In the Heart of the Sun

In the Heart of the Sun

Mercury Retrograde, Explained:

Mercury’s orbit around the sun is approximately 88 days. It is the quickest moving planet, with the most variability in speed and direction. 3 times a year, Mercury turns retrograde- appearing to move backward through the zodiac from our vantage point on Earth. The apparent motion of this quick-moving planet can bring confusion, delays and misunderstandings. 

Mercury is the messenger of the planets- delivering information from the underworld to the heavens, and everywhere in between. Ruling all things related to communication, technology and transportation, Mercury’s retrograde cycle can make all of these areas of life go haywire.

Mercury’s Journey through Pisces:

Tomorrow marks the halfway point of Mercury’s retrograde cycle, as it enters the heart of the Sun at 6°55’ Pisces. Mercury is purified and reborn as it passes through the Sun, and for a moment, we have access to insight and clarity.

Mercury’s journey through Pisces has been, and may continue to be, an emotional one. Pisces is sensitive, empathic, and spiritual. Mercury in Pisces has a difficulty staying grounded in the present moment- it is often nostalgic for the past, or looking forward to the ideal. Deeply intuitive, Pisces picks up on the psychic vibes from its environment. If you have felt especially emotional or ungrounded the last couple of weeks, take note of who and what is around you- what you are feeling may not even belong to you.

While tomorrow is a turning point, we still have 2 weeks until Mercury stations to go direct at 28°12 Aquarius. 

Mercury Retrograde Checklist: 

-Stay patient and flexible: give yourself plenty of time to get to where you need to go, and assume everyone else will be running late.

-Check in with how you are feeling: and cleanse your energetic body as needed- epsom salt baths, burning sage, spending time near water…

-Revisit old projects, meditate, journal, engage in anything that reconnects you with your creative self.

-Practice non-attachment: you have little to no control over most things in life, and the less you try to control, the more likely you will get through this moment as unscathed as possible.

-Remember that everything is temporary. Everything.

Full Moon in Taurus

Taurus Full Moon

Yesterday Mercury entered the heart of the Sun, making its inferior conjunction at 18º Scorpio. This aspect is a pivotal turning point in the Mercury retrograde cycle, and any confusion that has surfaced over the last couple of weeks may begin to become more clear. Mercury will continue its retrograde cycle through November 20, when it stations direct at 27 Scorpio. When Mercury and the Sun conjoin, Mercury is at its most invisible, and from this point forward Mercury will begin to emerge from the bottom of the underworld. Stay present and aware of any information that may reveal itself- as it may be insight into what has been hidden or in the dark.

A Full Moon at 19º Taurus closely followed this conjunction, with this aspect going exact at 4:35am PDT today. The opposition of Sun and Moon highlights a dynamic and tension. The opposition of Taurus and Scorpio is an axis of life, death and rebirth. Taurus is spring- it is Earth, the body, and fertility. Scorpio is autumn- it is water, emotions, and death.

Exalted in Taurus, this Full Moon brings a steadiness, calm, and presence. Venus in Sagittarius is the ruler of this lunation, and together with Jupiter, the two benefics are blessing us with abundance, compassion, and magnetism.

Full Moons bring endings and ask us to let go.

Reflect upon the ways in which you disconnect from your physical body. Spend time in your body and disconnect from all of the distractions keeping you from being present.

What are you willing to let die? Death is not the end, it is part of the cycle- it is alchemy and transformation.

Breathe deeply. The cycle of breath is the cycle of life. We cannot only inhale, fill, and gather. We must also exhale, let go, and release.

xx

Virgo Season

Virgo Season

The lion has roared. Leo season brought us out of eclipse madness and Mercury retrograde. Last Saturday, Mars led the pack of inner planets to move into Leo’s following sign: Virgo. Venus entered on Wednesday, the 21st, and the Sun entered this morning. Mercury is trailing behind but picking up speed post-retrograde and will move past the Sun, Venus and Mars in the upcoming weeks.

The Sun is at its fullest expression in Leo season, and Virgo season is the transition from the heat of summer into the balance of autumn. On the zodiac wheel, Virgo comes 6th- completing the first half of the circle. The first 6 signs can be understood as more personal energies- Aries- the self, Taurus- boundaries and survival, Gemini- early cognitive development, Cancer- the first experience of emotional attachment, Leo- creative self-expression, and finally Virgo- the energy of our health and well-being.

Virgo teaches us about perception- to see form in the world and to appreciate design, fit and function. Connected to the Earth element, Virgo is practical, useful, and productive. The exacting and focused quality of Virgo brings with it the ability to be extraordinarily efficient, detail-oriented, and accomplished.

Traditionally in astrology, the planetary rulers began at the signs of Cancer and Leo- the Moon ruling Cancer, and the Sun ruling Leo. Beginning and the Sun and moving outward, Mercury’s rulership was assigned to Gemini and Virgo, Venus to Taurus and Libra, Mars to Aries and Scorpio, Jupiter to Sagittarius and Pisces, and finally, Saturn to Capricorn and Aquarius.

The energy of Mercury is fast-paced- it picks up information quickly, communicates, connects and moves in many directions at once. Mercury’s rulership over Gemini is one of curiosity, learning, socializing, and connecting to others. Virgo however, is the applied energy of Mercury into physical form. Virgo is highly analytical, thorough, and useful.

The symbol of the virgin associated with Virgo is a symbol of purity- an innocence of the mind that has yet to be subjected to the full range of human experience, including pain and suffering. Virgo’s duality begins with this concept of innocence. In its detriment, Virgo holds so tightly to the idea of purity and perfection that it begins to isolate. Virgo becomes fixated on details, holds itself and everyone else to unattainable standards. The view of the big picture is lost, and any connection to spirit is severed.

By accepting imperfection and limitation, Virgo stays connected to spirit, and subjects itself to the full range of human emotions. When Virgo allows itself to grieve, to suffer, and to feel pain, it has access to the deepest secrets of spirituality. In its exalted state, Virgo is grounded, yet present and connected to the divine. The birth of spring, the life of summer, the descent into autumn, and the death of winter remind us that life is cyclical- and Virgo embodies this spiritual truth: nothing is permanent. Innocence cannot be protected and safeguarded forever.

Virgo and its opposite sign, Pisces, are both deeply spiritual and creative. Virgo brings spirit into form, and Pisces dissolves form. Virgo differentiates, and Pisces merges. One cannot exist without the other.

To embody the essence of Virgo is to embody the essence of presence: grounded, yet connected to spirit. Virgo is attuned to the moment, and reminds us that we must find a balance between work and rest. It is through presence, sacredness and devotional love that we can fully access the creativity we all have within.

The New Moon in Virgo is just one week away. Stay tuned.

xx

New Moon in Leo

Heart of Gold: New Moon in Leo

Something new is taking form. We move into darkness this evening as the Sun and Moon join together at the 8th degree of Leo. Leo is the sign of the sun, the sign of the heart, and the sign of gold. At the New Moon we begin again, and in the sign of Leo, we initiate a new cycle- one of living from a courageous, heart-centered space- unafraid to express our creativity.

Leo shines in the spotlight. Its energy is magnetic and abundant. At its true essence, Leo reminds us to take ownership of our uniqueness, and that there is enough light for everyone. Leo emanates from the heart, from the center- just as the sun radiates light from the center of our solar system.

At this New Moon, Mercury is beginning to station and move forward in the zodiac again. Mercury has been in its retrograde cycle since July 7, turning our mind inward and reviewing the previous couple of weeks. The stopping point of Mercury is at the 23rd degree of Cancer. The lunar eclipse that took place on July 16 was at the 24th degree: Sun in Cancer, Moon in Capricorn. As Mercury moves through the final degrees of Cancer and back into Leo, listen for any messages you may have missed or overlooked at the time of the full moon. Mercury retrograde can be a time of insight, as information surfaces that may not have been as obvious prior.

This New Moon is a time to set an intention of creation. What does your soul long to express? What if you could express this desire without fear or doubt or judgment?

Trust your heart- then surrender your attachment to the outcome.

Over the next couple of weeks the planets moving through Leo will be in conversation with others planets- bringing us expansion and abundance, as well as challenging us to go with the flow and embrace change.

Your heart is gold. Let it shine brightly.

xx