There’s an excellent old song by Bob Dylan called “Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again.” The song is a take on that cosmic joke of being in the right place at the wrong time.
Double rainbow over uptown Kingston, NY.
For example, finally getting the chance to do something, but then it’s no longer appropriate for you. You get the news you need, the day after you needed it.
Or you finally get the attention you want, but you can’t relate to people that way anymore. It’s an exuberant song, really, and I’ve included a link to one of the best versions in the player above. (The backing band is The Grateful Dead and this was recorded in 1987.)
This week’s Sagittarius Full Moon reminds me a little of that song. There’s a blend of optimism in Sagittarius style, idealism in Neptune style, and confusion or being pulled in two directions by Mercury and Mars in Gemini.
You just might find yourself in the very best place a little late, such as arriving after the party. The thing is, you still have time to get the message, to get yourself to the right place at the right time.
I suggest you listen to your intuition, not taking for granted that it’s correct. It might be, and ultimately that trust is based in a feeling and not in analysis.
The Moon-Sun axis reaches across Gemini and Sagittarius (the Moon enters Sagittarius June 1 at 3:39 pm EDT / 7:39 UTC). It’s the peak of the lunar cycle, and a time of high energy and high tides. There are many planets in the mix — too many to cover even a few of them. The Moon is ‘picking up’ and amplifying everything that’s going on in Gemini, on the other side of the sky. It’s picking up a good deal else but let’s start with Gemini.
Mercury remains retrograde in Gemini, working its way backward in that sign. That will last another 10 days or so; Saturday was the halfway mark. The retrograde is a reference to the past, and to some inward quality you may be seeking. Retrogrades tend to hesitate, often for a good reason.
But at the same time, Mars is in Gemini, driving some conversation forward. Mars is hot and fiery in Gemini, quite the opposite of pensive Mercury. And it’s in a long conjunction to the Sun — hotter and more fiery still. So there’s a kind of contradiction. It could influence timing factors; it’ll be essential to pay attention to data informing you of that whole place and time thing.
Next, the whole arrangement is square Neptune. That says slippery when wet; it says you may not really know what you’re thinking or what it means. There’s a need for clarity when planets make squares to Neptune; a need for devotion to your inner truth, and to match that with accurate words. The fewer the better, I would add.
And that is the whole point. You may not need to say much. Listening will be helpful — listening to yourself and to your environment. It’s as if there’s a message waiting for anyone who is ready to tune in. This is signified in the minor planet Iris, the messenger of the gods, in female rainbow style. Iris is in Virgo. What do you need, in order to heal? Perhaps give yourself some of that over the next few days.
One last thing. The Full Moon is conjunct asteroid Photographica. This is one of the most literal asteroids of them all — it’s always about photos and the people who make them. Photography is such a constant part of our lives, it’s akin to air. We are looking at pictures every day, almost all the time, taking it for granted. Here’s a literal message from Photographica: pay attention. Look at what you see. Keep a photo diary of the next few days. Study the pictures and you’re bound to see something you were missing.
Remember over the next few days to ask yourself where you belong. Are you in the right place? Should you be there tomorrow? Where do you need to be now? Make your decisions efficiently and get yourself where you actually belong.
Stuck inside a Mobile is one of my favorite songs- What a joy to have it included in today’s passage ! How fitting
one way to tell the story of my life —
Now the bricks lay on Grand Street
Where the neon madmen climb
They all fall there so perfectly
It all seems so well timed
And here I sit so patiently
Waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get out of
Going through all these things twice
Oh, Mama, is this really the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.
Two postcards from this astrology and particularly the trickster’s retrograde through my 8th house:
The first: a dream in which the Mahasiddha Mick Jagger came to me to give me an energetic transmission on Emotional Rescue. The second: the iTunes shuffle on my phone is stuck on Prince’s “Erotic City” and it’s the only song that will play.
You gave me my third postcard, Eric: the second to last stanza of Memphis Blues, which I had forgotten. Thank you.
When Ruthie says come see her
In her honky-tonk lagoon
Where I can watch her waltz for free
’Neath her Panamanian moon
An’ I say, “Aw come on now
You must know about my debutante”
An’ she says, “Your debutante just knows what you need
But I know what you want”
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again
I’ve been asked to note that a TNO, Teharonhiawako, will be square the Full Moon. Its name derives from an Iroquois creation god, great-grandson of the Great Spirit. He brought forth various forms of life, as well as the crops most important to the people, and conquered his jealous, wicked brother Sawiskera (after whom the TNO’s satellite is named). One could draw parallels with Cain and Abel — except this time Abel wins.
I figured this object’s presence highlights our capacity (as human beings) for both good and evil, and how many possible ways we can use our creative energy. Teharonhiawako is joined in this configuration by Iris, Terpsichore, Apollo and Industria, among others. Perhaps we all need to make a point of contacting our most divine sources this week.
We have been hearing a lot from aboriginal gods lately. Sun-Mercury was conjunct Altjira, the leader of the old-time gods of the Australian dreamtime; tomorrow’s Full Moon is exactly aspecting Teharonhiawako, of the American natives. My original title was “something old, something new” — between these old deities and Mercury retrograde we have our something old.
I read, “There’s a need for clarity when planets make squares to Neptune; a need for devotion to your inner truth, and to match that with accurate words,” four times because it kept slipping away. I literally saw the words sliding in the air and the letters were floating out of order. I realized that I’ve believed that words can’t match my inner truth. Especially lately, as soon as I put words to what I think is my reality–ones that I felt were so accurate 30 seconds prior–they become repellently disingenuous. I have natal Mars square natal Neptune and that Sag Moon.
Also connected, I thought that song was “Stuck inside a mobile with the Memphis Blues again.” Like when you are dreaming and aware you are dreaming but unable to influence the dream in any way or wake up. I’ll hear it differently now.
That is stuck in Mobile, Alabama, with the Memphis, Tennessee, blues again…
Lovely! Thank you Eric. And thanks for the addendum, Amy.
Dudes, sometimes Mercury Retrograde just stresses me out!
My silly mind suctions onto it, especially when I am feeling the depths of my tender, vulnerable true heart, and wants to bring this planetary happening into the center of everything.
So then my tender luscious underwater open feeling self takes a back seat and this hunk of mercury metal looms like a doom cloud, throwing its shadow onto as much as it possibly can.
When I can realize that is happening, I can feel what is awesome about this Mercury Retrograde thing.
It is a reminder time. A just stop and breathe time.
I have been reading and listening to the Planet Waves crew talk about it and what I have noticed, is all of the gentle suggestions and cautions are all things I like to imagine I am doing every day, as a part of my passion and commitment and desire to be as fully present in each moment as I can.
In this article above, I love when Eric talks about Photographica (The fact that that is a real thing is so completely wonderful). It helps me feel such joy that there is so much photography- including the iPhone picture I took yesterday of my palm sliced open by a rock and of the picture some dude took of his breakfast on Facebook AND that photograph hanging in the art gallery. All revealing, provocative, in their ways.
Here are some other things that I have held in my awareness as I read and listen about Mercury Retrograde:
– Slow down (This is A number one for all of what comes below)
– Breathe before I speak. Feel what is going on in my body… (is there anything in my heart to say?)
– Allow for lots of space. Within me and for others.
– Be careful and mindful.
– If/when others are reactive and pissy, be extra mindful to my own self and what is happening because I may be more likely to want to react and respond in a crappy way.
– Bring extra attention to my communication. Am I being clear, really? Ask, to be sure.
– Forgive. Forgive myself and if I need to, forgive others. Be gentle. Offer my endless open heart and when I cannot or do not, know that it’s okay.
So thanks everyone. I am so so grateful to be here and learning so much. Thanks for sharing all that you are and passing on your depth of knowledge. It is a pleasure to enter in with you.
“I have been reading and listening to the Planet Waves crew talk about it and what I have noticed, is all of the gentle suggestions and cautions are all things I like to imagine I am doing every day, as a part of my passion and commitment and desire to be as fully present in each moment as I can.”
This is so fantastic to read — thank you, Amy! And I love your Mercury Rx checklist, and also your ability to find some perspective that allows you to see the beauty in it (as well as the beauty in all types of photos). That is so wonderful to read.
Thanks for the kind words Amanda P.
There is so much ecstacy in everyday life. In every moment. In all of us, for all of us. I would rather not miss it.
” get yourself where you actually belong.” Aah ha !
http://youtu.be/3QGMCSCFoKA
“and the last thing I see is my heart still beating ” .
I’m so grateful to be ALIVE .Thats what I’m getting from this xxx
Interesting timing by Caitlyn Jenner. Photographica and “finding where one belongs “. Indeed. Well done Eric!
I re-read something recently, the last chapter of ‘Waking the Tiger’ by Peter Levine.
He writes, “It is important to understand that the more primitive portions of our brains are not exclusively survival-oriented…”they carry vital information about who we are. The instincts not only tell us when to fight, run or freeze, they tell us that we belong here…that “I am I”…Our mammalian brains broaden that sense to “we are we”_that we belong together.
For me the first question and healing is that I belong, then I can ask where I belong. I am a Virgo, therefore Iris in Virgo is an invitation to continue to answer the call to heal, healing can happen in every situation, and to look to what I need and then to the where of my belonging.
Thank you Eric, for your clarity and insight.