Mercury enters Scorpio, Pluto's Direct turn in Capricorn; A time of transition and change

If you feel like you are experiencing the final stages of a birth or the phase of some part of life experience, it is no wonder. Today, Mercury is at 29/56 degrees of Libra, in the anaretic degree. The final degree, the anaretic degree, of a sign, signals the end, completion, or finale of some aspect of life.  When a planet,the Sun, or the Moon transit through the last degree of a sign (29th degree), it is called the anaretic or karmic degree. 

With Mercury in the anaretic degree, we are focusing on expressing ourselves more clearly. We may seek to expand our intellect more fully, or learn how to view issues, problems, challenges, and opportunities in new and more intriguing ways. Notice how you may  be more contemplative, or are in need of exploring your mental dexterity…testing yourself, expanding your mental skills, and stretching your mind to include intuitive, imaginative, and more esoteric ideas. Concern now is on our own mental health and/or that of others within our families/communities. Seek to come closer to knowing what needs to be dealt with and healed so that you have a clearer idea of how you are viewing the world. 

What you want to pay attention to are the arms, hands, shoulders, lungs, and heart―all the heart chakra energy and health.  Our heart chakra represents that which we both love and bear. Our passions inform who we are, and our deepest desires are calling to us during this time, wanting us to be doing what work feeds our souls and what relationships nurture, fulfill, and mutually satisfy us. When we are out of balance, doing things we dislike or giving our time, energy, and resources to relationships that are unhealthy or dysfunctional, we harm our own health and well being. Anything that is out of balance at this time, will make itself known through some form of manifestation-physical,mental, emotional, spiritual, or within the movement or lack thereof of energy in different areas of your life.

Between now and October 4, we are in the Mercury Shadow period―the period just before Mercury goes retrograde. Rather than freaking out about retrograde, view this as a period to slow yourself down and notice what really matters. Mercury’s last few days in Libra remind us of what we’ve been working on during its transit through Libra. During the shadow period, Mercury will move into the 2nd degree of Scorpio, and then during the retrograde phase, will take us back over what Mercury has been bringing up over half it’s transit through Libra. Mercury will retrograde to 16 degrees of Libra, and this will be a time when we have the opportunity to 1. Get a glimpse of how Mercury in Scorpio will dive into our subconsciousness, and 2. Remind us of what we have been dealing with over the last month or more, in terms of relationships and our own sense of self worth and value. 

We are getting reminders from our past, of what has helped shape our ideas about love, relationship, marriage, partnership, and what has shaped our own sense of self worth and identity. If we have only understood ourselves in relationship to others, we have perhaps not developed as fully as we need to. If we have avoided being in relationship, we have missed the growth, intimacy, and ability to give and receive love that helps us grow and express ourselves fully. We may have thrown ourselves into work at the expense of love and relationship, and may find ourselves reexamining what kinds of choices we have made and what we need to do now to change direction or correct some past misconceptions we have had about intimacy and freedom, partnership and commitment, love and obsession/safety, or other issues that pertain to how we experience our energy in partnerships and how we continue to grow independently. Time to look for what is blocking intimacy in relationships, or how to heal, release, rekindle, make amends, or change direction and focus in relationships. 

After October 4th, we can begin to address issues we may have been avoiding. Issues of life and death, birth, reproductive health, and whatever may be left over from old experiences, losses, grief, or trauma, will now arise to be faced and discussed. When Mercury in  Scorpio awakens us to subconscious energy that fill us and keep us from growing, producing, or feeling whole, we will then set out to identify what in particular needs to be addressed, that we have not been wanting to face. This may also include issues tied up to financial affairs, insurance and trusts, or paperwork related to real estate, agreements, contracts, partnerships, or anything else that might threaten to become an unnecessary loose  end. Relationships with brothers and sisters may also be involved at this time.  

From the 4th of October on, we will also want to clear up any areas of our lives where we have been involved in a manipulative or controlling situation. We want to work out relationships of all kinds so that we have an equitable arrangement in all areas of our lives. It’s time to reclaim our power and establish more equitable ways of dealing with one another. We also want to make certain we have been clear and straight-forward with one another, during the retrograde time. For when Mercury returns to Scorpio later in October, communication will go deep into the depths of Scorpio. Clarity, openness, conciseness, and mutual understanding is necessary now. 

Today, Saturday, September 27, Mercury enters Scorpio where it will stay until October 10. After that, Mercury reenters Libra in its retrograde transit, where it stays throughout the rest of October. During the period of time when Mercury dips into Scorpio, we feel the inner pull of more in-depth soul searching and some intense inner awakenings and stirrings. Watch dreams, intuition, visions, and memories that arise during this period. Notice what you are reminded of, focused on, or touched by, and what, from the past, is coming around to be settled, adjusted, or released. Mercury’s passage through Libra focused our attention on harmony, equity, fairness, and balance in all areas of relationship and partnerships. Mercury in Scorpio shakes us up, and reminds us that all things are not equal, not all promises are kept, and rarely is what we see, what we get. Scorpio touches our heartstrings and asks us to seek the truth in what has been hidden or kept secret. We examine our thinking, beliefs, values, and conceptions of love and harmony more closely, reminding ourselves that what we expect is not necessarily in line with the reality as seen by others. Examine motivations and intentions, your own and those of others. 

Remember that our feelings, emotional responses, thoughts, intuition, and sensations all remind us to pay closer attention to what is hidden from our view, or disguised by another’s words or our own illusions and misunderstandings.  Our perceptions and inner search is carried out on a profound and intense level right now. Pay close attention, and heed the answers to questions you have been asking recently.While Scorpio is profound and deep territory, it is also a sign that calls us to sharpen our intellect and be thoughtful and clear with our reasoning. Living an authentic life requires scrupulous honestly with ourselves. When we have a faith life that allows us to receive guidance and direction, it is wise to honor that and seek counsel so we are not veering too far off the track. During the next two weeks while Mercury transits through Scorpio before its retrograde return to Libra, we will have a taste of the nearly obssessive experience this transit will take on. 

Pluto in Capricorn, Stations Direct. A number of people, including myself, have been feeling queasy and mentally fatigued this week. With Pluto’s station, and then slow turn direct as it emerges from its orbit behind the Sun, we feel ourselves awaken to whatever is out of balance in our lives, and to whatever needs to renew through the process of transformation. We are at a point where we have been given the gifts of insight, intuition, knowledge, and vision, and can no longer sit back and ignore whatever needs changing, releasing, or mending. Pluto represents the underworld, the hidden, the shadow elements of ourselves and the world around us. We are forced to confront that which is out-of-balance and hidden with Pluto as well as we are with Mercury’s transit into Scorpio and the its retrograde phase back into Libra. We can clean up our ideas and experiences of how we do relationships and how we maintain a sense of who we are as individuals. 

Pluto brings Truth to the surface, as does Mercury in Scorpion. We may find that there is more honest communication going on right now, and that we are in touch with our own truth more as well. When we can live with our own shadows and not pretend we are something we are not, we can be more authentic in all areas of our lives. Pluto and Mercury are both in the position to bring us the Truth we seek so we can improve our lives, our world, and our relationships with one another. What you may habe been coming to realize, is now thrown into the light of Truth, and can no longer be hidden. Once we know the truth about soemthing, we can no longer pretend we do not understand or feel a certain way. We then must either live with a lie or make changes that reflect a healthier and more honest approach to living.  

Pluto is a catalyst to great and profound changes, particularly in the area of life where it is transiting…but also in all areas of our lives, for to live a congruent life, we have to be making an attempt to be congizant of all aspects of who we are. Pluto helps us identify and face our problems―often by dropping in right in your lap or forcing you to see it.  The next step is yours-action. Do I act on what is true for me, or do I live a lie and pretend? 

As Mercury completes its journey in Libra, the issues over relationship satisfaction and one’s independence and sense of personal fulfillment and well being, is at the top of the list when it comes to wanting things to be in balance and healthy. The choice is ours-independently and collectively. We each have to decide we are worthy of the good the Universe offers: 

“The Universe is abundant with everything that you want. It's not testing you. It's benevolently providing for you. But you are the orchestrater. You are the definer, and you do it through your joyous anticipation. If there is an emotion that you are wanting to foster, that would serve you very, very well, it is positive expectation. It is excited anticipation.”  ―Abraham

Where the planets, the Sun, and the Moon are as I write.  This week I will be writing more than one column as there is so much going on. Today, these two major shifts may help some understand the kind of energy that is active in our lives right now. 

Sun 4 Libra 39'10"

Moon 15 Scorpio 46'39"

Mercury 29 Libra 56'27"

Venus 27 Virgo 29' 0"

Mars 9 Sagittarius 29'14"

Jupiter 15 Leo 22'25"

Saturn 20 Scorpio 12'35"

Uranus 14 Aries 55' 0"r

Neptune 5 Pisces 25'30"r

Pluto 11 Capricorn 0' 7"

TrueNode 19 Libra 14'43"

Chiron 14 Pisces 29'28"r