Mercury in Aquarius: Wired

header image based on 'Day's End' by Frank Ammerlaan

(image by artist's permission/2012, materials listed: metal and colour passivated zinc)

Mercury entering Aquarius with the ‘weight’ of our Sun/Venus desire to be that thing which gives us what we want in this world suggests that the next few weeks are going to be filled with challenges even as there seems to be some sort of slightly strange serenity. Call it a steadying of pulse, our adapting to a lighter touch or regard…or maybe we’re just settling into the many facets of life which seem clear even if they aren’t entirely cohesive.

Or functionally optimal.

The good news here is that unbeknownst to us, providing we are making the effort to recognize the difference between what we like and what works, advances are being made.

Optimal, in other words, is the goal…and the process of working towards that optimal (and a few other things) is likely to be an ‘embracing’ concept which colors many a thought and plan between January 11th at 9:36 in the evening (UT/+0) as Mercury enters Aquarius and when it exits Aquarius for Pisces as of 2:30 in the afternoon (UT/+0) on January 31st…which just happens to be the day Venus goes direct.

All the above remaining true in a general sense, this Venus-in-Capricorn station/direct date is important as pertains to all things Capricorn and worldly (public image, societal standing, personal achievements, building a career…and all which goes into any one of these) plus all things Aquarian: income, social/societal acceptance, mass market, mass culture, universalism/unity vs. individualism/uniqueness.

This is – in short – a metaphysical recipe which speaks of non-optimal circumstances we are faced with so that we will take ourselves seriously and focus on what we can do as one thought against what might really be worth doing.

In that ‘what might be worth doing,’ there are two ways of thinking about the matter: the ‘what do I want out of this’ point of view, and the ‘what can I contribute to the whole which improves things so that life is better and easier for everyone?’ sort of perspective.

And that difference – a difference which amounts to a sort of ‘give versus take’ or ‘have versus create/empower’ is exactly the difference between Capricorn and Aquarius, two signs which are adjacent to each other on the zodiac wheel.

Of course there are some global irritations to face here – there always are when we’re talking about signs which sit side-by-side. Our Mercurial thought processes are now moving into ‘airy mode’ which favors discussions and ideas but our Venus hearts are undecided. Maybe even doubtful.

And though it’s always easiest to blame ‘them,’ this is also a time where we’re all doing a lot of deep questioning about who we are, what we’re capable of and ‘if we really want to do “that.”’

Perhaps the best – and simplest astrological suggestion here is to try not to pair the (Mercury) idea against the (Venus) result (i.e., what we will get if we do or are such-and-such).

Why would that be?

That would be because of the five ‘daily life’ personal planetary symbols (Sun-Moon-Venus-Mercury-Mars), Mercury’s arrival in Aquarius trines that prone-to-vacillating Mars in Libra.

Or maybe that’s not vacillating? Maybe that’s preparation you’re involved in? That’s fine too. After all, in the greater perspective preparation is vacillation – it’s our negotiating, our act of trying to ‘hold on’ to that moment for some reason or personal purpose.

But the greater point is this: since air signs tend to work well together...and because both Sun and Venus are in earthy, tangible-practical-pragmatic Capricorn, the ‘path of least resistance’ will seem attractive, meaning that a lot of us will wait (in turn putting other people on hold). There are ways to achieve  greater productivity providing we’re willing to bring an open mind to life’s negotiating table and those now willing to undertake intense or spirited (Mars) discussions...debates...communiques...in an effort to link all those theories and urges we're feeling to things and people who can at least give us input.

With that, however, comes a disclaimer: conversations and communications now may not solve or answer all questions and quandaries. Some will, of course. But even those which don't are likely to give us grist for the mental mill, and during the weeks ahead such grist will provide not only something to work with (call it 'nourishment') but keep us from pushing too hard or falling prey to undirected (unfocused) frustrations but usefully funneling off our psychological energies.

Plus there is the fact that in most of our lives many a Mercury/Mars situation will pop up, testing, utilizing, balancing actions, choices, alliances, promptings and commitments which are either directly about something which needs tending/attending to, or which has become corrupted or ‘detached’ (separated?) in some way.

Or yes, maybe both. Such things do happen.

Still…that only gets us so far. As Mercury makes its January 31st Pisces ingress it’s only days away from going retrograde (on February 6th). And since at that point Mercury will have only reached 3 Pisces, we know it’s going to retrograde back into Aquarius rather soon.

Which would be true, of course. After poking its planetary head into Pisces, Mercury does a turnabout and re-enters Aquarius on February 12th at 3:31 in the afternoon (UT/+0 time).

And yes, that is one day before St. Valentines Day…which in true and Mercury/Aquarius quirky fashions has always struck me as the very oddest of holidays. No – it’s not the intent which strikes me odd, it’s how modern society has managed to get from the life of St. Valentine (which evidently was pretty horrific) to chocolate and hearts.

Not that I object, of course. The Mercury in Aquarius touch to this year’s edition of the Valentine tradition favors friendship and either fun or simple and heartfelt statements. Connected to Valentines or otherwise, the conservative or modern, out-of-the-box thought may work now – and to the degree that anything (personal or professional) works or doesn’t work now, taking time to work through why strengths work and why weaknesses aren’t working is something to take into consideration.

Whatever you are doing, consistency of quality will count – especially during the latter half of January. Once Mercury retrogrades back into Aquarius starting February 13, that becomes a time for  consolidating gains and making new plans, some of which will depend on information which will be received as or after Mercury goes direct on February 28th.

Mercury's Southern Hemisphere as photographed by the Mariner spacecraft

(photo credit: NASA-JPL)

Mercury will exit Aquarius for Pisces on March 17. However…since no sooner will Mercury have gone direct on February 28 but Mars goes retrograde on March 1st with Saturn going retrograde on March 2nd, especially where you’re involved with efforts having do with networking, income, friends or  finding-maintaining-improving your place in ‘social society,’ this Mars/Saturn dual-station would seem obvious, if not y important.

Nothing which is done at this dual Mars-Saturn station is likely to come to fulfillment or potential fruition quickly. Given that, and given that Aquarius is a sign all about ‘the plan,’ ‘executing the plan so that it works’ and ‘successes to be earned,’ Mercury entering Aquarius now seems like a path which no matter where it wends exits precisely as we find ourselves on a ‘cosmic doorstep.’

Question:

A doorstep leading to what?

Answer:

Where life will take us between

March 1st and May - if not June 2014.

That clock starts now. We need to take ourselves seriously but not be so wrapped up in who we are that we are unapproachable. Humor may be our finest weapon providing we are equally willing to laugh at ourselves as anything else, using that very demonstration of mortal humanism as our calling card and magnet. That elitism, isolation, lack of flexibility and narrow-mindedness are all negatives under Aquarius reminds us through errant steps taken and rebuffed that even if we don’t want to change...be it our minds, our preferences, priorities, courses of action or anything else...how hearing others out, by the very act of accepting whatever differences between us exist enhances us far beyond that we can be consciously aware of.

 Created by René Descartes, the above is one of the earliest drawings of a magnetic field known, and what is personal magnetism if not the outward experience of our 'electric personalities'?

 (credit: Rene Descartes - 'Principia Philosophiae,' 1644)

We are, in other words, not merely who we think we are, but who we are witnessed being. Problems will arise where there is a disparity between the two, and even if you are able to avoid any consequence for that contradiction, in the wake of its having been observed it is likely to become more problematic ever.

Life now is about connecting. Human commerce and life’s interactions are our wires, and we are all electric.
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