Mercury Station Effects Begin

 Washford Station in West Somerset, UK

photo credit: Nils Oberg

With Mercury going direct on December 30th at 7:22am UT/+0, that means Mercury's 'station effects' begin early on the 28th and extend through January 1st.

Considering time zones, Mercury's station effects would actually begin for many on the 27th. And certainly with  giant travel snafus going on in Europe, the United States and elsewhere, this would seem to be the sounding of the Mercury train coming to a gradual stop.

In basic terms, this means that anything having to do with a thought, an idea…or how you express that idea or get it – or yourself - from one place to another…all that is now up for Mercurial grabs.

Stations are points of emphasis. Effects….linger. I could bore you with the science here, but let’s say it’s been proven by real live science types that the conditions known astrologically for thousands of years – yes, the actually do vary from the norm.

The way it comes out most evocatively is that a planetary station…being that point where the planet (as seen from Earth) appears to ‘change direction’…it represents a turning point. So, given that Mercury symbolizes all things thought, said or ‘communicated’ (verbally, via feet, mail, phone or otherwise)….such Mercurial issues now tend to take ‘a turn.

For you, this may manifest as a change of mind. Or someone else changing their mind, affecting what you do - or how you think about something. Anything. It might involve them...then again, it might just be something which their comment seems to connect to in your life.

Plans often get changed during Mercury stations. It's a premier moment of disruption, distraction, and interruption. But it's not all bad. Sometimes what goes on at a Mercury station which starts out seeming like a glitch can end up guiding you to something which is fortuitous and far more profitable than that you had originally planned on.

It's sort of like the 'turn of events' or the 'twist' in the story which comes out of "nowhere" but which leads somewhere totally interesting.

Mind you, many of us will sail our way through these days with nary a wrinkle to our perfectly starched schedule. Then again, some of us will bungle and botch everything - or deal with what has been bungled or botched.

Yet even those who are pretty much unaffected using sense a shift in dynamics all around them. Well, give or take those people who live so totally in their own world that they wouldn’t notice a bomb blast going off next door. (Don’t we all know one or two of those?)

With Mercury making this turn while in Sagittarius, people may be busy. Discussions could turn into  debates. Mercury in Sagittarius is often a very fervent combination, so don’t expect everyone to be placid. They could be frustrated, they could be full of conviction – or they could just be full of laughter and devil-may-care joie de vivre.

Events and things of note now are to be taken seriously. Like said, stations mark things which actually matter. It may be as simple as a remark having a real effect on you, sparking a realization or idea. Then again, that thing or person you’ve been waiting for, that phone may ring.

That envelope may arrive. That communication may actually happen. Or not happen - either way being for an unexpected reason.

With this station taking place at 19 Sagittarius, we know emotions are primed. We know there's a lot of emotionalism going around too - especially after the recent Lunar Eclipse at 29 Gemini, Gemini being the sign of thought, communication and 'how we choose to go about things' with the 29 part seeming to be a focus on whether we consider the matter of choosing as a choice.

Or how we go/have gone about choosing.

There is an undeniable sense of challenge (to put it mildly) which comes with 19 Sagittarius. So you may be challenged, or you may just be feeling challenged (which otherwise may be known as feeling defensive!) There's an urge to do it 'the unconventional way' which may or may not work. The Sabian Symbol for this degree speaks to a use of 'natural resources' with an eye to 'foresight' which certainly discourages doing things in haste. And  with Mercury in Sagittarius, that's always an issue - no question!

One big divider here is whether you think you are right...or right for you or right for the moment against all of time. 'Fixations' may not play well. 'Consideration' of all at hand...? That's like as not the better route - though be prepared to want to do what you want to do (and much frustration if you can't or decide you can't do that!)

There is no ‘good or bad’ defined here, merely the sense of heightened awareness and when something happens, the knowledge that this isn’t just a casual moment – even if the moment happens casually.

More on this when Mercury actually goes direct. But for now – all aboard! We’re Mercury station bound!