It is possible to move through space at high speed without sensing it so long as the rate of motion is constant. An airplane leveled out and cruising in mid-flight is one example. The briskly spinning Earth swiftly orbiting the Sun is another instance. Moving through a typical period of two weeks between eclipses (as we are now) can be a similar experience.
As next week begins, however, you should get a sense of motion through your life thanks to Mercury and Mars. Both planets will change signs as Monday segues into Tuesday. As result, what has been constant about the rate of your experience will probably change.
Some things are likely to speed up. Other things are looking to slow down. Either way, all things will be more manageable for you if you can discern what parts of your life correspond with Mercury and what parts correlate with Mars. That way, you can anticipate changes in the rate at which things move for you and either accelerate or decelerate along with them.
Mercury will probably correlate with parts of your life that experience acceleration next week, when it moves from Pisces into Aries at 9:44 pm EDT Monday (01:44 UTC Tuesday). That’s partly because Mercury’s apparent motion actually is accelerating at this time and will continue to do so as it gradually catches up with the Sun for an exterior (or “superior”) conjunction at 19+ Aries on April 10.
Additionally, Mercury is bound to express itself more energetically in the fiery element and cardinal quality of Aries than in Pisces. As you have probably experienced since Mercury entered Pisces back on March 13, introversion and introspection have been the mental order of the day more often than not. A lot of that has to do with the fact that Pisces opposes Virgo, one of the two signs (along with Gemini) where Mercury rules the roost.
Hence, Mercury has been a proverbial stranger in a strange land for nearly two weeks. After Monday, however, both your mind and its means of expressing itself (which, among other things, is what versatile Mercury represents), will probably quicken. You may, however, want to think twice before quickly acting on those thoughts.
That’s because Mars will leave Aries behind to enter Taurus at 12:26 pm EDT (16:26 UTC) Tuesday, less than 15 hours after Mercury makes ingress to Aries. Hence, there will be an implicit disconnection between Mars (a planet of action, among other things) and Mercury.
What’s more, by moving out of Aries (one of the two signs Mars traditionally rules, along with Scorpio), Mars will by definition be losing at least some of its vaunted swagger and mojo. The fact that Taurus opposes Scorpio reinforces the notion that Mars and its symbolic energy will be somewhat grounded in the earthen element and fixed quality to which Taurus corresponds.
Finally, when you consider that Taurus is ruled by Venus (the neutralizing complement to Mars for astrologers), you have a rather conclusive image of deceleration for all worldly manifestations of the Martian archetype. Chances are it would do you far more good than harm to go with that flow by not aggressively forcing your concepts onto others or into the world.
Therefore, next week will almost certainly be an appropriate time to think more quickly while acting with greater restraint. By doing so, you will stand a reasonable chance of maintaining at least internal equilibrium and progress even if external events function along the lines of stop-and-go traffic.
As a bonus, moving through your life while mindful of what Mercury and Mars are doing will give you a better read next week regarding how far you have come since the solar eclipse of March 20. Even more importantly, you will better know how far you have to go before emerging on the other end of what promises to be an ever more eventful journey to the lunar eclipse on April 4.
Offered In Service
Len is available for astrology readings. You can contact him at lenwallick [at] gmail [dot] com.
Mars and Mercury are in a benevolent balancing act for humankind it would seem. As strong as my sexual desires have been today and as of late, close to the brink of me risking destroying the relationship I’m in because of my desire to have sex outside of the relationship, I can see how it will serve me for Mars to go ahead and enter Taurus when Mercury enters Aries. That will help take some pressure off my desire, which is best at this point in our relationship. Sex outside of the relationship has been discussed several times, and one day that time will come, but not now.
Len — for sure, it’s not a bad thing to have one’s action-impulse at a steadier pave when one’s mind is racing. Though speaking as a Taurus (that is, one who does not tend to get the ball rolling fast enough much of the time), I tend to appreciate the extra nudge Mars in Aries (or any of the cardinal signs) provides.
Thanks as always for the lucid heads-up on the coming gear shift!
Michael: Thank you for adding some very thoughtful depth from your personal experience, AND congratulations on being admitted to grad school (say “hi” to all the disembodied poets for me – long time no see).
Amanda: Thank you as well for making a very good point, AND for your gentle guidance as an editor during Mercury’s encounter with Chiron.
Aries being natal 9th house (and a very busy house it is), Merc is welcome there — as is Mars into Taurus on my MC. Of course, knowing how very triggered my 9th house is/has been, I looked to the 3rd and then to my progressed….all interesting and insightful, Len. Thanks again for the map; the road is long, but keys are indeed action and inspiration.
Thanks Len, will do!
Great column, Len. The movements of Mars affect me very much, and I love having a heads-up when He is about to change things up. And Mercury, well, Mercury is so integral to everything I do. Thank you. I’m going to be extra mindful of where the push/pull is happening, so I can respond from some kind of center.
I just saw this bit on Twitter, and thought, based on the little I know of you, that you and your readers would want to know of this insane development against a leading activist of the new Civil Rights Movement. Rev. Osagyefo Segou, a Christian activist, has been detained by the TSA and prevented from boarding a plane to preach in a church in the Bay Area. What does this remind you of? I shudder at neo-fascism’s latest developments: https://www.facebook.com/tthorncoyle/posts/10155347092750258
I hope you don’t mind if I reach out and hold your virtual hand. This terrifies and horrifies me.
aword: You are very welcome.
Jaimie: It’s good to know my service is useful for you. Please accept my thanks for the information regarding the detention of Reverend Osagyefo Segou (which is indeed a disturbingly extreme official act – something beyond harassment and intimidation). Finally, yes, my hand is extended in turn. Funny thing about how holding hands is actually a creative act, eh?