Mercury Stations Retrograde – May 26, 2008, 15:48 UT

By Kirsti Melto and Eric Francis

Mercury makes its retrograde station on May 26, 2008, in its home sign Gemini. As a metaphor for the current event we can use an image of the wandering shaman who is fetching information from various different levels of consciousness. The Norse god Odin was equivalent for the Roman god Mercury. Odin was a shaman, shapeshifter and truth-seeker, able to fly through the air on his magical eight-legged horse.

Mercury turns retrograde three times a year. In reality the planet’s movement doesn’t change direction, but the experience can have real effects. Usually the retrogradation is described as a time when things seem to go wrong; technical devices stop working, communication fails, travelling gets delayed etc. While all this is true, and it is wise to prepare oneself in advance, this particular Mercury station seems to be offering also another kind of experience.

In the chart the emphasis is in mental air signs and retrograding planets.

Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are the air signs, and they operate on the mental plane and as knowledge gatherers. The Sun, Mercury, Venus and Ceres are in Gemini. Mercury is the ruler of Gemini, and it is the planet of the mind. It rules thinking, communication, commerce and transportation. It is strong in its own sign. Mercury is the messenger of the gods.

Mercury trines the Moon, Chiron, the North Node and Neptune in Aquarius. Chiron has stationed retrograde on the previous day, and Neptune is about to station retrograde within a half an hour after Mercury’s station. Mercury is also forming a quincunx to retrograding Jupiter in Capricorn. Asteroid Iris, named after the female equivalent of Mercury, is retrograding in the air sign Libra.

Mercury squares cubewano Logos in the Mercury ruled sign Virgo, and Logos is also retrograding. We have many outer planets that represent the higher octave of personal planets, such as Neptune being the higher octave of Venus. Logos would appear to be have that relationship to Mercury. Mercury addresses both the spirit of the mind, and its content; it is the medium of communication, and to some extent that which is communicated. All of these attributes can be sensed coming from Logos.

So, we are having a lot of mental energy turned inwards all of a sudden. Look within and pay attention to sensitive messages of your subconscious.

Mercury squares Uranus in Pisces. Uranus is a planet of revelations, intellectual brilliance and genius. Uranus is also sometimes said to be the higher octave of Mercury.

Venus squares Saturn in Virgo. Venus is associated, among other things, with money. Venus square Saturn can hint at difficulties in financial matters. This aspect advices you to be extra cautious if signing contracts or making deals during the Mercury’s retrogradation.

When a planet is retrograde the energy is turned inward: things may be understood on a deep level. Mercury retrograde works a little like Chiron. Barbara Hand Clow writes on her book on Chiron: “Direct planets are electrical, and they cause energy to charge and move; retrograde planets are magnetic and draw energy into the chart. Therefore, when Chiron is retrograde it draws in healing, initiatory and alchemical powers.”

Chiron is in conjunction with Neptune, which rules vapours. In a chapter named “Mutations of mercury” in The Metal – Planet Relationship by Nick Kollerstrom, the author mentions: “What chemists call sublimation can well be shown with mercury. This is a process whereby matter transforms directly from the solid into the vapour state without passing through the liquid condition.” This is a bit like a description of this chart. He also writes: “Mercury is widely used in idustry as a catalyst — either as itself, a metal, or in complicated organic compounds. A catalyst helps to bring about a reaction while remaining itself unchanged at the end of the reaction.”

Let Mercury act as a catalyst and bring in the healing powers of Chiron!

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