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Saturn in Sagittarius

Saturn in Sagittarius

Is there a missing secret to dealing with Saturn?

The answer is an undeniable ‘yes’!

However, in order to get to Saturn’s secret sauce, it is necessary to ditch the rather two dimensional common interpretations of the planet that is considered ‘the great malefic’ and perhaps approach the planet with more understanding of its actual purpose in the horoscope which is to provide us with experiences and lessons to facilitate our inner growth.

On December 28, 2014, Saturn moves out of Scorpio and into fiery Sagittarius. Scorpio is a water sign and during Saturn’s transit through the sign of the Scorpio, our lessons have centered on issues of survival, security, and the darker side of human nature (and within ourselves) in order for us to learn from our mistakes. Sagittarius, though, is a fire sign which is a completely different ball of wax.

But, before we get into what Saturn traveling through the sign of the centaur means, let’s first try to understand Saturn on its own.

The Astrological Saturn:

Kronos is probably one of the most lopsided figures in Greek Myth. He is most known for devouring his children and ultimately being defeated by his son Zeus. Of course, we get some understanding of Saturn’s darker side – rigidity, control, domination, limitation and fear from this single story. Yet, what often gets lost, is that Kronos himself defeated his own father (Uranus) and ushered in the ‘Golden Age’.

Astrologically, Saturn (the Roman name for Kronos) may need a bit of redemption of his own. After all, there is good to be found in virtually every mythic creature – even the most foul and odious – and it’s often through their toxicity that the quest of life comes alive and the individual journey begins. So, Saturnian lessons and limitation are often a call to action to propel the individual to become more whole and evolved.

Another obvious place to look for Saturnian imagery is in psychology and Carl Jung’s concept of the shadow is a good place to start. According to Jung, the shadow is formed by the unconscious and represents the characteristics of the personality that are malformed and distasteful which the ego has difficulty integrating into conscious life that often evolve into our self-defeating and compulsive behaviors. Because the shadow is unconscious and has adapted to conscious life rather primitively, it appears in dreams and fairytales in a monstrous form – dictators, beasts we are subjugated to, evil father figures or nasty vile fairies. Additionally, the shadow appears in religious iconography as Satan or Lilith and in the mystical kabbalah as the opponent; all of which are viewed as negatively as astrology’s Saturn. Thus, the shadow is connected to the Saturnian issues of fear and limitation and in our chart’s it’s where we are most hidden and the most vulnerable.

The most revealing symbolism for Saturn is found in the ancient art of alchemy. According to alchemical literature, Saturn is referred to as ‘base material’ or the stuff that alchemists wished to transmute into gold. There is much we can learn from the ancient art of alchemy and its connection to astrology. Of course, the traditional interpretations of Saturn still apply, perhaps the ‘base matter’ is most significant here. Alchemists long sought to remove ‘base materials’ of the self in order to achieve wholeness or inner gold. Saturn reflects psychic materials in our unconscious that are ‘base’ or instinctual. They are parts of ourselves that we would rather not let the world see However, where fairy tale and myth allude through complex imagery and symbolism the similarities between the main character and their projected shadow form, alchemy is rather blunt and proclaims that the essence of ‘base matter’ and the essence of the alchemist are the same. So, to state it simply, as the alchemist transmutes ‘base matter’ into gold, they transmute themselves in the process. Saturn is where the inner gold in the chart is to be found and his transits and progressions often bring to the surface the inner gold in other planets.

But, what are base materials and how do we interpret these ancient symbols into modern day language?

Today, we live in a rather sophisticated world in which most of us are not concerned about day to day survival. We no longer scrape the bottom of the barrel to sustain ourselves and metaphors like ‘turning lemons into lemonade’ are inspirational devices rather than actualities. So, the modern individual has to adjust ‘base materials’ into deeper spiritual waters rather than the shallow pool of mundane life. The closest thing we have to ‘base materials’ (besides the obvious) are the feelings and situations we experience – the good, as well as the bad – and these experiences form and craft who we are as individuals – and this psychological process in astrological terms is called Saturn. This is why Saturn in esoteric circles is considered, “the lord of karma,” not because we are paying for crimes in a prior existence, but because our job is to master ordinary mortal life through its many lessons. Hence, why the Sun and Saturn form the spinal cord of the chart – together they create experiences and lessons to foster growth and development within the individual to achieve wholeness.

Now, some of the experiences are pleasant and we feel stable and secure in them. However, other experiences cause us pain that often at its seed level is the inspiration (or a better word may be germination) that ultimately propels us to triumph. In many ways, those that suffer through Saturnian placements, transits, and progressions are forced to deal with the lessons of the real world, its obligations, and its ultimate rewards. Furthermore, they come to understand that the lessons of life – even the most painful ones – are necessary catalysts for inner growth. In the end, it is our job to alchemically transmute our pain into a more worthwhile substance.

Saturn in Sagittarius:

Saturn will spend the next 2 ½ years in Sagittarius (although it will briefly return to Scorpio for a few months in 2015) and I feel rather optimistic about it. On the mundane level, issues regarding laws, political reform, and religious attitudes (along with scandals) will grace the headlines. Further, foreign relations and our interactions with the world at large, crisis in collective beliefs, prevailing attitudes and questioning political correctness may be necessary at this time. However, on the inner level, our lessons will be more spiritual in nature and we will question our inner purpose, our passions, and our individual place in the future.

Sagittarius is a dual sign (as are all the mutable signs) which is perfectly symbolized in the mythic Chiron. Chiron is an earthly deity who dabbles in a bit of everything, yet his major source of reputation was his ability to manipulate life through knowledge of herbs and magic in order to heal the wounded. Moreover, the passionate, fiery, and inspirational motivations of the human condition resulted in him being the teacher of heroic figures whom were all filled with unbridled potential. Chiron reflects the core of Sagittarius which is extremely optimistic and its natural mode of adaptation is to seek the greater meaning in any given situation and view life through the lenses of hope, inspiration, and envisioned possibilities of a bold new world – which can be difficult to see with Saturn transiting the sign.

Saturn can often block the initial impulses of an element when he transits the sign – especially if the sign is not akin to Saturn’s nature – which Sagittarius is not. In the sign of the centaur, this can feel like life has lost its sense of purpose and direction. Living seems to lose its meaning and can ultimately provoke anxiety and depression – both of which are powerful internal motivators. It becomes our responsibility to dig within our own souls, because the lessons of Saturn in Sagittarius are intrinsically spiritual rather than mundane. We, usually through a series of hard lessons, are forced to be true to ourselves.

Saturn’s job in any sign is to help develop a realistic experience; so invariably, a spiritual crisis is likely. We all go through life with aspirations and ambitions, but often we fail to live out our true potential because we lose sight of our inner vision or may lack the ambitions necessary to achieve them. Saturn in fiery Sagittarius (usually after a dose of purposelessness and lack of self-expression) urges us to put our ‘money where our mouth is’ and make something real with our visions which ultimately is our destiny and connection to God. In essence, our lives need to have a purpose. The problems and difficulties that occur while Saturn is in Sagittarius, could be the primal catalyst that ignites inner vision that turns lead (base matter) into gold.

Conclusion:

Every god requires homage based on its nature and failure to pay is an act the ancient Greeks called hubris – a fancy word for spitting in the face of the gods. Ultimately transgressing the gods results in severe consequences and myth is littered with tragic stories that could have been avoided. Failing to pay homage to Saturn can result in lack of vitality, damaged self-esteem, and feelings of an unlived life – after all we all have to make something out of ourselves in order to be whole individuals. While Saturn moves through Sagittarius, it is time for us to envision our futures and take the necessary steps to achieve our dreams. This will rely on getting in touch with our intuitive perceptions and developing inner wisdom. In many ways, Sagittarius is perhaps the only sign that can follow Scorpio, because its nature is to seek understanding and hope after painful experiences. Saturn’s movement through the sign will offer us understanding of the past few years and the wisdom to craft, create, and implement a better and grander tomorrow.

Sagittarius would not have it any other way. Will you?

Storm Cestavani, December, 22, 2014.

Astro 101 — Hemisphere Interpretation

In the last lesson of Astro 101, I introduced the astrological houses. If you missed that blog post then I encourage you to read that before you continue with this lesson. Also, you can read all the lessons from Astro 101 by simply going to the resource page I created to keep everything nice and organized. In this lesson, we are going to move on to something new the hemisphere orientation of the houses.

One of the main things to remember about astrology is that it’s all about numbers. In past lessons we learned that there is one chart, two genders, three modalities, 4 elements and all of this components combine together to become the twelve signs of the zodiac. While we are learning about the astrological houses, you will notice this pattern continues.

Imagine, if you will, that the chart is a pie (who doesn’t like pie). You can divide a pie in two different ways – north to south or east to west. Similarly, we can divide the chart from north to south or from east to west. In earth science, these are considered hemispheres. Astrologically, we refer to them as hemispheres as well. Each hemisphere of the chart has unique qualities or characteristics that are attributed to them. Planets that are placed in hemispheres will express themselves based on the hemisphere they are in. This will modify the way they ‘act’ based on their environment.

Let’s get to the meat and potatoes!

Astro 101 — Introduction to the Astrological Houses

An Introduction to the Astrological Houses

Did you know that every relationship you have or will EVER have is found in your horoscope?

Well, they are!

Your parents are found in your chart, your love relationships, your pet, your doctor, your educators, your friends, your siblings, and even that ONE person you wish wouldn’t be in your chart is THERE. IF you didn’t know this, then this lesson is definitely for you!

In my last teaching series of Astro 101, I explained the astrological signs. We learned about astrological gender, elements, and the modalities that form the 12 signs of the zodiac. In this series, we will explore the astrological houses which will help prepare us for our study of the planets.

If you do not have a copy of your chart, you can get one for free by using the application widget on my site. In addition, I have created an extensive tutorial to help you understand how to read your chart so that you can learn all the various bits and pieces that combine to make up YOU.

The Astrological Houses

I remember when I first started studying astrology (1984) that I found astrological houses confusing. At that time there were few resources a teenage boy could get in upstate New York – just the random books that could be found in the library. I understood the signs as they were descriptors of how the planet is going to perform; yet, the houses were baffling to me. Eventually, I took a high school psychology and learned about projection. Then the houses began to make more sense to me. The houses were areas of our life and our relationship with the outer world from the front porch of our Ascendant (imagine yourself sitting in a chair at your Ascendant look out at the rest of the houses). So, every house has an innate expectation that we have projected upon in since birth.

Claire Martin in her book, “Mapping the Psyche” has a wonderful quote about the difference between houses and signs. She says:

“The signs dictate a temporal cycle and the houses describes a spatial cycle, the two systems can be superimposed upon each other because, in astrology, every cycle has the same intrinsic meaning.”

Simply put, the signs are seasonal in nature, and they occur simply because the earth moves around the Sun and is measured in 30 degree increments. The Sun begins its each year (beginning of spring) in the sign of Aries and ends each year in the sign of Pisces (end of winter). On the psychological level, the sun moving through the signs reflects birth-growth-death-rebirth cycle that is inherent in the seasons and all of life.

The houses, on the other hand, develop spatially because of relationships. In the 1^st house one develops self-awareness in relationship to themselves, the 2^nd house we develop a relationship to money, and around the wheel we go creating relationships with individuals and groups until we experience our larger relationship with the collective in the 12^th house. Additionally, since the houses reflect our relationships with others, they are reflections of who we are ourselves since we will project the contents of our personal chart onto the people around us. The purpose of astrology is to bring our projections back home to the Ascendant, which makes us more well-rounded individuals.

Astrological House Cheat Sheet:

Here is a quick list of the astrological houses and the relationships that exist within them. Of course, I will go through them more thoroughly but this gives you a jumping off point to start playing with your own houses.

1^st house	Relationship to ourselves and the immediate environment
2^nd house	Relationship to our money, values, possessions, and body
3^rd house	Relationship to siblings, neighbors, teachers, and ideas
4^th house	Relationship to father, family, and early environment
5^th house	Relationship to children, love affairs, pleasures, gambling, and risk taking
6^th house	Relationship to work, co-workers, day to day life, routine, health, and pets
7^th house	Relationship to marriage, spouses, partnerships, and open enemies
8^th house	Relationship to sex, death, and shared resources
9^th house	Relationship to travel, higher education, God, religious or spiritual ideas, adventures, and finding a sense of meaning in life
10^th house	Relationship to mother, the public, our career, and our boss
11^th house	Relationship to friends, colleagues, collective society, and political idealisms
12^th house	Relationship to the collective unconscious, dreams, myths, ancestors, and the hidden worlds.

Homework Assignment:

On a piece of paper making a list from 1-12. Write down the sign on each of the houses and any planet that may be in the house. This will give you a bit more grounding in your own chart and an idea of what to look for interpreting your own houses in the sections to come.

Next Lesson: Chart Orientation

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Jupiter In Leo — Discovering the Real You

Jupiter in Leo on July 17, 2014 at 6:30 AM EST / 3:30 AM PST

Grab your charts. If you need a copy of yours, you can get one for free at my website.

Are you living an inspired life or is life a humdrum experience of ‘working 9 to 5 just to stay alive’?

Do you feel like you are existing rather than living?

If so, then I have good news for you – everything is about to change.

On July 16, the planet Jupiter moves out of the watery realm of Cancer and ignites in fiery Leo. In traditional astrology, Jupiter is considered the ‘great benefic’, and is known to bestow luck upon those he favors. In modern astrology, Jupiter is the planet of expansion, inspiration, and our need to believe in something so that the future is viewed with optimism, meaning, and potential — granting vision and hope to everyday life.

The sign Jupiter is in describes how he will operate. In many ways, it’s his ‘cosmic mission’ statement of the year (Jupiter stays in a sign for approximately 1 year). In Leo, Jupiter is concerned with self-expansion, self-expression, and personal uniqueness. In essence, Jupiter in Leo provides us with an opportunity to creatively craft our future and move forward along our individual journey with inner authenticity and inner meaning. Rather than having faith in the outer world (which usually leads to disappointment), we develop faith in ourselves and the vision to pursue our god given potential.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, there is even better news! Jupiter in Leo does not just influence the sign of Leo, it influences everyone. In every single chart the sign of Leo will be connected to one of our astrological houses. The sign tells us about Jupiter’s mission statement, but the house tells us where this will likely occur.

How Jupiter in Leo Will Influence You

Below I give you the tea on how Jupiter will influence all of the astrological signs. This will give you an area of focus on how to work with this energy in your life over the next year. You can read this for your sign and if you know your rising sign, I would suggest you reading that description as well. If you need a copy of your chart you can get one for FREE including a tutorial on how to read the chart.

Aries: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 5^th house. The next year for you is going to focus on personal growth and expansion of who you are as an individual. You will begin to understand your life with greater wisdom, and despite past frustrations will perceive the big picture. Your creative juices will flow like never before, and if you are artistically inclined, financial gain is likely through your craft. Since the 5^th house rules children, your relationship with your own (if you have them) will take center stage and a deeper emotional bond will naturally occur. Finally, your relationships with others around you will go through great improvement throughout the year. As you tear down walls and barriers and begin to express yourself with courage and tenacity, you will notice the important people around you responding favorably.

Taurus: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 4^th house. The 4^th house is mysterious because it rules our private parts – our innermost self and governs our home, family, personal life, and our past. While Jupiter is transiting your solar 4^th, you may find the need to seek inner peace and meaning. In the outer world this is a year to focus on real estate – whether that is purchasing a new home or doing repairs and renovations. Further, you will find your relationship with your family enhanced and Jupiter’s benefic influence will provide an opportunity for old issues or familial problems to be resolved. On the inner level, Jupiter moving through the 4^th is a cycle of personal focus. It is a natural time to withdraw from the outer world and its trappings and focus on creating a secure future. If we do not have a secure inner world of peace and harmony, it is going to be difficult for you to find happiness in the outer world.

Gemini: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 3^rd house of communication. In most textbooks, the 3^rd house is delegated to the house of communication, early education, and siblings. However, after working with charts for the past 25 years, I have come to understand the 3^rd house as the place in the horoscope where we process our experiences. In fact, I believe one of the most undervalued resources we have are the experiences felt via the events, circumstances, and people we have encountered that helps formulate who we are as individuals. While Jupiter is in the 3^rd, the ‘social butterfly’ will emerge and the number of people in your social circle will expand. This transit provokes an enormous urge to learn and express yourself to others in order to formulate your own unique opinions about life. Further, because you need to experience more of the world in order to expand your consciousness, a return to school, taking a trade course, or expanding our education is likely. A mind is a terrible thing to waste, and with Jupiter transiting the 3rd, you are likely to find it working overtime.

Cancer: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your value oriented 2^nd house. In traditional astrology, the 2^nd house governs money and resources. In modern astrology, money and resources are viewed as symbols of what you value. I have long believed that the most powerful book of revelation is a checkbook. Your financial ledges provide you with clear and concise information about what you truly value because it is what you spend our money on. This is not to say that Jupiter in the 2^nd house will not expand your resources; it will. In fact, it will expand everything that you give value to – the good, the bad, and the ugly. Since the 2^nd house does involve financial resources, this is a great time for investments. However, you have to be careful with Jupiter in the 2^nd house not to overindulge, overspend, or mismanage our money. This placement can often lead to spending money that you may not have. In the case of the 2^nd house, too much of anything can be as harmful as not enough.

Leo: This is your lucky year Leo because Jupiter will transit through your personal oriented 1^st house. Doors that have been closed and opportunities that have been denied will open up for you with minimal effort throughout the year. The main thing for you to focus on this being a major cycle of growth combined with an opportunity to express who you are by shining (and sharing) your inner light. Further, you will notice that people are drawn to you like never before (or at least since 2002) and are more than willing to help you achieve success. Use your increased self-confidence and charisma to your advantage. Moreover, do not waste this year, Christmas in the astrological world only happens once every 12 years and this year Santa delivers the presents to you.

Virgo: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 12^th house. Out of all the houses of the horoscope, the 12^th house may be the most confusing. Traditional astrology has labeled it the house of self-undoing and its association with hospitals and prisons always raise a curious eyebrow or two. In modern astrology, the 12^th house reflects the patterns, drives, and compulsions that operate beneath the level of conscious awareness, but not in the personal sense, yet those habits and dysfunctions which have been passed down from generation to generation. Jupiter in the 12^th can be a blessing or a curse. On one hand, this transit augurs a time when one begins (often for the first time) to see their inner truth. Circumstances, situations, and events begin to have meaning and one begins to acquire insight into their lives. Often this opens the doors to a spiritual journey of self-discoveries. On the other hand, Jupiter’s transit represents where we begin to seek the truth and in the 12^th house the truth lies within oneself. If one does not have the inner courage or current capabilities, one will seek “their” truth through escapism – sex, drugs, alcohol, gambling, food or any other reckless behavior. Simply put, Jupiter in the 12^th house is a year for you to do inner work and access the real you.

Libra: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 11^th house. Traditional astrology has described the 11^th house as clubs, friends, hopes and wishes and like the 12^th house these descriptions are often not helpful. In many ways, the 11^th house reflects your need to be bigger than who you are and to strive towards improving your lives. You will do this through becoming involved with individuals beyond your familial structure. Your friends, associates and likeminded individuals fulfill these requirements and assist you by providing networks to encourage your success. Jupiter in the 11^th reflects a cycle where your social circle can assist you in achieving your hopes and wishes for the future. In fact, you will notice the need to change your world for the better with Jupiter transiting this social house. In most cases, the changes you make will also benefit those around you significantly and your goals will be achieved. Finally, Jupiter is the planet of expansion and you will notice your social circle and sphere of influence expand over the next year.

Scorpio: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 10^th house. In astrology, the 10^th house describes our careers and position in the world. Jupiter transiting this house is considered favorable, improves and increases your reputation and often prompts you to be all that you can be. During this cycle you can take advantage of Jupiter’s benefic energy to advance your career, begin new businesses, or receive long deserved recognition for your accomplishments. If you have struggled to get to the next level, this year could be your breakthrough. However, it is necessary to avoid being overbearing, dictatorial, and keep your ego in check because problems could occur at the end of the transit if others perceive a haughty attitude. Finally, you can expect to see promotions at work, financial increase, and an inner self-confidence while Jupiter transits this house.

Sagittarius: This year Jupiter begins his yearlong transit through your solar 9^th house. For you, this is a great position because Jupiter is your solar ruler and naturally rules the 9^th house. Your desire to learn will be magnified as Jupiter transits the house normally associated with higher education. Your learning experiences will broaden your mind and your perspective upon things will change and mature. This transit is associated with wisdom because your quest to learn will often give you deep insight into aspects of your life that you have either ignored or found trivial. Often when this transit is active, interest in the arcane sciences, religion or philosophy are typical because interest in esoteric and teleological subjects reflect the new to expand your worldview. Finally, you may find yourself interested in foreign cultures or taking vacations to foreign lands to broaden your experience. The one thing to expect while Jupiter transits your 9^th house is that your view of life will change and always for the better.

Capricorn: This year Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 8^th house. The 8^th house is similar to the 11^th and the 12^th and has a rather mysterious and confusing aura around it. Traditionally, it is associated with death, inheritance, and taxes and I have seen these descriptions to be relatively true. Jupiter in the 8^th can mean you will receive an inheritance or an unexpected tax refund. But, what does this house really mean? After 25 years of doing astrology, I am convinced that the 8^th house has to do with inheritance, but not just financially; it reflects our psychological inheritance as well. While Jupiter is transiting through the 8^thhouse, issues from the past that may need healing will rise to the surface and the healing of past familial trauma begins. This can come from powerful changes or psychological wounds, yet these changes will be to your ultimate benefit. On the more mundane level (which you Capricorns will love), this is a great time to begin a business partnership or apply for loans because Jupiter in the 8^th makes it easy for people to share their resources with you.

Aquarius: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 7^th house. The 7^th house is typically associated with partnerships, marriage, competitors, and legal matters. Perhaps it would be creative to define it as the ‘world out there’ or the ‘not you’ house because it describes your relationship to society in general. Jupiter transits through the 7^th can increase your relationships and expand your experiences of society by widening your sphere of influence. This is great for business alliances in which your partnerships are mutually beneficial. Of course, Jupiter influences your love relationships by being a generally favorable influence. Any difficulties experienced in your relationships should be smoothed out or resolved during this cycle. Finally, the 7^th house also pertains to legal matters. Any legal issues (especially civil cases) should resolve in your favor since Jupiter casts a protective shield over any house he influences.

Pisces: Jupiter begins its yearlong transit through your solar 6^th house. The 6^th house pertains to your job, day to day activities, your rituals, health, and your responsibilities. Of course, this can be rather drab and far from exciting for the king of the gods, yet it is one of the houses we see enormous benefits. Jupiter likes to expand your consciousness and provide a ‘higher’ meaning to the day to day grind of the 6^th house, which on its deepest level refers to your house of personal growth. This is a great year for you to put your life in order and you will notice improvement in your job, satisfaction with your responsibilities and overall good health. In fact, do not be surprised if you take on additional responsibilities because people will be pleased with your performance. Further, Jupiter in the 6^th could signify new job opportunities and promotions for a job well done. However, there is one warning with Jupiter in the 6^th, Jupiter expands the house it transits and since the 6^th house represents your health and the physical world, there could be a tendency to gain weight. It would be a good idea to maintain a regular fitness regime and balanced diet at this time.

Storm Cestavani is the co-host of the top rated metaphysical show “Keep It Magic” and the co-creator of the “Tarot Magic” with Coventry Creations. Storm is available for consultations by setting up an appointment to speak with him. Simply click on Book A Reading with Storm at the top of the page.

If you like this post please hit the +1 button at the bottom of your page or the LIKE button. We thank you!

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Mercury Retrograde in Gemini — The Survival Guide

Do you feel that since Mercury went retrograde that you have lost your mojo?

If so, don’t worry. I got your back!

In my last blog post, I revealed how Mercury retrograde (Mercury Rx) can be used as a healing tool. In this post, I am going to give you the scoop on Mercury as it retrogrades out of emotional Cancer and into ‘cerebral’ Gemini.

What is Mercury Retrograde?

For those that need a refresher or are new to the Mercury retrograde phenomena, let me briefly explain it. Three to four times a year, the planet Mercury appears to be moving backwards. Now, this actually is an optical illusion but regardless it appears to be moving backward through the zodiac. This is kind of like driving on a highway. You are driving along and you pass a car and in your rear view mirror that car appears to be moving backwards despite the fact that it is in forward motion. You simply are moving faster than the car behind you.

Astrologically, Mercury seems to pack a big punch during its retrograde status. It notoriously causes communication problems, issues with travel plans, negotiations and business deals fall apart, relationships suffer consequences, and electronic devices tend to go bonkers. Let me give you a real world example — On June 7, 2014, Mercury turned retrograde in the sign of Cancer. My current internet provider is Time Warner Cable and our email services has been unreliable and unpredictable ever since. Their website states it will be restored, but as of this writing (June 15, 2014), the problem has not been fully resolved. Needless to say, the trickster planet can cause absolute havoc and annoying inconveniences.

Let’s Get Mythical

Hermes (the Greek name for Mercury) is one of my favorite myths because it provides us with enormous insight into the workings of Mercury. I recently discussed this myth at length in the latest episode of Keep It Magic. (I will include a show player at the bottom of this post).

One of the major points that I emphasized on Keep It Magic was Hermes relationship with the sun god Apollo. Apollo is Hermes older brother and the two of them have a bit of a sibling rivalry for the affections of Zeus – which could tell us the importance of sibling rivalries in order to develop our sun. In the myth, Hermes is quite the ‘brat’ and on the day of his birth he crawls out of the crib and sneaks off and steals Apollo’s cattle. Since he is (after all) the trickster god, he covers his tracks by walking backwards in order to disguise the theft.

Symbolically, the function of Mercury is to steal what belongs to the Sun. How does this happen? We develop our identities first through identifying with others. We learn what other people like and dislike, their opinions and their values, their daily rituals, and how they interact with the outer world. We then emulate (like we do with our older siblings) others in order to acclimate to life and helps us develop our own tastes and ideals. Once we develop our own thoughts and concepts, which includes a deeper understanding of ourselves and life; we are able to transfer this to the Sun in order to further develop our own individuality. In essence, when Mercury is direct we go out into the world and gather up data and information in order to apply it to our day to day lives. But when Mercury is retrograde, we bring that information back to the Sun in order to process it and make it uniquely our own.

Mercury in Gemini

Mercury in Gemini is about learning – we learn from others, we take new courses, we have new experiences, visit new places, explore new cultures, and try out new hobbies. Mercury in Gemini is about mental flexibility in order to understand life. When Mercury is retrograde in Gemini it still works the same as it does when it is direct; however, the energy is turned inward. In other words, rather than learning to understand the outer world, we learn to understand ourselves.

For the next three weeks the focus needs to be shifted internally – it’s time to figure out you! Ask yourself the following questions:

What am I learning about myself?
What do I love to do for enjoyment?
What hobbies do I enjoy?
What would I like to explore in the future?
Do I want to learn something new?

Although these questions may seem rather simple, our deepest spiritual moments often come from simple revelations. Mercury in Gemini provides us with the ability to experiment with life and discover through intellectual understanding what brings us joy and happiness. This retrograde provides us with an opportunity to move internally and expand our mind with personal understanding, and in the process we discover that our true ‘mojo’ is the ability to spin gold on our own.

To learn more about Mercury here is a player to our most recent podcast.

Discover Spirituality Internet Radio with KeepItMagic on BlogTalkRadio

Storm Cestavani is the co-host of the top rated metaphysical show “Keep It Magic” and the co-creator of “Tarot Magic” with Coventry Creations. Storm is available for consultations by setting up an appointment to speak with him. Simply click on Book A Reading with Storm at the top of the page.

If you like this post please hit the +1 button at the bottom of your page or the LIKE button. We thank you!

Like Storm’s New Insights in Modern Astrology on Facebook.

Follow Storm on Twitter @StormCestavani2

Mercury Retrograde Can Be Good For You

Did you know that Mercury retrograde can be really good for you?

I know, it’s annoying, but it really does have a purpose!

As you guessed Mercury continues to be retrograde on Sunday. Since Mercury is moving through the emotional sign of Cancer this can really intensify the other astrological transits and Sunday’s Venus/Pluto transit is no exception.

Venus (in Taurus) and Pluto (in Capricorn) are both in earth signs. Earth signs are known for their sexuality and when two erotic planets get together it can lead to a lot of physical based intensity – don’t make me paint you a picture. Mercury can amplify any tension that may exist within this aspect and a whole lotta’ luvvin may go on!

Venus trine Pluto is very emotional intense and you will experience a heightened emotional response to your environment today. Since Mercury gives us amplified reflection (one of his superpowers) while in retrograde, you may receive insight into your relationship that could ultimately increase your emotional bond. This can feel overwhelming at first, but enormous benefits will be gained.

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