This week’s astrology is an episode out of Twin Peaks — full of intrigue, the whispering of secrets, and the dream plane blending with physical reality. There are extreme contrasts between dark and light, hope and fear, reality and fantasy; at the same time these things seem to blend in consciousness.

Before I get too deep into the details, first I’m here with a travel advisory.

Photo by Divine Reflections.

Astrology tonight and into tomorrow calls for the utmost care when driving. That means eliminating distractions, such as conversation in the car or on the phone.

Leave yourself plenty of time so that you’re not rushing, which is a form of distraction. If you’re using a maps-type program, name one of the passengers navigation officer so that the driver is not doing that job.

Honor precautions for public transport as well: have your paperwork (electronic or otherwise) verified and in order and check with all people in your traveling party long before you leave, and before you go through security. Double-check and leave all potential contraband behind, before you get to the airport.

And now for our week of intriguing, multidimensional astrology, starring Mercury retrograde.

We’re looking at a whole new horizon with Mars now in Pisces (after the long retrograde in Aquarius) and Jupiter in Sagittarius (after a year in Scorpio). There are prominent aspects early in the week, as Mars and ultra-slow-moving centaur Nessus form a conjunction Sunday. I have not made a careful study of Mars conjunct Nessus in natal charts, though centaurs (such as Chiron) are sensitive to Mars energy. If nothing else, Mars-Nessus calls attention to the plight of male survivors of abuse and betrayal.

Within a few hours of that aspect (and therefore essentially at the same time), the Sun and Jupiter align in a conjunction Sunday and Monday.

We get just one Sun-Jupiter conjunction for each sign Jupiter passes through. This is because Jupiter takes a year to move through a sign, and the Earth goes around the Sun in a year. So if you have some reason to celebrate Jupiter in Sagittarius, now is a big moment to do that. Pay close attention to what happens and who you meet Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.

At the same time, Mercury is moving retrograde in Sagittarius, which looks like doubt or hesitancy — or if you’re open-minded, a discovery or revelation. This may be especially noticeable as Mercury is about to retrograde into a square to Mars conjunct Nessus. Said another way, Mars and Nessus are in a conjunction, and retrograde Mercury is about to bump into them. If you’re sensitive, you may pick up on some previously hidden information that shakes out of the universe due to the intensity of this aspect.

Photo by Earls37a.

There’s also a caution to be aware of old anger. We get ‘old’ from the retrograde, we get ‘old’ from Nessus (ancestral, or childhood) and we get ‘old’ from Pisces — what was denied in the past, and is now showing up in the form of a potential confrontation. But the chances are this is an inner thing, and if you don’t project it outward (such as blame someone) it will remain that way. This looks like some kind of personal reckoning with the past rather than with someone outside yourself.

However, if it does show up as an external thing, proceed gently and monitor your anger level. Keep track of your frustration. Back off before you even get close to losing control. This is one of those aspects where some people experiencing it may act like they have no responsibility for their feelings, or their words. Between Mercury retrograde in Sagittarius (original, if slippery) and Nessus in Pisces, there’s an element of “anything goes, what the heck.”

A few degrees away, Neptune in Pisces is taking a conjunction from two points. One is Arachne, which has a conspiratorial feeling. Arachne, a main-belt asteroid, is about interwoven scenarios, where “everything is connected to everything,” or so it seems.

Then add a square from Altjira, a slow-moving object beyond Neptune named for the aboriginal creation god of the dreamtime. I think of Altjira as a portal into the next dimension, usually accessed through dreams. And it’s in Gemini: is it a dream, or is it a reality?

When you add this factor, we’re in the land of David Lynch. When in doubt, ask yourself: what year is it?

Safe travels.