When Mercury shifts retrograde our angelic trickster slips into his role as psychopomp, the guide of souls who can journey into the underworld and back again. On a personal level this coincides with a turn within toward awareness not as readily available when Mercury is moving direct, a process that can birth new presence and shed old habits as Mercury reemerges on the other side (Mercury will station direct on January 25 and leave the retrograde shadow zone on February 17). Mercury retrograde is not a time to fear but rather an opening to symbolic perception that can divine messages within the darkness of our dreams as well as in the signs that appear during our sunlit daily journeying. The Mercury retrograde that begins on January 5, 2016 initiates at the first degree of Aquarius, but spends the majority of the time in the second half of Capricorn. Aquarius and Capricorn are both the homes of Saturn, and so this Mercury retrograde will be deeply linked with the significations we associate with that old devil, Saturn. The link to Saturn is further intensified by Mercury crossing the South Node of Saturn while retrograde,and then returning to conjoin the South Node of Saturn again once moving direct.
Modern astrology gives the rulership of Aquarius to Uranus, and one result of this is to associate Aquarius with future-oriented, liberated forms of thought. Yet this same meaning can be found through Aquarius being the diurnal home of Saturn, a place where Saturn detaches from the conditioned thought forms of consensus culture to develop systems of thought that break free from the constraints of the status quo. Mercury free from other influences stationing retrograde in Aquarius would support reception of a message beyond self-centered subjectivity, in an objective and clarified mind frame detached from passions and able to rationalize feelings. Yet instead the stationing of Mercury is painted in bold, impassioned colors by Mars in Scorpio forming an exact square at the time Mercury stations retrograde. As Mars in Scorpio heats the emotional climate of Mercury stationing retrograde, our feelings could override our ability to be objective or communicate with restraint. The eruption of cathartic feelings at the dawn of this retrograde will be borne by Mercury into our underworld for deep processing and purification.
The movement of Mercury from Aquarius back into Capricorn is united by both signs being the home of Saturn. Mercury in the territory of Saturn can readily focus on systems and structures in our life, including rumination upon time and space. Mercury stationing retrograde while bearing the water of Aquarius holds the promise of illumination that transcends our everyday conception of time, saturating our direct perception of the moment with lucidity. As Mercury moves backward into Capricorn, goat horns protrude through the messenger’s head as the role of water bearer is released in order to invest fully into the surrounding material realm with its lusty nature. In Capricorn, where Mercury spends the majority of its time this retrograde, Mercury shifts our focus toward achievement and ambition as well as the degree of determination and discipline that will be needed for manifestation.
In addition to entering the heart of the Sun while retrograde in Capricorn, Mercury will also form conjunctions with Pallas Athene and Pluto, and in fact will station direct conjoining Pluto. Around the recent solstice Mercury was first conjunct Pallas Athene, and in the first week of its retrograde movement Mercury will again become conjunct with Pallas Athene in Capricorn. Here the creative visioning of Pallas Athene combines with the symbolic perception of Mercury retrograde for penetrating perception into the structural and systematic foundations surrounding us.
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Replies
Another thought-provoking article, Gary, thanks. I always enjoy Mercury's Rx journey through Capricorn; it tends to occur close to the Solstice, when our attention is turned inward. Often, lectures and articles appear on deeper topics. Mercury Rx in Aquarius is, to a lesser extent,similar, with more influence on scientifically-oriented articles and medical research findings. This month we should see both, an interesting time!
Saturn, ruler of Aquarius for so many centuries prior to discovery of Uranus, seems to have left a serious imprint, and retains some influence on that Sign as well.
While transiting Pluto is in also Capricorn, retrograde Mercury may indicate a shift in the Collective's awareness or even a change of direction; willingness to change may be indicated by the retrograde passage through Aquarius. We re-visit old issues, like gun control and climate change, and consider new approaches. Congress discusses climate change proposals from the last international meeting; the president gives a strong, emotional speech about gun control, taking on the Powers that Be: weapons manufacturers, ammo industry and the NRA, with its powerful lobby.
Meanwhile, Jupiter ("global" or large-scale themes) raises the issue: do we want to continue with NAFTA-type treaties or not? Jupiter's current Virgo transit is not conducive to easy agreement on details, but does facilitate discussion among various interest groups involved: unions, currency experts and foreign policy experts seeking to limit China's influence in the Pacific. In foreign policy, big shifts are occurring behind the scenes that will be clearer after Mercury goes direct, featuring Cuba, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
You're right, Gary, new structures are emerging! The one developed during the climate change conference has been called, "a new platform" for future development. The current Congress may not move forward on it , but a different Congress will have it in place for 2017.