Mercury opposite Pluto

Weekend update: Mercury trine Neptune and opposing Pluto for maximum creative power

art by James Christensen

Mercury is the planet of the mind – it governs all kinds of information and messaging as well as the way we think and communicate on an individual level.  Mercury also governs travels of short distances and the very idea of busy-ness. Mercury is the focal point of the weekend’s planetary influences, it harmonizes in a trine to Neptune on Saturday and opposes Pluto on Sunday.  The trine from Mercury to Neptune is a supreme boon for creativity and inspiration; Neptune enhances all of our experiences by casting a spell of transcendence that brings a bit of fairy dust into everything we do. On Saturday we also have the Aquarius Moon activating the Saturn/Uranus square to bring areas of change into focus and de-personalizing areas in which we may be more emotional since Mercury is in the sensitive sign of Cancer right now, a watery realm of deep feeling.

The opposition is a stronger aspect than the trine and felt more intensely, so we will likely begin to experience the Mercury/Pluto opposition on Saturday in the midst of the Neptune magic. Pluto intensifies everything of course, and our thoughts and ideas have more potency now.  Pluto always brings the potential for power conflicts, and arguments or at the least lively discussions are possible especially Sunday evening (EDT) when the Moon opposes Mars.  Pluto can also bring fuzzy ideas into focus where they can be more easily utilized, so it is an excellent time for problem solving or focusing on a project which requires mental focus although you will want to be somewhat careful on the road as the tendency for road rage can be heightened under a Mercury/Pluto aspect.

Have a great weekend […]

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By |2021-07-24T07:14:04-04:00July 24th, 2021|Planetary news this week|0 Comments
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The meaning of Mercury in Cancer: May 28-August 4, 2020

art by Ellen Uytewaal

Mercury, the planet of messages and information, is typically in a sign for less than a month, but because of the upcoming retrograde it will remain in Cancer until August 4th.  Any retrograde Mercury period is important since a retrograde planet applies greater emphasis and tends to dominate the astrological influences. This year, however, when Mercury turns retrograde on June 18th it will  just one of five planets in retrograde (followed by Neptune a few days later for a total of six).  You may want to catch up on this article about the summer of retrogrades.

But back to Mercury in Cancer.  Cancer is ruled by the Moon, the luminary that governs our emotions and our secret inner selves.  To understand Cancer you need go no farther than the Crab which is one of Cancer’s symbols.  With a soft tender shell in their youth, the Crab is very vulnerable and tender, caring deeply for others and for the world as a whole.  However if the Crab is hurt or wounded it may develop a hard shell in later years making it difficult to express those tender feelings.

Mercury is typically objective and seeks a certain amount of order in our thinking and transmission of information, but in Cancer the need for an open mind can be subsumed by feelings and sensation.  Cancer thrives on a sense of being at home, both physically and with our families or our tribe – the people with whom we feel more at home.  Much is being written these days about our “quarantine tribe” – the people that we are closest to and choose to spend time with even while in quarantine […]

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By |2020-05-29T08:17:11-04:00May 29th, 2020|Planetary cycles|3 Comments
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Planetary news this week! Full moon, Neptune retrograde, Mars reactions, and the Solstice

This week is so full of planetary action I hardly know where to begin!  If you missed my post on the Full Moon of June 17th you can catch it here.  The amplification of the Full Moon intensifies some of the other drama going on right now with Mars and Mercury so let’s talk about that a bit here.

Mars and Mercury

Last week I wrote: “Mars is quite active between the 13th and the 23th, which will help us to shake off some of the inertia of Jupiter/Neptune but could also create some problems.  Mars is the action planet, and it is currently opposing Saturn (limitations and restriction) and will soon also oppose Pluto (destruction, new beginnings).  The combination of Mars attempting to push its way through blockages, sometimes in a reckless manner, with the confusion of Jupiter/Neptune could create some chaos.  All of these planets are between 16 and 22 degrees, so if you have planets in your chart at those degrees you will be particularly affected.”  All of this is still true, and Mercury is involved now as well.

Mercury represents the mind and the way we think, communicate, and process information.  Mercury is in Cancer now where it encourages emotional thinking – this can be helpful when dealing with emotional issues, but less helpful when a more rational mind is required.  Mercury aligns with aggressive Mars on the 18th, stirring up arguments and creating a generally disagreeable environment.  It’s tempting to want to avoid the emotionality of what may arise, but there are clues to healing and progress in those emotions.  Ideally we want to pay attention to the reactions that bleed through our normal interactions without getting swept away […]

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By |2019-06-17T08:55:09-04:00June 17th, 2019|Planetary news this week|0 Comments
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