July 25th ~ August 1st

For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. ~ Carl Sagan

Chiron Retrograde Meets Mercury in Solar Alignment

When planets are very close to the Sun, they become overwhelmed by the light, and no longer appear in the night sky. These planets are relegated to obscurity under the rays of the Sun, which then only exist to serve him. But when they come to the very heart of the Sun, something extraordinary happens. It’s as if the planet is then admitted into the throne room, the very heart of the Sun, where they briefly find favor with the monarch, and become King for the day. So it is with retrograde Mercury this week, whose inferior conjunction with the Sun perfects on Thursday, July 31st, drawing Mercury in Leo into the heart of the Sun.

Mercury Cazimi: The Heart of the Matter

When Mercury is exactly conjunct (cazimi) the Sun while retrograde in the solar sign of Leo, it is time to get to the heart of the matter. This is when we come face to face with our most important and heartfelt priorities. When Mercury commenced its retrograde phase on July 18th we posed the question: What do I want in my heart of hearts? What is standing in the way of my own and other’s happiness? The inferior conjunction of Mercury is when we are asked to connect to the very essence of these questions, connecting with what matters to us most.

This is the beginning of the New Mercury cycle, whose seeds are being sown in the middle of its retrograde phase, setting the tone for the next 4-month cycle of Mercury. It is during its retrograde phase that Mercury’s outer effectiveness can often feel eclipsed. We miss appointments, signals get crossed, we forget things that we should already know. It can be confounding. But it is also when its inner essential nature is at its height. Since July 18th we have been reflecting on past events, making sense of and processing our lives.

The subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) insights that Mercury brings at the inferior conjunction are not only significant, but important for our own inner awareness, growth and development. This is how we learn. This is how we develop things like wisdom and understanding. But because many of these insights are subtle we could easily miss them. Or are misunderstood like something is getting lost in translation. So in order to make the most of the transit of Mercury, we need to lean into the retrograde, turn down some of the noise and chatter of the outside world, and go within.

In a futile attempt to erase our past, we deprive the community of our healing gift. If we conceal our wounds out of fear and shame, our inner darkness can neither be illuminated nor become a light for others. ~ Brennan Manning (The Cry of the Heart for Intimate Belonging)

Chiron Retrograde: The Wound and the Gift

On Wednesday, July 30th, the centaur Chiron stations Retrograde at 27º Aries 10’. When planets appear to station, as Chiron will this week, they will often make their presence known. This can be true for centaurs as well. They feel stronger. They let us know they are there. During the retrograde phase, when they appear to be retreating back through the zodiac, we use this time to internalize and process the qualities of the planet (or centaur in this case). Chiron will remain in its retrograde phase through January 2nd.

Originating from the Kuiper Belt just outside our solar system, centaurs are like visitors from beyond. They bring messages of truth and wisdom that if heeded can aid us in our own evolutionary growth. Chiron is here to remind us that one of the casualties of the human experience is this constant reminder of our vulnerability, and the reality of our suffering here in existence. With a life-long existential wound, the mythological centaur, Chiron, sought his own healing, and what he also found in the process was a profound acceptance and understanding.

Healing Through Reflection and Courage

The Chironic 5-month retrograde phase is a time of year in which we are asked to pay attention to our own healing journey. Memories surface, old wounds reopen, and we come face to face with what needs healing, forgiving, and releasing. The retrograde phase of Chiron compels us to look within, to the very root of what ails us, to the inception and cause. This is when we are most able to do a lot of this inner work. Know that it is often complex and not easy.

It means raking things up from the past, reliving old traumas, confronting our own doubts and insecurities. One advantage of Chiron being in Aries is that it brings the courage and the motivation to clear out the dungeons, confront the dragons in their caves, and cast out the demons, allowing us to move freely into the future with a much lighter load. Combined with this week’s inferior conjunction of Mercury, we are in an even better position to do this good work. Doing this Chironic work over the next 5 months can be incredibly liberating. And because it is in Aries, can even help us to write new scripts, paving the way for a whole new (and hopefully healthier) beginning.

For next week’s horoscopes and to see where and how the station of Chiron may affect your sign or house, click below:

HOROSCOPES

Image: CrystalWind.ca