The effect of electronic communication has been profound. Telegraphs shrunk the world. Commercial radio and telephones pervaded life. Television brought what was called a “vast wasteland.” The Internet made things more interactive.
Now, access to all the world’s media constantly accompanies anybody who can afford a personal electronic device. Yet, for all of its influence, the history of electronic communications has also been very short.
The first working telegraphs were not in place until the mid-19th Century, less than 200 years ago. After that, things happened ever faster. With the advent of oceanic cables, it was possible to send messages around the world by 1902. With each successive form of communication technology, change of all kinds accelerated.
Now we have a world distinguished by a very rapid cycling fostered by electronic communication. Personal electronic devices become obsolete very quickly. The term “yesterday’s news” has become almost quaint. News developments are now updated and rapidly replaced every few minutes by reports of new events. Trends in entertainment (which is now all but indistinguishable from news), the arts and even science turn and reverse repeatedly. Fortunes are made and lost in a day, every day.
If the same sort rapid cycling were taking place with your moods and thoughts, you might be diagnosed as mentally ill. Similar fluctuations in blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration or metabolism would certainly make you feel physically ill. Fortunately, you are not your electronic devices — not yet, anyway. You are not so fast, and that’s good.
It is also fortunate that Mercury is astrology’s most logical corollary for both your mind and its electronic extensions. It can move around the zodiac at a speed of more than two degrees a day, but that rate is not continuous. Often Mercury is not so fast. There are even times of its retrograde (like now) when Mercury retraces its steps as if to repeat, review and revise; and that’s good too.
Unfortunately, Mercury’s periodic retrogrades (usually three times a year for about three weeks at a time) have acquired a bad reputation, when the reverse should be true. It’s not natural to plunge ahead at breakneck speed. It’s not good for your health. You have to sleep. You need to eat.
There are periods when it’s appropriate to slow down. There are even occasions when retreating and repeating are not only desirable but necessary. You are nearly always the better for those times. Hence, there is no reason to think you and your life cannot be better for Mercury retrogrades.
As represented by the context of retrograde Mercury’s conjunction with the Libra Sun tomorrow at 10:38 EDT (14:38 UTC), now is an excellent time to overcome the conditioning of stereotyped, hand-me-down astrology — as well as what rapid-cycling electronic media hands you. You can do so by simply saying ‘not so fast’ whenever possible, and see what happens.
The actual planet Mercury passing between the actual Sun and the planet Earth always correlates with the symbolic Sun and retrograde Mercury occupying the same degree of the same sign on the zodiac. This defines their interior (some say “inferior”) conjunction. There is, in fact, nothing inferior about it.
The interior conjunction always marks the mid-point of any Mercury retrograde period. In the context of everything else, this particular interior conjunction tomorrow represents a perfect time to say ‘not so fast’.
There has been a lot of very rapid change in the world and in astrology since mid-September. You probably know of the changes in the world, at least superficially. Along with the unprecedented travels of Pope Francis in Cuba and the U.S., there have also been many other meetings of the world’s political leaders in the same, remarkably short span of time.
Neither is it every day that the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives up and resigns. It is as though several months’ worth of current events have taken place in about two weeks. All of it (and more, more, more) has been brought to you by, and through, the non-stop phenomena of electronic communications.
The astrology has been similarly busy. We had a solar eclipse on Sept. 13, which probably seems like a long time ago now. We have just come out on the other side, with a total lunar eclipse you might have had the chance to see late Sunday (or early yesterday, depending on where you were).
Between those eclipses, Mars changed signs to enter Virgo, which in turn aspected (or emphasized) Saturn; Saturn, in turn, concluded nine months of slow oscillation from Scorpio into Sagittarius on Sept. 17. Additionally, the Sun precipitated a new season and equinox by entering Libra less than a week ago on Sept. 23. And don’t overlook Pluto resuming direct motion once again. These couple weeks have been like a highlight reel featuring a rapid cycling through astrology’s biggest events.
Unfortunately, highlights give you no idea how things got to be the way they are, or where they are going. This is therefore a good time to emulate Mercury (which represented your mind and its versatility long before electronic connections existed) as it merges with the Sun (which, among other things, is emblematic of consciousness). Go back so as to re-read those speeches and review the issues for yourself.
Tell the the talking heads of television, “not so fast.” Exercise some critical thinking of your own. Don’t feel pressured to select a candidate so fast either. Rather, set aside some time to listen to them debate. If probable photo ops and possibly staged events seem like dreams come true, don’t believe them so fast. Take time to digest, integrate and dream your own dreams instead.
It is better to let the world go by for the present than get by you forever. There is a lot going on, and if you are going to do your part, you need to be selective and take it in and review it at your own pace. So maybe, to cite just one example, lay off the sports for the time being. You can catch up with scores and standings more easily than with other, more substantial things.
Give yourself until Oct. 9 (when Mercury resumes direct motion once again) to go back and catch up at your own pace, as much as you practically can, with practical stuff. You won’t be sorry. It will be worth it. For you are very probably living in a very different world from just a few weeks ago. Get to know it, and how your life fits in. Not through all those electronic communications that drag you from one thing to the next, but by being mindful and conscious — even if it means not going so fast for a while.
Offered In Service
Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.
Information really IS in hyper-drive now Len, and some people DO seem to have become machines. I wonder sometimes what they have given up in order to be accessible at all times and to be able to access others like themselves, and all the world’s data sources. What are they searching for? I worry about them.
Perhaps it is individuality they have given up. Maybe the urge to merge has reached new heights. I wonder if, seen from some satellite device, these connections between various electronic gadgets look like those flocks of birds flying in patterns that blend and then change form and appear to be a single entity, porous and cloud-like. The world can seem scary enough to not want to be alone, but there is something mesmerizing or hypnotic about those birds and as well the twitters and tweets from our gadgets. Something that makes one willing to give up their individuality for membership in the flock. There are just so many things to belong to – to be a part of. For some of us there is a fear of being left out of something.
Perhaps that’s it. We don’t know which something is the right thing so we cover our bases and go with all things. Safety in numbers. I fear for the masses of people who can’t bear to be alone for a moment. I love that we are all connected in a global sense, but would hate it if we lost our individuality. You are absolutely right we really need to slow down. “Exercise some critical thinking of your own”, and maybe take some deep breaths and hide the phone under the pillow for a couple of hours. What’s the big rush?
I looked at the 3 conjunctions trans. Jupiter and Uranus made in 2010 and 11 and it appears that the 3rd one might hold some explanation for this phenomenon. Jupiter was conjunct Uranus at 27+ Pisces (no separation).
Transiting Venus in Scorpio was trine Jupiter and Uranus but square Neptune (no boundaries) in Aquarius.
Neptune was conjunct the U.S. Sibly Moon and Pallas.
Neptune and Uranus were in mutual reception and they were like one.
The New Moon at 13+ Capricorn was opposite the U.S. Sun and square the U.S. Saturn.
I guess when trans. Jupiter gets to Libra and opposes trans. Uranus (September 2017) as trans. Neptune squares the U.S. ascendant and trans. Mercury opposes trans. Chiron, we might break free from the spell we are under.
be
“Trends in entertainment (which is now all but indistinguishable from news), the arts and even science turn and reverse repeatedly. Fortunes are made and lost in a day, every day.
“If the same sort rapid cycling were taking place with your moods and thoughts, you might be diagnosed as mentally ill. Similar fluctuations in blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration or metabolism would certainly make you feel physically ill. Fortunately, you are not your electronic devices — not yet, anyway. You are not so fast, and that’s good.”
This passage just made me smile and nod. Hopefully we never will cross that line into “being” our electronic devices. Until then, I say a hearty “yes” to slowing down a little. The last two weeks have been a big, busy blur.
Barbara (be): As you have indicated you do, i also worry about those who equate access with power. Yet, when one tries to go against that trend, spend time offline, and separate from what you so appropriately refer to as the flock of birds, it tends to make one an odd duck (pun intended). Also, taking time alone (essential for me to think thoroughly and write slowly so as to render my service here on Planet Waves) seems to raise issues that did not present themselves so much in the recent past. It all goes with living in (and making the best of) what somebody called “interesting times” long ago. Speaking of which, your references to 2010 and 2011 are well taken. It will indeed be interesting what comes to fruition when Jupiter opposes its position at that time. Thank you so very much.
Amanda: Thank you for sharing your how you you concur with my observation, and yes – may we never cross the line into being less than human.
Thank you Len, I needed this reminder to slow down. There has been something exciting in all this astrological activity. I feel I lived several lifetimes, shifted attitudes so many times, and felt ALIVE with all that energy of change knocking about this month
This interior conjunction is at the midpoint of my natal Sun and natal Mercury and I saw the image of a set of scales in this.
Think I will need to be still to get back into balance.
beleclaire: Glad the reminder was both timely and useful for you. Thank you for sharing that it was. It’s gratifying to know that my purpose here (to offer something of service to you) . i hope the scales did indeed balance for you when Mercury reached its retrograde midpoint yesterday.
Can’t help thinking that this observation is related to Saturn’s ingress into Sagittarius, Len. The slow, steady and careful old man has climbed onto the back of the frisky steed and is suddenly being carried away towards the far horizon. Whoa there, slow down.
The last time he experienced such speed was in November 1985 when there was no internet super-highway to speak of, little in the way of personal communication while on the move, no way to watch the latest movies except by queueing at a cinema or waiting for them to turn up on television. The relationship to his partner in Gemini has changed beyond recognition and information-hungry Mercury must have the latest data fix or he’ll miss the scoop.
I find my relationship with PW is subject to this phenomenon as much as any other internet activity. Not much time for leisurely reflection. If I don’t respond fairly immediately the moment is lost and the discussion has moved on. This digital age that we now find ourselves in is like having a huge external brain and the sheer volume of information that can be accessed and processed is understandably boggling to its organic counterpart.
So what do we miss out on? No time to smell the flowers? I expect there’ll be an app for that quite soon. Smell-o-Net? Yup. I think I can see that on the horizon just over there …
Geoff: Thank you for so cogently bringing in the connection to Saturn’s long process of entering Sagittarius that has (in many ways) characterized this entire year – thus far at least. A very good argument could be made saying that all of the astrology of 2015 up to this point (and maybe farther) is but a set of footnotes to Saturn’s ingress. Special thanks for the connection to 1985 – point well made, and will probably be further explored here.
Geoff, if Britain’s natal Mercury is at 17+ Sagittarius (1/1/1801) then Vesta at the time of the last Jupiter-Uranus conjunction would have been exactly conjunct it. Since Britain has a yod made up of natal Mercury sextile natal Venus in Aquarius, both quincunx natal Moon (the People) in Cancer, I was wondering of your country prospered in some way as a result of the digital explosion. At that time of the Jupiter-Uranus conjunction at 27+ Pisces it was conjunct England’s Quaoar (dances stuff into manifestation) also at 27+ Pisces, who trines natal Hades (needs tending to) at 27+ Scorpio, where transiting Venus was at the time of that conjunction .
Since transiting Saturn will reach your country’s natal Mercury in November next year, maybe your idea (smell-o-net) having been danced into being, will take form (Saturn) then. Make sure you get the credit for it!
be
be, Many thanks for the detailed analysis, a revelation as always.
I’m sure the UK has made very substantial sums of money from the digital revolution although I’m not well-versed in how much, when and from what exactly. Data storage seems to be one area where the industry expanded quite rapidly around the time of the last Jupiter-Uranus conjunction. The London Stock Market-quoted Telecity Group, in particular, increased its capacity in Britain quite markedly at the end of 2010 making it one of the largest players in Europe.
Smell-o-Net is an update of some sadly unsuccessful attempts to inject odours into cinemas to complement the film, something which dates back to 1906, well before the introduction of sound. Walt Disney planned to incorporate it in his 1940 masterpiece Fantasia but the project proved too costly. Now that would have been an experience.
I was almost suckered into paying to see Smell-o-Vision in a film called Scent of Mystery in 1960, a period when the film industry was trying every trick in the book to win back audiences from television. I believe you were meant to identify the culprit from his or her cologne. I much preferred the word AromaRama which was used to enhance a travelogue about the Great Wall of China. Neither film made much commercial impact. It might, however, prove more practical in a home setting via the internet and would be an additional income stream for computer manufacturers who would provide the dispensing equipment and odour replenishments. I’m not going to hold my breath for royalty checks. Wouldn’t be able to smell the moolah if I did that!
I’ve just re-read Eric’s Aquarius forecast for October.
“You are taking something that has already existed and modifying it for a new context. Originality is not an actual value, since nearly everything is derivative. Yet the retrieval of something functional, something that works, in a new context, is original enough for anyone whose goal is to get the job done rather than to make a splash.”
Couldn’t be more appropriate!