Mercury conjunct Pluto

Astrological news this week: Get ready for a burst of optimism with Jupiter and Uranus

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I have some good news this week!  This harmonious sextile from Jupiter (good fortune and urge for expansion) to Uranus (radical change and breaking free from outmoded paradigms) technically doesn’t culminate until February 17th, but the two are just two degrees from the exact aspect which will continue to tighten over the next couple of weeks.   This is a supremely beneficial aspect for positive change, and will help to awaken any part of us that feels dead and hopeless IF we pay attention.  Mars (action) and Venus (relating) are making harmonious aspects to both Jupiter and Uranus which should help soften some of the difficult energies at work in the world right now.

Speaking of that, the US Pluto Return is tightening the noose as we get closer to the exact alignment on February 20th, 2022. Pluto may be small but its influence is mighty, and it is exerting a powerful force right now. Knowing this will help us not to be too dismayed by the stress and pressure the US is going through right now. If this is new to you and you need to catch up, here are some posts from the past few years about this significant alignment.

Meanwhile, Ceres re-enters Gemini on the 8th after having retrograded back into Taurus for a few months. In Gemini Ceres brings its focus on self-care and wellness into the realm of thinking and communication which fits in very nicely into the story told above!  Over the next few months (until Ceres moves into Cancer in mid-May) it might be useful to tend carefully to the thought patterns and information you take in to be sure they are feeding the soul as well as the […]

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By |2022-02-07T08:12:33-05:00February 7th, 2022|Planetary news this week|0 Comments
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Belated astrological update for January 26-30, 2022: Mercury rx into Capricorn and Venus turns direct

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Sorry for the delay of this post – I was out of town and overestimated my ability to post while on vacation. Here are a few important things to know about the astrology of the week:

Venus turns direct in the wee hours of the morning (EST) on January 29th after its retrograde travel, which means it’s stationary in the skies right now. This Venus retrograde cycle has not been kind to the financial markets which are ruled by Venus, especially with the conjunction from Venus to Pluto, but hopefully that will begin to change as Venus picks up speed again and finishes her journey through Capricorn.  (Venus does make one final conjunction to Pluto on March 3rd and Mars will be involved in that drama as well but we have time to prepare for that!)

Mercury has retrograded back into Capricorn now, and with Mars newly in Capricorn we are back to six planets in Saturn-ruled signs (four in Capricorn and two in Aquarius). When we are in the realm of Saturn responsibility and discipline are of critical importance.  We might be tempted to let Jupiter and Neptune in Pisces lull us into a sense that everything is beautiful in its own way (hmmm, I hear a song coming on!!) – but Saturn-ruled signs require more of a feet-on-the-ground approach.  Capricorn is solely ruled by Capricorn and is the fullest expression of the Saturnian pressure to succeed through hard work and focused goals, whereas Aquarius is affected by the transformational rulership of Uranus which retains the Saturnian seriousness and drive, but adds a Uranian layer that inspires us to break out of ruts that offer no way to change and evolve.

In any case, Saturn is the boss […]

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By |2022-01-26T08:52:49-05:00January 26th, 2022|Planetary news this week|0 Comments
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Tensions flare as Mercury, Mars and Pluto collide

As you know if you follow my Facebook page, over the past week or so we have seen a challenging alignment of these three planets which culminated on December 13th.  Mercury just turned retrograde on the 10th so it is still moving pretty slowly, and will remain within five degrees of Pluto for the next few days.  All planets are in Capricorn, the sign that represents structures, governments, tradition.

Uranus, the radical revolutionary, also changed direction on the 5th, and its influence is very visible in the dramatic events that have transpired over the past week or so, beginning with the arrest of Julian Assange and the explosion of the Wikileaks documents – (the radical (Uranus) exposure of information (Mercury) that reveals the secrets (Pluto) that are rocking the stability of national governments (Capricorn).

Mercury presides over communication and learning, but also transportation and messages.  Mars is the fiery god of war and Pluto the god of destruction so any alignment of these two planets can get pretty intense.  When Mercury joins in, there can be a heightened chance of arguments, disputes, and traffic problems.

The explosion of  a city bus in my hometown of Chapel Hill North Carolina yesterday, for apparently no reason, is eerily reflective of this triple conjunction since it involves the element of transportation, explosion and fire.

Then there are the riots.  Rioters in England last week attacked a car carrying Prince Charles and his wife Camilla when they drove too near a demonstration against university tuition hikes.  This occurred just as Mercury was preparing to turn retrograde in conjunction to Pluto.

Two days later, tensions in Russia flared after the shooting of a football fan that resulted in violence against ethnic minorities.

Yesterday riots erupted […]

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By |2018-07-15T09:50:44-04:00December 15th, 2010|Future Shock, Politics|7 Comments
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Thoughts on the upcoming Mercury retrograde

Mercury retrogradeThis Mercury retrograde period may be more challenging than some, especially during the first week (beginning around now until the 18th of December when Mercury retrogrades back into Sagittarius.

Mercury is in Capricorn now, where it wants to organize things and achieve something important.  Capricorn is all about goals and success, and it is not well-suited to the retrograde periods of Mercury which require reflection and a more inward focus that stimulates the subtle mind rather than the mental realm.

Mercury turns retrograde at about 5 degrees Capricorn, tightly conjunct Pluto.  Mercury has been conjunct Pluto since the New Moon a few days ago, and this influence remains as long as Mercury remains in Capricorn.  The combination of Mercury to Pluto brings intensity and passion to any ideas or thoughts that come to mind, and generally forces (because after all, it’s Pluto) us to face something secret and dark that we have been hiding from, if any such thing is lurking about anywhere.

Mars will be entering Capricorn shortly after this post is published, and it will then move into alignment with both Mercury and Pluto.  Mars rules aggression, rage and warfare, along with the simple energy that motivates and inspires us.  But when Mars aligns with Pluto and begins to radiate Pluto’s intensity, our desires become more urgent and power conflicts can result.

The North Node is also tied into this drama, pulling us relentlessly towards personal evolution and ensuring that we won’t fall backwards into the abyss if we fail to take the right steps.

This is a powerful combination of planets, and even though Mercury and Mars are usually fast movers, Mercury is moving slowly now as it prepares to change direction, and then after the retrograde […]

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