Mercury Rx — Ruby Slipper Astrology

• Chiron conjunct Ceres in Aries (23 deg)

• Chiron sextile Vesta in Aquarius (23 deg)

• Venus in Pisces sextile Juno in Capricorn (20 deg)

Mercury Rx hits pause on information and communication while pulling you back to the past in the form of reviews, messengers (from the past) and memories. But it’s also important to remember that any retrograde goes against the current, which means focused, internalized examination and speech or ideas that run counter to the rules.

In the context of Pisces we might expect intensified dreams, intuitive prompts that demand your attention, a search for missing info and the search for truths/proof in the midst of vague narratives.

Mercury will station direct on Mar 20th. Until then, don’t press for conclusions. Instead, allow the information to flow as it will. If old contacts reach out, accept that they will probably be temporary but they have an important message. Pay extra attention to dreams – beautiful (or possibly delusional) memories come floating back for a reason.

Chiron/Ceres is nurturing that heals the wound although the wound will never fully heal in the traditional sense. With Chiron, “healing” means confrontation and integration. So this is about courageous nurturing – supporting the growth of a battle or journey that tackles the big vulnerability/pain with the understanding that the most courageous individuals will always carry their trauma without allowing it to hamper them. This is the blunt yet empathetic mother or the hurting child who discovers their inner fire or your new creation that grows as you proceed, even though your wound is still messy and open. The sextile to Vesta suggests the heat of the pain can be focused towards a future and/or social ideal.

The point is, you’re not waiting for the perfect moment when the pain/fear/grief is gone. It will never be gone – it only changes form and becomes more manageable. This is happening on the same day as Mercury’s Rx station so you’ll feel contrasting influences – memories that pull you back and the surge forward to nurture something new. The memories (or internalized focus) are there to remind you that empathy is essential and you will always carry some version of what hurts, into the future.

Venus/Juno is the gentle integration of compassion, spirituality or magic in a traditional relationship agreement. Love or affection is expressed unobtrusively but somehow manages to soften the edges of a strict commitment. This is the lead up to the Mercury Rx/Venus conjunction (Feb 28th-22 deg) and Mercury Rx’s sextile to Juno (Mar 1st, 21 deg): something quiet but significant is brewing regarding a partnership contract.

Painting by Paul César Helleu