New Year

AQU

Mercury in Aquarius ☿ Feb 13 - Mar 5

Jan 1 - 8 then, due to a retrograde period, Feb 13 - Mar 5, 2016

Click here to learn about Mercury. Click here to learn about Aquarius.

Mercury in Aquarius has the confidence to finally say whatever has been ripening slowly over time. However. HOWEVER! The water bearer is an unusually quarrelsome creature, despite being remarkably open-minded and socially tolerant. Ruled by Uranus, the freedom-at-all-costs rebel of the zodiac, Aquarius hates nothing more than feeling disrespected or unaccepted for exactly who he is and what he does. Mercury in Aquarius is childlike in enthusiasm and expression as well as in headstrong moments. He can be stubborn, almost forceful. On the other hand, Mercury in Aquarius is incredibly community-oriented and energetic. The water bearer is a social butterfly who loves long, meandering conversations about anything and everything.

Aquarius is easy to talk to but does not often give great advice as he is so unique and his vision so grand that his wisdom ends up being quite esoteric, although perfectly valid! Mercury in Aquarius is undeniably intellectual with lightning wit. It may be challenging to stay connected to both the heart and the mind; diehard rationalists leave little room for sentiment. We may come off as cold and uncaring, so keep a constant pulse on the emotional body of the collective.

When Mercury, ruler of the mind, teams up with Aquarius the non-conformist, it’s time to cultivate progressive ideas that push the boundaries of reality and social acceptability. Mercury in Aquarius could not care less about what other people are doing. He is serious about one thing: change, revolution. Expect to feel curious, excitable and ready for adventure.

Mercury in Aquarius has unquenchable thirst for knowledge and original ideas. As a spirited and spontaneous entity, he is notorious for hopping all over the place, conversationally speaking and otherwise. Mercury in Aquarius is scientific, analytical, radical and inventive, but not necessarily precise or patient. You may not be able to sit still or keep quiet for long here. Focus on wholeness: complete thoughts and sentences. Mercury in Aquarius energy is potentially volatile. Risk-taking is natural and deeply satisfying now.

Now we turn to our social circle and big plans for the future. Mercury in Aquarius also encourages us to thoroughly examine how we know what we know. Prepare to be reengaged with the source of your own organic brilliance and inner wisdom. It’s time to break out of mindsets that have calcified over time and no longer serve you. In particular, Mercury in Aquarius directs our attention toward aspects of life that may have become too emotionally charged. We can make change now while remaining comfortably detached, unconcerned with how or when things will happen. Visualize a gale force wind rearranging and readjusting. All of the projects and goals and ideas dancing in your psyche are just waiting to burst forth in an explosion of color and heat. Other possibilities for this transit: exploring fringe/alternative activities; developing your faith in humanity; connecting to anything and everything outside the Self – connecting to the Oneness which gives perfect meaning to each and every individual. Clear the cobwebs and get funky, you creative and ingenious people.

If you were born with Mercury in Aquarius, these next few months include your Mercury Return. To find your Mercury sign and whether he was direct or retrograde at the time of your birth, click here.

Mantra: I speak my mind

penny

Mercury in Capricorn ☿ Dec 9 - Jan 1

Dec 9, 2015 – Jan 1, 2016

Click here to learn about Mercury. Click here to learn about Capricorn.

In my recent post on Mercury’s transit in Sagittarius, I wrote about the centaur archer as a blunt and honest creature. Well hot DAMN he did not hold back this year folks! The name of the game these last couple weeks has most definitely been Truth. Bombs were dropped and some friendships ended, but we’re moving on with Mercury now entering Capricorn, first planet of the season to do so. The sea goat is one beast I’m still trying to better understand. Capricorn’s mantra is I use, so with Mercury here, we examine the applicability of our thoughts and words. Definitely less exciting than Sagittarius, but I’m not complaining about that.

One thing I have observed about Capricorn is his innate ability to carry on, carry on, carry on. The sea goat climbs with sure, steady feet up the mountainside. Ruled by Saturn, all-business-and-no-games boring uncle of the zodiac, Capricorn struggles to free himself, and what’s holding him down could be anything. This means that the tightness and constriction may all be in the head. In any case, there’s something rigid in the sea goat’s psyche. The sea goat finds infinite comfort in structure and discipline, and he both admires and emulates those in positions of authority.

The sea goat does not like to take risks, as these inevitably lead (if only in his mind) to a long and painful fall. Detecting a theme here? Many of the restrictions that we talk about with Capricorn originate from the goat himself. Don’t be so hard on yourself, Cappys. When I visualize this sign, I feel a strain in my body. The goat sets and maintains extremely high standards, both for the Self and others. One of the greatest challenges for Capricorn is to lighten up! Don’t be so critical of everything (read: the Self)! Although you may feel like you will “lose everything” in saying the wrong thing, this is an illusion. What you should say is not always what you need to say.

Mercury in Capricorn leaves no room for sentimental anecdotes, wishy-washy ideals or rambling tangents. This is a good time to get organized and refocus on projects/plans/goals that have been ditched in favor of wild Sagittarian adventures, although this may feel impossible considering the insane pace of this year. I promise that the rhythm of life will slow as we wade deeper into the Capricorn season. I like the sea goat because he is deliberate and cautious - maybe too cautious sometimes. He’s not racing ahead to the next most enticing thing. The sea goat prefers to study. I visualize Mercury in Capricorn as an enormous library with heavy wooden paneling, thick carpets and thousands of intricate volumes. Here we want not only to know, but to know how.

Capricorn has a reputation for being old-fashioned. This is not how I would describe Mercury in his natural habitat. As a result, you may feel stuck when it comes to communicating your heart. The sea goat is not prone to open emotional expression so just SAY IT. Capricorn reels us back to center with his overwhelming need for life to operate smoothly and efficiently. He’s the proverbial father figure instilling order to the chaos. Focus on contraction: ask yourself where and when life feels excessive or out of control. This should all be a welcome change, although you may feel like life is giving you constant reality checks. This is not a particularly social phase but you can expect others to be conventionally polite, even hesitant.

Mercury last transited Capricorn from Dec 16, 2014 – Jan 4, 2015. Any themes/conflicts that predominated then will now resurface.

If you were born with Mercury in Capricorn, these next few weeks are your Mercury Return. If you don’t know your personal Mercury sign, click here.

Mantra: I mean what I say