Let's Be Thankful for Mercury Retrograde in Taurus Right Now

The opposition between Saturn and Uranus is exact today, marking the fourth and final opposition in the signs Virgo and Pisces. Although Saturn and Uranus remain within range of opposition, this basically marks a conclusion point to the series of oppositions in these signs that we've been experiencing since November, 2008. So everyone give yourself a pat on the back. We made it. Just barely in some cases (me).

There's one more opposition between the body of radical change, future-oriented insight and revolution (Uranus) and the body of concrete structural set-ups, maturation and practical challenge (Saturn) on July 26, when Uranus will be at 0 degrees Aries and Saturn will be at 0 degrees Libra.

But that opposition will have a much different feel from what we've been experiencing in Virgo-Pisces. The tension of that opposition should give us a strong initiating impetus into a new cycle, out of the anxiety, depression, worry, uncertainty, constant adjusting and treading water feelings.

Sure, we may just enter a new kind of uncertainty with the cardinal opposition, but for many of us (me, again) it will be a relief to leave the overwhelming energies of the past two years somewhat behind us...

The reason we can be happy that Mercury is retrograde in Taurus is that we have a lot of Mercurial energy going on - Saturn is in late Virgo and Venus is in early Gemini, both ruled by Mercury. This means Mercury's sign and motion play a big role in how we experience this opposition.

The experience of an opposition is often akin to feeling pulled apart at the seams by two opposing forces as we struggle to find the right energetic mix and interplay on the continuum, so a rapidly moving Mercury trying to do its thing would really push us overboard right now.

Mercury retrograde in Taurus has slowed all things Mercurial to a grounded snail's pace, and, while potentially frustrating, this helps things progress in a much more realistic, comfortable and secure way overall. We're able to really cement our progress here, as long as we work with the much slower and more organically-unfolding Merc Rx in Taurus rhythms.

The Mercury Rx in Taurus energy is also helpful as we head to the Full Moon in Scorpio April 28, on the heels of this Saturn-Uranus opposition.

A Scorpio Full Moon has the tendency to bring us to emotional extremes, but Mercury Rx is coming together in conjunction with the Sun in Taurus, and they oppose the Moon in Scorpio together at this Full Moon. Very cool. This allows us to keep a level head as any remaining emotional nastiness from the past is drawn to the surface for us to deal with.

Scorpio Full Moons relate to (among other things) emotional endings, disconnecting from people, situations or dynamics that have become draining or damaging and transmuting leftover emotional detritus, leaving us free to connect emotionally with what is most vital and nourishing to us now, rather than carrying old energy and dynamics forward that no longer sustain.

My feeling is that this Full Moon will give us an indicator of what shape we're in heading into next October/November's Venus retrograde in Scorpio, so watch what comes up emotionally now and do what you have to do with it. Be firm. Whatever is cleared or settled or dealt with now alleviates the pressure on that Venus retrograde, which is going to have the potential to be a clean-sweep disconnect from damaging relationship patterns, past, present and future. Getting to that real "soul mate" vibe, rather than working in futility with relationships that will never get there.

An interesting thing that came up in a reading a while back is that it might not be us needing to let go - it could be someone from our past who needs to let go of us and disconnect the etheric tendrils they still have attached to us. If we had a role in connecting, it's possible - only possible, not definite - that we have a role in disconnecting, and if this is the case, we can work with that process and help the person, where we can, to let go.

At the Scorpio Full Moon we can focus emotionally on releasing all those who came before with an understanding that they may have gotten hurt in relationship with us. We can get a feel for whether there is something we need to do or say to validate those feelings and whether there are apologies or airings necessary. Only when we bring the buried and roiling Scorpy harsh feelings to the surface, validate them and release them can we stop being oppressed by them.

We do a lot of messed up things to each other before we're consciously aware of underlying relationship dynamics, and here we can take responsibility for both ends of the spectrum. Releasing and being released...with more to come at the Venus in Scorpio retrograde this fall.

The Sabian Symbol for the Scorpio Full Moon is: A Dentist is Hard at Work. So you see how intently we have to root out what is old and decaying emotionally.

The Moon wants to hold on, but Scorpio knows that to do so is death - at least soul death. So we have to be gentle but skillfully ruthless with any ways we've been conditioned to dish out or accept subtle mistreatment, severing ties to energetic dynamics that will never truly nourish us.

There are themes of emotional deprivation/starvation here - and of fighting our way out of that and into truly nourishing territory. Psychic surgeon Scorpio, cutting away whatever snuffs us out emotionally so that the truly vital connections can strengthen and grow. It's a precise application now, more often working with people and relationships rather than simply cutting ourselves off from them altogether.

As we do this, we have to be aware of and respect the Taurean boundaries - our own and other people's - making absolutely no exceptions.

Another interesting development is that Venus in early Gemini is heading to a conjunction with Juno (asteroid of covenant relationships) - exact May 1. This adds more soul mate vibe to the relationship proceedings, especially within our local, day-to-day societies and the related interactions.

All those unspoken connections in small towns/communities and keeping them straight so you don't get drawn in and burned. I know this well.

We're building our vital connections now with day-to-day contact and seemingly light chit-chat. Maintaining this contact is very important. Due to the harsh aspects of these times in which we're living, vital connections can wither on the vine very quickly if not tended to. Whatever connections you want to see succeed in your life, wherever you are being nourished, connect to them all little-by-little and keep them flourishing (Mercury in Taurus).

On the other hand, no matter how light and airy the interactions seem, our timing, tone and what we are specifically communicating to each other is very important. It has to hit the mark. This is the seriousness of these soul mate interactions. We're not playing here.

The Sabian Symbol for the degree where Venus and Juno meet in Gemini is: A Medieval Archer Stands With the Ease of One Wholly Sure of Himself, Bow in Hand, His Quiver Filled With Arrows.

So we know the importance of these times. We're trained and prepared. We know our skills, and we know how to use them. There are a lot of small arrows we need to let fly to get the Geminian connections moving and flowing and interacting with each other.

And as part of that Scorpionic clearing of past ties, we have to use our words and the timed application of our words precisely. Restraint. Words can heal, but they can also do huge, long-term damage - even in the smallest and quickest of interactions. Of this, we have to be aware, but as long as we take due care and attention, the arrows will not miss their marks.

Mercury is retrograde in Taurus until May 11, when it turns direct. It leaves its retrograde shadow May 28, just as Uranus enters Aries, and enters Gemini (a sign of its rulership) June 9, just after Jupiter and Uranus conjunct at 0 Aries.