Cautionary Capricornian Commentaries

Mercury, in Capricorn, and Mars, in Leo, are both now Retrograde - that is, from our viewpoint on Earth, both appear to be moving "backwards" - an effect caused by the complex "dance" of the Planets as they orbit our Star, the Sun. (Sunlight is also, of course, Starlight, and vice versa.)
With both the above Retrograde, we might experience delays, hold-ups, "hassles" and a degree of frustration concerning:- A. Travel, communication, and trade (Mercury) : B. Machinery of all kinds, Initiatives - thwarted, delayed; the "Masculine" side of life - of necessity may focus more on the Inner , or be turned towards more selfless expressions of strength on behalf of others.
Well! The present Cold time does provide opportunity to experience and express all of the above, as we have seen ,over the last few weeks.
Traditionally, during such periods, one should exercise patience, not embark upon major new ventures, buy new vehicles or machinery, not embark upon new sexual relationships, or sign important documents or contracts.
BUT, in reality, such things are sometimes inevitable, because of pressure of circumstances, and one simply has to go ahead regardless of the old astrological nostrums.In which case:- "Go ahead in Faith, young man!".

Weather. Cold, yes? I am fascinated by the correlations between Weather/Climate and Astrological Cycles, and am compiling a hefty file on the subject, learning as I go along. Here is some data from the "Anorak" department-( in more than one sense, bearing in mind the cold North Wind.)For example, Mercury, when Retrograde in Scorpio, seems to be associated with storms, gales, and the power of the Sea. Great Cold, such as many of us are experiencing now, seems linked to a specific area of the Zodiac, around 21 Degrees of Cardinal Signs, especially 21 Capricorn, and 21 Libra, which is the degree of Exaltation of Saturn -where Saturn is most strengthened and effective. I won't belabour you with the details, yet these degrees (as now with Sun, Venus and North Node in tight conjunction at, believe it or not, 11.11 a.m. U.T. on Mon. 11 Jan. in 21 Capricorn..) feature time and again where severe cold and heavy snow are experienced.

From Keats- "The Eve of St. Agnes" ( the Feast of which is 21 January,at the early degrees of Aquarius, generally the coldest period of the entire year, as late July/early Leo, at the opposite
end of the Zodiac brings the hottest days in our Northern Hemisphere.)

St. Agnes' Eve - Ah, bitter chill it was,

The Owl, for all his feathers was a'cold.

The Hare limped trembling through the frozen grass

And silent was the flock in woolly fold.

He strikes some deep, "shamanic" level here, which engenders a strong, visceral response.

Even in deep Winter, the Sun shows his/her(depending on your tradition!) benign face- a few minutes bathing in the rays alleviates many ills and takes one "out of time", to a place where one can, for a while lose the "burden of Self". What relief !

Try Rolf Harris' "Sun Arise" - as an effective modern-day Invocation of the sense and spirit of the Sun. Nothing like the throaty sonorous, growling , earthy"Didge" to loosen a few knots in the psyche and attune you to your locality on this Earth.

Mercury turns Direct (begins to move forward again, slowly at first) on 15 Jan. the day of a Solar Eclipse (visible South India-Burma-China area.) New stirrings despite winter torpor.

Mars turns Direct, still in Leo, on 10 March - of which more later.

Thank you once again for your kind attention. As Ever -OG (aka David Matthews.)