Mercury goes retrograde in Aries on March 30th. The swift planet will walk backward until April 22nd, treating us to the usual slew of miscommunications, dropped calls, broken phones and scheduling changes. However, this particular Mercury retrograde presides over a rare pile up of planets in Aries, with a minimum 5 planets present in the excitable sign from April 1st to May 10th. With a disproportionate amount of energy in fiery Aries, there is a strong pull towards headfirst plunges, reckless charges, needless conflicts and inflated egos.  Many will make thoughtless, short term decisions that have long term consequences.   Nonetheless, unprecedented self-empowerment and independence is also in the air.

Calcinating the Tower

This conflagration is fed by Mercury retrograde’s strange wind. The fire eats the fallen Towers, licking old bricks, separating the spirit from static concretions.  The raw energy being generated is immensely creative,  but the process of breaking down the gross into the subtle must first be completed. Mercury retrograde’s shifting winds fan this fire, blowing the coals hot. Our minds ride this scorching wind, casting our perceptions into the chaotic patterns of swirling flame.

Reading Fire

Here we are led to practice the ancient art of pyromancy- reading the future in the work of flames. We see the futures we’ll be capable of creating once the energy has been liberated. Not only that, but visions of the people we could become within those futures. Potential dances before us here, easily confused with the present. But the amount of energy we’ll have to create these futures is dependent on how much is liberated from the persistent Towers we defend. Let the flames feed on these worn out patterns. Let Mercury’s retrograde guide you through the possibilities being unleashed, but don’t seize upon any future until all have had their chance to parade before you. Trying to hurry this process is as useless as trying to delay it.

The Phoenix Blueprint

At the end of the Mercury’s long haul, April 22nd, the messenger will station direct opposite Saturn in Libra.  As we draw closer to this about-face, the winds will begin to blow our minds away from visions and toward concrete plans.  Here we’ll see the consequences of rash actions manifest, and the re-crystalization of  liberated energies beginning to emerge in the world of form.

A Mundane Note

While individuals exhibit the capacity for thoughtful and even enlightened decision-making, the same is rarely true of nations.  This April’s configurations spotlight instabilities worldwide, but particularly in Asia and the Middle East.  Expect some saber-rattling and a riot or two.  China’s chart is especially challenged by the bulk of planets in Aries, with internal tensions threatening to boil over.

HOROSCOPES

Horoscopes are not a real chart reading by an experienced astrologer. However, they are fun and can be reasonably accurate. Read your from Ascendant and Moon signs if you know them. If you don’t, find out. I’m a long time fan of the free chart generation software at astro.com. Oh, and if you’re still concerned that your sign has changed, get a little clarity here

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Aries: The Ram

Mercury’s retrograde sees you rethinking yourself  as big new energies work their way through your psyche. You’ll find yourself revising your self concept in order to accommodate the growth unlocked by Jupiter in Aries and the cracks opened by Uranus’ recent ingress into Aries. But its not all about realizing how much more awesome you are than you thought. With Mercury’s direct station coming opposite Saturn, there’s another test entailed here. You’ve got to accept the limitations imposed on who you by your relationship to others.  Living in a world with other people means not doing everything you feel like doing.

Taurus: The Bull

Mercury’s retrograde sees you discovering personal power you didn’t believe you had. Kept on the outside of the structure of your ego, this Mercury retrograde sees hidden power walking crooked pathways into your waking life. While becoming aware of power you didn’t know you had sounds like a good thing, it’s an awkward process, as much of this power will emerge in an immature and half conscious manner. Be very careful about the impact of your actions on other people during this period.

Gemini: The Twins

Mercury’s retrograde through Aries sees you reconsidering where you stand in the social world. Your web of connections is charged, and likely the site of much action over the next couple weeks. You can expect a series of miscommunications and missed connections. Also consider the tone of your communications, as it will be very easy to generate conflicts with others during this time.

Cancer: The Crab

Mercury’s retrograde through Aries will see you revising your professional position. Take the time to rethink your approach to your career in the context of recent growth and even more recent revelations. Due to Uranus’  ingress into Aries, there is a tendency to become distracted by new ideas and novel professional directions. Note them, but you’ll regret spending too much time chasing future selves in a time that demands so much attention to the present. You are also likely going to need to spend a fair amount of time working the kinks out of your living situation.

Leo: The Lion

Mercury’s retrograde through Aries sees you reconsidering your long term goals in light of recent revelations. Novel thoughts and shattering insights into where you COULD go are likely to distract you as you engage in the planning process. By all means note the futures dancing before you, but also note the steps between here and there. Mercury’s eventual opposition to Saturn in Libra promises that it will be the short term plans that will either enable or prevent you from being capable of reaching for the far flung futures that have begun to bloom in your mind.

Virgo: The Virgin

Mercury’s retrograde through Aries sees you thinking about teaming up with other people, or retreating from similar engagements. As you consider who to team up with and who to disconnect from, it is important that you consider the limitations of your own resources. Do not let all of your attention be occupied by others, as refilling your own resources is the secret key to excelling during this period.

Libra: The Scales

Mercury’s retrograde through Aries this April marks an important series of conversations with people in your life. Your relationships are undergoing a strong mutation period. This volatile span of time represents a “changing of the guard” as far as who occupies what role in your personal life. Because of the incendiary nature of the next month, it is doubly important that you not fall prey to the typical Mercury retrograde tendency toward unclear communications. The challenge is to be honest without being abrasive. By the end of Mercury’s retrograde, it will become clear how all of this plays into Saturn’s process of breaking down and rebuilding your life structure along more coherent, balanced lines.

Scorpio: The Scorpion

Mercury’s retrograde through Aries places a focus on your habits. You’ll be pushed to reconsider your routines, being pushed to take both good and bad habits to an extreme over the next month. Although taking good habits to an extreme may sound like a good thing, it isn’t.  It simply insures that you won’t be able to maintain them. The secret key to this period is to find a balance of virtue and vice that you can live with.

Sagittarius: The Archer

Mercury’s retrograde through Aries sees you reconsidering what to do with the energy at your disposal. Recent growth and even more recent revelations see you with a lot of energy and even more choices in hand. The question is which of these things can contribute meaningfully to your ideal life. This period contains within it a strong tendency to waste the liberated energy you have.  At the same time, you have to be very careful not to commit to anything too swiftly. Spend a little time in the between space, considering what could be before committing to a single course of action.

Capricorn: The Goat

Mercury’s retrograde through Aries sees you considering your literal living situation and assessing the state of your emotional foundations. Your choices about where to live and how are in direct relationship to the demands of your professional direction. The question lying beneath this is an ongoing, if confusing, process of personal empowerment. Let your living space reflect the radical personal empowerment you need.

Aquarius: The Water Bearer

Mercury’s retrograde through Aries sees you overwhelmed with little chores and short term goals. While there is a tendency to get caught up in the immediate chaos, it is important that you don’t take your eye off the prize of your long term goals.  As you wade through the maze of what-needs-to-be-done, remember the direction you’re heading, even if you can’t quite see the finish line from there.

Pisces: The Fishes

Mercury’s retrograde through Aries sees you reconsidering the resources at your disposal.  There’s plenty of opportunity as well as a number of revelations about how to fill your personal coffers right now, but you’ve also got to fulfill your obligations to others.  Find the balance between a focus on your personal resources and commitments to team projects.

2011 Astrological Almanac

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