Autumn, Mercury Retrogrades in Libra & Sukkot
Sun has entered Libra, informing us autumn has arrived in our northern hemisphere. We are now in the dark half of the year, our night growing longer. For our southern hemisphere neighbors spring has arrived, and they are experiencing the light half of the year, the Sun now down below the equator lighting up the southern latitudes. The change of seasons reflects the bible verse, “To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3)
In our astrology study we discover that those “seasons,” including seasons of change, are governed and guided by the planets, stars, Sun and moon. They guide humanity and all of nature by a rhythmic cycle of light and dark, growth and rest.
And so, not only have we entered into the rhythm of autumn, we begin this week to enter into the rhythm of Mercury retrograde (Sunday, Sept. 26 – Oct. 18, from 26 degrees Libra back to 10 degrees Libra). Our previous Mercury retrogrades this year were January 30 – February 21 (Aquarius): May 29 – June 22 (Gemini) and now, September 27 – October 23 (Libra), all three in air signs.
The significance of this retrograde of Mercury is Libra, sign of deep intimate relationships, interaction with others, partnerships, diplomacy, balance, and our social identity. Libra also points out the duality and polarization within relationships and under Ray 3, Libra represents our intelligence, our ability to be democratic, and esoterically, Libra rules finances and the economy. All of these may be challenged during the retrograde. (More on Mercury retro in Libra next week)
On Monday evening this week, the seven-day Jewish Festival of Sukkot began. During this festival, remembering our 40-year long walk from Egypt to Canaan, from the Age of Taurus to the Age of Aries, temporary homes (little huts in nature) are built. We enter into a harvest of prayer and thanksgiving, understanding our fragile and impermanent existence here on Earth. We reflect upon our lives, our humanity, our true nature, our spirit and each other. Offering gratitude, we become a magnet of care for others. We observe. We see the needs. We love more.
ARIES: Mercury retrograde is moving through your house of partnership and marriage. Notice if there are any conflicts arising, impatience, misunderstandings. Notice thoughts and feelings with all partnership and relationships. Rearrange yourself so that harmony is the goal, not conflict. If anyone has wedding plans during the retro dates, it’s best to postpone the celebration. One does not want a Mercury retrograde marriage unless both partners were born with Mercury retrograde natally, which means they communicate telepathically.
TAURUS: Mercury retrograde travels through your house of deep dark secrets, of mysteries, and it calls you to gather your wisdom and your strategies for safety and use them in daily life. You have the wisdom needed to navigate these difficult times. You will need patience, more courage than usual and in between your warrior work tend to relationships with tender loving care. They, too, may be on a “precipice.”
GEMINI: Mercury retrogrades through your house of journeys, justice, and the law. Take your blinders off, Gem, and look around. Our world is in a state of conflict and chaos and since you are the messenger, it’s important to recognize for you it is a time of inner work and you are to research the truths humanity needs to know to survive. Everything will slow down so you can do thorough work of study and research. You are and will be called to put on the professor hat soon. Get ready.
CANCER: Mercury retrogrades in your house of work in the world, how you’re recognized, and it concerns the master plan for your life. You may need to ask others to assist you in completing previous work. You may be impatient, too, feeling you need to control things, but that will be impossible. You are used to doing things by yourself, being your own boss, taking the reins. However, before the new can come forth everything concerning your world of work needs assessment and reassessment so a re-balance can come forth.
LEO: Mercury retrograde will traverse your house of groups, friends, hopes, wishes and dreams. It’s a perfect time to assess these things. Who are your real friends? What groups do you belong to? Do they further your hopes, wishes and dreams? What are your hopes, wishes and dreams? Is your technology up to date? Notice if anything technological just stops working! Alternate sources of information may pop up unexpectedly. Study them for their usefulness. Stay in the heart, Leo. There isn’t anything else to do!
VIRGO: The Mercury retrograde will be in your opposite sign of Pisces. Pisces looks to Virgo for order and organization. Virgo looks to Pisces for spirituality and the mystic. Now the two have come together. Mercury retrograde is offering Virgo the sounds, colors, tones, depths and beauty of Pisces. Both Virgo and Pisces are signs of service and health. Assess your acts of service and your health during this time. And do daydream a bit more. Dream about the future.
LIBRA: Mercury retro in Libra will be in your first house (Aries house) of self-identification and purpose. During these difficult times, has your awareness of self and your abilities, or your sense of purpose changed? Do you find yourself more courageous, more able to take risks? As the retrograde progresses you may need to slow down, rest more, evaluate who you thought you were and who you might be now. You will sense a change has occurred within yourself and the retrograde will introduce you to your “new self.” Practice a bit of reverie now and then.
SCORPIO: Mercury retrograde will be interesting for you. You may notice that you want to rest more, seek comfort and calmness, not push your will so strongly and so much. You may seek more in-depth personal communications with those you care about and are close to you. Feelings may appear that are unexpected, and a sense of Venusian stillness and composure may arise. Your imagination may take hold and all things hidden away within may surface. It should be quite interesting!
SAGITTARIUS: As Mercury retrogrades through your third house of thinking and communication you may find yourself walking a bit more, traversing neighborhoods, camera in hand. You may also seek to understand what your goals have been this past year and where your bow & arrow are. You consider what aspirations have brought you to this moment in time. And gain clarity about your authentic friends, collaborations and ambitions. At the end of the retrograde, blinders are removed from your eyes.
CAPRICORN: This Mercury retrograde will offer you the opportunity to be out and about in the world offering your talents, gifts and abilities. You will, however, seem to long to be home, while being very aware of inner emotional shifts, feelings of missing someone or something, and focus upon all inner needs. New patterns of creativity are taking shape. You may also consider a reorganization of your home. Is the daily work you are doing offering enough creative opportunity? New aspirations emerge.
AQUARIUS: The Mercury retrograde offers you the opportunity to explore different future pathways, imagining new directions and points of view. It calls you to be flexible and fluid so you can assess the last three months’ events and what is in store for the next three months. Nothing limits your ability to dream, visualize, imagine plans for the future. It’s important to explore ways to bring more of your creativity to light. I always thought you might have a found object gallery.
PISCES: During the retrograde, Mercury will be moving through your sixth house of everyday living. The sixth house rules health, service to self and others, small animals, diet, gardens, debts, and daily work. It is important to focus on nutrition, how one tends and cares for the self. Be aware of the health of one’s animals, too. Be sure your daily routines focus both on health and on work that is gratifying, rewarding and fulfilling. You need a bit of enchantment.
Risa – writer, teacher, counselor, mentor, astrologer, esotericist. Founder & Director of The Esoteric & Astrological Studies & Research Institute, a contemporary Wisdom School for the Ageless Wisdom teachings. The foundations of the Teachings are the study & application of Astrology & the Seven Rays. Email: risagoodwill@gmail.com Web journal: www.nightlightnews.org/ Daily studies posted. Astrological, esoteric, day to day news – art, literature, psychology, the cosmos, consciousness, philosophy, history, religion, economics, geography & cultural journalism.
Recognition of the unique value of every living being expresses itself in reverence for life, compassion for all, sympathy with the need of all individuals to find truth for themselves, and respect for all religious traditions. ~The Esoteric & Theosophical Worldview