Astrology Now in April-May 2005 - Mercury Retrograde and Saturn in Cancer - Beware the House of Mirrors

by Robert Wilkinson

I have been getting reports from many I know that it is a particularly difficult time, with too many things converging all at once. Blame it all on Mercury retrograde, right? Stories of reversals, misunderstandings, needing to do things twice or more to get them right, delays in getting paid, and frustrations that things are going in circles, with no end to the repetitive activity. People thinking and saying strange or misdirected things, unexpected reactions that seemingly weren't called for, fears unexpectedly arising for any reason, or no particular reason at all. Many having a very hard time due to changes in direction, or a lack of change of direction, and generally frustration that things are the way they are.

Please remember that very often under a Mercury retrograde things do not turn out as expected, and that much is not as it seems. I've also heard reports of unexpected reconnections between people who needed to get together, and delays resulting in favorable results. And as I pointed out in my book "A New Look At Mercury Retrograde," many times villains get busted or caught during a Mercury retrograde. Even an apparent "misfortune" can turn out to the advantage to those who understand how to reposition their view by taking different information into account, or seeing the past differently in some way. Find a different way to communicate, or understand, or interpret, or view things. This is easier to do during Mercury retrograde. Take a new look, do the rehearsals you need to practice the possible, and get ready to make it substantial in the near future.

While many of the difficult incidents cited at the beginning of this article are associated with Mercury retrograde, a lot of what is really hassling people is the major T-square going on. We're in the heart of it. It's dislodging a lot of things, and is very hard energy to direct productively. However, it can be done, with mindfulness and concentration on what is going on, and how to use the disciplines practiced for many months in precise ways to power up new initiatives. It's a time for doing something new and different, but not randomly selected.

The reason everything is so bizarre and the edge of change is so sharp is due to the Saturn in Cancer nozzle of the Grand Irrationality. We've been living with Saturn in Cancer for so long that something's got to give. Even if we thought it was manageable, the TWO major T-squares in past 90 days (that's only 2160 hours, folks!) have challenged all of us in some very important ways. If nothing else, the annoyance-aggravation factors are very high, since we are creatures of comfort, and don't like to be forced into a heightened level of activity for any length of time. There's not a lot of time to relax when T-squares are in the air, and one of the planets involved is the nozzle of the irrationality factor that has dominated the past two months.

Due to Cancer's reflectivity, there is a strong mirroring tendency. This sign emotionally reflects upon past experiences and forms habits mirroring that outward into the world. The tendency is to see past as future, and past as conditioning future possibilities. Thus there is a lot of clutching, hoping that will lead to security. While understandable due to Cancer's place in the twelve-fold scheme of things, it should be remembered that this strong feeling energy striving for emotional security in an ever-changing reality cannot find the security it wants through any form of fear-based control, a.k.a., Saturn, when it's malfunctioning.

A Saturn in Cancer malfunction makes for the feeling that one cannot break free of the past. That is true only to the extent we haven't taken responsibility for our ability to lift off whatever chains we feel like whenever we choose to. Here's an article I wrote a while ago about the earlier Saturn in Cancer influence last year. Note the shifts between then and now, as well as the similarities, since Saturn moves back into the Yod, or "Finger of God," in May-June, again bringing hard adjustments, all experienced through the lens of Saturn in Cancer.

Saturn in Cancer brings up fears of survival, of primal memories and feeling-experiences, and generally forces looking at one's bottom line regarding Cancerian things, what you can live with and what you cannot through the lens of Saturn, the Ring Pass Not. These are bottom-line life lessons, and cannot be escaped. We all have them happening wherever we are dealing with Saturn in our charts. If you feel like life's not much fun, then you're dealing with a Saturn lesson. It makes you find your boundaries, your limits, your ability to respond.

If there is any fear, it stems from primal emotions that were not nurtured appropriately, and need healing through courage. If there is resentment, it stems from being frustrated at not being able to control something or someone. See the power you gained from your life experiences, and claim your ability to steer your own boat through life. Saturn can be too hard, too stone-faced at times. In Cancer it takes on an immediacy it doesn't have at other times. That's why after this long period of dealing with Saturn in the sign of primal feelings, we can take heart in its forward movement.

It moves into Leo in July, where I expect a different feeling quality to our lessons, much more inspirational and creative. I believe it will be a relief to have it in Leo. Of course, it will bring its challenges in that sign as well, as none of us can escape the Saturnine lessons in our charts and lives. Still, it is somewhat more favorably placed in Leo, due to its exaltation in Libra and co-rulership of Aquarius, both air signs and therefore harmonious with the fire of Leo. If nothing else, Saturn will begin to express through extroversion than introversion, self-expression rather than reflection. In any case, our hearts will mature.and we can heal many things from our early life if we use our worldly wisdom and maturity to help the inner child in critical moments, both our own and others. I'll go more extensively into that that down the road.

© Copyright 2006 Robert Wilkinson. Last update: 8/27/2006; 10:53:03 AM.