Athena's Web Daily Planets

Ôªø Athena's Web Daily Planets

Athena's Web Weekly Column

Week of September 25th - October 1st, 2009

The Power of the Pivot

This week, on Tuesday morning at 9:14, Mercury will 'pivot' by changing direction in the heavens, finishing its retrograde period and starting up with its normal 'direct' motion. It has been retrograde since September 7th, and through this month we have been reviewing our proceedures. Mercury retrograde, especially while it is in Virgo (which it is now) is a wonderful time to fix and repair. We can make health decisions, either starting up some new dietary regieme or focusing on some areobic exercise program. Like a springboard, the direct pivot can be a great time to implement some of these new decisions and begin to put them into practice.

Mercury

When any planet pivots, its motion seems to slow down, stop, and then slowly begin its change in direction. Looking at an ephemeris (a book listing the daily motions of the planets) will illustrate this notion. For those who prefer to watch the skies themselves, it would be as though a planet were approaching a particular star, but as it gets closer the progress slows, stops, and then the planet actually begins to back away from the star. Naturally, this takes place over a series of nights, even with Mercury, the fastest moving of all the traditional planets.

But there's another side to this equation. As Mercury slows and pivots on a individual degree (21 degrees Virgo 36 minutes), its energy concentrates its power on that spot. I like to think of it as the flame of a candle. As long as you have sufficient motion, you can pass your finger through the flame, no problem. But, if your finger stops right over the flame, it won't linger there long. The heat quickly becomes more than one can stand. The pivot is similar in that the power of the planet, rather than the flame, is what is concentrated in one spot.

We are seeing something very similar to this happening this week. Just before Mercury pivots early Sunday morning, it inconjuncts Chiron in Aquarius at 12:38 AM. Then on Tuesday at 9:14 AM we have the pivot, and Mercury's motion begins to move forward once again. On Wednesday at 9:07 AM Mercury, now moving forward, again makes the same aspect to Chiron, one, two, three. My own observations suggests that this becomes an extended window during which you are wrestling with the issue throughout the entire time. Chiron is not an easy teacher, although legend has him as a very wise teacher. Everything is speed up, or seems to be. The nervous system buzz of Mercury kicks in. Like a caffiene high, we can accomplish a great deal, but can also leave us feeling played out on the other side.

Chiron and Achilles
Chiron, Achilles and his Mom

During the first half of this work-week, beginning late Sunday evening we may find our minds or our conversations wrapped around a particular issue. What is said, whether to you or by you, can be particularly cutting, or dredge up some old memory from the past that has a particular meaning to you. The wisdom says that it is being brought up again so that we can do it differently this time, to have it come to a different conclusion. Because this is an inconjunct (two actually, as Mars also inconjuncts Chiron on Wednesday), there could be some breakage or loss, so monitor situations carefully.

From week to week we have different celstial issues stepping to the fore and calling our attention to them. Mercury's pivot is our candidate of the week. How will you handle it?