Shifting Winds and Mercury Retrograde, and Astrology Forecast for August 22-28
by Leo Knighton Tallarico
The mental winds have shifted now- as Mercury went retrograde Friday August 20. Perceptions are changing, what we thought was happening or about to happen may now be questioned. Mercury Retrograde always shakes up our usual way of seeing things, gives pause, and prompts us to reflect and review. It is often subtle, sometimes not so much. When Mercury first changes directions, from direct to retrograde, or from retrograde to direct; that is when issues can be most confusing.
For instance, on the evening of November 7, 2000, Mercury had slowed down while retrograde, and went direct. That night Al Gore and George Bush were in an election for President of the United States. It was a crazy night- as winds shifted back and forth from media calling the victory for Bush, then Gore, and back and forth all night. The election was finally over weeks later, after many hanging chads and a Supreme Court verdict which handed the election to Bush.
Mercury changing directions is not always as confusing as that election night in 2000, but it always does shift the mental framework, more or less. And as we go deeper into the retrograde period, we shift our perceptions, our paradigm. Events may force us to question how we have been viewing our lives. People from our past may reappear in our lives or in our minds or dreams to shift our reality. Events which we are relying on to happen, do not happen or get postponed. Events which we were not expecting, drop into our lives.
As a result of these shifts, we are forced to re-examine, to re-think. This is why we are advised during Mercury Retrograde not to make big decisions or sign important contracts. It is because our minds are operating differently than they usually operate. Left-brain linear thinking is stressed. Right brain creative imaginative thinking often does better during Mercury Retrograde.
Also, sometimes we feel we have been taken into a kind of Twilight Zone during Mercury Retrograde. Our sense of reality has shifted that much. We are in a fog and wanting to come out. After Mercury goes back direct, we start to gain more clarity and direction. Sometimes it takes 3-5 days after Mercury has gone direct before we feel clear again.
This time Mercury will go back direct on September 12. So its retrograde period is from August 19- September 12.
Closely coordinating with Mercury Retrograde is the final pass of Saturn square Pluto today on August 21. As we have mentioned before, Saturn/Pluto events can be very destructive in their process of breaking down old structures, and opening the way for a new passage forward. In time new structures are built that have been injected with new spirit, unlike the old ones that had lost their original purpose and passion.
Wars have been a very destructive way of transforming these structures. World War I, World War II and the 9-11 tragedy all erupted in our lives during hard aspect between Saturn and Pluto as this current Saturn square Pluto represents.
We wrote last week that Israel and the USA charts were closely affected by the Saturn/Pluto aspect and that it was either possible they would be involved in some kind of conflict (likely Iran), or that we would get clues as to what is forming around some kind of conflict that would happen soon.
Interestingly,last week it was abruptly and surpisingly announced that Russia would be opening an Iranian nuclear reactor plant on August 21, the day of the square. Some were predicting that Israel or the USA would attack, bomb and destroy the facility before August 21, when the nuclear fuel would be loaded in which would almost certainly preclude a bombing. That is because a bombing after the fuel is loaded in would cause a massive nuclear disaster with fallout destroying many lives. There was little time to set up a bombing and nothing happened before the plant successfully opened on August 21.
It is also quite synchronistic that the USA estimated this week that Iran could not make a nuclear weapon for at leat a year. Also this week, The USA and other world powers initiated peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians that are slated to begin on September 2.
It is obvious to me that there are great efforts being exerted to stop an attack on Iran, and avert a most devastating war that would explode as a result. I believe Israel is determined to attack Iran nevertheless. The opening of the nuclear reactor by Russia and Iran on Augut 21, at the exact day of hte Saturn/Pluto square is an important synchronicity. It must be some kind of turning point for the Middle East. The ramifications of the Saturn/Pluto square are operable until later this year. Keep close watch on the Middle East now and for the near future.
What happens there is most important as we shift from a Pisces to an Aquarian Age. Religions became major social institutions during the Pisces Age, and all our main religions have powerful roots in the Middle East.
We are moving into Diversity in Unity in the Aquarian Age. Wars between religions is a dark joke. It is unbelievable to anyone who has truly connected spiritually. We need to cleanse our world of this toxicity. We can only hope and pray that there are not too many horrors that await us in this cleansing process.
Sun in Virgo- The Sun moves into Virgo overnight August 22/23, Sunday into Monday. Virgo time of year is a time to begin to unwind from the summer and begin to transition into the autumn. We start to think about getting our lives together again, fixing what needs to be fixed or healed, getting more organized and efficient, working harder. Synchronistically, it is the time of year when kids go back to school. The creative and fun loving roar of the Leo lion begins to subside, and we now seek to find the simplicity and humility of the Virgo Virgin. Remember, however, that it is still summer and that you do not have to turn to “all work and no play”.
Keep your eye also on the economy now as we shift to Mercury Retrograde, Sun in Virgo, and in the wake of Saturn/Pluto. There is a downward shift that should affect the economy and stock market. It is likely the stock market will go down, perhaps appreciably, this late summer and autumn.
Please remember that all the changes are cleansing our world of old ways that are soul dead, corrupt, unfair, unjust, and uncaring. New ways are being born. We are connecting again with our deeper souls, with one another, with the Universe, with our spirituality. We are creating ways of healing our Earth and environment, of making community. We are creating in alignment with an Aquarian Age being born, creating a world of Diversity in Unity, anchored by the Universal strongholds of Love and Truth.
by Leo Knighton Tallarico
There are more writings and information about astrological consultations on my website. Also there will be a new live Perspectives from the Sky radio show on Saturday August 28 at 1 PM EDT. You can also listen to past shows at that address.
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