MERCURY’S MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR
by Melanie Reinhart
This autumn (year 2006), between October 29th and November 18th,the planet Mercury will be ‘Retrograde’, or appearing to travel backwards. The full cycle begins on October 16th, when Mercury reaches the degree of the zodiac where it will later conjunct the Sun (November 8th 2006). It ends on January 7th 2007 with an Exterior Conjunction with the Sun.
Read on for more information on this current cycle ….
Although from Earth we observe Mercury going backwards, this is actually an illusion. Approximately every four months this apparent movement is caused by the subtle inter-relationships between the Sun, Mercury and the Earth. In fact this tiny planet, the closest to our Sun, merely continues in its eternal round, embracing the Sun so intimately that it is rarely seen, because the light of the Sun is brighter. However, the weaving motion it appears to trace, reversing and balancing opposites is reminiscent of the Caduceus or magical healing wand which the god Mercury carried. Thus the Retrogradation of Mercury brings an opportunity to break through our own illusions, and to reflect, retrace, review, recollect and reorient...to reconnect with our own inner Sun, the Solar Centre of our life.
Alchemical shapeshifter
The planet Mercury was named after the Roman God, who is the same figure as the Greek Hermes, the Egyptian Thoth, the Vedic Buddhi and also the alchemical Mercurius, variously described in the ancient texts as the prima materia on which the transformational work was performed, the presiding deity of the work itself, or indeed as the very goal of it. Hermes is the patron of the trinity of traveller, journey and destination, representing the informing intelligence which makes possible the development of consciousness, to-ing and fro-ing between inner and outer, past and future, pausing, turning, retracing, continuing.
Guide of Souls
Hermes was also called the Psychopomp or Guide of Souls, who accompanies the dead to the Underworld, and also facilitates the outworking of the destiny of the Gods and Goddesses themselves. Friend and fellow of both mortals and immortals, Hermes can be glimpsed arriving in the nick of time with a crucial piece of information, as mediator and messenger, but he is also the Trickster who causes the mighty to fall and elevates the lowly. Contact, communication, information and links are his concern.
Purifying the waters
From October 29th 2006, Mercury will be Retrograde in the Mars-ruled water sign of Scorpio. Mercury’s retrograde passage through the three water signs – Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces – signals opportunities to review our feelings, dreams, memories, images, and to dwell with our felt sense of the people who inhabit the ocean of our relationships, past and present. The energy of the water element needs to flow, to continue, to be absorbed; Mercury translates this into a subtle and useful inner seeing which can allow new insight, fresh perspective, forgiveness, clarity. In particular, Mercury in Scorpio works in a penetrating manner, cutting through where we hold false views, ego positions of conflict, hard feelings, negative judgements. So this time is most auspicious for the house-cleaning of mind and heart.
In Front and Behind
Much occurs behind our line-of-sight, in the twilight zone of demi-consciousness, before the threshold of clarity. For a Retrograde Mercury favours right-brain activity with its more reflective, intuitive, elliptical movement that includes rather than excludes, suggests rather than defines, speaks poetry rather than facts. It is a time when it is more productive to allow situations to mature; when it is wise to take care with practical arrangements, documents and communication matters, knowing that misunderstandings are more likely than usual. This time favours more inner and contemplative activity, and in fact the annoying minor events which sometimes scramble plans while Mercury is Retrograde may be a call from the inner world to stop and pay attention.
Trick or treat
Mercury turns Retrograde on October 29th, very near the Festivals of All Saints, All Souls, Halloween and Samhain. The scary fun and carnival pranks we have all enjoyed serve to conceal the deeper tradition that during this time of year the veil between the worlds is said to be very thin, when the spirits of the ancestors may speak, when the souls of the departed may be restive.
‘Trick or treat’ declared by a breathless youngster at our door may be seen as an enactment of the voices from Beyond, letting us know we must listen, and ‘treat‚’ them well, and honour them, or they may ‘play tricks’‚ which is what sometimes happens at times when we are out of synch with our deeper selves and things ‘go wrong’.
The combination of Samhain and this turning point in the cycle of Mercury makes this time especially auspicious for deep soul work, to heal our relationships with those who have died, to remember the dead, to honour the ancestors who symbolize our deeper origins in Spirit, to listen to the voice of the Other World, however we understand this.
The cycle
Each Retrograde loop lasts about 21 days, and roughly in the middle of this, there is a Conjunction with the Sun, with Mercury located between the Sun and the Earth.[1]This is a seeding time when new ideas are generated deep within, when connections and communications begin to gather substance. Six to ten weeks later, there will always be another conjunction, this time with Mercury on the far side of the Sun from us. At this time, the impulse may be seen to flower, mature and express itself in events, inner or outer, that can be seen to have begun at the Interior Conjunction.[2]
Mercury conjuncts the Sun
Intentions set during the Interior Conjunction take root deeply, so they are precious times for renewal. This year (2006) it occurs in Scorpio on November 8th, shortly after the Full Moon on November 5th, which will no doubt increase the intensity of the Guy Fawkes celebrations in the UK! The period of time sees no fewer than five planets lined up in Scorpio, three of which trine Uranus in Pisces. This large number of water planets lays an emphasis on matters of emotion, feeling, soul and sensitivity, and a commitment to the truth will be evident, perhaps precipitating in outpourings, internal heightening of feeling, or interpersonal clearings of various kinds. It is rich time of emotional renewal, depth and making contact with what may not have been accessible before. ‘Emotional resolution’ is favoured around the Interior Conjunction on November 8th, as a prelude to the Exterior Conjunction of Mercury and the Sun on January 7th, just after the 12 Holy Days of Christmas[3]. The results of intentions set in November may become apparent at this time, and will no doubt support the process of making our ‘New Year Resolutions’. ‘Resolution’ has a suitably Mercurial double meaning: the settling of an issue or conflict, and also a decision or intention.
A Light in the Darkness
This particular period of Mercury Retrograde, leading up to the Exterior Conjunction also takes in the Winter Solstice which this year occurs on December 22nd, at 00.22hr GMT. This was for the Celtic people the beginning of the year, in wise acknowledgement that all new life begins in the darkness of the womb or the earth. Our ‘resolutions’ considered in November can fruitfully prepare the way for this new beginning. The period from Samhain until the Winter Solstice was considered very sacred, being as it is the last phase of the old cycle when we benefit greatly from rest, reflection and preparation for the new energy incoming at the returning of the Light at the Winter Solstice.
This is not merely ancient folk-lore, but founded on the seasonally shifting relationship between the Sun, Moon and Earth. One can easily draw a parallel with the Christian story of the birth of baby Jesus at this time. In the darkness ‘they have seen a Great Light’. In the Jewish tradition, the Festival of Chanuka occurs near the New Moon nearest the Winter Solstice, which is truly the longest and darkest night of the year. It commemorates the apocryphal event that occurred after the destruction of a temple. Those sifting the wreckage found a lamp with apparently barely enough oil for it to be lit. However, in Faith the lamp was lit, and miraculously burned for many days. This is perhaps the origin of the saying ‘It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness’.
During these holy weeks, the small candles of hope, renewal, faith and courage that we might dare to light may burn long in the night, providing light for ourselves and also for others ……..
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Endnotes
[1]The exact conjunction occurs on November 8th, at 21.30 GMT, but for practical and contemplative purposes, the Conjunction phase may be thought of as lasting about 48 hours.
[2]The usual technical terms for these conjunctions are ‘Inferior’‚ and ‘Superior‚ but I prefer the terms ‘Interior‚’ and ‘Exterior’‚ which reflect the astronomical picture more accurately, and which have no value loading.
[3] The exact conjunction occurs on January 7th 2007, at 06.05 GMT.