Mercury Retrograde in Gemini

 

Art by Francesco Jacobello

Mercury Retrograde in Gemini

5/29/2021 – 6/22/2021

 

How does Mercury express in Gemini?

Art by Ciro Marchetti

When Mercury is in the mutable air sign of Gemini (May 3rd to July 11th this year), the planet of communication is at home…multi-tasking with the myriad of fascinating ideas and ways of conveying them.  Mercury’s Trickster/Sacred Clown archetype is active in this sign, where important messages are often relayed through humor and opposites…often so that we may better think on them without absorbing them through emotional reaction.  Appealing to our sense of humor during heavy times is a clever trick, and one that better stimulates the thought process.

And from May 7th to May 30th, Mercury the Magician has been travelling out-of-bounds from the ecliptic…inclining us to follow our curiosity off the beaten path of where rational thought would dare go.  With this boundless Mercury in Gemini inclination, the Collective Mind is exploring and expressing much more freedom of thought.  With curiosity piqued, we may follow many fascinating avenues of thought at once…trying to learn as much as we can at this time. 

The Gemini influence invites us to share ideas with our brothers and sisters, network in our immediate environment, and communicate as we learn.  Throughout this long stay of Mercury in Gemini, it may feel to some like too much mental activity to sift through.  For others who work well with a lot of mental stimulation, it will be a breath of fresh air to ride this wave of information.

 

What is the purpose of a Mercury Retrograde?

Mercury, the Messenger, has a gift for storytelling.  The Mercurial function is to spell the message out in various ways to get the point across…usually from point A (let’s say that’s you) to point B (let’s say that’s me).  But in transit, bearing the collective message, sometimes Mercury loops or zig-zags back and forth from point A to point B three times.  It is a message so important that it needs repeating from multiple perspectives.   A Mercury Retrograde expands the message into a 3-part storyline.    

From my view as an Astrology Writer, Mercury’s first direct pass of the coming retrograde degrees is the Prologue of the story.  During this time (May 14 – 29), Mercury introduces us to the world and the main characters of the story.  There are hints of what is to come, but much of the detail is left out.  Mercury catches our attention, and promises to reveal more throughout the retrograde.  It is a time where, because we were speeding along in our everyday lives, Mercury invites us to slow down and pay attention to something we all zipped past without giving much time for thought.

Mercury Retrograde, the heart of the story, is the Deep Think we all need (multiple times a year).  This part of the story begins during Mercury’s station…when our Messenger planet appears to slow down to a halt and change directions in our sky.  This, of course, only appears so from our view on Earth…which is why these messages are so poignant to us Earthlings.  Mercury is also closer to us in proximity during retrogrades, so it feels more like an intimate Storytime for all of us.  And the closer the degrees to our natal storyline by dynamic aspect, the more intensely we feel the story and take it all in (as it inspires us on a personal level). 

Because this is true, it means that the lessons contained within each retrograde storyline are not always so specific to us.  But they will be specific and personal to many…so the more we interact with others during this time, the more we can learn of the message.  Contrary to popular belief, Mercury Retrograde is not a time to hide under a rock and cease all communications.  Our communication may not be operating the same as usual, but connections with others bring out more meaning to the story.  However, there is definitely an inward journey happening during any retrograde.  And with Mercury as the guide, there is great potential to shift our inward thought patterns into unexplored territory. 

Throughout this apparent backtrack through what was hinted at in Mercury’s Prologue, every aspect (new or repeated) is given a fuller description.  There is time to go deeper and develop a different perspective on the story.  It becomes more meaningful to us…just as a reader falls in love with or increasingly identifies with a character.  We become more engaged with the story.  We are immersed in it.  Mercury has a multitude of gifts for keeping our attention stimulated throughout. 

Within the Retrograde storyline, there is an Interior Conjunction between Sun and Mercury (June 10th) that plants the new thoughtseed within each of us that grows, gives, and composts through the rest of Mercury’s cycle.  In a way, this is the main point of the retrograde…to finish one cycle of thought so another can replace it.  However, the Retrograde story doesn’t end here.

The Retrograde concludes when Mercury carries our awareness all the way back to the degree where we missed something important as the Prologue began.  This happens during Mercury’s direct station.  The Messenger planet once again slows down to a halt and shifts directions…but not before pointing us to a priceless message we need to retrieve and integrate for ourselves.

The Epilogue, where Mercury describes the events in the story after all plotlines are revealed, is the 2nd direct pass of the degrees Mercury has traveled thrice.  During this time (6/22 – 7/7), we are offered an opportunity to integrate the meaning of this story into our lives.  The events that play out during the epilogue are signals on how to move forward with what we retrieved of the meaning. 

 

What is the collective theme of this Mercury Retrograde in Gemini?

Collectively, we’ll all be working with a theme brought up thrice by the Gemini Mercury square Pisces Neptune transit.  When that transit was first exact, during Mercury’s prologue, I wrote:

These dynamics can create the kind of cognitive dissonance that Alice experienced when she encountered Wonderland. She followed the rushing rabbit (who was full of square energy imperatives) into a world where everything seemed illogical to what she has been taught. But in this confusing Wonderland journey, she found herself changing in imaginal ways.

A square urges us to make change a necessary action…like the Caterpillar must become the Butterfly. There is some urgency within a square dynamic, and it is ultimately creative. But it will also bring up a clash of energy to inspire a turning-point shift.

Just as Mercury and Alice, we release some of the insistence upon logic, detail, and knowing. And just as Neptune, we allow for Knowledge to take a trip through our Otherworld realm, critiquing and questioning until arriving at an expanded awareness from what was known.

Give yourself more room to explore the dream you sometimes mistake for reality. Is it really what it seems? You don't have to answer that definitively...just follow where it leads you.

Currently, you may be swimming in the unknown. Find beauty in the weirdness, then let it inspire you to learn from a different perspective. Follow your curiosity into ‘curiouser and curiouser’ concepts. You may arrive at something magical beyond the looking glass.

Have a conversation with what is otherworldy. Yes, it might be riddled with uncertainties...but the journey is worth the bewilderment it takes to arrive at a shift of consciousness.

 

How do I know if this retrograde relates to me, personally?

'Music of the Spheres' by Fiona Watson

Not everyone speaks the language of Astrology, I get that.  There are ways to learn these things…but most prefer to just consult an Astrologer for such advice.  That is my job, and I love it.  However, I was born in the Aries season so I also tend to champion the way of self-reliance.  If you’d rather learn to fish, I’m willing to teach that.  But since I have a mixed group of readers and clients (from novices to professionals), I’ll include more detail than the general information.  I was born at Mercury Cazimi (the Exterior Conjunction of Sun and Mercury), so ‘show and tell’ is a big part of my personal toolkit. 

If you are familiar enough with your natal chart, you can first look to the part of your chart where Gemini 17 – 25 is.  This will show you the area of life (the Astrological House) where this story will be set.  For example, this retrograde takes place in my 2nd House…the House of Resources and Values.  Then you may notice if you have any planets or angles in this part of your natal chart.  If you do, you will have some distinctly personal lessons throughout this time.  If you don’t have anything in this part of Gemini, as it is in my case, you’ll see the lessons playing out by other aspects with your natal chart. 

The next thing to look for is whether you have natal planets or angles in any of the other mutable signs (Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces) between 17 – 25 degrees.  In this case, Mercury will bring up dynamic square aspects (to Virgo or Pisces) or a tense balancing act with your personal Sagittarius lessons.  For me, transiting Mercury is very close to opposition with my Sagittarius NeptuneRx, but it turns retrograde before reaching that degree.  So, that opposition will resonate on May 29th, when Mercury stations retrograde…but it is something that comes up stronger once Mercury’s epilogue ends. 

For those of us who have it relatively easy this time, and Mercury is not making any dynamic aspects to your natal energies, you may find trines or sextiles to natal planets in other air or fire signs (Aries, Leo, Libra, or Aquarius).  In that case of only harmonious aspects, you may find you float along during this time with a great deal of ease where nothing pushes you to engage with this story.  It is possible, then, that you will be the one who falls asleep during this Storytime and you miss the message.  Or, if you do respond to the creative flow and the opportunities this story presents for you, a lot of good can come from your participatory engagement.  For me, transiting Mercury will be providing some beneficial hints to my natal opposition of Sun-Mercury in Aries and SaturnRx in Libra.

Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, and Capricorn are the parts of your chart that might not relate to this Mercury Retrograde storyline much at all (as they are non-aspects to Gemini)…but it is highly unlikely that everything in your chart is only in those signs. 

And if you want to get really Astro-geeky with me, you may find my outline of this Mercury retrograde journey to be useful for timing purposes.  I’ve included Sabian Symbols of the degrees that will be highlighted throughout as well…which can give you some clues to the story’s action. 

Keep in mind that the degrees listed are rounded up.  So, where the Mercury retrograde station is in 24.43 Gemini, it is considered the 25th degree of Gemini. 

 

5/14 – 5/29:  Mercury’s Prologue (GEM 17 – 25)

5/22:  Mercury square Neptune (part 1) (GEM/PIS 23)

          Mercury- “Three fledglings in a nest high in a tree”

          Neptune- “Spiritist phenomena”

5/29:  Mercury conjunct Venus (GEM 25)

          “A gardener trimming palms”

5/29:  Mercury stations retrograde (GEM 25)

          “A gardener trimming palms”

5/29 – 6/22:  Mercury’s Retrograde in Gemini (GEM 25 – 17)

6/5:  MercuryRx square Neptune (part 2) (GEM/PIS 24)

          MercuryRx- “Children skating on ice”

          Neptune- “An inhabited island”

6/10:  Solar Eclipse conjunct MercuryRx (GEM 20/21)

          Moon/Sun- “A cafeteria”

          MercuryRx- “A labor demonstration”

6/10:  Interior Conjunction of Sun-MercuryRx (GEM 21)

          “A labor demonstration”

6/22:  Mercury stations direct (GEM 17)

          “The head of health dissolves into the head of mentality”

6/22 – 7/7:  Mercury’s Epilogue (GEM 17 – 25)

7/6:  Mercury square NeptuneRx (GEM/PIS 24)

          Mercury- “Children skating on ice”

          NeptuneRx- “An inhabited island”

 

 

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

 

Total Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius: Tangled Up in Old Ideals

 

This total eclipse can be viewed from the Western Americas,
the Pacific, Australia, and South-East Asia.
(Eclipse Art by Donia Lilly)

Total Lunar Eclipse in Sagittarius:  Tangled Up in Old Ideals

Moon opposite Sun- 5/26/21 @ 6:14am CDT

 

The Full Flower Moon blossoms big and red in some parts of our world, as perigee Moon conjunct her South Node will edge into our Earth’s umbral shadow for 14 minutes and 30 seconds of Total Eclipse.  A South Node eclipse carries the shadows of our past into our immediate present…confronting us with the need for rapid change.  Transforming old karmic lessons into newly discovered wisdom is never easy. We can neither escape the confrontation nor erase what has brought us to this point in our evolution.  The nodes are knots of fate where all kinds of storylines become entangled over time…yours, mine, and everyone else’s.  But every once in a while, an eclipse will draw out a thread from the knot so that we may make a significant change to the collective story.  But like with the Wheel of Fortune, the results can go either way.

At the apex of a T-Square with our luminaries, Jupiter in Pisces is pressed to find peace in our conflicts…but inclines us to either expand upon it or escape entirely into a dreamscape.  Jupiter is strong in Pisces, where our largest planet is traditionally in his nocturnal rulership.  And such strength while at the apex of a T-square can certainly amplify things.  Essentially, Jupiter has a benefic and jovial influence…yet, when stressed, it has the inclination to increase the stress.  Jupiter can also bring about ‘too much of a good thing’.  So with the Piscean desire to escape this ‘Mad World’…we may see significant shadow effects of ‘Spiritual Bypass’. 

But there are more subtle energies aligned at this time to provide a bit of a safety net for our experience.  Saturn in Aquarius sextile Chiron in Aries bring opportunities to work with the lunar nodes in beneficial ways.  Saturn’s influence reminds us to establish Aquarian structure with a more humanitarian and progressive approach.  And Chiron’s influence reminds us to tap into Arian self-reliance and heal ourselves to heal the whole.  Together, they are calling for integrity through responsible healing. 

 

Saros Series 121:  The Shadowlands of Utopia

Thomas More's 'Utopia'

This is the last of the Total Eclipses from this Saros Series 121…as the ones that follow in this series will recede from partial to penumbral for centuries to come.  In 1516, when the first Total Eclipse of this series happened, Thomas More completed and published his book ‘Utopia’…a fictional and socio-political satire that has had significant impact upon humanity ever since (even influencing those who have never read it).  The name of this fictional island, Utopia, is derived from the Greek prefix ‘ou’ (meaning ‘not’) and ‘topos’ (meaning ‘place’)…together meaning ‘nowhere’, as in the place does not exist.  Yet because the pronunciation is the same as ‘Eutopia’, which is Greek for ‘Good Place’, the word Utopia is more often considered now to be an ideal place, or a paradise, where everything is perfect.  And the reality is that, because humans are fallible, such a place cannot exist under human rule…and especially with our ways of settler colonialism still taking up space across our lands. 

Fast forward to the last time we had a total eclipse from this Saros Series, in 2003, and a U.S.-led coalition began the invasion of Iraq…the first stage of the Iraq War.  In the same month of that eclipse, George W. Bush gave his infamous ‘Mission Accomplished’ speech, assuring that “major combat operations in Iraq have ended.  In the battle of Iraq, the United States and our allies have prevailed…” and televised in front of a banner that read ‘Mission Accomplished’.  This stunt was heavily criticized as premature, at best, especially later as the guerilla war began.  It is no coincidence that hints of false, utopian idealism were present during that eclipse season as well…when the reality was that ‘nowhere’ prevailed with this controversial conflict. 

Today, the long-standing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians is heightened after attempts were made by Jewish settlers to evict Palestinian families from their homes in East Jerusalem.  Jerusalem has long been a divided, disputed city (though it was captured by Israel in 1967, the year of another Saros Series 121 total lunar eclipse).  Its ownership is still disputed, but Israeli officials claim it as the undivided capital of Israel.  And though the Trump Administration showed a formal recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital by moving the U.S. Embassy there in 2018, most nations do not acknowledge the city as belonging to either Israelis or Palestinians.  In the future hopes of those in conflict, Jerusalem has long been wished for like a type of Utopia.  Politically, it is like a ‘nowhere’ land that cannot be claimed by any of its occupants, and yet the on-the-ground experiences of it is something much more dystopian. 

At this time, we’re being asked once again to take a hard look at the shadows brought about by our collective and national quests for the utopian ideals of humans.  In almost every instance of a people or nation trying to prevail as bigger, better, faster, or stronger…it is at the expense of other people, the wildlife, or the Earth as a whole. 

 

And though these are some of the larger, collective threads being pulled at from the knot of the South Node…there are individual threads we’ll each be discovering in our personal experience.  We may ask ourselves about our own Sagittarian ideals…what ideological, philosophical, political, or religious remnants from our ancestral past are asking for release and transmutation in our own lives?  In your natal chart, the house where Sagittarius is will show where the eclipse shadow will show up to be confronted.  And if you have any planets in close aspect to the 6^th degrees of Sagittarius or Gemini, they will give you more clues about the lessons you’re working with at the beginning of this Eclipse Season. 

 

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi

 

P.S.  For a deeper look into the nodal knots of this Eclipse Season, I have detailed the Gemini-Sagittarius lessons in this previous post:  The Dragon’s Flight into the Gemini/Sagittarius Axis

 

 

New Moon in Taurus: Black Moon Seeding

 

'The Seed' by Pawel Jonca

New Moon in Taurus: Black Moon Seeding

Moon conjunct Sun- 5/11/21 @ 1:59pm CDT

 

At the opening of this Flower Moon cycle, we are preparing for Eclipse Season (which begins during the Full Flower Moon, a Total Lunar Eclipse on the 26^th).  What we are seeding now will bring significant change as it blooms.  But right now, we are feeling Moon at her most subtle influence on our Earth…even as she is exalted in the Venusian Earth sign of Taurus. 

The path the Moon describes around the Earth is in the shape of an irregular and constantly changing ellipse.  At the farthest point in this path, Moon is at apogee (Black Moon).  During Lunar Apogee, we Earthlings are feeling the lunar influence more objectively.  When at perigee, Moon is closer to Earth and the lunar influence is amplified in more personal ways (as it was around the time of our previous Full Moon).  This New Moon in Taurus is near apogee…so she is not only invisible to us while conjunct Sun, she is also farther from us.  Her influence may be subtle…but this New Moon seed of the Flower Moon cycle allows for us to experience the other transits at this time with greater emphasis.

Aiding us in that extrasensory feeling sense of this time, our Luminaries are sextile Neptune in Pisces.  This is an invitation to explore the mystical and magical Dreamtime of this lunar initiation.  Neptune is also conjunct Pallas Athene, which allows us to better understand the patterns inherent in the Dreamtime influence of Neptune in Pisces.  The Taurus-Pisces connection is fertile and full of opportunity for creative growth.  Both signs are traditionally ruled by the two benefic planets (Venus rules Taurus, Jupiter rules Pisces).  So this sextile, subtle as it is, holds a wealth of good fortune when we tap in.  Neptune (considered the modern ruler of Pisces) is resonant with this water sign…and invites us to swim into the waters of the Unconscious.  Dreaming, listening to music, creating art, connecting with Spirit…all of these things can help you benefit from this influence.

And because this New Moon is in Venus’s nocturnal sign, Venus acts as guide to how we may nurture this seed as it releases its taproot.  Venus is in her process of Heliacal Rise as Evening Star, when she begins to be visible to us again on the Western horizon after sunset.  Some have had the good fortune of viewing her rise as early as Beltane (May 1^st), though others of us may still be waiting to see her…depending on our location.  Currently in Gemini, Venus teaches us the value of communication and networking.  So as she keeps rising into the evening sky, she encourages the roots of this New Moon seed to branch out and connect with what nourishes us.  In a couple days, Moon will meet up with her in Gemini and Venus will begin reclaiming her new life as Evening Star after months of Underworld transformation. 

The main aspects emphasized at this time involve Chiron, the Wounded Healer.  Mercury conjunct the North Lunar Node in Gemini is in a beneficial sextile with Chiron in Aries, while Mars in Cancer is moving into an exact square with Chiron.  We will be feeling that square most, as it is dynamic and applying.  The Mars square Chiron influence in Cardinal signs may feel like a sharp blow to what we want to initiate at this time…forcing us, instead, to care for our wounds.  But it is in the act of caring for these wounds that we may continue to make better use of the Mercury sextile, strengthening our mental health as we attend to our physical health.  This healing emphasis fortifies us for the Eclipse Season ahead. 

 

Moon-Sun in Taurus 22

(Sabian Symbol:  “White dove flying over troubled waters.”)

 

Art by Anastasia Zabrodina

There is a peaceful message of hope in this symbol highlighted by our luminaries.  This is a symbol of spiritual guidance, where we can benefit more from looking to universal signs than to our own subjective understanding, which may be too unsettled at this time to bring clarity.  We may be asked to simply have faith in the process currently unfolding…relax into our bodies to calm the troubles of our emotional mind.  The healing involved now reminds us to take some time to tune out the emotional and mental disturbances of the current human experience.  In this initiation, we may feel the direction of the energy that guides us through our troubles. 

 

Love and Gratitude,

Felina Lune Kavi