I’m getting ready to move into a bigger and better home on May 1 with my children, but I am a little worried that I might have bitten off more than I can chew. Am I heading in the right direction with my life, especially with Mercury in retrograde? My birthday is 6/4/71, 2:14 PM, Oklahoma City, OK.
I can understand your concern. Not only is Mercury currently retrograde in the sky, but you also have the Saturn and Uranus opposition taking place on April 26, 2010 at 28 degrees Virgo and 28 degrees Pisces, respectively. You were born with Pluto rising at 26 degrees Virgo, so this opposition will be impacting your horoscope dramatically. Pluto is the planet most intimately connected to our survival instinct, so it’s perfectly natural for you to be feeling stressed out and wondering if you might not be tempting Fate by making a move like this and at this time. However, it’s the Saturn and Uranus opposition that says that this is precisely the time for you to be moving and that you are doing it under favorable conditions. Saturn is the planet of what’s status quo. It will always take the side of consistency and stability. Uranus, on the other hand, is the planet of revolution and change. Uranus likes to break away from what’s tried-and-true and to do something that’s completely radical and different. When these two planets face off, you will feel like you’re caught in the middle of a huge cosmic tug-of-war. You’ll want to stick to with what’s safe and secure, but you also know that you need to bump things up a notch in your life. It’s never easy going outside of our comfort zone, but then again: Isn’t that what growth is all about?
Meanwhile I wouldn’t worry so much about the Mercury retrograde if I were you. It’s true that Mercury retrogrades are famous for throwing a monkeywrench into your best-laid plans and for interrupting the smooth running of our everyday lives (the volcano incident in Iceland that disrupted international air traffic began around the time that Mercury turned retrograde on April 17th), but Mercury retrogrades tend to be more vexing than disastrous. It’s always a good idea to add two weeks to the gameplan when Mercury is retrograde so you can make time for the unexpected complications that will inevitably arise. For instance, you may be set to move in on May 1st but it could be delayed until mid-month for a variety of unforeseen reasons. But what I like about this move is that it’s taking place during your Mercury return. This is very important for a Gemini like yourself. Now Mercury returns take place once a year, but this one is especially important because Mercury rules your Ascendant (Virgo) and it will be creating a powerful trine during this Saturn and Uranus opposition. Trines are benevolent protective energies in Astrology and it’s always a good sign when they appear. You will be under the influence of this earthy Mercury trine through Memorial Day weekend which says to me that you should be settled comfortably into your new environs by early June.