January 29th ~ February 5th

When two opposite points of view are expressed with equal intensity, the truth does not necessarily lie exactly halfway between them. It is possible for one side to be simply wrong. ~ Richard Dawkins

We have been wading through a miasma of misinformation, innuendo, uncertainty, distrust and confusion for months. Who knows what to believe any more? Or who to trust? Even with all that has been going on with other astrological weather, lurking in the background has been Neptune squaring the Nodes of the Moon. The Nodes are currently in the signs of Gemini and Sagittarius, signs that have to do with information, messaging, beliefs, and knowledge. Neptune at its best is dreamy and illusive. At its worst Neptune is down right deceptive, where false idols lead us down the delusionary rabbit hole of nonexistent plots, false promises and deceptive plans. It’s amazing that we can even find our keys, and make it out the door! 

If we include the Uranus squares we’ve been having and throwing in a Mercury Retrograde this week, one wonders if we’ll be capable of functioning at all. There is however an interesting twist. Mercury will be retrograde from January 30th thru February 20th. However, Mercury is also strong in the air sign of Aquarius, a sign that lends itself to illumination and taking on a whole new perspective. In Aquarius we come to understand that sometimes it is helpful to look at things in a different light, and that we don’t have to keep doing things the way we always have in the past. In other words, beyond the usual mayhem that Mercury retrograde brings, perhaps we can also benefit from this upcoming retrograde period. There may still be a few distractions and confusion. But there is also potential here for illumination. 

When Venus enters Aquarius on Monday, we will have a full 5-planet stellium in Aquarius, with the Sun, Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn in this sign. For the next 3 weeks, we will be absolutely awash in Aquarius weather (we will speak more to this next week with the upcoming New Moon in Aquarius). In the mean time, what can we expect with the current Mercury retrograde phase? 

Mercury will station, or appear to stand still, on January 30th (at 26º Aquarius), and station direct on February 20th (at 11º Aquarius). Having domain over commerce, communications, and commuting, traditionally these periods are riddled with inconveniences and distracting diversions. Communications go awry, plans are delayed or changed, mechanical things break down, and other things fall through the cracks. So how can that be good? We probably will notice some of the usual Mercury mayhem. Travel will continue to be tested. That is if you are actually able to travel. Paperwork will need to be redone and resubmitted. Appointments are cancelled. People take offense. Emails go to the wrong party. It can indeed be an exercise in frustration.

Mercury retrograde phases are notorious, but they are also opportunities for us to assimilate and process all of our experiences and impressions that we have been receiving over the past several months. This is essential for the healthy function of our mind, our psychological well-being; and for the simple sake of being more organized. This is why we find ourselves more reflective and introspective. Unfortunately, the busyness of our everyday lives is not conducive to this reflective quality required of this phase. But if in the midst of whatever mayhem and busyness we are dealing with, we were to make time to connect with ourselves, to just be, it could make all the difference. 

What Mercury retrograde is good for:

• Unfinished business: Have a project on the back burner that you’ve been too busy to get to, or ignored? This is a great time to tie up loose ends, finish projects, clear up the clutter, create order out of the disorder. Removing the clutter from in our outer world, also creates clarity within.

• Mental health holidays: Mercury rules the nervous system, and Aquarius is an airy, mental sign. Those who are sensitive may even find their anxiety levels amplified during these retrograde periods. All the more reason to create your own mental health holiday in whichever way works best for you: mindfulness practices, meditation, prayer, daydreaming, dancing, playing. Mercury rules Gemini, another air sign, the sign of the breath. Therefore when feeling tense or out of ease, remember to take some deep calming breaths. They work wonders. By simply changing the way we breathe, we can affect our whole mental and emotional well-being.

• Remembrance and Reunions: Though we still may not feel free to be able to meet in person, we can still manage to look each other up, call one another, zoom, call out the window. Allow yourself to reminisce, call up your old buddy, pull out the old photos, recall, remember and laugh about old times.

• Insights: In order to get the most benefit from this period, allow some silence and down time. This will allow you to connect and gain inner understanding through introspection.

• Letting go: Practice patience, forgiveness and understanding. Release anger and resentment that you may be holding. Forgiving doesn’t mean that you think other people’s actions are forgivable, it means that you are giving yourself permission to move forward without having to carry all that extra weight with you.

For this week’s horoscopes, click below:

HOROSCOPES

Hermes” by W.B. Richmond (1886)