Mercury in Virgo

I’m late with this post on Mercury in Virgo, but I hope you all saw a shift in your productivity (Virgo) when Mercury stationed direct in 21+ Virgo on 29 September 2009.

Mercury rules Virgo but while Mercury is chatty and curious in Gemini, Mercury in Virgo is much more circumspect. Here is Stephen Arroyo’s delineation:

• Communicates logically, critically, helpfully, humbly — sometimes negatively and skeptically
• An urge to express one’s perceptions matter-of-factly, demonstrating one’s analytical skills
• A need to discriminate among ideas and to put them in logical sequence in order to learn
• Practical, helpful ideas contribute to the ability to make connections with others
• Over-attention to details can hinder perception of the larger viewpoint and all its interconnections and broader implications (64)

Mercury stationed direct close to my midheaven in my 10th house, and just a few days before, I encountered an exhausting run-in at work to do with miscommunication and carelessness with editing (both Mercury-ruled activities). However, at the same, time I got two amazing pieces of news regarding projects that have been developing for sometime, which were commensurate with the forward-moving energy of Mercury direct: I received a book contract for an edited collection after three years in the making, and an invitation to speak on local radio over a media event I spent the summer organising.

If many of you have felt ‘blocked’ like I did most of the summer, I hope Mercury stationing direct in a work- and service-oriented sign, together with the recent Full Moon in fiery Aries, have provided some renewed energy. It may be a while before I recover from the PTSD of the summer eclipses, but at least I feel new hope!

Reference
Arroyo, Stephen. Chart Interpretation Handbook. Sebastapol, Ca.: CRCS, 1989.

 

Mercury retrograde ++

I have been relatively quiet this Mercury retrograde on this blog, mainly because work has suddenly accelerated, and I have deadlines to meet before I travel for two weeks from 13 September. I seem to travel a lot during Merc rx! (Trust me, I wish I didn’t have to!!)

This may just be the retrograde of retrogrades because there is a lot of other stuff happening astrologically while Mercury retrogrades at this time, in that the outer planets are on the move. Because the outer planets remain in direct motion or retrograde for such long periods of time, the point where they change directions or change signs or make exact contact with other planets can be momentous.

 

Merc rx shadow: Gmail goes down

Just as well I don’t use it.

Story here.

 

Mercury retrograde: Life accelerates

I’ve watched this for a very long time. Life does indeed accelerate for me in the run up to Mercury retrograde just when all the advice is to slow down (see also). It must be the contrarian nature of my having natal Mercury trine natal Uranus or something! Actually I like this take on Merc rx, in that sometimes no matter what you do, stuff happens.

For me, it’s a bit like this: you try to go down a steep stair as slowly and as carefully as you can, but then you slip and are forced to go with the momentum until you stop. Somehow. Mercury retrograde is like that for me.

 

Mercury square Mars and Pluto: Diplomacy or bust

Mercury enters into a t-square between Mars and Pluto this week, with the Saturn-Uranus opposition very close by, ahead of a similar configuration during its retrograde station in September. There is, however, something quite special about this t-square in that it occurs between 0 and 1 degrees in three of the cardinal signs (Mars in Cancer, Pluto in Capricorn, and Mercury in Libra), contacting what is known as the Aries Point (see also).

The Mars-Pluto opposition is always potentially explosive (the assassination of Benazir Bhutto coincided with one such opposition). Throw Mercury into the mix, and you have the possibility of a fight started by a thoughtless remark.