“Can we talk? ”— Mercury square Pluto
Early Friday morning we have our first transit with Mercury in Taurus, praise be! If you follow astrology regularly, then you’re probably aware of the recent Mercury retrograde in Aries. It was a doozy as it made multiple conjunctions with wounded-healer Chiron while also stomping back and forth on the degree of the recent total solar eclipse, also in Aries. Because of the apparent forward, backward, direct motion that a retrograde planet endures, they tend to spend a little extra time in that particular zodiacal sign. Mercury is quick and doesn’t normally spend too long in one place, so it is very noticeable during a retrograde like this past one when it’s been over two months and they are still in the same sign…brutal. Thankfully we are at the end of this period and on Wednesday May 15th Mercury makes a sultry twirl into Taurus and the energy is definitely going to shift. Not only will we feel the archetypal shift from Aries into Taurus but we will also immediately start feeling the impending square they will make with Pluto on Friday. This transit will probably be significant for us personally as well as collectively.
Mercury has many faces and at times can be a bit of a trickster, especially during the retrograde period. Mercury’s connection with Hermes, the winged messenger of the gods in Greek mythology, helps explain their association with cleverness and tact. Hermes had the task of bringing messages from the kingdom of the dead to the realm of the living and vice versa. This is not an easy task and a could only be suited to one who is willing to maintain a sense of agency and strategy while navigating between these two completely opposite worlds. Today we recognize Mercury as signifying a wide array of material, everything from siblings to short distance travel, communication, publication, writing and even bicycles! A quick google search will provide a more in depth list, but suffice it to say, when Mercury is aspecting another planetary body, it is sure to stimulate us mentally and spark important conversations and interactions.
Pluto has an entirely different vibe and has been a major point of astrological conversation lately since its long awaited ingress into Aquarius. In Greek mythology “Pluto” was the name given to the god of the underworld, you probably know him better as Hades. Pluto delineations include deep transformation, shame, trauma, renewal, obsession and psychological intensity. Pluto represents the part of your psyche that is constantly seeking regeneration and healing. It is our deepest desire for care and can stimulate growth in these areas whether we choose this growth or shun it’s invasive scrutiny. While these themes sound scary we are all familiar with their existence and have experienced them at varying degrees throughout our lives.
Quick tangent…
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It’s easy to read about planets and their significations in astrology and have a negative response or decide that we “don’t like” that planet. That’s a fair assessment but I think it’s important to remember that astrology isn’t really responsible for your problems, it’s more of an indicator of the conditions and energies that you can expect to encounter. There is also the added consideration of your own personal transits (how the current planetary positions are hitting your natal chart), this makes for endless nuance so it’s always wise to not jump to fearful or catastrophic conclusions. Of course, this is easier said than done. The best course of action is to look at astrology as more of a weather advisory. If it’s going to rain, bring an umbrella. If it’s going to storm, maybe cancel your plans that evening. Take precautions if you feel uneasy about the conditions. Unfortunately, we are only human and sometimes we are caught off guard and have to deal with challenges head on; but that’s not always a bad thing! Without challenges we don’t grow and this type of pressure really speaks to the regenerative nature of Pluto. It reminds me of the scene in PeeWee’s Big Adventure when he’s rescuing all of the animals from the burning pet shop. First he starts with the puppies and kittens, and then the birds and so on, but he keeps avoiding the snakes. Eventually there’s nothing left to rescue but the snakes and he runs out screaming with them in writhing fistfuls! So, don’t abandon your snakes. Even if they’re scary, it is probably the part of you that needs the most rescuing. Pluto transits can be that way, sometimes there are things we must face; avoidance only works for so long. You can’t be prepared for every mishap, but you can utilize tools like astrology to navigate with greater awareness.
“Peewee’s Big Adventure” 1985. californiaherps.com
Getting back to the Mercury square Pluto on Friday, what does it mean for you? We’ve covered the planetary energies separately, but what happens when we connect them with this “square” aspect? First, let’s breakdown what a square is in astrology. A square happens when two planets are 90 degrees apart and it is considered a “tough” or “challenging” aspect. It usually denotes some kind of dilemma, the details of which will carry the themes of the planets involved as well as the zodiacal sign those planets are inhabiting. In this case, Mercury in Taurus and Pluto in Aquarius. If we synthesize the data already covered about the planets themselves and then add the square in the mix, it creates a dynamic of tension and a potentially tough conversation. You or someone you know might get that gut wrenching text, “can we talk?” But don’t be alarmed! Chances are whatever comes up for you has been brewing for a hot minute and it’s just simply time to address it. If you don’t experience this personally it will probably manifest via a headline on social media or some other more collective news reporting. It could also just be a day where you feel bad, mentally or emotionally or both! However it surfaces, just be kind to yourself and others. Remember Peewee’s snakes. Your deepest wounds and most shameful truths are just a part of you, they’re not meant to condemn you. Astrologer Jessica Lanyadoo says “What’s hard for you isn’t what’s wrong with you”, and I really felt that. Remember those words on Friday because even if you don’t need them, someone else might. Be a good human and pass along the message. You’ll get through this!! There’s a lot more astrology to come, until next time!
Xoxo
