Forecast for Thursday 10 September 2009

Thursday 10 September 2009

}Slow Dialectic{

The Mercury-retrograde period is fully upon us (September 6-29). Those of you who have been reading these reports for years know pretty much what I will say, but even for myself it helps to reformulate a plan for this period. Here is a thumbnail sketch: Divide your activities into two groups:

Clear Duties __________Other Stuff and New Ideas
a, b, c . . . ________________ x, y, z . . .

Now, whenever you feel lassitude, despair, weariness, boredom, or uncertainty, think about the Clear Duties list. These are things you just need to do (according to your own soul-choice, as it were, even if they seem imposed "from outside"). Most likely, you will be wanting to try something form the "Other Stuff" list instead. Well, it's your decision, but when Mercury is retrograde too often people gravitate to the "Other Stuff" and get in all kinds of trouble.

But a need for "difference" or "something else" is also a need during this time. So you could do the following on a given day: Select a few of the Clear Duties and determine to get them done. But realize they may take longer than usual and so perhaps do fewer of them than you would normally. Then, in the time left over, let yourself experiment with some of the Other Stuff. This could be quite fascinating and illumining. However, it could go too far, so remember that, and get back to the Clear Duties before things get way out of hand.

That's about the best I can do for all-purpose advice during the Mercury Retrograde period. Except this, which is very important: Resist an impulse to "drop everything" when it comes to job, marriage, home, school, or whatever is basic in your life. Quitting a job at these times is usually a mistake. Filing for divorce could be. Moving could be, not necessarily, but if you have a lot of doubts about it it is probably a mistake. And so on. The President's advice to school kids on Tuesday, "Never give up," is timely.

I wish our culture could realize the cyclic nature of time. It is not true that every day is the same and the same attitude ought to rule every day. It would be good for everyone to reduce external expectations during the Mercury Retrograde period (and even the whole Dark Hermetic Epoch, which lasts several weeks longer). That means, don't expect things to work out as quickly. Give it time. Do what you can but when something in you tells you "this isn't working" you need to slow down and try an alternate approach for a while. Not suicide (which I believe happens more often during these times). And not quitting your job, except in extreme cases. But something you can work in around your Clear Duties. Even those Duties need to be examined because some of them could be false, that is, mistaken in the way you think they need to be done. Often less is more at these times. "Slacking off" could be the cardinal sin of sloth, or it could be a needed retreat helping your soul to recover poised orientation.

Obviously every case is different and you need to use your judgment, but I think this explanation could help you get through the period more gracefully and happily.

Thursday is Prime Time (apart from what has just been said), so you can expedite many factors, especially those related to job or profession.

Disagreements about philosophy, religion and politics are frequent while Venus opposes Jupiter. You want people to truckle to your notions, as it were. And they you. When a more stringent analysis of ideas and policies is required, instead people revert to their biases. (This is pretty evident in the humongous health-care dispute, not worthy of being called debate, going on in the U.S., almost the only country in the world without a government health-care plan.)

There is luck with many matters when you act from your deeper intuition. But beware of the sort of pride which amounts almost to foolishness. You may see it in others more easily than in yourself. If you don't want others to judge you, you need to extend the same favor to them, letting them learn what they lack in their own way no matter how circuitous that seems.

Whether called horse-s... or bull-s..., mental manure is good only when left to decay in the soil. If, instead, you feel your honor is being smeared with it, you can protest, but patiently, for sometimes enduring unmerited shame is required of us. "Let it go" is a Mercury-retrograde motto.

Everyone has her or his personality-secret, that is, something which grants favor or charm, and sometimes it is the more effective the less noticed by its possessor.

Reverting to the old and familiar in business could protect you from loss. The old, even archaic, has its fascination.

Accounting is important. You could re-examine old records and see how to use them to your benefit.

When things seem stopped or delayed in a partnership, you can re-examine your objectives and let the whole situation expand in a more relaxed way, partly by letting the partner have his or her say even when you'd rather go it alone.

Foolish obstinacy would be clinging to your own obsessions when the World-Spirit or Zeitgeist is against them. Healthy obstinacy would be clinging to your ideals when "the world" of the Tester or Tempter (Satan) despises them.

{Thursday} {Slow Dialectic}

Cosmic Piper