Flavor of Mercury retrograde December 29 – January 18th

Posted on December 22, 2022 by juliesimmons


Having Mercury stationing retrograde as we step into the New Year is a reminder that life is full of paradox and ambiguity: the very stuff of human life. Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Last year we started off with Venus retrograde in Capricorn. This year it is Mercury in Capricorn.


A Mercury retrograde New Year is less about our expectations and more about the need to take inventory (which may already be underway since Mercury entered the shadow around mid-December). Capricorn suggests an inventory of nuts and bolts, the foundations or supporting structures of your life. As Mercury journeys it will make mostly favorable aspects: A sextile to Neptune around the station and a trine to Uranus at the Full Moon. Nobody likes hard times, this is true, but most of us look back on our difficulties – the ones we made it through – and recognize a sense of being fully alive when the stakes are high, when we are focused and determined toward an outcome. Perhaps our inventory should take those times into account and remind us of how well we have done, and how it feels when we focus our intention as if it really matters. Our storehouses aren’t just full of stuff but also of abilities and strengths and most valuable, the wisdom that comes from experience.

These next few weeks might ask us to consider how we might offer ourselves, our gifts, our resources to the collective for the Good of All. Capricorn is a cardinal, universal, earth sign. Put these qualities together and you have a dynamic ability to steward resources for the benefit of the group, not just your group but the entire planet. What if humans are the Universe becoming conscious? If you knew this to be the truth (and you can’t say it isn’t) how would you then focus your attention, your intention?

Warm regards, 

Julie 

www.juliesimmons.ca 

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Flavor of Mercury retrograde September 9 – October 2nd

Posted on August 12, 2022 by juliesimmons

The main thing about this Mercury retrograde is that when it goes direct it will square the station of Mars at the end of October. It will also oppose Neptune which is a big part of that event. Neither of these is exact, just close enough to activate the energies. For a list of exact events see below or check the Insights at my website.


This Mercury retrograde begins in Libra and goes back to Virgo, continuing the theme of air into Earth. The next Mercury retrograde at the end of December will begin a cycle (of three) Mercury retrograde periods in earth signs only. Air is about thinking. Earth is about real things. This year’s cycle of Mercury retrograde periods has shown us, in case we didn’t get it, that it’s not enough to have a plan or a good idea. It has to be workable and sustainable in the real world, whatever that real world is to you. You could define this real world as the one where you eat and deal with your health or lack of health, the roof over your head and your livelihood, the one that allows you to use the money in your bank account to manifest your life. Perhaps this Mercury retrograde is asking us to consider the ideas and perspectives of others (Libra) from a critical and analytical perspective (Virgo) before we decide to take them on. Measure twice, cut once as the saying goes.


Dates:
Opposite Jupiter: September 18
Conjunct Sun: September 23
Trine Pluto: September 27

Blessings

Julie Simmons

http://www.JulieSimmons.ca

Be supported for this Mercury Retrograde and join the alignment experience

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Flavor of Mercury retrograde May 10 – June 3 2022

Posted on April 18, 2022 by juliesimmons

Flavor of Mercury retrograde May 10 – June 3 2022

This Mercury retrograde begins in the early degrees of Gemini and takes us at the station direct to Taurus. The actual degree of the station direct on June 3 is considered to be a wild part of the sky, representing, in its negative manifestation, a kind of blind rage arising from injustice (of which there is plenty on this planet). However, this station makes a favorable aspect to Pluto (some say, with friends like that, who needs enemies…). But a trine (positive) is a trine and the possibility is empowerment. Empowering rage is something none of us wants more of. To empower something more useful, at least at an individual level we might consider why this part of the zodiac is linked to such destructive power.

To my mind it is justifiable to be enraged at the way humans have violated nature and particularly beauty. Even so rage, when you think about it, is a massive anxiety attack and not generally productive. Anger, however, can transform us, bring clarity and aim us at solutions. When we are enraged we are all over the place and want to destroy something (even ourselves). When we are angry we tend to step back and take a breath. Our nostrils flare. This allows us to figure out actions that might change the way things are to the way they should or could be. Pluto is just as happy with transformation as destruction. You could say that Pluto takes the long view and doesn’t make a distinction between them.

All roads lead to change. I suggest we use this Mercury retrograde period to listen to new ideas while it’s in Gemini (until May 22nd), paying particular attention to the conjunction with the Sun on May 21st. From that point, once it goes back into Taurus and changes direction, we work at using our anger or indignation in aid of creating a more beautiful world, wherever we are, whatever that means to you.

On the same day that Mercury stations retrograde Jupiter will enter Aries for the first time in about 12 years. Aries is a sign of individuality as well as aggression. Its finest manifestation is when it aims at birth or breakthrough. Its worst manifestation is war. If we can make it through Jupiter in Aries (till October 28th on this round) without escalating war and warlike situations we might just bring about a new way to deal with deeply threatening planetary conditions. It’s a big ask for our species (humans) to lay down our reactivity and consider the consequences for children and all living things. But there it is! Ours to explore.

Warm regards,

Julie

http://www.juliesimmons.ca

PS – join us for the repatterning alignment on May 10th – and make the most of this mercury retrograde! https://lighttravels.com/event-4605719

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Flavor of Mercury retrograde May 29th – June 22, 2021

Posted on May 8, 2021 by juliesimmons
Photo by Emiliano Arano on Pexels.com

“Mercury’s second retrograde of 2021 in air signs reminds us that we are not done with issues of misinformation and distraction. We are all well advised during this time to pause and listen to the noise in our own minds before jumping into the fray.  The most intense period is around the station starting on May 22, when Mercury squares Neptune for the first time, which is close to the actual station on the 29th when Mercury is also conjunct Venus, which will square Neptune as well, adding to the theme of confusion. (I realize this is a rather long sentence but that is the nature of all these things happening so close to each other: A run-on astrological sentence, you might say.) The Sun will conjunct Mercury (the middle of the retrograde period) on June 10 and square Neptune on the 13th. By the time Mercury goes direct on the 22nd the Sun and Venus will be gone from Gemini but it will square Neptune one more time on the 6th of July. Put all this together and it seems that between May 22 and July 6th we will feel this influence warning us to remain still in the fast moving rapids of information, gossip, news and all manner of distraction (you know which ones are your favorites).

Think of it as an extended sit in a meditation retreat. The desire to scratch an itch is but a little thing, yet it disturbs the flow of breath and being that stillness offers. Maybe it’s like being at the ocean at the moment when a big wave is about to break and you can’t get away from it. The best strategy is to dive deep and let it break over you where you can’t feel it even as you know you will come up for air once it is finished.

Warm regards, “

Julie
http://www.juliesimmons.ca

PS – join the alignment repatterning session with Carolyn Winter and I May 29th, to make the very best of Mercury retrograde energy. Click here for information and to register.

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Flavor of Mercury retrograde Sep 27 – Oct 23, 2021

Posted on September 10, 2021 by juliesimmons

Mercury will be retrograde in the airy sign of Libra. Mercury retrograde periods always invite reflection, consideration, observation and active listening. This is especially true for Libra which is the sign of contracted relationships and legalities of all sorts. If you want to avoid the pitfalls of this retrograde period, pay attention to these things.

This retrograde specifically points toward the depths of loss and change that Planet Earth is experiencing which shows up in the square with Pluto. As well we see amazing possibilities going forward if we can figure out how to listen to one another which we see in the grand trine to Jupiter and the Moon.

One of the great accomplishments of civilization is to live more or less peacefully among strangers. We follow the rules. We wait in line. We do our best (which clearly isn’t perfect) to foster a civil society. Many things which we have taken for granted for quite some time seem threatened. Shadows hang over some of our most basic social structures: health care and education for example. Mercury retrograde is a good time to observe and learn about the world as well as yourself in this world. What story line arises in your mind when you come out of denial and distraction and notice the shadows?

Julie Simmons

Check out our Aligned for Mercury Retrograde program

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