Author: EmpwrdDstny

Banfháidh. Seer of stars; with a particular interest in the greater interplay between the celestial spheres and socio-political-economic issues of our time.

Venus In Scorpio Aesthetics

~ EmpwrdDstny ~ 1 Comment

Now that Venus has plunged into potent Scorpio for the foreseeable future (until October 7), let’s talk about the power of aesthetics; a very Venus-oriented topic!  People are quick to dismiss appearance as a topic for the shallow, but actual magick can happen when we direct our will & intention toward the look of something – just look at the ancient Chinese practice of Feng Shui; a design philosophy that centers on carefully and thoughtfully selecting colors, materials, and object placement to facilitate and enhance harmonious energy flow in a space. When Venus enters Scorpio’s depths, we do well to consider how looks *are not* just “skin-deep” – aesthetics truly = energy medicine for the eyes.  Its hidden power is alchemy; it can turn the leaden feelings we might have about our appearance/living space/etc. into a golden wellspring of confidence, empowerment, and serene state of balance. When you create visual harmony, you are directing your will and intention to manifest something cohesive and unified; something that projects a certain air.  For example, this might be within the context of an outfit – wanting to project an energy of confidence & professionalism for an interview or presentation, or perhaps we’re going out on a date and looking to project a sexier vibe.  Maybe instead we’re cleaning and organizing our home office to create greater efficiency & productivity, or painting the bedroom and getting a fresh set of linens to promote a more relaxing, restorative environment so we can get a better night’s sleep.  Also, color therapy is *a thing*.

How our clothing, home, appearance, etc. looks can have a powerful effect on both mind and mood; this can be tremendously healing.  Think of how you may have felt when you have gotten a new haircut you’ve absolutely adored, clothing that made you feel like a million bucks, or finished redecorating a room in such a way that you love spending more time in it.  Now, contrast this with the cringe and vibrational static you may have experienced when you might have let the car go a bit too long between cleanings, threw on a wrinkled outfit with an inside-out sweater because you overslept and got dressed in a hurry, or about to eat your umpteenth meal off the same chipped & mis-matched dish set you have had since college. None of that is a judgement, BTW, nor is it meant to be construed as an argument for a consumerist culture.  What it is, though, is a comparison meant to illustrate the difference in vibrational state we feel when we don’t like the look of something and consider how that can have a subtly eroding effect upon mind & mood; maybe even health if you believe in the power of the mind-body connection.  Hate is a strong word, but if we’re….let’s just say, less than intensely passionate about the look of something, maybe the passage of Venus through Scorpio can present a moment to consider how an aesthetic overhaul may be transformational.   We don’t need big bucks to clean, purge, and organize, slap on an invigorating new coat of paint, take a more considered approach to an outfit, or to pick up a few key items for a room on clearance – beauty (and the energetic reset it brings) can happen on even the most spartan of budgets.  Remember that transformation is often first and foremost registered via visual medium; the girl who has become a woman, the caterpillar that emerged from its chrysalis a butterfly, or the lump of coal that over time and intense pressure changes state to become a sparkling diamond – something deeper may take place when you align with your own desired “state-change” on the aesthetic plane; it may catalyze one on the etheric.

09/13/2021

Mars in Virgo

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Behold my favorite Mars in Virgo tool: The X-Acto KnifeFor those precision cuts – discernment in knowing exactly what and how much to crop is absolutely crucial now that Mars has entered Virgo.  This is about efficient action, so trim industriously  and expediently – neither too much nor too little – because the devil is in the details.  Micro-movements get it done, so make small adjustments as you go.  When you look at it, do you see a crafter’s blade, a makeshift weapon, or an instrument of healing?  Yes to all – a serviceable multipurpose point *is* the point.

08/02/2021

Saturn Retrograde In Aquarius: What’s *Not* In A Friend

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^^Quite possibly the most perfect Saturn Retrograde in Aquarius theme song: “I’m not your friend….”

In recent weeks, defining Saturn has turned retrograde in social Aquarius and as such it is a good time to be defining for ourselves what our deal-breakers or lines-in-the-sand are regarding friendships.  Saturn turning retrograde is an ideal time to say “no” to something; to turn a lesson down that we do not need in life.  Looking over our past experiences (because this is always the best teacher, no?) to inform our present and future, the next four months are a fertile time to be asking ourselves what we won’t put up with from friends anymore.  This will be different for everybody of course, but resonant themes might include things like the balance of time or effort towards working on the friendship, for example – if we feel like we’re always doing the work, or that we make more time for somebody than they make for us, this is probably a problem.  Other topics that can gain greater resonance at this time might include whether or not we can count on a friend to truly support us through challenging times (Saturn is so often hardship-related energy), or whether or not they act like a parent in attempting to control us/our life choices and thus fail to respect our free will – anything Saturn-oriented is inclined to take on a parental flavor.  Our friends are not required to agree with everything that we think, feel, or do – in fact, being able to occasionally “check” each other in healthy ways because we want the best for each other is something that sane and good friends should do. But we cannot direct others’ lives for them, either – the ability to respect boundaries and others’ right to learn from and through their mistakes is equally important.  Nobody wants a friend in their life who constantly tells them what to do or *not* do; that just smacks of a control issue – Saturn is bossy, authoritarian energy when not kept in check. 

I think perhaps the most important question to be asking ourselves at this time: If we were to have a problem with how a friend was treating us, would they take it seriously, conscientiously, and work on the issue?  Or would they perhaps instead be resistant toward being accountable for their behavior? If the answer is the latter, defining such a person as a “friend” could be unwarranted; an acquaintance, perhaps, but any friend of real substance or value can/will own their mistakes and work to strengthen the connection rather than become cold, aloof, & distant if/when we’ve told them a behavior isn’t working for us and we have instead found it alienating.  I think one of the social problems we all face these days results from the collective dilution in the definition of the word “friend” – social media platforms have made it easy to maintain a thin and detached definition of what friendship is. The ironic effect: Instead of social media being used for its highest purpose – which is to truly make society more connected – it has normalized a less caring, less involved level of interaction; just with a greater quantity of people. If Saturn teaches us anything, though, it is quality over quantity.  Always.

Saturn in Aquarius is the time to work on any problems in our friendships.  Should we fail to and thus be derelict in our duty in this regard, we then lose the right to be shocked/surprised when karma boomerangs back on us later and someone whom we’ve previously called a friend/relied upon for support suddenly doesn’t have the time for us or doesn’t want to put in the effort anymore – Saturn is known as the Lord of Karma for good reason.  Surely if this global period of social isolation has taught us all one thing, it is that life is short and – particularly as we age – nobody wants to be lonely and without tried-and-true friends they can depend on.  Since March 2020 Saturn in Aquarius has taught us much about the nature of our friendships and – more importantly – what we need to straighten out and get right in this area of our lives.  Boundaries and standards have come into vogue in this arena, as has looking at our own limitations, lacks, or stumbling blocks and where there may be some onus on us to up our game and be a better caliber of friend ourselves – taking personal responsibility for where we ourselves may have come up short is always a good look when Saturn is involved. 

But particularly now with Saturn having turned retrograde and the second of three squares between Saturn in Aquarius and socially-oriented Uranus peaking in just about an hour, it is a perfect time to be considering what’s *not* in a friend.   Just say “no” to qualities and characteristics in a friend that don’t make the cut and re-assess your level of commitment – it’s OK to re-classify someone in our friend zone and downgrade them to “associate” level if we’re having an ongoing problem with their behavior that seems resistant to resolution, or perhaps take time away from the friendship to re-assess whether it still has a purpose or use in our lives.  This can be tricky territory, however – low-vibration Saturn in Aquarius thinks nothing of using its social connections for personal or professional advancement in rather selfish ways that benefit the user.  Hi-functioning Saturn in Aquarius, however, sees the purpose of community  as being an opportunity for everybody to contribute and to be included in some way; regardless of how limited their capacity or role may be.   The latter honors each person’s humanity and respects their limitations; the former takes a very self-interested cut-and-dried approach to how their social connections facilitate or hinder their ambitions without considering what they themselves are or aren’t contributing.   All of these themes are very timely considerations at the moment.

06/14/2021

Mercury Retrograde Can Be Tough On Pets

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Pets2I have written about this topic before in my monthly newsletter, but with respect to Mercury Retrograde it is worth paying attention to our pets whenever this planet is due to backtrack/is in “reverse” gear.  Mercury symbolically rules small animals, and when this planet is out-of-sorts so too can be our furry, feathered, or scaly little friends. This isn’t to cause us any undue worry; only to inspire us toward a little extra diligence before and during these cyclical periods in the name of possible prevention.  For example,  Mercury Retrograde could correlate with a health issue potentially surfacing in our pets. They might break their leash or run out of an open house door and thus wind up lost.  Some odd behavior can possibly crop up that – as their caretakers – we have never seen before.  They may chew/swallow/drink/inhale something they shouldn’t.  Dietary problems sometimes occur.  It is therefore a good idea to be extra attentive/attuned to our pets during these periods, keep a good eye on them so they don’t wind up going walkabout on us, monitor their surroundings for potential errant stimuli, avoid giving them new toys without supervision, and stick to their usual routines (including feeding; both timing and type/brand of food) at these times.

06/10/21

The Next Mercury Retrograde Mission, Part 2

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Part 1 here.

There are many potential issues presented by the current Mercury Retrograde due its three square-offs with Neptune in Pisces before, during, and after the retrograde ends.  If you know anything about Neptune, one of the bigger challenges posed by this planet involves its inclination toward (self?)deceptiveness.  When you combine this with Mercury’s influence, multiply by two (or more); even the “little white lies” add up.  Because this is a square and not an opposition we are more likely to encounter this dishonesty within ourselves, but care should still be used when dealing with others during this retrograde nonetheless so that we do not take for granted the other party being upfront/above-board.  Low-vibration Neptune in Pisces tends toward denial of our less-than-savory character traits, but the fact that we all – to a greater or lesser degree – have them is universal to the human experience.  We *all* have “stuff” to work on; the shame lies in lying to ourselves about our faults because then we cannot possibly fix them.

DuplicityWhen Mercury Retrograde makes multiple contacts to Neptune in Pisces like this, it’s a cosmic call to look at character flaws like gossip, double-speak, lying, the spreading of misinformation, duplicity, having poor boundaries around our communications; from TMI to having “loose lips” and spilling secrets, and having disorganized or disordered mentalities about things.  Something is likely “wrong” – and by that, I simply mean non-functional – with the way we have been communicating or thinking.  So-called “magical thinking” can overtake the brain’s logic; mantras, affirmations, and visualizations are not a substitute for doing the work to clean up our messes, nor are they meant to be substitutes for help from a qualified mental healthcare provider.  Weird pseudo-spiritual “rationale” can infect our minds like a thought virus; although a concept may sound spiritual on a superficial level, please water-test it first by breaking down its various components to see if it is truly helpful and healthy or instead may be misguided.  Information tends to exist in a vacuum during this time and it is easier to think that something can be blanket-applied without taking into account our specific situation(s), fail to consider how accurate or sensible it is outside of a small bubble of micro-influence, or neglect to investigate whether or not there is accurate data to back it up. Yes, even if the info being presented is well-intended/meant to be “helpful”! Mercury in Gemini squaring off with Neptune in Pisces is a caution against drinking the “Kool-Aid” in an intellectual sense; it’s likely laced/spiked with something toxic.

Speaking without discernment – or discretion – is a problem during this retrograde.  Gossip, double-talk, the spreading of false or misleading information, speaking negatively about others when we think they are out of earshot, and/or generally having poor boundaries in our communications can ricochet back at us; causing sorrow and suffering for ourselves as well as others.  Divinity sees all of this,  even if we can’t/don’t/won’t admit wrongdoing to ourselves.  Whenever Neptune in Pisces touches something, there is often a certain amount of cowardice involved; what are we running from?

As far as the deceit portion of this energy goes, this is not to trivialize *at all* the suffering of those who have been victimized by it but perhaps one of the things most overlooked about dishonesty is the harm we ultimately wind up doing ourselves whenever we lie.  Consciously or subconsciously, our conscience knows this is not good for the soul; lying/hiding/omitting things damages not only our relationships with others (who will no doubt find us untrustworthy), but it hurts our spirit and the love and reverence that we have for ourselves.  It is hard to feel worthy of goodness when behaving in a way that we ourselves would not like to be treated.

Rather than continue this sad cycle ad infinitum, finding forgiveness for ourselves and redoubling our efforts to make amends by speaking only as we would like to be spoken to can help us to find redemption.  If any of the above have been character defects with which we have struggled, humbly acknowledging this weakness to ourselves while asking Divinity to help remove any fork in our tongue and instead guide us toward channeling our words in a more enlightened manner is the way to go during this retro. Apologizing and atoning via empathy, sensitivity, compassion, utter transparency, and in a way that truly serves the Highest Good of All is the way to approach.  We all make mistakes, but self-deception and the unhealthy behaviors that stem from this is a reversible one if we understand the multiple factors that can cause it and just take it “one day at a time” – recovery is possible.  Apologies matter now, but they do have to be more than just empty words.

06/10/2021

The Next Mercury Retrograde Mission, Part 1

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With Mercury’s recent arrival in Gemini, we are officially gearing down for its next retrograde phase – though the formal kickoff isn’t until the end of the month (May 29th, to be exact), we’re going to want to decelerate a bit and drop into a lower gear now to build some power in order to make it through with minimal disruption.   This Rx is a bit of an agility course; only after we’ve spun around like this multiple times due its repeated contacts to disorienting Neptune:

Dizzy

Perhaps one of the bigger keynotes of this upcoming Mercury Retrograde is: Slow down and check your orientation/heading as a first order.  Wind the gears in your brain DOWN and take a few deep, centering breaths before opening your mouth, answering that email/text, or posting on social media.  Maybe say nothing at all.  Consider taking a mini “communications sabbatical” if it’s not absolutely essential.  I say this because there is a higher than usual likelihood that mindless engagement during this retrograde period can cause us to be the source of our own suffering.  We may have a disorganized or disordered mentality about something and this is hardly the place to be making enlightened conversation from.  “No comment at this time” is a perfectly acceptable response during this upcoming retro. Mindfulness gives us an edge; think twice.  Mindlessness, however, presents a real problem – this is especially so if alcohol or other substances (natural or pharmaceutical) are allowed into the mix; do NOT drink and text/dial, kids!  Checking our orientation/heading may also involve utilizing a combination of intuition and critical thinking to introspectively examine where we may have been misinformed about something; either via our own wishful thinking, being in a state of denial, or perhaps we’ve even been outwardly deceived by someone else.  There’s much more to this Mercury Retrograde of course, but this is a good starting point for now.

05/10/2021

Saturn In Aquarius Square Uranus In Taurus: The Right (& Wrong) Uses Of Technology

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TechnologyTechnology has always been a Uranian free-for-all; from the internet as a complete entity itself, to social media platforms, to the data being collected by apps and devices, it’s the wild wild west and always has been. Technology evolves faster than regulations – and dinosaur politicians – can keep up, and this isn’t a good thing when you have things like, say, a violent insurrection attempt to overthrow your government organizing/mobilizing on the likes of Parler, world leaders allowed to influence elections on Facebook, and our smartphones and apps collecting and selling vast troves of user data unchecked.  One of the main things Saturn does is test things for integrity – it pressurizes a situation and makes the stakes high while calling for the implementation of rules, codes of conduct/ethics, standards, laws, etc. Saturn is always a regulatory influence whenever something needs dat ass checked; it is the Cosmic PoPo, if you will.   Do the right thing  or face the consequences – it’s your choice, but fail to do so and there will be penalties enforced – nobody escapes Saturn’s karmic wheel; whether you pay in this lifetime, the next, or the hereafter, you will pay.  This is why its principles of self-regulation are so crucially important to learn – if we check ourselves, we will never need to externalize/outsource this to somebody else.

Now when Saturn resides community-minded Aquarius, communities – online and off – are called to police themselves; particularly against rogue elements not acting in accordance with the collective value system when this planet squares Uranus in Taurus.   Uranus is also extremely technology oriented, and perhaps when we have people like Apple’s Tim Cook – a high-profile leader in the technology sector (Saturn in Aquarius) – chastising the industry status quo and calling for reform at a recent speech at the end of January, the time has come:

“Technology does not need vast troves of personal data stitched together across dozens of websites and apps in order to succeed. Advertising existed and thrived for decades without it, and we’re here today because the path of least resistance is rarely the path of wisdom. If a business is built on misleading users on data exploitation, on choices that are no choices at all, then it does not deserve our praise. It deserves reform. We should not look away from the bigger picture. In a moment of rampant disinformation and conspiracy theories juiced by algorithms, we can no longer turn a blind eye to a theory of technology that says all engagement is good engagement, the longer the better, and all with the goal of collecting as much data as possible. Too many are still asking the question ‘How much can we get away with?’ when they need to be asking ‘What are the consequences?’

“What are the consequences of prioritizing conspiracy theories and violent incitement simply because of the high rates of engagement? What are the consequences of not just tolerating but rewarding content that undermines public trust in life-saving vaccinations? What are the consequences of seeing thousands of users joining extremist groups and then perpetuating an algorithm that recommends even more? It is long past time to stop pretending that this approach doesn’t come with a cost. A polarization of lost trust, and yes, of violence. A social dilemma cannot be allowed to become a social catastrophe.”

Regardless of what one thinks of Apple or of Mr. Cook, Tim is making a very timely point with this speech.  We also have platforms like Twitter and Facebook – way past a day late and a dollar short for sure – finally de-platforming the likes of Donald Trump et al; people who blatantly use social media for all the wrong ends/reasons.  I will bet you that Facebook’s & Twitter’s decisions to do this hinge not on the rightness or wrongness of the action, but of the potential financial and legal liability/repercussions for them to continue to allow it.  With Uranus in Taurus, change is, more often than not, all about the moo-lah.  Those citing freedom of speech concerns should know by now this only applies to government censorship; it does not apply to private citizens or companies – the First Amendment cannot be used as both a sword (to say whatever I want, however I want) and a cowards’ shield against social accountability.   You are free to express your views, however if someone doesn’t like them and tells you to GFY, your free speech rights are not being violated.  If you advocate violence against those of Asian descent and you get banned from an online community/platform, or fired from your job as a consequence, suck it up, Buttercup.  You can hold whatever wrong views you like, but others are not required to condone, uphold, or host while you spout off and possibly incite others. 

We see how this square affects things on a macro level, but what about on an individual level?  This is a prudent time to be evaluating – and re-evaluating – how we’ve been using technology; including the internet as a whole.  Is it a time-saver or a time-waster? Could we benefit from cutting back?  Is it keeping us connected to others, or is it locking us into communities that have problematic social dynamics?  Is it something that genuinely facilitates progress both socially in business, or are we capitalizing on the image of “wokeness” by merely virtue-signaling to a larger audience?  Are we using technology to create stronger, more unified communities or shrinking/fracturing society by excluding  – or worse, radicalizing – people?  Do we have a sense of personal ethics/ a code of conduct on the internet and social media, or do we demonstrate poorly socialized online behaviors?  This isn’t the 90’s anymore – times have changed and the internet has been around long enough for us to know that our virtual conduct needs to evolve beyond the adolescent stage.  What we’ve steadily been seeing, however (particularly in more recent times), is a collective devolution largely due our over-reliance on technologies and – more specifically – technology companies that really don’t have humanity’s best interests in mind or heart.  Ponder this for a bit while you’re deciding how much control you want technology to have over you.

05/05/2021

Adios, Jupiter In Aquarius: The Truth Will Set You Free

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We have less than a fortnight remaining of Jupiter in Aquarius before it enters Pisces on May 13th and as it expends the last of its energy in this sign, the motto “The Truth Will Set You Free” has never rang, well,  truer.  Somewhere along the way during its passage though surprising Aquarius, it’s likely we’ve been hit by at least one shocking truth; possibly more  than one if we had several significant planets in our own astrological chart receiving a jolt from this energy. As shaken as we might have been/might be, we must remember the Truth is something that is ultimately meant to liberate when Jupiter passes through this sign.  At its best, this astrological placement gives us sudden clarity and objectivity that allows us to achieve massive evolutionary growth.  We become detached enough to see what’s best for us and seek greater independence as we change our beliefs nearly instantaneously. Our fortune also changes quickly under Jupiter Aquarius – freak luck can hit, but we can also wind up being this guy:

So if you’ve found yourself feeling more like  ^that guy up there^ during Jupiter’s passage through the Water Bearer, do what he suggests and remind yourself how lucky you are just to be alive.  Then realize all the truths that jolted you were meant to help you evolve – sometimes growth is disruptive, but it is necessary for a quantum leap upward.  Thank Jupiter in Aquarius for setting you free to find – and be – better.

05/02/2021

Air Meets Fire

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Roughly 12 hours from now, Mercury bursts into Aries with a “bang” and begins a 2+ week-long exchange of energies with Mars in Gemini.  In astrological parlance, this phenomenon is known as a “mutual reception” – for a more in-depth primer on the topic, see this previous post. But for those who want a more short and to-the-point explanation of the effects of this specific mutual reception, you need only to consider how Air feeds Fire. 

Mercury represents the wind of our words, and Mars the heat and fire of battle – from this, one could infer the next couple of weeks as being a period when people are more likely to mouth off, curse people out, or – more neutrally – speak up about things.  We gain the courage to raise our voices, but also need to carefully monitor our irritation levels before speaking as the tongue is more likely to be sharpened/armed under this influence – when one blows on a fire, the flames intensify and this can result in an uncontrolled inferno that stands to burn not only others but ourselves as well.  Make it a point *not* to say offensive things under this influence (say, by insulting someone’s intelligence) or to be rude/curt; it’s far more likely this will turn into a fight.  If we’re going to use our verbal energy for something – and as I said the mouth is apt to be energized during this mutual reception – let it be to stand up for someone/something worth championing and be sure to leave your ego out of it.  Do not spoil for a fight by being a (verbal) instigator; cue a pair of child twins sitting in the back seat of car, pointing at each other and saying “Mom, he/she started it!!!” – avoid the impulse to take a juvenile jab at someone in a vocal sense.

Oh, and speaking of cars: Mercury has dominion over our wheels, and Mars is accident-prone.  Translation: Slow down behind the wheel,  do not flip or cut someone off in rush hour traffic, and avoid starting or contributing to what could be labeled “a road rage incident” – no newspaper headings with this particular line ever end well.  Think out your communications (written or verbal) more during this period in all contexts; don’t just fire off the first thing that comes to your mouth.  For example, the first thing that would likely come to mind if we were driving home and someone were to come flying up out of nowhere to ride our rear bumper is probably something along the lines of “A$$#@*%!!” – avoiding the split-second urge to vocalize that sentiment  (particularly one that arises in anger) can keep a situation from escalating into something more dangerous and possibly more physical.  ThemsFightinWordsThe phrase “Them’s fightin’ words!” is worth bearing in mind for the couple weeks this specific mutual reception remains in play; it will help us to be more mindful that what we say may well be construed as an affront if we’re too hasty in speaking.

On the plus side, this mutual reception can give us plenty of mental energy – new ideas may fly around in our heads in ways that can move things forward for us.  We do also well both listening to and utilizing motivational speech that inspires positive action in our lives under this astrological vibe. If we need to make a daring “sales pitch” of some kind, this energy can help us pull it off; provided we’re not *too* aggressive – remember that nobody likes a pushy “salesman”.

Lastly, please do use care around hot or sharp objects for the next couple of weeks – Mars has ties to cuts and burns while Mercury represents our arms, hands, and “digits”.  This mutual reception will come to a close on April 19th, but until then it’s best to bear all of the aforementioned in mind for best results.

04/03/2021

 

Mercury In Detriment & Mental Health

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Mercury dips into aquatic Pisces – one of the two signs of its astrological Detriment (the other being Sagittarius) – this evening, and as such I thought this to be an opportune time to discuss Mercury’s relationship to our mental well-being.  Astrologically, Mercury is associated with the mind; it is intellectual, analytical, communicative, and incisive.  It concerns what and how we think as well as how we verbalize (or perhaps don’t articulate) those thoughts – from here, it is not difficult to see how this might correlate to mental health.

Now let’s look at what it means for a planet – in this case, Mercury – to occupy a sign of its Detriment. When a planet enters a sign that is antithetical to its very nature, it becomes debilitated; meaning the planet in question tends to have a more difficult time functioning optimally by default.  That’s not to say we can’t get anything good out of it, but whenever we have a debilitated planet we should always watch it a little bit closer because it’s more liable than run-of-the-mill placements to act up in problematic ways if we aren’t displaying self-awareness as to its related qualities and characteristics that might be considered “less than helpful”.

To wit, let’s take a look at Mercury in Pisces.  Why is this inclined to be a more challenging place for Mercury to reside?  Simply put, dreamy, sensitive, intuitive Piscean energy is something naturally at odds with all that Mercury stands for: rational thought, data, and logic, just to name a few key concepts.  When Mercury is forced to don this sign’s fish-tail, it is ill-fitting garb likely to cause Mercury to sink rather than swim.  How can Mercury keep its head above water in such an environ; it is an Air (mind) planet forced to submerge itself in the fathomless sea of Piscean Water?  Mercury in Water signs – which Pisces is – behaves in a more subjective manner; the thought process is apt to be colored by emotion, whether this is conscious or unconscious.  Cold clear logic can become muddled by vague yet often undefinable “feelings”, or – in a much better scenario – intuitive “hunches”.  We may be inclined to suspend disbelief instead of analyzing facts or crunching numbers (anyone living in the USA during the prior 4 years should be able to see how this might be, um, “problematic”).  Our minds can become occupied with fiction and fantasy instead of dwelling in the world of science and reason.  You see where I’m going with this?

In its most neutral sense, Mercury in Pisces is a sign that often prefers to be alone with its thoughts; on one hand this can be a positive source of inspiration (say for pursuits like art, poetry, writing works of fiction, or maybe even songwriting), but on the other this tendency toward isolation can be hazardous when left alone in a vacuum.  Adding to this is the fact that the Mercury in Pisces mind is inclined to be quite impressionable and subject to external influences – isolation is helpful when we’re trying to tune into our own thoughts and separate them from outside “noise” in a way that truly serves our Highest Good; not so healthy when maybe we’ve come in contact with some kind of intellectual “contaminant” or “thought virus” that distorts our thinking so that it is no longer anchored in reality, facts, or logic and there is no one there to provide feedback, contrast, or resistance. Mercury in Pisces can sometimes incline toward insularity in this regard; where the mind becomes cocooned off in its own little “bubble” and disconnected from humanity/the rest of society if we’re not careful.

Again, being in one’s “own little world” in a mental sense can be positive if we’re using it for creative inspiration; negative if we effectively become mentally “checked out” and seek refuge in a world that either doesn’t exist or that does not functionally integrate with the rest of society.  Alcohol and other substances (natural or pharmaceutical) that alter mental state should be avoided, and the tendency to intellectually escape into realms of fantasy/fiction – whether that’s through movies, books, social media consumption, or simple daydream/imagination – should be monitored and moderated.  There’s nothing wrong re: sitting down with a good book or unwinding with a decent movie; however if we find ourselves compulsively reading book after book in a way that causes us to avoid being fully present in our day-to-day lives or zoning out in front of the TV as a way to cope with the stress of everyday living, then we may need to mentally re-calibrate.

The same can be said of being alone with our thoughts; applied with conscious intention to find clarity and understanding in a way that serves our own & humanity’s Highest Good is a definite plus, yet a hermetically-sealed mind (in both senses of the word; both hermit-like and airtight) can be problematic if there is anything funky-smelling and yeasty that’s been (half-)baked-in.  Mental illness only multiplies in such an environment; this is why suffering in silence is ill-advisable. Mercury in Pisces can sometimes be so sensitive to what is said (or unsaid) that it finds it easier to say nothing at all, or seeks out only a sympathetic ear (read: echo chamber) when it might be better served by some amount of intellectual contrast.  If there is a problem within the mindset, talking to someone about our thoughts or our suffering and bouncing this off an external source can help us collectively – as a society – ensure that we’re getting people the help they need and identify potential mental health problems before they can ripple outward any further. A gentle and compassionate – yet non-enabling – approach works best from a communication standpoint. In this era of social isolation, have we found ourselves or others withdrawing overmuch?  Maybe it is time to make a call or reach out if there is anyone – or anything within ourselves – we’ve had some concerned thoughts about recently; certainly this is something worth  pondering whilst Mercury spends the next 3 weeks in Pisces.

03/15/2021