we are heading into our first mercury retrograde of 2022 and it’s a big one! we have been in the front end shadow of mercury retrograde since december 29th- and just a couple hours after entering shadow he aligned with retrograde venus. so this mercury retrograde portal opened up with a focus on communications in relationships and partnerships of all kinds- personal, romantic, business, financial and more. whatever is transpiring in these areas of life- PAY ATTENTION. a larger conversation is unfolding.
(***FRONT END SHADOW is the day mercury enters the degree he will station direct on- commencing his first pass over the degrees of the sky he will go over 3 times)
just before mercury entered his front end shadow he squared eris- and his retrograde triggers the pluto/eris square but he only links with eris ONCE right before front end shadow. when he stations direct he comes within a degree of eris, but not exact. he does align with pluto though- THREE TIMES- which is the dominating theme of his Underworld journey.
mercury retrograde is classically a time to rethink, review, revise and go over the past. it’s not a time to make decisions and take action as much as it is a time to retrieve lost information, get more data and revisit the past before you can get clear on what actions need to be taken in the present. if you have been sitting on something for a very long time not taking action- mercury retrograde can be a good time to finally get the ball rolling. the key is to discern is this something new you need to review or is this something old you need to address. with mercury retrograde in aquarius and capricorn- the two saturn ruled signs and the one uranus ruled sign- we have the saturn/uranus square activated. mercury stations retrograde closely square uranus- but the square won’t be exact until he exits back end shadow end of february. he also does not align with saturn until he passes out of shadow either- so the saturn/uranus square is waiting for us at the END of this journey (more on that below)
it’s interesting to see two of the BIGGEST transits of 2021 (pluto/eris and saturn/uranus) being triggered by mercury right now- reminding us that even though the aspects are over in terms of no more exact hits, these bodies are still close to each other and their aspects are waning but not quite done yet. so this mercury retrograde could be a key integration period of what the pluto/eris squares and saturn/uranus squares meant for us personally and collectively.
mercury the messenger is one of the few beings in mythology that could go down into the Underworld and come back out. typically if you were down there you were stuck there and if you were above ground on earth or in the heavens you had no desire to go down there. his ability to move between the worlds is symbolized in his role as psychopomp- the guide to the souls. psychologists and shamans are psychopomps- able to go into the Underworld and bring back insights and help retrieve lost parts of the soul of their clients.
with mercury conjunct pluto three times we have the guide to souls linking up with the Lord of the Underworld himself- so this is a deep time for inner work, therapy, shadow work, shamanic journeys and facing the depths. these two can also amplify and exacerbate conflict, power dynamics, intensity and shadow in communications, business or work relationships, government, patriarchal institutions and more.
the most harmonious aspect mercury makes is a sextile to chiron three times (all dates are in table below) and this brings focus to healing and expanding awareness in how we communicate, what we think and how we stand up for ourselves. chiron in aries magnifies our imbalanced relationship to the mars principle of masculine energy, will, drive, ego and relationship to anger and rage. some of us stuff this, deny it, spiritually bypass it and pretend it’s not there. others act out in it, get aggressive and combative, dominate and try to control. chiron in aries is showing us where we are too far on one end of the spectrum and where our work lies for our healing.
healing conversations and insights are possible but sometimes the healing comes by way of the revealing of shadow dynamics we did not want to face- that is pluto’s part in the dynamic. the more we are willing to face the shadow- personally and collectively- the more useful, insightful and transformative this retrograde can be.
it is interesting to note that venus is currently retrograde in capricorn and she is also aligning with pluto 3 times! so the mind (mercury) and the heart (venus) are in a descent- and it’s time to confront what is toxic, stagnant, stuck, patriarchal and old paradigm in our thoughts, feelings, attachments, relationships and ways of moving through the world. as they both are in capricorn a big area to focus these energies is in work, career and business. if one tends to operate from the patriarchal paradigm of high output, constant expansion of work, constant growth and pushing oneself more and more- burnout is possible. i know many creative, spiritual people who are reconsidering how they run their businesses right now- some are taking time to reflect, reevaluate and restructure willingly- others are being forced by internal or external dynamics that are falling apart.
the days after mercury exits backend shadow are significant- and the whole journey from now until then should be in preparation for them. mercury will square uranus 2/24 and cojoin saturn 3/2. this period of time will be a big reveal about what needs to change and what needs to be done about it NOW (personally and collectively). also in this time period we will have mars in capricorn catching up to venus. they both square eris 2/25-26 and they both cojoin pluto on 3/3. then they move into aquarius 3/5 and cojoin in the first degree of aquarius later that day!
this transiting of the last degrees of capricorn and the first of aquarius is significant because this is the transition portal of pluto out of capricorn (where he entered in 2008) and into aquarius. aquarius is the sign of the age we are in and working to anchor and embody (check my age of aquarius webinar linked below for more info) and the first degree of aquarius is where the new 20 year jupiter/saturn cycle commenced in december 2020. further this ties into the PLUTO RETURN of the USA (article linked below) as America’s first pluto return is 2/20/22 and with natal and progressed pluto this takes us through 2024. also super interesting to note is the fact that the USA’s progressed pluto will enter 0 aquarius in 2050. so from now until 2050 the USA is in a deep portal of death and rebirth- and the patriarchal/dominator culture paradigm our country was built on needs to be dealt with and released once and for all. this will be an intense portal and we need all hands on deck.
the venus/mars conjunction at the first degree after coming out of their squares to eris and conjunctions with pluto is a huge transition and rebirth metaphor- but lest you think you just ride the waves and let them take you wherever- the key to making the most of the energy is working with it. inner work, shadow work, facing fears and obsessions (things we are repelled from or addictively attracted to) is the work right now. ***to support you in this i will be offering my ASTROLOGY & YOUR SHADOW CLASS for the 4th year in a row in later winter/early spring so stay tuned***
the title of this article is ‘moving through the eye of the needle’ and that is the energy of pluto (and scorpio and even the 8th house). i have this theory that we are given many lifetimes with power, fame, money, beauty and the Universe/our Higher Self watches to see what we do with it. we are also given many lifetimes without power, without fame, without money, without beauty- and the Universe and our Higher Self watches to see what we do with that. can we maintain our center? can we stay centered and not be pulled in and taken over by power or celebrity or wealth? can we maintain our center and not get lost in the victim space or a disempowered place when we lack of any of these things. this is the eye of the needle. it’s so easy to get lost in the glamor and desire or collapse into fear or lack (incidentally all the things contemporary marketing is meant to unconsciously manipulate!!!)- but if we can stay centered amidst the phenomena and perceived desired for things or perceived lack- we can move through the eye of the needle.
we are in this space now- personally in whatever way this may be manifesting for you (listen to horoscopes for more info) but also collectively. so tune into where you are being guided and led- tune into where your greatest fears and greatest obsessions are. be honest with yourself as if you cannot see it you cannot face it and move through it. the journey of ASCENSION is one of DESCENSION. we must go down and in to come up and out. this is cyclic- like a rollercoaster. and like a roll coaster- you will have more fun if you can throw your hands up and laugh and scream while you are on this journey called LIFE <3
blessed descent into the Underworld!
~harmony
USA PLUTO RETURN-
https://divineharmony.com/astrology-blog/usa-pluto-return-transformation-of-a-nation-2022/
ANCHORING THE AGE OF AQUARIUS (on demand webinar)
https://divineharmony.com/astrology-blog/anchoring-the-age-of-aquarius-webinar-on-demand/
STAR FAMILY COMMUNITY- join my free community page and get the SIRIUS MASTERCLASS as a free gift (free gift offered until full moon 1/17/22)-
https://divineharmony.com/astrology-blog/join-my-star-family-community-get-the-sirius-masterclass-for-free/
BECOME A MEMBER to access horoscopes, gate calls and more
https://divineharmony.com/become-a-member/
MERCURY RETROGRADE (RX) DATES-
entered front end shadow – 12/29 just before conjunction with RX venus
stations retrograde 1/14/22 – 10’20 aquarius 3:41am
stations direct 2/3/22- 24’22 capricorn 8:13pm
exits back end shadow- 2/23 just after sextile to chiron
MAJOR ASPECTS
square eris ONCE 12/28 – stations direct within a degree
conjunct venus RX- 12/29 at 24’26 capricorn
conjunct pluto- THREE TIMES- 12/30, 1/28/22, 2/11/22
sextile chiron- 1/9, 1/18, 2/23
stations RX close to square uranus- but exact aspect is AFTER exit back end shadow – 2/24/22
conjunct saturn- AFTER back end shadow- 3/2/22