Its a powerful sky right now, Mercury stations direct today exactly 24 hours and 3 minutes after yesterday’s Aries Full Moon. Right now though Mercury along with our minds and communication stands still in the sky and will take a few days before we really “feel” like we are moving forward again.

Its been an extremely intense retrograde phase with global economy coming to a halt, triggered by a powerful Full Moon conjunct Uranus. Both Venus and Mars are now in Scorpio — a sign that represents finance and commerce, suggesting no doubt there we are in the midst of a deep transformation. But likely once Venus moves into Sagittarius at the end of the week, some of the optimism can begin to return. I know that sounds unbelievable in the wake of what we face today, but its almost as if things have to get worse before they start to get better. This is the simplest manifestation of Scorpio energy, only through complete disintegration can there be transformation and eventually renewal. Now that we’ve seen the extent of everything that is wrong, we can start to look for ways to change it.

As for relationships we are being led deeper and deeper into the mystery of love. Venus and Mars in Scorpio has passion and hormones raging, daring us to live on the edge. There are supremely seductive forces at work which may have us feeling an almost uncontrollable urge of curiousity about someone or something. Mesmerizing as the opportunities ahead are, Mercury has had us moving backward rather than forward, making us question our impulses. Hopefully we’ve learned a thing or two about our role in any communication breakdowns within our relationships.

It is the days surrounding Mercury’s change of motion that information seems to “pop” up seemingly out of nowhere. On Sep. 3, 2008 a day after the Virgo New Moon, Mercury first entered it’s echo phase and was at the degree of the zodiac it occupies today. Predictive astrology is largely based on the positions of the planets, when a planet occupies a degree of a zodiac it resonates with energy contained at that point. If you track transits in your chart you will likely see themes of events repeat themselves when planets touch particular points in your chart. Mercury retrograde offers the quickest way to observe this process with us going over the same issues three times — clearing cobwebs of the mind. Interestingly, the Moon was in Scorpio when Mercury was last at this point. Now second time around, the Moon enters Taurus at the time of direct station — offering us an opposite, centered and less emotional perspective.

In Libra this has been about truth, honesty, equality and justice — primarily in the sphere of relationships. Libra is a sign represented by a pair of balanced scales. There seems to be a hint of duality implied but one that needs to work in tandem. So essentially it is tied with the single minded purpose of its opposite sign Aries, only here its two individuals working as a “whole” in order to know their self better. Any planet going backwards tends to internalize the energy and this particular one has likely been pretty hard on communication within relationships. There is that feeling of being in dream and trying to speak but the words won’t come out.

Again with Venus and Mars both in Scorpio now, there are likely deeper feelings under the surface that are purely primal. Trying to comprehend the complexities of the heart through the understanding of the mind is always a hard thing to do. But perhaps all that is needed is that we be willing to speak from a place of honesty and be willing to be open minded about something. We are likely to gain more clarity over the next few days so stay with this process, there are bound to be a few more revelations coming our way.

Personally as always this has been intense period of reflection. But even aside from the “mental” aspect — my futon lays upturned in the my living room. It just so happened that my new neighbour moved out after four months of living in New York and was generous enough to offer me his brand new futon and a gorgeous solid wood coffee table. When you live in NYC on a fourth floor walk up — you don’t say no to brand new furniture across the hall being offered to you for free. About half-way through I realized I didn’t have the right screw driver I needed and now I have to wait another day.

Right now I’m horrified at what I have done — I feel like theres a dead body in my living room and I am haunted tonight by bitter-sweet memories. Being a Taurus physical objects carry life within them for me, if I had stopped to think about what getting rid of the futon “meant” I probably wouldn’t have. I’ve slept on that futon countless nights since it belonged to my friend Cole when I was in the process of getting my divorce. It may have been a crappy piece of metal, but it was mine. It sheltered me when I needed it, there may have been tears, but there was always love. Five years later (four years to date in my current apartment) I have had more friends stay with me on that futon than I can begin to count — and all I ever remember is the laughter.

I know that I can always make new memories — its losing a friend I worry about and I wouldn’t trade or give up any of my friends for the world. I tell myself this is only clearing space so I can start to create new patterns within my life and relationships. That which is true and real lies ahead of me not behind — and can be manifested in a spirit of co-operation and mutual understanding.

— Priya Kale, NYC

p.s.

On another note the photograph above was shot by Samantha Lowe — a reader and client who lives here in the city. She asked if she could come by to take a portrait of me for a photography class she was taking and we had a blast doing it. Here is one… Thanks Sam!

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I am now available for a private consultation. Please email me at priya@priyakale.com for further information or to schedule an appointment. Thanks!