Wild Mercury Blog

October 14, 2023, Annular Solar Eclipse New Moon 21 Libra 08

Eastern Time 1:55 pm Pacific Time 10:55 am 

There are two types of eclipses involving our Sun and Moon. A Solar Eclipse happens when the Moon’s shadow crosses the Earth’s surface. This occurs during a New Moon and the Sun and the Moon are astrologically in the same sign. The Lunar Eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow, this happens during a Full Moon.

Eclipses are tracked, each eclipse belongs to a Saros cycle. A Saros period is almost 19 years ( 18 years and 9 to 11 days depending on leap years) after which the Sun, Moon, and Earth return to approximately the same position causing a nearly identical eclipse. 

Eclipses are closely associated with world events but can be significant to individuals if the eclipse takes place at a degree that is exact or near to a planet or angle in your Natal, Solar, or Progressed charts. (Consult your Astrologer) When eclipse degrees are activated in your chart the effects last from six months to a year depending on the strength and duration of the eclipse.

On October 14 there will be a Solar Eclipse both the Sun and Moon will be at 21 Libra.  Eclipses come in pairs, a Solar eclipse always occurs about two weeks before or after a Lunar eclipse. The second eclipse will occur on October 28, 2023, and that will be a partial Lunar Eclipse. ( I will post about it later) 

This annular eclipse is viewable from Oregon to Brazil. Go to Solar Eclipse 2023 — Annular Eclipse, October 14 to view the path of the eclipse. 

Summer Mercury retrograde Aug. 23 to Sept. 15 in the earth sign Virgo.

When Mercury goes retrograde, we often experience difficulties, delays, and frustrations with travel, communication, and technology. By knowing when Mercury goes retrograde, we can save ourselves a lot of headaches. We can prepare to meet the coming challenges. 

Spend the retrograde reevaluating, reviewing, and completing projects. Ideally, Mercury retrograde is a fertile time to work with creative and spiritual energies. When we go with the flow of the retrograde things tend to go better. It is helpful to know the sign that Mercury is in while retrograde. The sign tells us “the mood” and behavior the retrograde period will exhibit.

Try to take preventive measures at least three weeks before Mercury goes retrograde. For example: take your car or computer for repairs or upkeep 3 weeks before the retrograde starts. Please wait until Mercury has gone direct for three weeks before starting any new projects. 

When Mercury retrograde transits connect to your Natal, Solar, or Progressed charts Mercury issues; particularly, communications issues can become very challenging. When our Natal, Solar, or Progressed charts experience a connection to a transit(s) it is recommended that you ask your astrologer how the transit(s) will affect you. This is why it is a good idea to have a yearly astrological review. 

To learn more about the Mercury Retrograde cycle please see the blog post: “Understanding Mercury and the Mercury Retrograde Cycle”. https://wildmercury.biz/understanding-me…retrograde-cycle/ ‎

Astrologically the Earth element is practical, all the earth signs Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn are comfortable with details, routines, structures, and societal rules. 

This Mercury Retrograde will spend the whole cycle in Virgo. Virgo is a feminine, mutable earth sign. Virgo is known for being an analytical critical thinker that is detailed oriented and a pragmatic problem solver.

During this Mercury retrograde take the time to re-evaluate how attached you are to your daily routines and habits. Are these routines and structures serving your best interest or are they holding you back? Virgo is ruled by Mercury and is work and service-oriented. Virgo has a keen eye for details so this retrograde is an excellent time to reorganize and reexamine our priorities. This would be a good time to find ways to manage your time better and investigate how you can work smarter. 

The Retrograde Cycle

The pre-shadow: starts: on 8/15/23

Mercury Stations to Retrograde: 8/23/23

Mercury Stations to Direct: 9/15/23

Post Shadow ends: 9/19/23

Remember the Do and Do NOT Do List for Mercury Retrograde

• Do check and recheck travel plans, schedules, and appointments
• Do review, re-do, review, tie up loose ends, repair
• Do fix what was broken during the last retrograde
• Do double-check written documents or calculations 
• DO NOT SIGN CONTRACTS, DO NOT buy big-ticket items, electronics, cars
• Do not start a new project, take a new job, or avoid doing anything last minute 
• If you must make a purchase, send important packages, or travel purchase insurance
• Plan ahead, give yourself extra time to arrive at your destination or finish projects                            

                                        Use the present well

“Time passes unhindered. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.”  His Holiness Dalai Lama

A reminder: Venus is still retrograde, we have until September 3 to do our Venus housekeeping! During this transit, we can benefit from taking the time to reflect, reconsider, rejuvenate, and revise Venus issues relating to relationships, self-worth, and personal values. Venus is retrograding in Leo, think back to Summer 2015, the last time Venus was retrograding in Leo. Venus in Leo is fun-loving, has a big heart, and needs room to be self-expressive and creative. Venus in Leo struggles with needing to be liked, too much pride and arrogance can be their undoing. Now is a good time to examine if you have any codependency issues, have been prideful, ungrateful, too self-centered, or have been relating to people who fit that description. Be honest, and brave, and dig deep into emotions and past relationship issues, decide what to keep and what to eliminate. What is serving you and what is drowning you? Be kind to yourself. Prioritize self-care. Doing the work of Venus retrograde deserves taking some “me” time and indulging in what makes you HAPPY! 

This Venus Leo retrograde is very significant for all the fixed signs, Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, especially the degrees 12’ to 28’. Of course, if you want to know more email me to set up an appointment.  

Coming soon … Mercury Retrograde. More on that later. 

A Shifting Karmic Forces

The Lunar nodal axis has a 19-year cycle and the nodes change signs every 18 months. (18.6 months) The North Node is the exact opposite zodiac sign as the South Node. The nodes are calculated based on the position of the sun, moon, and earth. The nodes do not have a physical reality, nodes are not planets. The nodes are points of intersection between the lunar orbit and the plane of the terrestrial ecliptic. 

The North and South Node work together to help an individual balance their karma, help lead them to find their life path in their current life, and sometimes help complete karmic debts from past lives. The North Node is the direction that you should be heading in this lifetime and what life lessons your soul is supposed to learn. The South Node tells you about your past life, the skills, and talents that you have already accumulated, and describes the type of karmic debts you owe and have the opportunity to resolve in this lifetime. Generally, individuals feel comfortable staying in their South Node, it’s a comfortable familiar space representing our past life habits and patterns. It is not uncommon for individuals to get “stuck” in their South Node and resist moving toward the lessons of their North Node. 

The North Node is more challenging, growth-oriented, and inspired to find purpose and meaning. You grow into your North Node and grow out of your South Node. It is essential to get free from the past behavior patterns of the South Node in order to recognize your life purpose. Consciously working on our North Node’s lessons, goals and aspirations can help us to complete spiritual karma and can bring a sense of fulfillment and success. 

The nodal zodiac signs will shift from North Node Taurus/South Node Scorpio to North Node Aries/ South Node Libra on July 18, 2023 – January 11, 2025.(using True Node not Mean) 

The Past – The Relationship Codependent 

South Node in Libra indicates an individual who has relied on interpersonal relationships at the expense of their own personal development. In their past life, they would seek approval or validation from others, and a great deal of effort went towards being a  “people pleaser”. While charming and sociable the South Node can be indecisive and have a fear of being alone and will compromise to avoid conflict. Having a South Node Libra means that in your past life relationships have been very important to you. Having a South Node in Libra indicates that you have been a supportive and loving partner. Although in your past you most likely surrounded yourself in a comfortable, aesthetically pleasing environment you also neglected to develop your own identity. Often South Node in Libra chooses the path of least resistance and strives to avoid conflict in their relationships. 

This Life Time – Embracing your Inner Warrior

North Node in Aries sets out on a journey of self-discovery, this placement needs to explore their identity, develop inner confidence, and self-reliance, and find the courage to take risks and explore new opportunities independently. Once the North Node Aries have discovered their ”Inner Warrior” they can be bold, ambitious, aggressive, and selfish. Additionally, North Node Aries can struggle to develop self-control and channel their anger and frustration in healthy ways. An important lesson for North Node Aries is to learn how to communicate their needs and desires and work on finding ways to balance their needs with the needs of others.

Pay Attention 

This Nodal shift will be important for all the Cardinal signs; Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn. Individuals with Cardinal placements should look for the North/South Node degrees that will affect their Cardinal signs. When the Nodes make an aspect to a planet it can trigger significant events, and introduce important relationships into your life. These events and people can have a karmic past life connection to you. Depending on your soul agreements these Nodal aspects can provide a deeper understanding of your life path and open opportunities for growth. 

The Venus Retrograde in Leo 

6/19/23 Pre- retrograde shadow. Venus begins to slow down at 12 Leo12’ 

7/22/23 Venus stations and turns retrograde at 28 Leo 36’. Venus is retracing her steps. 

9/3/23 Venus stations and turns direct at 12 Leo 12’ Venus starts to pick up speed.

10/7/23 Venus returns to the degree it was when it went retrograde and the post-retrograde shadow ends. 

The Venus Cycle 

Venus rules love, values, beauty, and aesthetics. Venus embraces what we cherish, what we deeply resonate with or desire. The Goddess of Love goes retrograde for 40/43 days (six weeks) every 18 months. Venus has a unique astronomical signature; the retrograde “backspin” marks Venus shifting from the Evening Star when she can be seen low on the horizon to the Morning Star when she rises before the Sun.  

Venus also has an eight-year cycle when she returns to the same place in our sky on about the same date. During her eight-year cycle, she traces a Pentagram; a five-pointed star, and also creates an Octagram, an eight-pointed star between the Earth and the Sun. Durning Venus’ eight-year cycle she aligns with the Earth and the Sun five times, for five synodic cycles tracing a pentagram. The Octctagram is created every eight years when she returns to the same point in the sky where the cycle originally began.  You can learn more about this amazing astronomical event at https://www.sciencealert.com/the-celestial-dance-between-earth-and-venus-draws-a-stunning-pattern-through-space

Continue reading “The 2023 Summer Venus Retrograde in Leo ~ July 22 – September 3  “

Jupiter enters Taurus starting 5/16/2023 – 5/25/2024. Jupiter will station to retrograde at 15 Taurus on September 4, 2023, and go station to direct on December 30, 2023.

The planet Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system and is considered to be the great benefactor offering abundance and growth. Jupiter enjoys providing lucky opportunities when well placed in a natal chart or making auspicious aspects by transit. Every twelve years you experience a Jupiter return; this is when the planet returns to the exact degree of Jupiter in your birth chart. I have provided at the end of this page a list of dates when Jupiter was in Taurus so that you can check to see if you are lucky enough to be having your Jupiter return!

On May 16, 2023, Jupiter will move into earthy and pleasure-seeking Taurus until May 25, 2024. Taurus is ruled by the goddess of love and beauty. Taurus is associated with materialism, wealth, sensual pleasures, and the desire for comfort and stability. When Jupiter transits the zodiac sign of Taurus we know that the transit will focus on the acquisition and expansion of wealth and resources, an interest in financial stability, and expanding career opportunities. Taurus a fixed earth sign is known to be resistant to change, inflexible, and very stubborn. Taurus also can be overindulgent, lazy, and materialistic. This transit works best when we enjoy simple pleasures, are grounded and practical about material concerns, and find a balance between work and pleasure. 

While Jupiter is in Taurus it is a good time to invest in increasing your financial stability and security sensibly and conservatively. This is an excellent time to invest in yourself. Take a business or economics class. Start a savings account, create a business plan, and plan for your financial future. This transit succeeds with hard work and moderation. Avoid “get-rich schemes” and too-good-to-be-true business offers. 

Jupiter’s shift into Taurus will bring good fortune for Earth signs ( Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn) and Water signs ( Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)!  

Here is a list of dates when Jupiter was in Taurus. Do you have Jupiter in Taurus? 

• April 29, 1952–May 9, 1953
• April 13, 1964–April 22, 1965
• March 27, 1976–August 23, 1976
• October 17, 1976–April 3, 1977
• March 9, 1988–July 21, 1988
• December 1, 1988–March 19, 1989
• June 29, 1999–October 23, 1999
• February 15, 2000–June 30, 2000
• June 5, 2011–June 11, 2012

“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”

~ Marcus Aurelius 

This is the second eclipse of the year. 

Visible in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Antarctica.

What happens during a penumbral eclipse: 

The Moon will darken but not completely disappear as she travels through the Earth’s shadow. The Moon will pass into the outer part of the Earth’s shadow (called the penumbra) and the Moon will just miss the darker, inner part of the Earth’s shadow (called the umbr). According to time and date website this eclipse will be the deepest penumbral eclipse until September 2042! 

Eclipses are tracked, each eclipse belongs to a Saros cycle. A Saros period is almost 19 years ( 18 years and 9 to 11 days depending on leap years) after which the Sun, Moon, and Earth return to approximately the same position causing a nearly identical eclipse. 

Eclipses are significant when they take place at a degree that is exact or near to a planet or on angles in your Natal chart or progressed chart (consult your Astrologer). When eclipse degrees are activated in your chart the effects can last from six months to a year depending on the strength and duration of the eclipse. Eclipses are closely associated with world events. To know if this eclipse will be significant for you check your chart for planets in fixed signs  (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio and Aquarius) and check what houses the Sun Taurus and Moon Scorpio are in. People born with fixed planets or fixed angles at 10 to 20 degrees will be significantly affected by this eclipse. 

Lunar eclipses help ‘illuminate” issues that are hidden beneath the surface. The chart for this eclipse finds a strong preponderance of Taurus, a feminine earth sign that seeks tangible security and comfort from the material world. Taurus rules possessions, personal wealth and values. The Sun, Uranus, the retrograde Mercury are all in Taurus opposite the Moon in Scorpio. Scorpio is a fixed water sign deeply intuitive and complex. Scorpio rules shared resources and seeks transformational experiences. Scorpio is drawn to understanding the deeper meaning of emotions, intimacy, and is not afraid to dive into “taboo” subjects or disrupt the status quo. 

If your Natal, Solar or progressed chart is affected by this eclipse you could experience some lessons around the Taurus/ Scorpio hot topics. Because the Mercury is retrograde this is a good time to re-examine your relationship to money, possessions, self-worth.

If you are having anxieties around financial issues this is a good time to investigate how to budget, invest and explore your financial options for the future. Remember the Mercury is still retrograde, so wait until Mercury goes direct to make any changes. It is also an excellent time to review interpersonal relationships and re-examine shared resources and intimacy issues. 

When Mercury goes retrograde, we often experience difficulties, delays, and frustrations with travel, communication, and technology. By knowing when Mercury goes retrograde, we can save ourselves a lot of headaches. We can prepare to meet the coming challenges. 

Spend the retrograde reevaluating, reviewing, and completing projects. Ideally, Mercury retrograde is a fertile time to work with creative and spiritual energies. When we go with the flow of the retrograde things tend to go better. It is helpful to know the sign that Mercury is in while retrograde. The sign tells us “the mood” and behavior the retrograde period will exhibit.

Try to take preventive measures at least three weeks before Mercury goes retrograde. For example: take your car or computer for repairs or upkeep 3 weeks before the retrograde starts. Please wait until Mercury has gone direct for three weeks before starting any new projects. 

When Mercury retrograde transits connect to your Natal, Solar, or Progressed charts Mercury issues; particularly, communications issues can become very challenging. 

To learn more about the Mercury Retrograde cycle please see the blog post: “Understanding Mercury and the Mercury Retrograde Cycle”

Astrologically the Earth element is practical, all the earth signs Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn are comfortable with details, routines, structures, and societal rules. 

This Mercury Retrograde will spend the whole cycle in Taurus. Taurus is a fixed earth sign she is slow, cautious, and stubborn.

During this Mercury retrograde take time to re-evaluate how attached you are to your daily routines and habits. Are these routines and structures serving your best interest or are they holding you back? Taurus is ruled by Venus and is associated with material possessions and finances. During this Mercury retrograde review your financial situation and prioritize your security needs. This would be a good time to find ways to manage your money better, investigate how you can create a budget, and save or invest your money. 

The Retrograde Cycle 

The pre-shadow: starts April 7 Mercury at 5’50” Taurus

Mercury Stations to Retrograde: starts April 21 at 15”37’ Taurus 

The Sun/Mercury Cazimi:

On May 1,  the  Sun and Mercury will make a conjunction. When Mercury and the Sun conjunct a Cazimi occurs. A Cazimi is when a planet is within 1 degree of the Sun ( or 17 arc minutes).  Astrologer, Olivia Barclay states in her book, Horary Astrology Rediscovered “, any planet at the very heart of the Sun, within 17 minutes of its center, is called Cazimi and is considered most fortunate. (p.86)

Cazimi is an ancient Arabic term, (translated means heart of the Sun) for when a planet is within 17 mins arc of the Sun. Cazimi is considered to be a form of “accidental dignity”, fortified by the Sun’s rays, a very auspicious and lucky time. 

A Cazimi Mercury has been called the “mark of genius” strengthening the abilities to communicate, gain insights, and to have the ability to see “into the heart of situations and circumstances”. 

Mercury Stations to Direct: May 14 at 5’50’ Taurus 

Post Shadow ends: May 31 Mercury Taurus at 15’50

Remember the Do and Do NOT Do List for Mercury Retrograde

• Do check and recheck travel plans, schedules, and appointments
• Do review, re-do, review, tie up loose ends, repair
• Do fix what was broken during the last retrograde
• Do double-check written documents or calculations 
• DO NOT SIGN CONTRACTS, DO NOT buy big-ticket items, electronics, cars
• Do not start a new project, take a new job, or avoid doing anything last minute 
• If you must make a purchase, send important packages, or travel purchase insurance
• Plan ahead, give yourself extra time to arrive at your destination or finish projects 

                                        Use the present well

“Time passes unhindered. When we make mistakes, we cannot turn the clock back and try again. All we can do is use the present well.”  His Holiness Dalai Lama

The Hybrid Solar Eclipse 

Several major events will be occurring on April 19/20 and the day after. 

We close out the lunar cycle with a second New Moon in Aries and it will take place in the last degrees of Aries, and it is also a hybrid solar eclipse.

 The last degree of a sign is considered to be fateful and critical. The Anaretic degree is associated with the completion of karma; indicating that events have reached a breaking point; “it is what it is” and nothing more can be done. 

The New Moon is also a hybrid Solar Eclipse. A Solar Eclipse happens when the Moon’s shadow crosses the Earth’s surface. This happens during a New Moon and the Sun and the Moon are astrologically in the same sign. The first eclipse of 2023 is a Hybrid Solar Eclipse, this is a combination of all three types of solar eclipses. A Hybrid Eclipse starts as an annular eclipse and transitions to a total eclipse, then end as an annular. A hybrid Solar Eclipse happens once per decade! ( see www.timeanddate.com What is a Hybrid Solar Eclipse?)                                      

Eclipses are tracked, each eclipse belongs to a Saros cycle. A Saros period is almost 19 years ( 18 years and 9 to 11 days depending on leap years) after which the Sun, Moon, and Earth return to approximately the same position causing a nearly identical eclipse. 

Continue reading “The Hybrid Solar Eclipse April 19 “