Mercury Retrograde April 2010 and Focused Yod

This Retrograde Station seems to be keeping in the times of earthquakes, airliner crashes, and mine explosions. The Algol Moon of the Spring Equinox seems to have indicated this as well. We see, with this station, a Focused Yod that last several days, through April 19th, a Double Yod Key the hour before the exact moment of the station, and a Thor’s Hammer (God’s Fist) the hour after the exact moment.

From a personal perspective, this is likely to be a difficult weekend in which old dramas are rehashed and tensions increase as accidents occur.  As is always true at this time of year, tragic accidents with teens or college students are almost certain to happen.  Please make extra efforts to keep you and yours safe.

Mercury Retrograde in General

Mercury Retrograde has a bad reputation, and it deserves it. It is associated with communications and transportations problems that bring us to a halt or even make us move backward. This particular retrograde lasts until May 11th of this year. That is a little long for a Mercury Retrograde.

Previously this year we had a Mecury Retrograde that started in December of 2009 and concluded January 15th. We will have two more this year: (1) August 20th until September 12th and (2) December 10th until December 29th.

Mercury Retrograde does have uses. The core issue in MR is double checking everything or suffer the consequences. Earthquakes reveal shoddy construction where what was needed was not what was done. Mine explosions elucidate shortcuts in safety that caused lost lives. Airplane crashes likely show similar factors.

Thursday, about 48 hours ago, this astrologer saw a five car pileup on North Central Expressway (NCX) here in Dallas (aka DFW or “the Metroplex”). Transportation (and communication) especially suffers from events such as tailgating in this period.

Besides highlighting what needs to be done, MR also is a period where efforts to retrieve that which was lost may be successful. Frozen projects may be thawed. Items lost in the closet, shed, or garage may be found. This is a very good time to clean and organize and profit from those efforts.

Here is the chart for this MR, followed by specific charts and analysis for the Focused Yod (this is about making crucial decisions).

Noteworthy are the highly active midpoint trees for Saturn (authority), Uranus (accidents, explosions, earthquakes, etc.)  and Chiron (the need to teaching and healing).

The Focused Yod

The Focused Yod of this period, which lasts for several days, is likely the most important pattern.  This is a period of crucial decision making.  Mercury Retrograde here says the we must take the time to slow down and do things write.  Familiar with the old saying “there is never enough time to do things right but always enough time to do things over”?  Here, we are having to do things over.  And, if we do not get it right this time, we will probably revisit again, and again.  The next to “opportunities” to get it right are late August and mid December.  Probably best to get it right, now.

This Focused Yod has Saturn (authority) in one of many of a series of oppositions to Uranus.  The issues here are large scale and will be revisited in years to come.  But this period, the next few days, will be seen in history as a turning point in this conflict between old authority and new revolutionary (but sometimes a bit “nuts”) ideas.  Neptune and Chiron suggest insights blended with confusion on one side of the decisions.  The Sun, which is management and authority (neither new nor old) is on the other side.  Traditionally, that which is today represented by Uranus (Prometheus) was represented by Saturn as well.  Saturn was viewed as most distant from the Sun, and “opposite” as Aquarius (Uranus) from Leo (Sun).

So, here, a “good” decision is possible that does not heal the problem.  We will all like it, but the solution will not be nearly as long lasting as the problem.  This is solution found in the Sun (one year orbit) will not last as long as the problem(s) (Saturn, 28 year orbit, opposite Uranus, 84 year orbit).  Worthy of note: the orbit of Uranus is a multiple of three of that of Saturn.  Every time Uranus returns to a particular place, Saturn has orbited three times.  In a sense, this means Uranus ultimately “wins” over Saturn.  Change is the only constant.

The other decision, Neptune and Chiron, also LOOKS good but takes us through a time of murky unclear difficulty in which insights gained will teach us what we need to know to resolve the problem in question.

In any case, we will be unhappy (quincunx, always) and look back longingly at the ‘road not taken’ during this crucial period.  Here is the chart:

Double Yod Key

Double Yod Keys are generally considered to be a new construct in astrology.  As such, they are not fully understood.  (What pattern is?)  From recent experience, DYK’s appear to indicate multiple decisions and multiple events.  DYK’s are associated with three decisions (at least).  But, also, recently, DYK’s occurred with the triple categories of events of (1) earthquakes, (2) accidents (airplane, mine, & other), and (3) explosions (mine, terrorists, etc.).  Everything comes in threes, right?  Here is the chart of the DYK just before the precise moment of the Mercury Retrograde Station:

Note that the Ascendant is one of the four points, and it is at 25 Scorpio and continues in aspect until the Ascendant enters Sadge.  Almost certainly this point of 25 Scorpio (opposite Algol at 26 Taurus) is a harbinger of additional ill-fate.

Thor’s Hammer (God’s Fist)

This Retrograde Station has a Thor’s Hammer about an hour after the station.  It is yet another punctuation mark that the earthquakes, accidents, and explosions may not be over yet.  They could easily continue as Sun, Mercury, and Venus move past Algol (through May).  Here is the chart.

Please post comments, especially if you would like to see maps.