Incoming Messages: The Transit of Mercury 2016

By edhiker (http://www.flickr.com/photos/edhiker/292807612/) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

I hope that you're surviving this Mercury retrograde cycle. I'm doing my best. The trickster seems to have singled me out this time, but I think I’ll make it and come out more aware of myself and the world. Mercury will also do something really interesting on May 9. It will pass over the face of the Sun! This is called a Transit of Mercury, and it’s an exciting event for serious and amateur astronomers. Due to the fact that Mercury and Venus lie between the Earth and the Sun, they're the only planets to do this from Earth’s perspective.

We recently experienced a Transit of Venus (much rarer) back in May of 2012. The last Transit of Mercury was in November of 2006, ten years ago. There were also transits of Mercury in 1999 and 2003. During a Transit of Mercury, Mercury will appear as a tiny black dot moving across the face of the Sun. And no, you cannot see it with the naked eye! In order to view this event, you need special equipment--a telescope and special filters to protect you from going blind. You can also watch it live online, though seeing it through a telescope (with proper equipment) is a lot more exciting.

Is there anything special about a Transit of Mercury astrologically? The Transits of Venus appear to have a significant correlation with cultural and artistic turning points, but it is much rarer than Mercury’s transits. There are about 13 to 14 Transits of Mercury per century. So, in a given lifetime, we experience quite a few. A Transit of Mercury occurs during a Mercury retrograde cycle when Mercury makes an alignment (called a conjunction) with the Sun, but its orbital plane is such that the planet visually crosses over the Sun.

Normally, this is called an inferior conjunction of Mercury which happens at the midpoint of every Mercury retrograde cycle. Mercury is hard to see at any time, but especially when it conjoins the Sun. The Sun’s light outshines it. When Mercury descends into the Sun, such as during its retrograde periods, it is moving behind the scenes. There is a lot going on right now that you can’t see. And it will involve Mercurial things--communication, writing, teaching, and your perceptual awareness of reality. But on May 9, during the Transit of Mercury, some hidden process emerges onto the solar disk of the Sun.

What is hidden and unconscious makes an appearance. Keep your awareness attuned to this reality. Information, signs, omens and synchronicities are revealing themselves to you. New realms are opening up, and with them, a new perception of your world. This is a month to keep your mind receptive to incoming messages. While Mercury retrograde can be a time of increased frustrations, try to see the hidden gifts in the setbacks. You may be a gifted a new awareness, and a new way of communicating it to the world.

We don’t often associate Mercury with things like synchronicities--what most modern people are trained to call "coincidences". But it's how the universe speaks to us. And Mercury is the messenger of the gods. With winged feet, it flies back and forth between dimensions to bring us glimpses of new realms. As Mercury crosses the face of the Sun, it's likely that you will notice these messages more frequently, along with some seemingly frustrating situations. But if you can, see what there is to learn from them. You just might learn something important and profound.

Taking the Scenic Route: New Moon in Taurus 2016

By NIHAL JABIN (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

New Moon @ 16 Taurus 41'

May 6, 2016

3:29 PM Eastern

12:29 PM Pacific

Two inner planets are currently in retrograde (they appear to be moving backwards).This optical illusion manifests within each of us internally. For a while, life feels sluggish and uncooperative. This is highly common when Mercury is retrograde, which it will be for the next two weeks. Such a feeling may be accentuated further by the fact that Mercury conjoins this New Moon in a sign that’s known for taking its sweet time. In tropical Taurus, the Sun and Moon initiate a slow and steady process of growth and development over the next lunation cycle.
 
The universe may be telling you to slow it down. You’ll likely find that situations around you have indicated this pretty clearly. There’s no need to rush with Taurus. This is a sign that prefers taking the scenic route--the detour through the forest just to smell the pine trees. You may find that image helpful. In fact, open your mind to all of the detours that may be cropping up in your life right now. If the usual path isn’t open to you, there’s probably another, and an opportunity to enter a new landscape.
 
Mercury retrograde often reroutes us. This can be frustrating as well as liberating. It all depends on how you choose to respond and perceive it. This is a time to keep your mind loose and open--willing to take in alternative points of view. Taurus emphasizes the physical body and the need to enjoy it. It also relates to natural beauty and the value we attach to things. At the moment, Mercury, Venus and the Sun are moving through Taurus. Such an emphasis in this sign indicates that it would be wise to take the next two weeks to tune into your body and allow yourself some rest and recovery in whatever way you can.
 
The New Moon also forms a grand trine between Jupiter and Pluto. At the start of the current lunar cycle, you may find that your mind is focused on practical matters--survival, outer accomplishments, or physical health. Some of these areas, especially relating to finances, may not be moving as fast as you would like. But perhaps, this is an opportunity to take care of yourself, or at least discover new ways of doing so. And as a result, your physical needs will be met in time. Be aware that Mercury is helping you to devise a new strategy or approach.
 
Ultimately, Taurus is a sign that emphasizes self-love.It’s association with Venus and the second house archetypes relate to self-worth as connected to personal wealth and resources. We live in a society that equates wealth with self-worth. We’re taught to accumulate resources to feel good about ourselves or worthy. But natural wisdom tells us that it works a lot better the other way around. Take some time over the remaining two weeks to reevaluate your relationship to self-love and its connection to the flow of resources in your life.
 
As the Sun and Moon conjoin on May 6, use this moment to relax and catch your breath. You might find it beneficial to immerse yourself in nature by going for a hike, hitting the beach, or taking a short camping trip. Whatever you do, keep it simple. Maybe you just end up eating some ice cream and watching the clouds pass by outside your window. That works, too! The New Moon is a time of lower energy anyway, and Taurus takes an easy pace. I think you get the point and you’re probably feeling it, too.

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Kosmic Mind Blog by Chad Woodward is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.