In a world full of people, you can lose sight of it all, and the darkness inside you can make you feel small.
— Cyndi Lauper
With time, you will probably conclude that this Mercury retrograde in Gemini was more complex and nuanced than it now seems. That’s why today, with Mercury in the midst of a long slowdown and getting slower, is not the best time to draw conclusions or make judgments. Instead, try considering alternatives, and consider how some, or even all of them, might be true.
Indeed, one of the best things that might come from this period of Mercury’s apparent reversal (which ends on Thursday just before 6:33 pm EDT — 22:32:55 UTC) is an appreciation of how many things can be true at once.
If you simply grant that many things can indeed be true at once, then perspective becomes everything. For each point of view serves to reveal only its own shade of truth, in a broader spectrum where truth has many colors.
One of the great blessings of our time is the willingness of so many to see that a spectrum of realities actually exists. With each passing day it seems that many more are willing to respect a truth other than their own. It’s a miracle, really. When you consider how much power is in the hands of those who insist that you conform to their system of belief and their standards of behavior (or else), it’s amazing that there is any social tolerance at all.
Yet, this month of LGBT-plus pride festivals worldwide is clearly asserting and celebrating more than tolerance. There is also a growing recognition that any one person or group is actually a rainbow unto themselves as well as part of one. That includes you. The question is how wide a spectrum of your own truths you can accept without being critical of yourself. The challenge is to show your true colors without embarrassment, so as to better see yourself in others and feel others in you.
Yes, this particular period of Mercury’s apparent regression has undoubtedly brought you up against tangible, hard-core, real-world problems like making ends meet and getting enough to eat. Even so, it is just as certain you are not alone. To prove that you are not alone, all you need to do is look around.
Whether you attend a pride festival this week or simply get out amongst the rest of us on your way from one place to another, look around. As you do so, tell yourself with certainty that everyone, everywhere you look, is dealing with substantial difficulty. It will not be theory. Let yourself know that somewhere, some of us are sure to be confronted with problems remarkably like your own. It will be fact.
If you can manage to grasp that even your most troubling predicaments are not yours alone, you will have become less small. You are in fact part of something bigger. After you realize that you are part of something bigger, then even your smallest efforts will take on a brighter hue as one of many colors in the world, each of them true. Once you see your own endeavors as shades of truth, you too will be able to take part in taking pride. And you should.
Because all that you are is somewhere to be found in everything that is.
Offered In Service
Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.
Such a lovely, gentle way to approach this Mercury station — and Gemini, in general. Truth can have so many layers; good for the reminder that it can come in a spectrum of colors, too — and that the colors do not cancel each other out. Instead, they illuminate like a prism.
Just watched the President give a speech about Obamacare and it took me back to my life before Obama. That was about 1/4th of a Saturn cycle ago and oh my goodness, how much has changed for me during those 7 1/2 years. That’s because so much has changed in my country and the world and the people in it. I was just about to – or maybe I just had – met a fellow commenter here at PlanetWaves by the name of Len Wallick. How he was about to change my perspective and the perspective of many, many others, astonishes me now. We’ve come a long way baby; could any of us have predicted the events, or the changes the world has survived since then? If so, would we have believed them?
I’ve learned a lot from you Len, bit by bit, and today’s no exception. There are indeed many truths and without your vision I would have surely missed some really important ones. Rainbows are not visible all the time yet multiple colors, each of them true, surround us every day if we are willing to just see them. Love you Len!
be
And your service Len, becomes bigger and bigger as your smaller pieces of wisdom begin to hang together like stars in a night sky.
Tension, stress, uncertainty took a foothold this Merc retro — but I think that my awareness of the tension, stress and uncertainty received an even stronger boost and indeed it’s this awareness that will cause a necessary shift.
I was contemplating Lilith this morning (a key in my natal chart–or perhaps a door looking for a key and only need of a sizing-potion to reach it). Your chosen words from Cyndi Lauper are a perfect fit to my personal times–and to be sure, one star in the sky in the sky at a time is what it takes to light the darkness and gain (in)sight.
Thank you.
Ah, “complex and nuanced” indeed! This Mercury retro has been all that AND very much in-my-face in a number of more tangible ways. But, like Amanda Painter (in her response yesterday to Eric’s Mercury Turnaround post), the Mercury action for me has also all been 12th house, always for me the most difficult to “see”.
Toss in Mercury opposing my sun, with Neptune near the MH squaring the lot, & I’ve had a few surprises come at me out of left field which required urgent action – just when action of any kind has seemed most difficult & complicated!
Yes, it’s probably premature to draw many conclusions about this particular Mercury retro – but I can say it’s been the toughest one I can recall, at least for many years.
Thank-you, Len, for reminding us that we’re all dealing with challenges of one kind or another. I’ve become more aware during this period that even people I’d thought were comfortable, or “have it made” – well, it’s not that easy for them, either. Reminds me to stay off my judgement horse, so to speak.
Speaking of rainbows, I did get to watch one for a while last evening, though there wasn’t as much rain as hoped. But it was lovely.
Amanda, Barbara(be), aWord, and Bette: Please accept my humble, sincere gratitude and authentic, heartfelt affection for how each of your comments here today has broadened the spectrum of humanity while also making our collective and individual rainbows more real and vivid.
“The challenge is to show your true colors without embarrassment, so as to better see yourself in others and feel others in you.”
Love this line. And particularly hit a nugget, a cord of truth, in your saying “feel others in you”. There truly something expanding in this.
Thank you Len. I will carry this one with me.
My old boss used to tell me that truth makes a sound, (a ring!), and for me that sound registers within as a feeling. Anyway, I am finding that letting go of that impulse to confront that which is different than my shade/sound of truth is very freeing. Once I let go of my job as the truth police, I was freed up to live a much less troubled life.
Just noticed we currently have in Mundane, aspect, Sun Sextile Jupiter, June 7-9.
It is a favorable Day to get this, that is your meaning, Len!
http://www.astro.com/im/prof_ico.png
P. Sophia: And i, in turn, carry your kind words with gratitude in my heart. Thank you also for bringing the Sun’s closing sextile to Jupiter into the conversation, for the aspect is also evident in the generous support your comments have offered here.
Mary: i’m not ashamed to say that i recognize some of my experience in what you have shared of your own here. You are so very correct. Releasing attachment to being an arbiter of truth is one of the most important keys to freedom from the troubles we bring on to ourselves. Thank you.
Let’s try this again, here is today’s chart link:
http://www.astro.com/cgi/hk.cgi?TTLlang=e;muasp=1;nhor=1;act=chm;sdat=8,6,2015;stim=14:55:40;sevname=Sun%20sextile%20Jupiter
Thank you, Len
A tune.
Palm leaves do bow
but it is their sound
rather than the sight
of them that delights me.
Notes of the tops of tips of fronds
sounding the nuptial bells
of angels’ friends.
The delicate peel of subtle successive
percussive rhythms
as they touch.
Thanksa million Len.
I’m lifted by your column this evening.
I’m the blue-green-azur bit of the rainbow.
marie: Thank you for allowing time with your tune before my reply. Yes, a tune indeed, and gratefully received for its exceptional aural qualities as well as its sublime subject matter and phrasings that turn with such precision as to put Mercury’s own turns to shame. And something more – can’t quite put my finger on it – like an echo of syntax which has slipped from clear memory. Thank you so very much.
carmel: Wow, thank you! Not only does knowledge of your being lifted lift me in turn, but you nailed a way to describe one of my own favorite colors straight outa’ Matisse.
“Whether you attend a pride festival this week or simply get out amongst the rest of us on your way from one place to another, look around. As you do so, tell yourself with certainty that everyone, everywhere you look, is dealing with substantial difficulty. It will not be theory. Let yourself know that somewhere, some of us are sure to be confronted with problems remarkably like your own. It will be fact.”
Hi Len,
I downloaded a meditation app and whilst on the London Underground ( subway) this morning, I clicked on the “travelling” meditations section and chose one at random. The meditation instructed me to pick a fellow traveller, anyone at random and to focus on the person – in my mind of course, and send healing vibes to that stranger saying to myself, “I wish you to be well and I wish you to be happy” over and over again. As you state in your lovely article, we are not alone and all have similar troubles. It was nice to focus away from myself and my troubles and bless a complete stranger with kindness, during a very unpleasant and crowded travelling experience. Very heart warming and I hope that person felt my vibes and had a happy day.
Len: As I was inputting that note I was embattled within the office by a co-worker. No kidding. Seems I’m fine with everyone having their truth(s) as long as I’m not wrong … wow, what a massive lesson for me. Ego was not taking that one lying down.
Thanks, Len. Your level of awareness in our human condition blows me away and inspires me to reach beyond my current limitations. Finding the funny helps, too.
I have a story about feeling included, accepted, part of something bigger:
It was June of 2013 in San Francisco. My girlfriend and I were visiting her friend Lia. It happened to be pride week, and it just so happened Prop 8 was declared unconstitutional the same week. We were on Castro the night of the decision. I’ve never experienced such joy emanating from people’s faces. We were in a sea of warm humanity like I’d never felt before.
Fast forward to the day of the main parade, the day our flight was leaving. Lia lives in Berkeley, and we were taking the BART to SFO, exactly when everyone was making the mass exodus into the city for the parade. Cass and I had backpacks and big suitcases. We were barely on time, with zero time to spare. The train car pulls up, and there is no room what so ever, so I thought. I told Cass quickly, “go ahead, you go, I’ll catch the next one”. My flight was an hour later than hers. Imagine what we looked like with all this luggage, and everyone’s ready to go party their asses off at Pride. As if the level of acceptance of the people of San Fran had not already blown me away, this kid that had to have been about 19, looked and sounded just like my friend Tyrone from the skatepark here in Louisville, shouts out, “NO MAN LEFT BEHIND! EVERYBODY MAKE ROOM!” People shuffled around, and I squeezed on with a giant suitcase and camping pack. I was in tears from how that felt.
“….all that you are is somewhere to be found in everything that is.” – how precious 🙂
Fishstar5; Thank you for sharing your meditation in service while traveling. Imagine if all of us emulated your excellent example while traveling ourselves. The journey would then truly be the equal of the destination.
Michael: Thank you for sharing your own deeply heartfelt experience while traveling. It’s a very moving reminder of how little it takes for humans to make room for humanity even in the most challenging of times.
Tug: It is gratifying to know that i was able to express something precious for you. You are equally precious to me.