Fantasy’s Executioner, Mercury on the Couch
After the stillness and introspection of last week, things are on the move again, but in that Scorpionic way that is often unfathomable. This may show in dealing with people you simply can’t understand, and vice versa. Or through the unfolding of events that at first seem crazy, overwhelming or even disastrous, but which often and eventually turn out to be the best thing that could ever have happened.
As I commented last week Venus is now retrograde in Scorpio, a cycle that she repeats every 8 years. During the 1994 cycle I was evicted from my London flat (I’d been an illegal sub tenant for 8 years, so had moved in on the previous retro Venus Scorpio cycle, and new managing agents finally caught up with me) and I thought my world had come to an end. But I found another flat just for 6 months, that I couldn’t afford and then moved to Greece. The rest, as they say, is history.
Venus retrograde in the sign of Fixed Water
With Venus now retrograde in the sign of Fixed Water we have the images of still waters run deep, stagnant ponds or the freezing touch of ice. Nothing is obvious, but life is teeming underneath the surface.
- Don’t make any assumptions – not even a little one – about how other people are feeling or what they’re thinking.
- Be aware of hidden depths, your own as well as someone else’s, and dig deep to connect with your own power and authority.
- It’s a time for asking yourself what you really want, for being honest in that totally stripped back to basics way.
- Identify what you’re prepared to give up to get what you really want.
- Look at how you can reinvent yourself and your life where it’s needed.
- Get crystal clear about your desires and intentions.
- The fuel is passion – and determination to live your life in the way that is right for you and with the people who are right for you.
- It’s time for sloughing off the old skin and finding the shiny brand new you underneath it. It’s always there.
We’ve got a long way to go before Venus turns direct again (16 November, at 25 Libra as Venus’ retrograde journey takes her back into the previous sign) but that doesn’t mean that love and money issues will all grind to a halt.
It DOES mean that you may have to go back over some old ground, including looking at repetition issues, such as entrenched emotional patterns of relating that never seem to get you what you need. Or attitude to money or spending habits that always seem to end up with horribly familiar results.
Is it Love or Fantasy?
For some, Venus now retrograde will bring back an old flame, or it can signal a turning point in any kind of romantic attachment that is complicated – or delusional.
Scorpio is linked to obsessiveness as well as death/rebirth.
If you’ve been obsessing about someone, especially if they’re unavailable or not responding to your obvious charms, now’s the time to kick the habit. Killing it off can be liberating – hence the title of this week’s blog Fantasy’s Executioner.
I pinched that from a book called Love’s Executioner and Other Tales of Psychotherapy by Irvin Yalom, an existential psychiatrist. The first case history reports how he managed to confront a woman in a delusional state, with truth and therefore set her on the road to healing. He’s a brilliant man and a wonderful writer.
What else is Happening this Week?
Relationships are the main theme and we start with the New Moon –
Tuesday 9 October
-
New Moon 16 Libra 04.48
Libra, sign of the Scales, rules partnership and negotiation of all kinds.
New Moons equal new cycles, fresh starts, new opportunities or new faces coming into the picture, especially as Libra is the sign of “the other”.
In terms of the bigger picture a keyword for now is collaboration.
Whatever you can’t do singlehandedly, seek another pair of hands or another point of view. Make arrangements that are mutually beneficial, think about what you need, but also think about what you can offer in return. Anything reciprocal gets a huge tick on this New Moon.
Libra has a reputation for being the peacemaker of the zodiac but – sorry Librans – this is not always the case! When the Scales are in balance, Librans are sweetness personified. When they’re out of balance, this sign can be extremely cranky and argumentative, dumping everything on “the other”.
Using the New Moon
So if you want to use this New Moon to its best and full advantage take a moment to stop and think about your own role, especially if you’re in dispute or in any delicate relationship situation.
We are all co-creators of our lives. The most valuable question I ever ask in my readings, or ask myself when I’m feeling conflicted, is “What is your part in this?” Finding the answers to that deep reaching question can be revelatory and helpful beyond words.
Talking of deep reaching questions, this is definitely a theme that is starting now and which is going to continue and grow over the next week or so.
Mercury – our therapist
It’s now the turn of Mercury, planet of the mind, to enter Scorpio, and as Mercury is currently fast moving he’s poised to make a series of aspects. He’s our therapist throughout this week and next. Here’s the sequence for this week –
Wednesday 10 October
-
Mercury ingress Scorpio 01.41
-
Mercury 1 Scorpio opposite Uranus 1 Taurus 18.37
Friday 12 October
-
Mercury 3 Scorpio sextile Saturn 3 Capricorn 09.21
Mercury is the planet of the mind, language and understanding and in Scorpio this means everything from poisonous words to psychotherapy.
Power and control issues are often wrapped up in the sign of Scorpio – so if you’re involved in any kind of blame game, Mercury’s first aspect, the opposition to wild child Uranus, is your first opportunity to break the downward spiral.
Ditto for over thinking. Don’t let your imagination spiral out of control. Use the mindfulness technique of stopping to ask, “Is this true?”
Taking Back your Power
This is a phrase that’s often bandied around but what does it mean? In my book I think it starts with recognizing if your mood is being overly dictated by the words or actions of another person. Overly means too much of the time!
Mercury challenging unpredictable Uranus can bring a first division argument which can be healthy if you need to clear the air. But if it’s an argument that you’ve had over and over again then it’s time to stop. Uranus tells us when to split off and walk away.
This aspect can also bring unexpected news, shocks or surprises, spontaneous decisions or a huge turnaround in your own or someone else’s thinking.
Pay attention to light bulb moments.
Uranus aspects can also bring a lot of panic and drama. But as Mercury is fast moving such moments should be short lived, especially as the next aspect is to steadying and get real Saturn.
Bust ups on Wednesday can be sorted by Friday.
Saturn is great at being the grown up, for calming things down, for closure or reality checks.
Healing
The most positive and powerful Scorpio quality is healing, as reflected in the Scorpio key phrase “I regenerate”. The Mercury in Scorpio big message in this respect is to put an end to whatever is causing you mental turmoil. We can’t change others, we can change only our own response.
Venus and Mars
So, Venus turned retrograde last Friday and her first aspect on this backwards journey is to Mars. As they are now both in Fixed signs this means that the aspect is a square, which spells yet more friction or the underlining of compatibility issues or logistics. This is also a clash between the intense emotions of one and the apparent detachment of the other.
Note that the Moon paves the way to this square. She enters Scorpio the day before and aspects both Mars and Venus late on Wednesday, just hours before their square is exact in the early hours of Thursday –
Wednesday 10 October
-
Moon ingress Scorpio 05.10
-
Moon square Mars 10 Aquarius 23.03
-
Moon conjunct Venus 10 Scorpio 23.16
Thursday 11 October
-
Venus 10 Scorpio square Mars 10 Aquarius 03.30
I read the other day that Scorpio stuff can be “awful and tense” or it can be “awesome and intense”. I’d go along with that! And I’d also have to say that it’s more likely to be the former at the moment, not helped by the last aspect of the week which is also a square –
Friday 12 October
-
Sun 19 Libra square Pluto 19 Capricorn 05.09
The Sun in square to Pluto, Scorpio’s planet, spells absence or endings. This can be anything from a change of heart, a change of plan to deal-breaking behavior.
This is underlined by the fact that this is also the Sun’s last aspect before changing sign (ingress Scorpio 24 Oct). You may find that you draw more information from what doesn’t happen as opposed to what does.
Also look out for links to events that happen on the New Moon earlier in the week at 16 Libra – as a New Moon is when the Sun and Moon are exactly conjunct. So this week’s New Moon is herself in square to Pluto.
Finally, although I don’t list lunar aspects in the blog as there are so many of them throughout each month, it’s worth noting the monthly conjunctions. There’s the Moon – Venus conjunction on Wednesday night and it’s Jupiter’s turn on Thursday night –
Friday 12 October
-
Moon conjunct Jupiter 24 Scorpio 00.13
This is not the easiest of weeks but Jupiter tends to shine a light on what is good for us and is great at restoring faith. He brings opportunity, generosity and escape routes.
Next week is dominated by a series of positive aspects from Mercury so, no matter what you have to contend with right now, it’s really worth rolling up your physical, mental and emotional shirtsleeves and tackling your issues, challenges and to do lists with as much clarity as possible.
Stay focused and systematic, prioritize so that you’re less likely to be sidetracked by distractions, keep your eye on what you want an outcome to be and don’t give in!
Next week Mercury is bringing a lot of new information into the picture,
Until next week
With love from Greece