October 9th ~ 16th
Hermes by W. B. Richmond (1886)
Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. ~ Maria Robinson
Time to put on your life jacket. Mercury is set to take its deep dive, down into the dark labyrinthine swamplands of Scorpio. There is no telling where this will take us. Nor will ny of us be quite the same again when we re-emerge. When we combine the complexity of Scorpio with the illumination of the planet Uranus, what will be revealed from the depths of Scorpio is anyone’s guess. Mercury stations retrograde on October 13th (14th) at 11º Scorpio 40’ opposing Uranus at 9º of Taurus. Even a friendly exact sextile to Venus won’t be able to save us from the demons and wraiths that threaten to escape this wormhole. Mercury/Venus is merely a reminder that we are all riding this crazy roller coaster of a ride together.
Mercury retrograde issues are legendary, but this is Mercury retrograde gone wild. The issues are legendary: mixed and missed messages, misunderstandings, technology all haywire, recounts, recalls and do-overs (Mercury stations direct on the day of the US election). Mercury retrograde periods can get blamed for everything as our schedules get upended and our computers crash. There is no doubt that these periods can be a distraction of inconvenience. However, these are also very important phases that are necessary for our mental well-being. And there can be some surprising advantages.
We get second chances to remedy old mistakes. Mercury retrograde periods can even serendipitously return lost items. Or we can finally receive that check in the mail that we’ve been owed for some time. It’s usually a good time to tie up loose ends, revisit old projects and memories, and sort out the shelves of our lives. Through this process we pick up that old book that we were so fond of, someone recounts an old story, we find that old photo from a time that had slipped to the back of our minds. Our minds reflect retroactively, as we immerse ourselves in memories, reminiscing, reviewing, revisiting. This is because these retrograde period are periods of assimilation. This is when we download and process information, the pieces and experiences of our lives.
It is not generally a good time to start something new. We find ourselves backtracking afterwards. Often what seems like a really great idea when Mercury is retrograde will have its faults revealed later when Mercury is direct again. In fact, rather than starting something new, Mercury retrograde can and will give us windows of opportunity to back out from agreements made in the past. But this is a retrograde with a twist. A Uranian twist. Completed with a grand crescendo on a October 31st, when we also have a Uranian Full Moon complete with goblins and ghoulies.
When Mercury stations, it appears to stand still from our perspective here on Earth. And as it pauses it prolongs this opposition to Uranus which was exact October 7th and will be again on October 19th. Like brackets, we are caught in this whirlwind. So what can we expect from Mercury/Uranus periods? For one thing, allow for a wide berth of flexibility this month, and be ready to drop everything at a moment’s notice. Appointments can change from day to day. Illuminating information or facts once disclosed can change everything. Even our minds. Expect demons and demonology with the mail (oh, those mail-in ballots!), communications systems, power grids and the world wide web. Uranus is electric, surprising, changeable and quick.
If we had the freedom to allow the fluidity of this period to operate as it should, we would all step back from the noise of our everyday lives, and spend the time in contemplation, introspection and that all so important task of assimilation. Mercury will be in the sign of Scorpio for the entire retrograde period, which dares to bring us even deeper. Scorpio is a sign of discrimination, investigation, and research. With Mercury fussing about in the depths of Scorpio he dares to dig up all sorts of secrets, scandals and crud. Nothing is sacred when we dive into Scorpio. When we immerse ourselves in Scorpio we have to be willing to face the demons of our lives with equanimity and courage. This helps us to purge ourselves and our lives from that which is undermining our strength and purpose.
Scorpio is also a magical sign. And as we approach the Full Moon at the end of the month, time and space become even more opaque. It is a time when the fairies dance at twilight and the dearly departed are said to roam the physical world. The veil between the past and future is thinned making it all the more sensitive to divination, scrying, and premonition. Scorpio brings us the gift of seeing signs and portents. So, in preparation for the months to come, use the retrograde phase of Mercury to read the signs, not with foreboding or fear, but with the confidence of a well-skilled navigator.
Topics to consider for this Mercury Retrograde period:
Insight: In addition to divination, scrying and premonitions; Scorpio has the gift of seeing signs and portents. When Mercury is retrograde this capacity can be turned inward allowing you to connect with your own subconscious and inner intelligence in ways that can be incredibly insightful.
Rebirth: Scorpio is a sign of survival. When all hope appears to have gone up in smoke, and the bottom falls out… Scorpio crawls out of the depths and reinvents their lives. Like the phoenix arising from the ashes, Scorpio understands the mystical cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
Empowerment: The high places are made low, and the valleys are raised up. The powerful step down, and the powerless become empowered. Scorpio is about breaking glass ceilings, challenging discrimination, and uncovering and revealing corruption that undermines the effectiveness of society. Turn that power inwards for this retrograde phase with positive affirmations and inner truths.
Reciprocity: We would not be able to survive without the cooperation of others. Scorpio is concerned about other’s values, and how we feel valued in the world. If we humble ourselves enough to offer kindness to others, and recognize that we are all in this together, interdependent upon one another, wouldn’t the world be a far, far better place?
For next week’s horoscopes, click below: