Note to Readers: Today we had planned to distribute the Moonshine Horoscope, however, I had several projects backed up and didn’t have time to get to it. We will have that for you next week. This article is adapted from Monday’s blog post and covers this week’s exciting astrology. — efc
Dear Friend and Reader:

This is going to be an interesting week — astrologically and otherwise (however in astrology, “astrology” and “otherwise” are the same thing). The two most significant moves in the sky involve Mercury and Venus — the two known ‘major’ planets whose orbits are shorter than that of the Earth. Mercury and Venus are considered personal planets in that we often experience their effects viscerally, as emotions, sensory data and ideas. When they form patterns with slower-moving points, as is happening now, they can have dramatic effects.

Chart for Mercury stationing direct on Wednesday. Note that its number value is similar to that of several other points shown — including Venus, Neptune and the lunar nodes. You read the chart by reading the numbers; I have selected a grouping where everything is working on everything else, in a way that’s obvious. The numbers tell a story, based on the motion and speed of the points involved.

Let’s start with Mercury stationing direct, which happens Wednesday at 1:40 am EDT. This is a planetary setup that is packed with tension, energy and potential. It’s in full color and suggests that a process underneath the obvious is gradually unfurling. The dharma piece is that the lunar nodes are involved; this is a potential point of action.

As you likely know, Mercury retrograde is associated with things (such as computers) acting weird, and people’s minds acting even weirder. All the usual suggestions apply: Don’t buy things. Back up your work. Do one thing at a time. This is NOT the time to update your software, or to fix minor problems that you can live with for a few days.

And pay attention. However, with this event, there’s a lot more.

When any Mercury retrograde ends or begins, Mercury stays in the same little zone of the zodiac for about a week (usually it goes whipping along). In the midst of going so slowly, it then switches directions, which has a charming way of fucking with the minds of the unwitting, the hapless and even, occasionally, the pros. This phase is usually called the ‘Mercury storm’ and it tends to be the most chaotic part of the retrograde. There are two for each retrograde — one at the beginning and one at the end. We are in one of them now.

Mercury is stationing direct in a close aspect to three other points: it’s trine the North Node of the Moon, and sextile the South Node (amplifying the communication power of Mercury); and it’s quincunx Neptune (a slippery-feeling aspect that could make it difficult to discern true from false). Neptune for its part is square the lunar nodes, meaning that everything hinges on sorting out truth from illusion. How much is everything? It depends on what happens this week (it’s only Tuesday and it’s been a heck of a week so far).

About three hours after Mercury stations direct, the Moon comes along, enters Taurus, and gives it a bump. If you set a hockey puck on the kitchen floor and push it, it will hardly budge. If you set it on slick ice and push it, it will take a little ride — and that’s what the Moon’s square to Mercury from Taurus feels like.

First, the cautionary part of the story. The upshot of all of this is to slow down and pay attention. Sunday evening I was noticing how many cars were being driven through a thunderstorm without the headlights on. In whatever the heck you’re doing, if you’re driving through the rain, slow down, turn on your headlights.

Hail and farewell Venus in Gemini. Photo of the 2012 transit of Venus by Anthony Ayiomamitis.

That is a metaphor; it will help you avoid colliding with the dork who is simultaneously stuffing Chick-fil-A down his throat while speeding, tweaking his GPS and talking on the phone. Slowing down in the rain is a good idea because the road is slippery and your slower speed will increase your available reaction time in an emergency.

Then we have the creative part of the story. This is a fantastic chart for putting ideas into motion. It’s especially true for interesting, creative ideas that blend words and pictures, words and music, or all of the above. So if you’ve got something brewing, get it going. If you’re the camera type, keep yours on you at all times. This is the week that all those “iReporters” at CNN are going to do their best work while the gabbing heads can’t shut up about the stock market.

As for that second transit. Venus enters Cancer today at 9:43 am EDT. This happens a bit before Mercury stations direct, but the two events are close enough to be synchronous; that is, part of the same thing. Notably, they are in aspect, a subtle contact called a semi-sextile, which tends to bridge two opposing concepts (for example, Cancer is a water sign and Leo is a fire sign).

Normally, Venus changing signs is not a big deal (though it’s always fodder for daily horoscopes because it will be dependably interesting, you can see the theme, and it lends itself to writing a good story).

However, this Venus sign-change is special because 1) Venus has been in Gemini since April 3 of this year 2) where it was retrograde for six weeks during that time, 3) where we also had the big transit of Venus, the last such event till 2117 and 4) because Venus is ingressing a cardinal sign, aspecting the Aries Point, Uranus and Pluto.

We have the whole Venus in Gemini story coming to an end this week, and a new story begins as Venus jumps onto the cardinal cross and starts dancing with the Uranus-Pluto square. I cover that in Tuesday’s daily edition. And I’ll see you with a new subscriber edition Friday morning.

Lovingly,