you are being understood as well.
Getting lost: This can be literal. Signs are pointed the wrong way. Trains are going in the wrong direction. You miss your turn off. And because time is irrelevant with Neptune, don’t plan on getting places on time. Anything can happen in this strange weather. Now, if you want to get lost that’s another story.
Confusion: As Mercury stations, there can be changes in perception any way. Usually things become clearer. But in this miasma of Neptunian confusion, it will be more difficult to see through the veil of fantasy and delusion, so that even when Mercury is direct again, there is still this hangover that continues to alter our perceptions. It may be necessary to continue to dwell in uncertainty for a few weeks more.
Boundaries become eroded: If there is any tendency towards co-dependency it will become exaggerated at this time. Be very clear to respect where one boundary ends and another begins, as these can be quite confusing and unreliable in this weather.
What the Mercury/Neptune weather is good for:
Creative inspiration: Mercury/Pisces/Neptune is inspiring on its own, in a sorrowful, speechless, morose sort of way. But throw in that Uranus semi-square that is also going on, and this weather is down-right creative. The imagination, visualization and the willingness to look at things from another perspective can bring enlightened awareness and wonderfully creative ideas. Dare to find your creative muse in this Neptunian fog.
Cultivating the spiritual: This is another thing that this weather is fantastic for. Meditation; retreats; prayer; connecting with that which draws you to consider the spiritual or the divine; and anything that transcends the material world are all enhanced in this weather. Time almost becomes irrelevant in this weather as we are all being asked to be present.
Compassion: Boundaries do erode in this weather. And although it can create confusion on one level, it also opens us up to an awareness of the suffering of others. And with that awareness can also come the wish to relieve others of that suffering. This recognition that we are all swimming in this great ocean of life together, and that we need one another in order to make it to the next shore, brings hope for the evolution of humanity as a whole.
Intuition: And as these liminal boundaries become thinner, our perceptions become more acute in other ways. Words may get lost in translation, but then other senses and means of communication take over. This is great weather for scrying, dreaming, reading tea leaves, the tarot, or other forms of divination, which might also help you to better navigate this confusing and otherwise deceptive weather. It is also weather in which actions and feelings are more powerful even than words, where it becomes apparent that being there for others, may be even more important than platitudes.
For next week’s horoscopes, click below: