The Merc

...On the Mercury cycle ending and beginning again

a quick doodle of Hermes’ vision of Poimandres by me, not DALL-E

“I saw an infinite light, a light that is sharp and strong and sweet… and I saw a boundless view of all that is created.”

-from the Hermetica

Recently, in preparation for a class I’m teaching tonight on the Mercury Dasha, I came across the idea of the “merc.” It’s simply one uniform Mercury Cycle—or synodic period (117 days). In the article, the author, John Pratt, presents some ideas about my favorite cycle I had never come across. For example, there are five mercs in one Venus cycle, 37 in a Jupiter one, 92 in Saturn’s, and where it gets wyrd is there were 93 from Christ’s birth until baptism, 11 mercs between baptism and resurrection, and also John the Baptist lived for precisely 101 mercs. All new to me and absolutely something to be backtested, but let’s explore the importance of the incoming merc.

It’s set to occur in Sagittarius (♐). All the mercs have begun in fire signs in 2024. Having been in the pre-shadow since November 7th, we already know what the themes might be. That was the day I wrote my last piece on the Chiron Return post-election and experienced more than a few flaming arrows sent my way. It was a conscious experiment on my end to see how well we were living by Chiron’s example—or if we could try. Some failed, but most did a fantastic job. We are not our beliefs. We are not our ideas. If we were to listen to Piomandres or Hermes or Christ, we would remember this. This is the work.

It’s in this stage of the merc where the themes from the previous cycle begin to unravel, and what is left has changed our minds forever. If you don’t remember the themes from this Leo merc, you can read about it HERE.

It’s also in this stage of the merc where we begin to open our minds so we can hopefully get claimed by the next exciting idea for the merc ahead. We know we will be touched by the hot arrows of those with unwavering beliefs because of this mutable fire; we know the Rx will play out in a particular house in our charts; And we know that, hopefully, we don’t know enough to worry. The real goal is making it through the holidays without shooting our loved ones with our mind darts. It’s good to have convictions, but is it worth losing friends and family over? WWMD? Or WWCD?

The Chandra for this cycle is a bit perilous:

(based on the cazmi on December 6th, which happens also to be the same day Mars stations Rx as well)

SAGITTARIUS 15

A tidal wave approaching.

…It is disturbing if taken literally, and you are aware of the tsunami-creating missiles Russia has warned to use on the West if they step over that red line (see them HERE). Depending on who you ask, that red line was either crossed long ago or just was with Biden approving the use of US missiles to strike targets inside of Russia. These lame-duck periods between presidents are dangerous windows. But if we don’t take it literally and apply it to a wave of insight we could be about to surf on, it gets exciting, not terrifying. No matter what happens, it’s out of our control. That’s why it’s essential to read holy books like the Hermetica to help our mind fall back into Soul control. There is only so much we can do. Best to focus on what we can actually change, constantly making adjustments to bring us ever closer to radiant contentment in our lives.

For myself, I look forward to these retrogrades more than anything else in the changing sky. It’s always been this way. The more I learn about the merc, the more fond I become of them. Reflecting on this Leo one that’s soon to conclude, I am grateful he brought art back into my life. I’m dedicated to learning more and continually sharing my doodles with all of you as I attach a few of them to these pieces. And when it comes to this next one, so far, it’s this new term—the merc—that has inserted itself with a renewed interest in going deeper into my studies of Hermeticism and also how these cycles are even stranger than I had ever supposed. We shall see what comes next…

Each merc allows us to change our minds. We get to forge fresh neural pathways in our brains and discard the faulty wiring causing us so much suffering. The best way to approach it is to realize that Mercury is truly a Messenger, not some mean Trickster set out to ruin our life every 117 days. That is the wrong way to think about these retrogrades. We must stand open and see what is presented. We know nothing, yet we are everything. It’s a wondrous paradox, one that he rarely lets us forget.

Facts;

to work with me:

...to adventure deeper into kosmos, mythos, and psyche

to learn Astrology:

....to support the creation of my writings/podcasts and be showered with gifts: