By Leo Knighton Tallarico
A New lunar cycle began this past week at the New Moon in Aquarius on January 20.
This New Moon was meant to give a spark of positive energy and hopefully a sense of forward movement.
But this forward movement was countered in part by the fact that Mercury went Retrograde the next day January 21.
Mercury Retrograde is meant to have us loosen up any tight and firm mental constructs or paradigms we have developed, to rethink our plans, to not be so sure of whatever agendas we have attached to.
Its process can bring upsets to get us to stop and rethink. Its process can bring people back into our lives, through dreams, strong waking memories, or actual real time connections.
Mercury Retrograde may even bring back old ideas or old ways of being or thinking from our past.
Before we move forward with our current agenda or plan, we may need to question the direction we have chosen. Or maybe we need to reintegrate someone or something from the past so we can heal or re-member.
Then when Mercury goes back direct again, in this case on February 11, we are more fully prepared and equipped to continue our journey forward. Or perhaps we then realize we had been off course and we thus end what we thought was right to do.
So you can see why it is best to wait until Mercury goes back Direct before making important decisions or starting anything new. It is because one needs to go through the entire Mercury Retrograde period, which in essence is pausing, reflecting and rethinking, before finding direction agsain.
Information is gathered during Mercury Retrograde, emotions are processed. Old times are experienced again to give us better perspective on our life now.
So please do not rush to make decision now or do anything impulsive or based on fear. Trust the process, and be as patient as possible.
And it may take until a few days- to a week afterward- before you are truly ready to see the truth, make decision or do something important. After February 19 Mercury will be back to normal Direct speed again.
Many people speak of machinery going awry or communication equipment or electronics to not work well during Mercury Retrograde. That can happen sometimes and likely more often than usual; but this is not the essence of Mercury Retrograde.
Being superstitious or fearful about Mercury Retrograde will only tend to make matters worse. If your computer stops working, perhaps it is important to pause in what you are doing before proceeding. If it totally breaks down, as difficult as that may be, it might be time to get a new computer or to get it in better shape.
But please do not expect really bad breakdowns to happen. I have been through over a hundred Mercury Retrogrades personally and have watched hundreds more with clients and friends; and many more times than not no equipment or electronics have failed in a serious way. Little glitches here and there only have been common.
On February 2 is Imbolc, commonly called in our modern era Groundhog Day. This is approximately half way between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox.
It is usually a time to begin to feel the coming of spring, even if only on a subtle level.
For those on a spiritual path it sometimes is a time of spiritual initiation, a sacred time of new awakening or passage.
In this regard February 2 in Christian tradition is Candlemas, remembered as the time when Jesus entered the temple for the first time or when Mary received purification.
This coming week, however, will bring a continuation of what was started last week. It will continue the lunar cycle begun at the New Moon in Aquarius and it will continue the shifting mental and communicative winds of Mercury.
The second quarter Moon in Taurus will begin late Monday, and will ask each of us to be grounded in whatever endeavors you have recently chosen.
Remember we are experiencing the Sun in Aquarius now, and that brings more mental energy, especially mental energy that is ingenious, inventive, and “outside the box” of usual thinking.
So use the 2nd quarter Moon in Taurus to make your inventive ideas more practical and real.
Energies will intensify more strongly around Thursday/Friday (30th/31st) as Mars makes exact contact with the Uranus/Pluto square.
Important world events are more likely at that time than usual.
And of course we are not far away from a very powerful late winter and spring 2015. Uranus makes exact square to Pluto on March 16. Then there is an eclipse on the day of the Spring Equinox, and another eclipse two weeks later that includes Uranus and Pluto in its signature.
The world as we know it is in the process of giving birth to an Age of Aquarius. Our human family is experiencing a sometimes rather painful pregnancy.
And there is much that needs to change before the delivery. Let us hope that we are not so naïve as to believe that all will stay the same during the pregnancy or after the birth.
You parents know that once the child arrives the world as you knew it is never to be the same again.
And some more conservative types resist the changes and want everything to stay as it was. And of course we do not want all to change all at once.
So expect this March/April time period coming up to bring severe labor pains that alert us to the fact that the birth is getting closer.
Prepare to release more of the old ways that do not fit what is arriving. Help yourself to trust what the coming chapter will be. It is nature working its magic. It may not always be pretty, may even get quite painful and ugly at times; but a new and hopefully healthy baby will be the Age of Aquarius.
Till next week,
Leo
You can get an astrological consultation with me during these changing times to help you on your path and with your life. Please write soulus@aol.com for more info..
Please feel free to find my services on my websitehttp://www.spiritualrenaissance.com. You can sign up for our newsletter there.
Leo Knighton Tallarico has been a full time professional astrologer, spiritual guide, counselor, and writer for 29 years