What the March-April 2005 Mercury Retrograde Means for us Pt.3

by Robert Wilkinson

Part 1 of this article offered some insights into this Mercury Retrograde period, and what we can do to play it to our advantage. As was noted in Part 1, these periods reveal their own unique rhythm by offering a new look at things. Every period in some way echoes the messages of prior retrograde periods, and affects our future. By observing what has been revealed during other periods in recent months and years, we can see how Mercury, or Hermes, the "Guide of Souls," is leading us to our authentic self. Regardless of appearances or how difficult or easy, Mercury retrograde periods show us the path to our Soul.

Part 2 offered how this phenomenon is affecting us at this time based in where it falls relative to our Sun sign. The rest of this article explores the thread of previous Mercury retrograde spans to offer a different point of view on some lessons we've learned since early 2003.

In January 2003, Mercury's retrograde station at 29 Capricorn renewed our quest for inner understanding despite social conditioning. We learned to transcend old routines, see hidden meaning in situations, and discovered how appearances relate to archetypal principles or processes. Its stationary direct point on January 22, 2003 at 13 Capricorn gave us a responsibility and platform to transcend our lesser self for the rest of 2003.

This degree had already been given tremendous power due to the New Moon on that point January 2, 2003. This degree heavily influenced all we learned in 2003, and showed us the need to establish ourselves on what we hold valuable and venerable at the core of our being. Forms of clairvoyance and subtle understanding resulted from doing the necessary disciplines. We revisited old routines to claim our power or authorship, and we were offered ways to experience an absolute unity by going deeper into our inner natures and exercising a playful or creative useful self-conquest.

In April 2003, Mercury's retrograde at 21 Taurus offered us chances in the following months to see what was personally significant to us to confirm a type of emotional-social response. We had to learn a spiritually evolved discrimination between what mattered and what didn't, and were challenged to be sharply discerning to see ourselves as part of a larger Whole. Its direct station at 12 Taurus gave us a resource and platform to "shop around" for what we would need to do our future thing. We had to become interested in something that could lead us to a more enthusiastic involvement and achievement.

In August 2003, Mercury's retrograde station at 27 Virgo began to offer us a chance to see forms of self-refinement and service to rectify something, preparing us for more effective social-cultural self-expression. We had to examine cultural values we were holding on to, and why. Many made spiritual decisions about associates who were smug or relied too much on perceived prestige. We were offered an inner guidance leading us to the magnetism or "charisma" that could calm and inspire others by staying centered in the NOW and questioning superficiality.

For those who did the inner work, the ultimate result has been an energy transmutation of extraordinary precision that shows us how we have lived by someone else's limitations, or believed a falsehood that is not true for us. We've seen positive results as we've pioneering in our thinking, been precise in our reflections and methodical in how we pick things apart, not yield to the predominating restlessness.

The Mercury retrograde in December 2003-January 2004 gave us a look back at 2003 as a whole, since Mercury's stationary retrograde point was the same as its direct point was in January 2003. As mentioned earlier, the whole year challenged us to demonstrate self-transcendence, and the Winter 2003-04 retrograde showed us how we did or did not fulfill our duties and responsibilities and get grounded on timeless spiritual principles. Some activities since then have become abrasive, or were not very well planned. Personal digs or assumed familiarity that wasn't warranted backfired, as did presumptuousness and superficiality.

It challenged us to be responsible, organized, and efficient, projecting ourselves into a work. We had to take materials in our environment to reveal to others something of our inner life and purpose, use our mature realizations and intelligence to master something, and you come to a sure understanding and an authentic form of long range self-expression. By mastering our talents and sharing them with others, we enlarged our horizons and came to forms of exceptional self-expression.

The April 2004 Mercury retrograde station at 2 Taurus promised us all a "cosmic visitation" of some sort that would leave us in awe of larger workings and open us to a transfigurative experience. We started to confirm something of a new life and existence, with revolutionary beginnings and endings since April. It moved back to 22 Aries, challenging us since that time to view things more optimistically, cooperatively, and be joyous in letting go of some inhibitions.

The inferior conjunction with the Sun fused our principles of life and retrograde mind at 28 Aries, a degree of shattering cherished illusions. Since April, we've been getting new insights and reflections on taking responsibility for consequences and putting a new light on old ideas. We've had opportunities to demonstrated fearlessness while constructively facing facts and adjust however we needed to.

The Mercury retrograde period of August 2004 kicked off with Mercury going stationary retrograde at 9 Virgo, indicated a time of reviewing methods of expressing our genius or uniqueness. We understood and got in harmony with the trends indicated by the "cosmic visitation" back in April, and the inferior conjunction at 2 Virgo in August put all of us through a "liberating ordeal." We released much that kept us tied to an old reality, work, or way of life, and found ways to a greater self-assurance.

The 26 Leo stationary direct degree assured all of us that if we linked the eternal with the temporal within us that we would experience a revelation about our true worth, once we went through the death of useless things. We've all been given chances for "spiritual linkage through emotional stress," and received a blessing of some sort, peculiar though it may appear.

The most recent Mercury retrograde period occurred in December 2004, with the retrograde beginning at 27 Sagittarius, the degree of the sculptor, indicating our ability to master substance through applied intelligence, and find a form of permanent self-expression through a surity of understanding. We took materials and shaped them so they revealed to others something of our inner life and purpose. We learned detachment as we transfered images of our individuality into substance.while restoring our sense of humor, vision, or ability to take care of our needs. There were sacrifices so we could break free of old uncertainties or limitations.

We had to commit to something that would link our aesthetic to that of other generations, seek the highest level of appreciation, be patient, and offer wisdom in roundabout or indirect ways to the immature or inexperienced. The inferior conjunction fell at 19 Sagittarius, ushering in a four month "light of mind" reorienting us into a "move to distant regions," either physically or psychologically, to ensure our survival. We have re-emphasized our foundations, retreated for recuperation, and began to search for new ways of living in more wholesome surroundings, whether psychic or physical.

Mercury's direct station at 11 Sagittarius indicated that up to now we have been observing how the mass consciousness affects us and others as individuals, and have become aware of the "power of primordial images of Unconscious." It is said to be a degree of "activity dominated by fate," so we've all been through character adjustments these past 4 months, and as you know, as you shape your character you shape your destiny, or fate. We've all be given opportunities to return to the wisdom of our body instincts, balance out any overemphasis on mind and intellectual rationality, and decondition our reliance on the lower mind. We have learned how to respond more naturally to life challenges, and have had to detach from leaning too heavily on quantitative reasoning or conforming to cultural patterns.

© Copyright 2006 Robert Wilkinson. Last update: 8/27/2006; 10:52:38 AM.