I’m heading this part of my Astrology blog page with the above quote because the information I’m giving below is in no way “fortune telling” – it is simply the result of observations made over thousands years and I offer it to you to as a piece of possibly useful input.
We are living in a particularly changeable time through this week, due to Mercury and Mars changing direction and Pluto entering Capricorn. this article will guide you through the choppy waters.
This evening – Monday, 28th January, Mercury, which is associated with communications of all kinds goes BACKWARDS!! And will remain so for the next 21 days, whereupon he then starts to go forwards again. Because he is the fastest planet he does this 3 times every year – so for those in the telecom and travel businesses, this can be quite a turbulent few days, and again in 3 weeks’ time.
Now, I know a planet doesn’t go backwards, of course – however, seen from the subjective world we call Planet Earth – it does appear to. To be absolutely correct, it is in Apparent Retrograde Motion (the astronomical term for it). The effect of appearing to go backwards can be likened to slow trains and fast trains – as the fast train (A) speeds past the slower train (B), so train B appears, from the viewpoint of a passenger on train A, to be going backwards. This planetary retrograde motion is caused by the angle of the orbit of the Earth overtaking the orbit of the second planet. It happens to all the planets as seen from the Earth (for where else are we?).
Mercury is the planet associated with merchants, communications of all kinds, movement across distances (like the railways) and health. He rules Gemini and Virgo, and sits closest to the Sun. It has been documented many times that the retrograde period of Mercury can have a particular effect on those who work in the above industries and also people born under Virgo and Gemini. Due to his numerous retrograde periods each year many people are born with this position. I have noticed that people born during such times tend by and large to really come alive mentally during the retrograde periods in real time.
Usually, we advise our clients not to make important purchases or sign important documents during these 3 week periods – or have the builders in. This is because everything we undertake literally goes backwards! Then when Mercury goes direct the work will have to be done all over again. Astrologers often refer to Mercury as a Trickster – as did the Ancient Greeks. However, I have noticed that clients who were born under this aspect of Mercury often flourish during the same period. I have one client who began a million pound business at the precise time of the retrograde station and was extremely successful. He kept a timetable of all Mercury’s changes for his reference. It seems to be true that whether retrograde or direct on the birth chart, it is when the planet in real time replicates the birth motion, that’s when the planet is most effective for positive personal growth.
So, on to Mars – which has been sitting still in Gemini for the last few days ready to spring forwards on Wednesday 30th January at around 10:30 PM GMT. Mars, the Red Planet was called the “God of War” by the ancients and rules Aries and Scorpio – both signs that can well fight their corner albeit using different modalities: Aries is direct; Scorpio is a strategist. However, both get their points across very effectively. This retrograde period of Mars has been along one – it began when Mars crossed 23 degrees Gemini in September and slowly moved forward to reach 12 degrees Cancer in mid-November whereupon it stationed and began to grind backwards into Gemini. I say “slowly” because Mars usually takes 6 weeks to cross 30 degrees during his 18 month direct period.
Over these last 4 months Mars has been stalking Pluto sitting 180 degrees across the zodiac at the end of Sagittarius and will continue to do so until the end of March ‘08. If Mars is warfare, then Pluto is obsessive, instinctive survival – put the two together and we get a great deal of cruelty operating in the world. Mrs Bhutto’s assassination, for example – I have her birth data for anyone interested in the finer details – and I imagine she probably knew that. To be honest, I thought she would be killed about 2 or 3 days later. This story and the story in
If this sounds grim then read the quote on the heading of the article. And I guess for those caught up in the turmoil then they may have no choice right now – often we make our choices in hindsight, it seems to me.
Mars in Gemini is ruled by the changing Mercury – this will likely bring changes in agreements, yet again, around the violent hotspots on our planet. We will have to wait until March/April for things to cool down.
On Saturday morning, 26th January, Pluto changed sign – albeit briefly, due to retrogradation! – from Sagittarius to Capricorn. The final entry into Capricorn will be at the end of November, and will last for 17 years. I will write about this in my next article.
