Pluto’s retrograde station is explosive; Mercury’s is fraught with miscommunications and snafus. Between both events this month (Pluto’s on April 6 and Mercury’s on April 17), Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull erupted. There was the lord of the underworld appearing in a volcano at the top of the world. There was messenger Mercury (in earth sign Taurus) sending plumes of grit into Europe’s skyways, grounding planes and stranding passengers. Astrologers might smile at the symbolism, but we shouldn’t stop there. Planets don’t cause events, they’re omens. And truth be told, astrologers aren’t scientists; they’re diviners, just like entrail readers thousands of years ago. It’s our job to say what these things mean.
Of course meaning is elastic and looks different from different angles. But I’ll take one stab at it: I believe Pluto drew further attention to the strong earth changes we’ve already been seeing and portends there may be more. How should we prepare? Mercury’s retrograde always asks us to slow down. But this month there’s an added note: we must get grounded. Stop the busy-ness and tune into the world beneath our feet. Let’s deepen our conversation with the earth. Such intuition might send us in the weeks ahead to just the right spot at the necessary moment. Despite the frustrations, inconvenience, and loss of revenue, no plane tumbled from the sky. We got a chance to think of what really matters. We were also encouraged to listen inwardly–for the hard or soft explosions of our own passions. Is there an inner fire that wants to erupt?
At least that’s how I took it. Despite the deadlines claiming me, I slowed down and spent several empty hours outside of my routines. I let myself do nothing! Just as the stranded passengers in Europe were forced to do. My conscious quiet brought a great surprise. Several new ideas rushed in–some were the answers to questions I’ve been asking for weeks. What if the whole world had slowed down and listened deeply! Mercury and Pluto might have really been pleased.
Hi Dana, thank you for your insights on this difficult period.
It was refreshing to hear your feeling about Mercury retro in Taurus, as a time to forget deadlines and realize what is really important. Your outlook made me re-view mine, because I had just posted, few hours earlier, a few sentences on the present Aquarius Moon in square with Taurus Mercury and described it as ‘…having to cover old ground, encountering stubborn, unyielding mental attitudes, making little progress. Innovative ideas versus mental lethargy. A good dynamic to wrestle with a creative block’. Your uplifting outlook made me realize that I must be in a somewhat depressed mood, looking at the negatives before I even try to explore the positives. Those feet in the mud, to deepend our conversation with the Earth, as you beoutifully put it, are a great reminder of all that is positive and sadly overlooked in our daily transits.
You cheered me up. I am a subscriber as of today. Ciao, Paola Emma
I have been feeling like doing nothing too and have done just that, but thought maybe I should be doing more. Glad I stopped in and read your notes. I get so much from your writings too. Thank you.
Hi Dana,
Love you blog-
I am the magazine buyer at a coop in ID, and I recently just discovered your great column in NW Astrologer.
I love that you have a background in literature. (I mean that’s how this whole deal makes the most sense anyway!)
I’m loving the Hercules adventures through the Zodiac, but I missed the beginning. Will you turn those into a book or make them available online? I’ll keep reading ’em.
You have a great writing style. I certainly love your voice and perspective.
be well.
enjoy this lovely spring.
en