Mercury Retrograde @ 19 Virgo ~ re-working the practical direction

Woah! COSMIC turning point! Which way to go? Where & how? It's THAT time again: MERCURY RETROGRADE at 19Virgo, where the planet of short journeys, information & healing is at home --> until 5Virgo on the 12th Sept. PLUS the Leo Sun is opposite Aquarius Neptune, at best highlighting our DIVINE HEART (or mass delusion) when the celestial lovers Venus & Mars are in tight Libran embrace (((♥))) LOVE abounds even if communication is confusing...

Its worth noting some astro tech: while this Mercury retrograde is in the same sign during this retrograde, keeping on the same Virgo track, Mercury only makes actual 'aspects' to Sun and Moon, meaning that spiritual identity and emotions work with a thoughtful mind, which is in a re-vision phase. This is an subtle internal process, aided by karmic Saturn as Mercury is at the very same declination at Saturn, on both sides of his healing journey, retrograde and direct. Sept 12th may the time when things start going forward, but the mind of authority gets totally serious when Mercury conjuncts Saturn Oct 8th.

Before then, the Sun conjuncts Mercury at inferior conjunction, 3rd September, the same day our Cardinal Cross is once again activated, with the Moon in Cancer. Should be in fascinating day in the world of communication for the cosmic messenger.

Week 15th-21st August '10 ~ ♥ ✩ ☄ ✩ ♥ ~ Harmonious Lovers & the T-square

This week the skies again activate the Cardinal T squares (to become Cardinal Cross 3rd Sept). Expansive Jupiter still in autonomous Aries, conjuncts Uranus, planet of dramatic change who is revisiting compassionate Pisces. Both planets are retrograde, indicating an internal shift through greater spiritual self-awareness. A challenge to any mindful self-exploration comes tomorrow, as Jupiter makes the second of three oppositions to the karmic taskmaster, Saturn, who is in relationship orientated Libra. (Dates to note: 1st opp was 23rd May, & the last will be on 28th March 2011).  This long lasting aspect shows what we need to work on and overcome in order to clarfiy the most balanced and altruistic way forward. With a gentle guiding hand we can allow our mind's eye to focus with luminioius mindfulness (as illustrated by Alex Grey♥).

On Thursday the19th, the Moon conjuncts Pluto in Capricorn, providing depth and insight. We might not always like what we see, but when the emotional Moon is roused through profound Plutonic feelings, the power to transform is also generated.

Friday, the 20th the Spirit of Sun opposes Divine Neptune,when the dakini dance is a meditation on bliss and emptiness, as opposed to losing onself in a state of mindless oblivion. On the same day loving Venus embraces her heavenly lover, Mars, as the two enter a close pas-de-deux until early October (when Venus goes retrograde in demon-facing Scorpio).  For love to circulate freely, Venus and Mars presently seek to harmonise and find balance and trust in relationship.

At the same time Mercury, planet of communication, goes retrograde from the 20th August until 13th September. Mercury is at home in Virgo, so crossing 't's and dotting 'i's', while emphasised, ought to be a breeze - but could well be horribly complicated. Just remember to re-read the small print at least 3x.

The third and final Saturn-Pluto square, on Saturday 21st, ends a triple series that began in November '09, bringing home the need for controlling destructive tendancies. As mentioned before, this is a part of a larger cycle which began in 1982 (and ends in 2020). We now complete a crisis phase of conscience, which occurs during a closing square (the opening square being 1993). This is powerful aspect, full of renewable promise: with discipline and responsibility we can harness our will and ability to evolve, like collective alchemists able to transmute even the most difficult negative energy, and transmogrify tough and persistant hardship into positive expressions of justice and fairness, and regenerate a planet in balance.