These words are very powerful. The first time I read them I was in that period of time when you are seriously asking yourself what you want to do with your life. I did dare, but when I jumped Providence catched me, holding me back in a very strange way. I knew then that was not the right time.
Even though things didn’t go the way I wanted, a couple of years later I was able to link the dots. Now I can see why I was delayed (I don’t give up). The strange thing about all this is that you can understand the big picture only with time. Spirit (awareness) comes from the future.
Be inspired by this beautiful piece written by Murray on his way to Mount Everest in 1951.
Commitment by W.N. Murray
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth,the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamt would have come his way.
I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:
“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.”
I consider myself a free researcher in western spiritual disciplines, in particular Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposophy and the Neoplatonic Hermetic tradition. I have a three-year training in Astrology at the CIDA delegation of Trieste, the Italian Center for Astrological Disciplines. I graduated in Computer Engineering from the University of Trieste.
Delays, late public transport, undelivered packages, mobile phone betrayals, messy forgetfulness, last minute hysteria, unsent messages, misunderstandings, scheduling complications, planning drama. Mercury Retrograde is the biggest stereotype among astrology followers.
Let’s face it: Christmas time is going to be like that anyway—either Mercury is retrograde or not. So, is Christmas chaos going to be boosted by this struggling transit? Generally speaking, yes. Also because on the same day Mars—ruler of action—is entering Pisces: the most chaotic sign of the zodiac. Even technology won’t help you since its lord Uranus is retrograde, too.
I can already imagine people going crazy, rushing around aimlessly like a bunch of beheaded chickens. But can we say this is going to be the case for everyone? Of course not. You should—as always—check at least in which specific house of your Natal Chart is going to fall Mercury Retrograde (from 16° Capricorn to 29° Sagittarius). For example, the list above is a typical third house Mercury retrograde general trend.
Well, now that we have decreed that this Christmas is going to be a messy-mess we can move forward and see what we can do about it.
Planning Drama and Self-Control
When direct, Mercury in Capricorn is the mind who analyzes external events in order to control them. It is a business oriented mindset who uses data and statistics for market forecasts and risk management.
But when such energy goes retrograde you can expect external things not to go exactly as planned. The mind turns inwardly and it is asked to better understand the inner life of the soul instead of focusing on the outside world.
At first, this can easily turn into an attempt to self-control. After all, when you suddenly lose your grip over external events the first reaction is usually to freak out, right? In this case self-control could indeed be useful. But there’s more than that.
When you step into your psyche you learn pretty soon that there are few things you can control. Actually, the only element you are allowed to control directly is your thought process. I don’t know if you ever tried to control your thoughts (it is a meditative practice) but let me tell you it is something very difficult to master. And please don’t ever try to control your emotions: it’s going to end up badly.
So, here are some questions to deal with the first part of the transit consciously:
What did not go as planned? How did that make me feel?
How do I react to unexpected events?
Am I able to control myself when the situation requires it?
How disciplined is my mind?
You can give this questions a specific context by checking in which house falls 16° Capricorn in your Natal Chart. For example, if it falls in your eleventh house this transit is mainly going to concern your friendships and personal projects.
Allowing the Inspiration
I like the way this transit evolves, fading slowly from Capricorn to Sagittarius. The second part of the transit (second stationary point of Mercury) is about letting go to open yourself to inspiration.
Mercury in Sagittarius is in its detriment. The mind is overconfident, so it refuses to analyze a situation since it believes to have it all figured out. This by the way usually becomes that annoying tendency some people have to teach others everything. They speak more than listen, because they love the sound of their “truthful” voice.
But when Mercury turns retrograde, all this comes to an end. The outside world proves you wrong, again and again, showing you that in the end you don’t know anything. When you are challenged this way, you are ready to open yourself to inspiration: the direct flow of knowledge and intuition that fuels endlessly creatives and artists all over the world.
But why is that? Whether you want to control something, or you think you already know how things are, you are closed. But when you let go and simply accept the fact you don’t know—you become receptive. In other words you allow yourself to be guided and to attune with your inner voice or—as someone call it—your internal guiding system.
I consider myself a free researcher in western spiritual disciplines, in particular Rudolf Steiner’s Anthroposophy and the Neoplatonic Hermetic tradition. I have a three-year training in Astrology at the CIDA delegation of Trieste, the Italian Center for Astrological Disciplines. I graduated in Computer Engineering from the University of Trieste.
