Mercury Retrograde in Leo – “…Get What You Need”

Mercury goes retrograde in Leo at 7:16p PDT on Saturday, July 14^th, 2012.  It will be in retrograde motion until late on August 7^th when it goes back into direct motion still in the sign of Leo.

With the Sun as its planetary ruler, Leo is about shining one’s Light fully and brightly.  It is rather fitting that this sign is in the midst of the Summer season, radiating its warmth to all who are willing to receive its glow.

Of course, with Leo, sometimes that warm glow can be more of a blinding glare.  And that is where this Mercury Retrograde cycle can become rather interesting.

Leo is at its best and healthiest when it shining its Light brightly bringing positive attention to itself, and then sharing its Light to powerfully bring attention to that and those it has affinity for.  It is at its worst and in its detriment when it is seeking Light from others – when it believes it doesn’t have enough Light on its own to garner the attention it craves.

Mercury represents mental energy – intellect and the communication of ideas and thoughts. It is the ‘perpetual student’, gathering information and knowledge from as many sources as possible.  It also embodies acceleration, and things tend to happen more quickly under Mercury’s influence.  Information and ideas are processed quickly and news travels fast when Mercury is in the mix.

However, when Mercury is in retrograde, it tends to draw those mental energies inward.  We are more introspective and more inclined to look within ourselves for the answers to our burning questions.  We also have the opportunity to go back and review our ideas, thoughts and communications to consider which ones we now can and want to implement and also which ones we’d like to “do over”.  Communications or actions in our lives which may have been left unclear or undefined in their initial expressions now come to the surface to be clarified and defined.  It’s a great time to gather and organize your thoughts and ideas, getting your mind clear and focused on what has been, is and is becoming in your life.

Therefore, in the sign of Leo, Mercury Retrograde is a chance to look at yourself and how you shine (or fail to shine) your unique expression of Light out into the world.  This particular Mercury Retrograde cycle begins during the Sun cycle of Cancer, so Leo’s energy is inclined to be focused on the areas of you life where you need or want more emotional care, nurturing, and protection to start. However, in about 8 days from now, the Sun moves into Leo as well (its home sign), bringing the focus completely on you and your individual self-expression.

You get to look back at where you could have or should have said certain things to stand up for, protect, and/or bring nurturing attention to yourself, to issues that have long gone unaddressed, or to sentiments that have long gone unexpressed for you.  You may also be given the chance to now be retrospectively recognized and acknowledged for your ideas, knowledge and your expressions of your individual uniqueness, both in the recent and distant past.  This recognition is likely to be emotionally fulfilling for you on some level.

The key to mastering this cycle is having the courage to speak up once you retrospectively recognize what you really need to learn, know or be acknowledged for.  Then you must speak with confidence in asking for it.  You will get what you ask for, making the key to a positive experience of this Mercury Retrograde in Leo cycle to do just that – ask.  Verbalize your needs. You must ask for what you need once you identify those needs for yourself.

It will be important for you to identify whether or not what you are asking for is actually necessary for your soul’s development or if it’s simply an ego-driven want.

• If it is something or someone that makes you feel good about who you are and supports and encourages your unique expression, and is truly necessary for you to move forward into your most radiant self, then by all means – give yourself permission to ask for it and go after it.
• But if it is something or someone that makes you feel badly about yourself or that denies or distracts you from your fullest self-expression, you may want to ask yourself why you insist on diminishing your Light instead.

It will also be important for you to ask with confidence, but not with arrogance or a sense of entitlement.  This is where the distinction between “warm glow” and “blinding glare” is made.  It will be clear to those you approach whether or not you are asking from a place of courage, honesty and integrity which attracts others to your radiant truth, or from a place of fear, desperation and insecurity that repels others with “look at me, look at me” behaviors.  Choose the words that speak to the reality of who you truly are and what you truly want to say to (and receive from) those you are communicating with.  The more genuine the intention and more positive the words, the more likely the response you receive will be clear and positive.

In the words of the Rolling Stones, “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need”.

Here’s to your getting everything you need and maybe even what you want during this 2012 Mercury Retrograde in Leo cycle.

Thanks for reading and sharing.  Until next time…

~ Light, Love and Blessings,

Grace

Mercury in Leo – Attention, Please

Mercury enters Leo at 7:24p PDT on June 25^th, and with it comes a procession of dramatic and attention-getting ideas, thoughts, and communications.

Leo is about shining one’s Light brightly for all to see and bringing attention to oneself…in good and/or not-so-good ways.  It is the spotlight that shines the Light of Truth on whatever is brought ‘center stage’.  However, that spotlight also shines on whatever makes the biggest spectacle of itself while trying to get itself to ‘center stage’…and sometimes even shines on what makes a spectacle of itself while trying hard to avoid becoming the center of attention.

Mercury is about ideas, thoughts, communications, and things happening quickly or at a very fast pace…sometimes maybe too many things at once, and sometimes maybe too fast to keep up.  Yet sometimes, the quickened pace is the perfect pace for things that have long been stagnant to finally get moving.  For those of you who have felt like things have not been going anywhere for a while, hold on to your hats.  This may be just the jump start you’ve been waiting for.

Together, Leo and Mercury can bring rather dramatic methods of making thoughts and ideas known.  Not much is hidden during a Mercury in Leo period.  Whatever you say or share with others, be aware that it will be shining its Light of Truth for all to see.  You will be revealing who you really are and what you are really committed to to others through what you communicate during this period, even if it’s not your intention.  There’s a whole lot of info about to come out of the darkness and into the Light.

 

I don’t often discuss the numerological energies in the blog posts.  It’s something I’m striving to do more of, and since I think it’s pretty significant in this Mercury in Leo cycle so I wanted to shed some light upon its probable effects.

• To start, adding to the Leoine theatrics, June 2012 is an 11/2 Universal month, meaning that there is a good chance that whatever is communicated – even if on a whim – will be communicated on a large scale or will be made known on a large scale (a.k.a. – via word of mouth or blatant gossip).  Be aware that in the last 5 days of June, 11/2 energy + Mercury in Leo = what you say will likely find legs and travel to ears or eyes well beyond your intended audience.  Hopefully, what you say will be thoughtful and intentional, and be inspiring rather than conspiring.  Otherwise, others may come to know of plans meant to be kept low-key, or may take your sarcasm or jokes a bit too seriously.

• July 2012 is a 3 Universal month, meaning that communication and the exchange of information (especially the learning or absorbing of information) will be especially important this month.  Thoughts and ideas will likely come fast and furious during this time, and will not be low-key.  In fact, they will a bit larger-than-life and will probably take on a life of their own. 3 energy + Mercury in Leo = ideas, thoughts and communications that grow and expand.  Be attentive to what you are saying and what others around you are saying as well. You may learn something about them and about yourself in the process, especially on a personal and emotional level (with the Sun in Cancer until July 22^nd).

• August 2012 is a 4 Universal month.  Mercury in Leo can make a lasting impression during this time, and what you say can set your life’s course or direction for a long time to come.  4 is foundation-building energy, creating solid structures to build the future upon.  It seeks to secure and stabilize, and the communications now will be spoken to that purpose.  4 energy + Mercury in Leo = intentions and plans that solidify, and with the Sun also in Leo at this time, they may solidify in a big way.  Be aware that your communications during this time are likely the cornerstones of the future you are building – be mindful of what goes through your mind and of what comes out of your mouth, especially the latter.

A very special note for July and August: Mercury goes retrograde on July 14^th, bringing an opportunity to go back and revisit communications already delivered or shared, to relearn lessons or revisit ideas that may have been missed or disregarded, and to double check steps already taken in order to finalize your plans.

Mercury Retrograde may also indicate second chances to communicate thoughts or ideas that you either did not share or were thwarted in communicating the first time around.  If you should have said it or wanted to say it before, the retrograde gives you another opportunity to say what you need to say before Mercury goes direct again on August 7^th/8^th.  Mercury Retrograde is a great time to be introspective, and it is wise to hold back new communications or from making new agreements until you are sure you know exactly what you want to say. With the 4 energy in August, once Mercury goes direct, whatever you communicate or agree in the last 21 days of the month will have some serious staying power.

 

Mercury exits Leo on August 31^st, bringing the dramatic communications period to a close, and setting Mercury on its way to do more practical and purposeful things in the sign of Virgo.

However, don’t underestimate the power and purpose of Mercury in Leo.  It is meant to bring the Truth to Light, and it is apt to do so in significant and spectacular fashion.

Enjoy!  Until next post…

~ Light, Love, and Blessings,

Grace

Extra: Full Moon in Aquarius/Leo – See How You Shine!

The Moon is at its maximum fullness at 11:57a PDT this morning.  With the Full Moon in Aquarius reflecting the Leo Sun, this is your chance to see how your own Light is received and reflected back to you by others.  It is an opportunity to recognize your unique gifts and place in humanity – your one-of-a-kind contribution to All-That-Is.

The key in this Full Moon cycle is to recognize that YOU are responsible for shining your Light in the world.  How you choose to shine is entirely up to you, and your motivation for shining is yours as well.  The Aquarius Full Moon is calling upon you to TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR LIGHT! Recognize your individuality.  Find a way to share yourself with others in a way that brings joy to you and all who receive your expression of Light.

Aquarius is the sign of collaboration and collective radiance, yet within that collective there is also a need the individual components of said collective to fulfill their unique roles.  Every one of us has an Aquarius component and a Leo component, and whether or not those components are very understated or very boldly stated is unique to each person.  Nevertheless, they are present in all of us, and no matter how much we may say that we are okay not standing out, each of us needs some sort of acknowledgment for our individual being and expression as it contributes to the greater whole.

That said, the Light of the Aquarius Full Moon provides access to the impact of who we are being in the world for others.  Yet remember that the Sun is still in the sign of Leo – the Light is originating from that source, and this time around, Mercury Retrograde is also in Leo right now.  As result, recognize that what you are communicating is more than likely to be about how you feel and think about yourself than about others.  In turn, what others may be saying about you may tell you more about their thoughts and feelings about themselves than about you.  In this Full Moon cycle, there’s more of a projection of energy than in any other Sun-Full Moon combination.  Listen very closely to what is being said and how it is being communicated.  It can reveal to you how you are shining in the world.

Upon listening, take a moment to assess:

• Is what is being said is true about you, or is it really the other person projecting themselves onto you?
• Are you rejecting or in denial about what is being said about you and accusing others of projecting themselves onto you because you don’t want to own the truth of what they are saying about you?
• Are you taking ownership of other people’s feelings, beliefs or behaviors?

The answers to these questions may not be easy ones.  You may find yourself blaming others or trying to play victim to others to avoid taking responsibility for your own choices, feelings, beliefs or behaviors.  You may martyr yourself to others, taking responsibility for their feelings, behaviors and beliefs. (By the way, martyring is another more complicated way of avoiding self-responsibility – losing yourself in others to avoid yourself.)  You may even find yourself just in denial or rejection of what people are saying because you don’t want to acknowledge that what they are saying may actually be true about you.

As those questions are answered, they open up another set of questions and considerations, as this Full Moon cycle also gives you an opportunity to find out what motivates you to express yourself the way you do.

• Are you doing in for pleasure, or are you doing it for power and control?
• Are you doing it for Love, or are you doing it for ego-based pride?
• Why do you do what you do…and are you really shining your Light or are you revealing your darkness?

And consider these perspectives:

• Some of us act or do things for others thinking it will come back to us…and often it will – it just may not come back to us the way we think it will or it should.
• Some of us act or do things for ourselves believing that others won’t be able to do it for us or won’t do it the way we want them to.
• Some of us won’t act or do things for ourselves, needing and wanting others to do for us to prove to us how important we are to them.
• Some of us act or do things for others to prove to others how important they are to us.
• And some of us act or do what we do because it’s what we feel called to do – because it’s our passion, because our spirits feel drawn to do so.

Do you take action and do what you do for power in and control over situations and circumstances, because you trust or don’t trust yourself or others involved, because you are afraid, because you are Truly loving or actually manipulating?

What is YOUR motive?  What is YOUR inspiration?

Recognize how acknowledgement from others can lead to recognition and acknowledgment of ourselves which can lead to recognition of who we are and what motivates and inspires us to be so.  All of this can enable you to take ownership of your Light, to own your unique expression in this world.

The Sun and Mercury Retrograde in Leo with this Full Moon in Aquarius are giving us a very wonderful gift…if we are willing to receive it and appreciate it.

It is the gift of seeing how you shine!  It is the gift of owning your Light.  It is the gift of self – self-awareness, self-responsibility, self-esteem and self-empowerment as result of accepting and owning your unique expression of Light.  It’s available to you now if you choose to accept it.

Until tomorrow…

 

~ Light, Love, and Blessings,

Grace

The Development of Self-Love – Part Two

To recap last Sunday’s blog post, self-love is the foundation of truly loving relationships with everyone and everything in our lives.  Without love for ourselves, we aren’t able to discern or distinguish what love is in our interactions with others or with the things or activities that are important to us in our lives.  Self-love is granting ourselves permission to be who we are truly and fully.  The Sun is still moving through Cancer is still important. And that heart’s desire energy of Cancer + Taurus takes on a new twist as you may discover that you are now beginning to find your voice for communicating your desires in many areas of your life as Mercury has moved into Leo. Through our communications of all kinds, we reveal where we are in our development of self-love.

When it comes to assessing where we stand in the development of  our own self-love, we may find a great deal of value in looking at the current cycles of societal Uranus in Aries and the generational Neptune in Pisces.

If we remember back to Aries energy, we are reminded that it is initiative energy – active and assertive. It starts things, and usually leads what it starts by the simple fact that it is the first one to take the step forward or take action. It’s not a follower – it’s a pioneer. Yet in its enthusiasm to be the one to start, it may be alone in taking that first step.

With Uranus in Aries, it’s a Universal nudge to take your first step(s) out of your comfort zone and into the risk of the unknown to find yourself in ways you never have before.  These nudges come in very subtle moments, or they come in bold, sudden and/or surprising events.  Either way, the guidance of Uranus in Aries leads you to opportunities to choose, declare, create, and manifest the life of your heart’s desires…if you choose to heed the guidance being given to you.

The possibility to discover and/or embrace our unique roles and contributions to the world is stronger than ever right now.  And even though Uranus is a collective energy, we aren’t becoming aware of said roles and contributions in a collective way.  Instead, we are becoming aware of them in very personal and individual ways.

I’m a bit in awe over how many people in my life (including myself) are making major life changes right now – changing jobs or careers, long-time relationships ending and/or beginning, relocating/moving.  The shifts are amazing!  What is even more interesting to me is how some of these changes have been intended and planned, yet many of these shifts seem to be unexpected or unpredicted.

Quite a few of us seem to be surprised by the events of our lives right now – we didn’t see certain shifts coming, or we chose to be in denial about all of the signs being given to us.  There are even some of us who thought we would get away with certain behaviors we knew weren’t in our best interests yet carried on anyway and are now “getting caught”.  Now seems to be a time of “seeing the light” or “being exposed by the light”.

As relationships of all kinds end and begin, as workplaces and careers change and evolve or are left behind, you may awaken to who you are choosing to be and what you are choosing to bring into or release from your life.  If your communications and actions are in are in alignment with those choices, things will move forward smoothly and effortlessly.

This Uranus in Aries energy will be with us until May 2018, giving us ample time and opportunity to make significant changes to our individual and collective life course(s)…if we choose to.

With Neptune in Pisces, we are highly aware of our roles in All-That-Is and our interconnection with everyone and everything.  We are in acceptance of this Oneness, or we are deeply in denial of it.  This interconnection is more than the common thread of humanity.  It is an awareness of how each and all of us are connected to each other and everything around us – energetically, emotionally, and spiritually.

This Oneness may sometimes surprise you and even upset you as the more aware of it you become, the more it demands you to live into the fullest expression of your unique self.  You are a one-of-a-kind piece of the puzzle – an essential part of the whole picture of All-That-Is.  And because we are each and all striving for love and connection, you may find that you are upset or angry when you cannot truly connect with others.  Yet how can you connect with others if you haven’t connected with yourself?  It’s difficult to connect with others if you aren’t aware of what you individually have within you to share outwardly with others or if you are resisting or denying your inner truth and your true soul identity.  You simply cannot connect with others while denying, avoiding or suppressing the truth of your very existence.

If you have gained clarity and confidence in who you are and what you have to offer as part of the greater whole, this Neptune cycle is likely to be a fairly easy one as you will allow yourself to collaborate with others in a healthy flow of energetic and emotional consciousness and interdependence.

However, if you have not gotten clear about who you are and what you have to offer as part of the greater whole, this may a time of great emotional distress for you.  You may find yourself playing victim to others and/or your circumstances, or you may find yourself engaging in escapist or delusional behaviors to avoid facing or fulfilling your unique role in All-That-Is.

The fact that Neptune is moving retrograde in Pisces right now gives us a brief taste of this transcendent awareness and the possibility (or idealism) of our spiritual and emotional Oneness that comes with it.  Neptune will move back into Aquarius come August, bringing us back into a more human and intellectual experience of Oneness.  That intellectual human awareness and idealism of Aquarius will be around until February 2012 when that Pisces awareness and possibility comes back to plant roots until 2026.

But for now, these Uranus in Aries and Neptune in Pisces energies combine to encourage each of us to take our first steps in to our true identities and into loving ourselves as those identities.  After all, why choose to be a follower of others when you could be choosing to be the leader for yourself?  How can you possibly embrace, accept and be at peace with your place and your role in the world if you don’t allow yourself to find and be the proud owner of your unique expression first?

Take actions to create the life you want to have, empowering yourself to choose what is in alignment with your deepest truth.  Stop reacting to the circumstances of your life in ways that has you creating a life that has you be subject to the power of others…and start choosing what is in alignment with the truth of who you are – the truth of your soul.

Whether by conscious choice or by force of circumstance, we are now being encouraged to take steps in our development of self-love.  As we each learn and increase our capacity to love and trust ourselves, we individually and collectively begin to live and share a new experience of our lives in a new world created by Love.

Until later this week when I post about the Full Moon…

~ Light, Love and Blessings,

Grace