With the Sun newly in Sagittarius and Mercury about to join it — and both squaring Neptune in Pisces — the sky is urging some caution lest you run (or drive) faster than you really need to and hit a slippery patch. That’s a metaphor for human interactions and your inner thought process, but consider taking it literally, too — especially if yo live in the U.S. Today is the busiest travel day of the year thanks to tomorrow’s Thanksgiving holiday.
Photo by Amanda Painter
As Eric Francis wrote in Monday’s Astrology Diary, “Anything square Neptune is slippery, and with the Sun, the bigger they are the more slippery the floor.” He adds that Neptune squares “urge caution, awareness and the gathering of facts. They especially urge keeping a grip on your own idealism and ungrounded expectations.”
If you ever hope or expect that your family will be any different at holidays compared to how they usually are — and then get disappointed — re-read that last sentence. Sun-Neptune aspects lean toward believing what you want to believe, regardless whether it’s true or not. That quality is critical to notice in matters outside of family, too.
Mercury enters Sagittarius at 9:26 pm EST Thursday. Mercury in Sadge generally indicates a quick but potentially unfocused mind, one that is thinking so far ahead about the big picture that it misses the details. It’s also prone to foot-in-mouth disease; its saving grace is that it’s sincere and cannot stand deception.
That sincerity gets complicated as Mercury moves into its own square to Neptune (exact Nov. 30). Mercury square Neptune often indicates a creative (if impractical) dreamer at best, or a slick and deceptive mind at worst. In other words, watch for what you sincerely believe as you prove/disprove your theories.
Since Mercury stays in Scorpio much of Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27, for our international readers), notice whether any among the cast of characters gathered around your dinner table (including yourself) seem to be holding something a little closer to the vest than usual. Granted, excessive alcohol or familial patterns of provocation may render that statement moot, or might incite cutting rebuttals in a Scorpionic style.
It might not be until later in the evening while washing the dishes or convening over leftovers (or the next day) that the other part of the story (or the real point of the story) gets blurted out. But by that time, with all the pre-dinner stress over, hopefully everyone will be relaxed enough not to get too bent out of shape.
For that, we could all be grateful.
I always expect my family to act worse on holidays. Maybe that’s my way of deceiving myself. In any case, since about 22, I’ve seen Thanksgiving as a friend holiday and it has always worked out well. Everyone brings something to share and the food has never disappointed. Totally thankful I have friends to hang out with and food to eat. I look forward to not being stressed out
I’ll keep Mercury in Scorpio in mind though.
Thanks, Amanda – abundant caution would seem appropriate. Canada’s ‘turkey day’ happens in Oct., so this is an ordinary weekend up here, which is just as well where I live, as we’re in a spell of extreme, confining cold – which is providing ample time for me to reflect upon a not-quite-finalized decision, with one eye on the Sun/Neptune square. With a fair number of episodes in my history wherein I made decisions that were what a friend called “snatching defeat from the jaws of victory” – well, I am cautious. Neptune feels slippery indeed – while dangling visions of ideal situations which are probably not even part of the equation!
Your refernces to Mercury in Sagg are well taken – I have it natally, but retrograde – I LOVE to talk/write, but often walk away from a conversation, especially a difficult one, thinking, oh, what I SHOULD have said was… Decption makes me angry, & I’ve long said that I’ve been hurt more often by what I didn’t know than by truths, including painful ones.
As for Mercury square Neptune – well, I think I’ll be focused on painting, where, if I get carried away & mess up, I can lay down a coat of gesso & start over.
Happy & safe Thanksgiving to all celebrants in PW land.
“They especially urge keeping a grip on your own idealism and ungrounded expectations.
If you ever hope or expect that your family will be any different at holidays compared to how they usually are — and then get disappointed — re-read that last sentence.”
Actually, I’m not expecting that family will be any different at this holiday… I just know that I am.
“Since Mercury stays in Scorpio much of Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 27, for our international readers), notice whether any among the cast of characters gathered around your dinner table (including yourself) seem to be holding something a little closer to the vest than usual. Granted, excessive alcohol or familial patterns of provocation may render that statement moot, or might incite cutting rebuttals in a Scorpionic style.
It might not be until later in the evening while washing the dishes or convening over leftovers (or the next day) that the other part of the story (or the real point of the story) gets blurted out. But by that time, with all the pre-dinner stress over, hopefully everyone will be relaxed enough not to get too bent out of shape.”
“including yourself”… yes, well, that kind of rings true — for me… like a warning bell.
Happy Thanksgiving to all at Planet Waves.
Thank you, Amanda, for your highly cogent and practical advice for taking the holiday in harmony with the Cosmos. An exceptionally focused yet also highly comprehensive interpretation of the current astrology. Please accept my continued gratitude.