Mercury Retrograde in Capricorn/Sagittarius 2016-2017. Mercury Retrograde for the Ages.

Mercury Retrograde at 15 degrees 08 minutes Capricorn, December 19, 2016 at 5:55 am EST
Mercury Direct at 28 degrees 51 minutes Sagittarius, January 8, 2017 at 4:40 am EST

Today Mercury begins the third of its three times yearly retrograde cycle. As it stations, Mercury is conjunct outer planet Pluto. With both bodies in Capricorn, there is an emphasis on the Capricorn theme of reality.

Being an earth element Saturn-ruled sign, the sign Capricorn brings with it the gravitas that accompanies reality and substance. Mercury retrograde through this sign encourages the consideration of forms that make up each of our lives, and the quality of substance they are made of.

Mercury gets very close to the planet Pluto without creating an exact conjunction. For this writing, I consider them conjunct. Thus this retrograde begins with the seed moment of Mercury conjunct Pluto, which develops into a story that is punctuated at its end with an encouragement to each of us to think about beliefs, morality, what is right, and what is the quality of the information we each share and quality of the information we each consume.

Mercury ends its retrograde at 28 degrees Sagittarius, then moves forward over the same degrees in Capricorn it moved through in apparent reverse motion. Looking back over the terrain that beckoned revisiting, the question becomes, “knowing my beliefs, how do I behave in accordance with them”. Capricorn has to do with the public sphere, so this Mercury retrograde could extend to how these questions are answered with regard to outer behavior.

A key message of the planet of the mind through earthy Capricorn is discerning What is Real.

What is Real?

• Tangible, verifiable evidence – Real

• Evidence unfiltered through pre-existing bias – Define-For-Yourself Real

• Historical precedent – Real

• Observed behavior – Real

• Obsessive, compulsive, paranoia fueled analysis, conspiracy, nebulous speculation based on unknowns – Not Real

• Existing quantifiable resources – Real

• Hollowed out forms that exist just for image, not substantiated – Not Real but with appearance of Reality

• Promises backed up solely by the air required to vocally produce them – Not Real

Of course there are shades of grey in all of these instances. This is meant as a starting off point for your own consideration. Take this list of what is real as an invitation to fortify reality in your own life. Believe what is real. Discern for yourself what you believe is real.

Mercury conjunct Pluto grants the mind a profound depth. While Mercury hovers around Pluto for the next several days, the rabbit hole has a definite end, and the morsels discovered on the way down create pause.

There is something to be said for pausing for reflection. The value of reflection is in part in the concentration required to do it. Concentration creates a kind of laser beam focus, and in that penetrating quality of mind the unimportant is separated from the important, and personal energy can be directed toward the activities that are most consequential. And it’s safe to say that no matter where you are in the world, the times require a sense of the consequential. Energy is increasingly too precious to be fruitlessly dissipated.

Mercury Pluto in Capricorn Topics to Contemplate

• Self Determination

• Self Definition

• Sense of Authority – Who or what has authority over you? Mercury’s ruler is Saturn in a trine with Uranus. Suspend reality to imagine a world without limits, and with freedom from authority. What unfolds in this world, for you? Who are you here? How can you bring that into your present existence?

• Civic Mindedness

• Darkness in self and others

• Deliberate thinking followed through to its end

• The power respectable society says is valid, vs. what you believe about the forms that should be included and respected in society

• The money you spend as a political act

• Supporting and fortifying mainstay structures of your life that allow life to proceed with maximum smoothness

• Bones and teeth; the care and keeping of

• Gratitude, maintenance, and nurturing of whatever is a source of tangible support in your life.

• Transforming / being transformed by the tangible support in your life

• Your relationship to power (in the sense of being able shape events in your world, unhindered)

• Antiquity and the ancient past

• Deep thinking and its role in your life

As Mercury makes sextiles to Neptune and Mars through the end of December, the atmosphere is fluid and moldable. This influence is ripe for actively imagining the forms in the world that call for change. Mercury will be cazimi in a sextile to Mars on December 28, making this a day with potential for a breakthrough that is followed by vigorous, emotionally motivated action. It is an interesting sequence of aspects in the days following Christmas! This is a great aspect for anyone who is a creative, who dwells in the threshold between conscious thinking and “the other place”, or who actively wants to petition the muse.

The standard Mercury retrograde advice applies. Of course, sometimes some of the cautions can not be heeded, but ought to be if at all possible. You will be happier. You will be more certain. You will save your money. You will save time. Your sanity will be more cohesive.

 The cautions include the delay of signing contracts (not all information is available, you will change your mind, they will change their mind, or there will be other unforeseen circumstances), waiting to purchase electronics until after the retrograde is over, waiting to purchase cars and other big ticket items until the retrograde is over, if you must sign contracts make sure to the best of your ability everything is covered on paper. Schedule extra time for travel. Practice patience with yourself and others.

Mercury retrograde is truly a great time to go back and revisit the old. It might be fun to seek access to deep ancient wisdom. There are little pockets of suspended reality that might be unusual openings for accessing information that would not otherwise be accessible.

May Mercury be With You,
In hidden and off path Mercurial passageways,
At border crossings, marketplaces, and the spaces in between,
And in the peripheral corners of your mind,
Ichrak

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