review Archives - Owl Medicine: Shamanic Healing

Mercury – Photo: newsroom.ucla.org

Holding My Breath

I know we’ve chatted (ok, I’ve pecked out some thoughts, you’ve all been mostly quiet) about the astrological significance of ‘Mercury Retrograde’ (sometimes appearing shorthand as Mercury Rx).

This is technically an illusion, as no planets actually move backward. But they can, from the perspective of the Earth and in context to the sun and the rest of the planets, appear to be moving backwards and thus, often, moving back ‘into’ a different astrological sign or house (or both).

It is generally observed that when Mercury, the planet that is often associated with communication and connection, electronic gadgets, contracts, automobiles, etc., goes retrograde, it lasts approximately three weeks. The phenomenon happens three or four times per year.

Inasmuch as Mercury is so key to communication, when it goes retrograde, the conventional wisdom is that we should all spend those three weeks or so reflecting, reviewing, editing, going over situations and occurrences once more, and taking stock. It is generally suggested that we refrain from entering into anything new during this time (since it is a time best suited to reflecting and reviewing rather than forging ahead), such as agreements or contracts. It’s also recommended that we not purchase any big ticket items – particularly electronic items.

Electronics Can Go Phlooey

And who can forget my prolonged struggle with Dell back in the last Mercury Rx, when they eventually ended up giving me a new motherboard or something, basically giving me a new laptop. (Admit it, those posts were simply riveting, right?!)

Another common cause for concern or irritation during these time periods is miscommunication, which can lead to arguments, misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and big messes. Obviously, this is why it’s considered wise to hold off on finalizing contracts – and signing them – during Merc Rx.

To be honest, I rarely take notice when Mercury goes retrograde. I’ve been told by some that if Mercury is retrograde at the time you are born (and it’s thus part of your ‘natal chart’), the usual difficulties most people experience during them are not as pronounced. In my case, it was retrograde when I was born. (As were something like four other planets – a situation I’ll address another time. Perhaps.) But the bottom line is, for me, I’ve barely noticed them.

Except for my laptop snafu during the last one.

This One’s Been a Doozy

And now this one, too. Interestingly, I’ve noticed what seemed to have been a lot more miscommunications during this one, missed calls, missing emails, Facebook went offline or had some big meltdown one day. My Dell once again started acting up. It blue screened on me once. It’s been whirring without explanation. All very worrying. It’s been a three week period that generally seemed to make us all want to just hunker down to wait it out. Engage in that reviewing and releasing activity that’s so often recommended and hope for the best..

Unfortunately, I’ve seen a lot of things break. Of course, there’s the ongoing saga of my car. Oh my goodness. No RToD of late, and the check engine light goes on haphazardly. But there was quite a dramatic message delivered by my car at the outset of this Mercury Rx which I’ve not yet shared with all of you. It’s goose-bump worthy.

Add to that the fact that my espresso machine has decided to completely act out and squirt grind-filled water forcefully and haphazardly all over the place instead of expressing crema every single time I try to use it. (I know; Perhaps I sound elitist and bratty just by the mere fact that I own one of these machines – but hey. Cut a girl a break. I make my own lattés and it’s a simple pleasure that harms no one.)

And now…the other pole of my ingestion of fluids is hampered as well: my freezer’s ice machine has suddenly just stopped making ice. Aaarrgggh. I am one of those people who likes a lot of ice in my tall glass of seltzer water. Well, that’s thwarted now. And I’ll be honest: I am bummed.

Collateral Damage, Too

Finally, while it did not happen directly to me, the transmission in one of my son’s cars just totally bit the dust on Monday, stranding my daughter in law on a busy highway. The cost to replace it is extremely high – and it is such a disappointment. The car was cool to drive and was pretty, too. Best of all, it was great on gas. It was a Chevy Volt.

Today we went looking for a replacement and didn’t we end up spending all our time running from one place to another completely wasting our time due to ‘miscommunication?!?!’ Two different times we were told that a used vehicle we were interested in was at the place we called. And both times, after traveling there personally to test-drive each one, we were told it had ‘just been sold.’

Wow!

So needless to say, I’m psyched that Mercury stations direct tomorrow (the 28^th). By Friday Mercury will once again be appearing to move forward in the sky – and hopefully flow and harmony will be restored. I’m holding my breath.

(T-975)

The start of a ‘moonless’ night – Photo: L. Weikel

Happy New Moon

Yes, I know, new moons happen every 28 ½ days. Month after month. Never ending, just cycling over and over again.

So what’s the big deal?

Maybe it’s the simple rhythm of that cycle. The reassuring dependability that no matter what happens in the world, no matter what happens in our own lives, or in our country, or even on a global scale, the moon will experience a ‘new beginning’ every 28 ½ days. We depend upon it.

A Cycle That Never Deviates – Our Entire Lives

And then, with a precision and reliability that we simply cannot fathom being anything but what it is, the moon will proceed through her phases. Gradually waxing minute by minute, day by day, and thereby growing more insistent in her pull upon the waters of this planet (including each one of us, being mostly comprised of water ourselves).

Once reaching her apex of power and pull, bringing a sense of utter completion, the moon will bask in all her glory over us. Lighting our path so brightly, should we take a walk at night, that the shadows are as stark and well-defined as any might be in the full light of Inti Tayta (Father Sun).

And then of course she begins her retreat, once again, into hiding. As she begins to disappear, we are called upon to ask ourselves what it is we would like to stop hiding (from ourselves or others). It’s then, as we look forward to the ‘dark time’ of the new moon – and finally loosen our grip on how we think our lives are supposed to ‘go’ or how we wish they had gone over the past month and accept what is – that we embrace the exciting potential of a new start, a clean slate.

A Symbol of Hope

This unrelenting pattern of building and releasing and doing it again, and again, and again is a comfort to us, whether or not we pay attention to the moon.

For me, Mama Killa’s rhythmic waxing and waning is a symbol of hope. Each new moon gives me yet another opportunity to get things right or to do better ‘this’ time. Each one is a yardstick that can be held up to my life, giving me feedback on whether I’m making progress toward achieving my goals and dreams.

New Moon in Pisces

I am not anywhere near well-versed enough in astrology to have an opinion or even, really, a cursory grasp on the meaning of the new moon being in the sign of Pisces tonight. I can tell you that Pisces is the last sign of the natural zodiac, so it is the last hurrah. One might conclude, as a result, that today’s new moon could bring with it a huge set of metaphorical erasers. This represents a bigger cycle of endings and new beginnings than your average new moon.

And one last interesting twist to this new moon: Mercury goes retrograde today. For three weeks, Mercury will appear to our naked eyes, at least, to be moving ‘backwards.’ It won’t be actually moving backwards, as it is an optical illusion created by the movement and placement of the planets from our perspective here on Earth.

Mercury retrograde lasts approximately three weeks. This one begins on March 6^thand does not end until March 28^th.

Mercury retrograde is the perfect time to ‘re’ everything: retreat, review, rework, reflect – on our lives, our relationships, our projects and aspirations. It’s not usually a time to forge ahead. But it most certainly is a time to assess the progress we’re making toward achieving the things that matter most to us. (I think it also might be a time for me to get some Listening Retreats scheduled!)

The Dark Nights

So over the next three nights or so, when the moon is invisible because she’s gone dark and is actively hiding her light, when she is not reflecting any of the Sun’s rays, contemplate what you want to plant now. Given that we’ll also be experiencing the Spring equinox right around the fullest expression of the moon this month, it feels like that might be the first indication of how our seedlings are doing after two weeks of germination.

I don’t know about you, but I feel like the culmination – the fullness – of the moon coinciding with the Spring equinox seems exquisitely timed to create the greatest impact on all of us. My sense is that we are all building up to the arrival of Spring this year. It is going to bring change to all of us.

I’m going to bed now. I need to plant my seeds and contemplate how best I can nurture them into fruition.

(T- 996)