INsight
May 2010
Mercury Direct
12 May 2010
This mercury retrograde cycle has been the most disruptive to travel ever seen. But the trickster planet is not the only culprit; we can’t blame Mercury entirely. It seems the Earth is shifting and erupting with more frequency of late. That’s related to Pluto in Capricorn; a deep process of transformation spanning 2008-2024.
Those interested to learn more about this cycle in a global and historical context may wish to read my 2006 article on the transit of Pluto in Capricorn.
On May 12 Mercury pauses in the sky and turns direct. This may bring some relief to stranded travellers however, the last time this unpronounceable volcano erupted in 1821 it did so for 2 years! And its sister volcano Katla, may yet erupt.
The most recent eruptions took place on the day of the Aries Ingress, March 20 (the Equinox) and on April 14, the day of the New Moon in Aries (also the day of the Siderial Equinox). You may recall last month I mentioned that this New Moon had the potential to release a vast amount of energy which had been building for quite some time!
There may be resumption of normal travel when Mercury resumes its forward path, yet we may also realise we have overlooked some vital facts while Mercury was retrograde.
Taurus New Moon
14 May 2010
This New Moon squares Mars, Vesta and Neptune, and may test the loyalty we feel to our “tribe”. Differing values and beliefs may lead to heated debates and ties may sever as a result. People will tend to choose sides and stand up and fight for what they believe in. We might discover that some contacts are more trouble than they are worth or feel we have been duped or misled.
With Venus making a T-square to Jupiter, Uranus and Saturn, we may question whether we should make a stand, stick it out, or re-evaluate our commitments and relationships. Do we hang with the usual crowd, strike out on our own, or join a new group?
Sagittarius Full Moon
Uranus into Aries
28 May 2010
The month ends with a powerful Full Moon which occurs on the same day that Uranus shifts into Aries. This is the culmination of a cycle which began 7 years ago, and heralds the beginning of a new 7 year journey.
Uranus and Pluto are about to make a series of square aspects which a number of astrologers have been discussing and researching.
An astrological colleague from Funk astrology recently noted that the last eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in 1821 happened when Uranus was situated where Pluto is today, and Pluto was located where Uranus is today!
Uranus moving into Aries promises to be volatile and potentially explosive. Aries and Uranus have a few things in common; they are both spontaneous and creative, but they can also be destructive.
As Uranus moves through Aries over the next few years we might expect to see more uprisings, rebellions and military coups. Recently, we have seen protests in a number of countries, for instance in Thailand, where the “red shirts” are protesting against the government and seeking fresh elections.
An article I penned exploring the history of this upcoming cycle appeared in the April/May issue of The Mountain Astrologer. This article will be posted on my website in June.
This Full Moon in Sagittarius is being ushered in by Jupiter which is now very close to Uranus. Jupiter is moving fast, accelerating this time of dramatic change.
They say that necessity is the mother of invention, and Jupiter’s alignment with Uranus at the beginning of Aries holds the key to new creative innovations in technology. New developments and inventive ideas are set to emerge in the months ahead.
It is worth noting that Jupiter and Uranus combine to create a high level of risk taking. The concern here is that flights in Europe may have resumed prematurely, without enough regard for safety, if so, the consequences may be dire. And what will happen if a bigger eruption were to occur? Another volcano in Iceland, Laki, erupted in 1783 and the ash cloud from this massive eruption hung over europe for more than six months, causing widespread crop failure and famine.
And what of air travel?
In 1985 when Jupiter and Uranus were in mutual reception, (Jupiter in Aquarius and Uranus in Sagittarius) both retrograde and in sextile aspect, there were several major air disasters across the globe. This period also saw the Challenger Space shuttle disaster. Most of these accidents occurred because of errors in judgement and overlooking critical safety issues. You can read more about the 1985 spate of aviation disasters here.
Meanwhile, Ceres is aligning with Pluto, asking us to reassess what we really care about. Goddess of the Earth and crops, Ceres’ journey to the Underworld is also symbolic of the transformation of the Earth, as volcanic material is unleashed from deep within the Earth which over time will become a new layer of fertile soil for her use.
There are some powerful aspects in the heavens at present which suggests the potential for yet more seismic activity in coming months.
