The Emperor has no clothes or The Scorpionic Process and Mercury Retrograde

How are you enjoying Mercury’s retrograde walk through the sign of Scorpio? This is a time of bringing to light and communicating about the excrement in which we have been soaking. This is an important part of the process of identifying, addressing, washing off and finally stepping away from whatever situation, person or experience that is not for your highest good –or anyone’s highest good for that matter. Scorpio is the sign of processing and transformation. Whether the fodder for this process is our food, emotions, sexual experiences/understandings, we are here to work through these often-taboo subjects and bring them to awareness so they can be released. Scorpio can be conflict avoidant, but when pushed to the wall (or having reached their maximum capacity for holding) will either harm themselves or strike out in a way that makes others pay attention.

Maybe you have been letting issues build up about your partner, colleague, friend(s), or family members. If you have planets in Scorpio, you have no doubt already learned the resentment process of letting them build until there is so much you burst in ways that aren’t pretty, but often get people’s attention. Scorpio, ruled by Mars and Pluto can be ruthless. I like to say Mars is a declaration of War and Pluto is Nuclear Annihilation, so when you have these active in your chart, and especially if you have them in Scorpio, or they get activated by transit or progression, watch out.

Scorpio is the sign after Libra. The pretty façade of politeness and harmonious relations is thrown out the door in Scorpio because it understands the threat of giving too much of itself to other or being the recipient of too much energy too early in life, so there is a correction, an inward focusing of energy that says, “that doesn’t feel good” or conversely (especially when it comes to taboo subjects like sex, drugs and rock and roll!) “that does feel good”.

Everyone on our planet gets to experience this energy as Mercury does his moonwalk through Scorpio from 31 October until 21 November. What are you holding onto that needs to be expressed? What secrets are you withholding that you need to release? While the best opportunity to create change occurs from being direct with the person(s) who might be creating the smelly obstacles in your life, sometimes that isn’t possible. So, what can you do? Write a letter, preferably by hand, that you do not give to anyone, but expresses, as fully as possible your feelings and experiences with each of the individuals or situations involved. Bonus points if you can also address and take responsibility for your part in it (if you are in it, the situation is bringing you awareness). Then burn the letter and release it. If you have anyone in your life with whom you can discuss it in a way that brings you greater neutrality, that is very helpful. If you have more than one person with whom to discuss it, you will gain even greater insights and a larger perspective.

Scorpio energy is a bit like being a canary in a coal mine detecting when toxicity is in the environment. There is an inner barometer than can sense threats and protect against them. The hard Scorpionic shell can be challenging for others on the receiving end of it because of the intensity of expression. The expression will not necessarily be expressed verbally because a hurt or upset Scorpio can radiate (like radiation) their intense pulsing feelings. Like a volcano ready to blow!

My experience is the more we can express the Scorpionic topics in life, the less charged they become, like a volcano that is often releasing the powerful magma rather than building up for a century and annihilating everyone  and everything in the area (or planet!). This then can welcome the gifts learned in Libra (and all of the previous signs) so harmony can reveal itself once the excrement has been released. Scorpio is about Harmony through Conflict. This sign can exhaust itself and others with the sheer magnitude and strength of feeling. So conscious awareness is crucial in gaining a healthy relationship with this existential experience of life. One of the goals of this fixed water sign is understanding death and rebirth are never ending processes of life and how to find a healthy relationship with this perpetual process.

What do you want to give up, surrender and release? What has built up in your life that requires your attention?  Find your way to express and release it/them during this Mercury retrograde period. When Mercury does his backwards dance, we have the opportunity to do the many things that begin with the prefix re- as in rewind, review, redo, research, reconcile, redact, recognize and so on. I love working with these themes and am happy to discuss and guide those of you who are looking for some assistance in this powerful place. This will prepare us for the upcoming powerhouse of 2020.

Leslie Nathanson, local therapist and astrologer, taught me a lovely mantra years ago to use when I am especially troubled by my interactions with someone. I find it gives me clarity, peace and the neutrality to be more understanding that being a human isn’t always easy:

May __________ (insert person’s name) remember their divinity

May s/he find peace and serenity

And may I forgive myself for all the things I project onto her/him.

Repeat as many times as necessary until you reach a more neutral feeling in your belly and mind.

May you find grace and courage to be your authentic self,

Michael