WHAT?
Today we experience the cosmic zinger that is a Mercury cazimi, gifting us with precise communication abilities, unflinching honesty, and news that is anywhere from hopeful to downright joyous. The Sun and Mercury will be practically on top of each other, burning off most of the more disruptive and mischievous qualities of Mercury with generous solar rays.
This is an excellent day to make announcements or schedule job interviews, as well as for corresponding frankly and generously with those in our inner circle. If there have been problems with a close confidant, today is the perfect time for a sit-down - whether the relationship is professional or personal. If there is a pile of paperwork that we've been ignoring, this is also a great day to tackle it - the process will be speedier than we expected, and our end result likely will be perfect. (Thank a bitchy, Mercury-ruled Virgo if so inclined.)
It should go without saying that anyone in the dramatic arts, stand-up, or other public facing communications could harness this moment to be especially charismatic and persuasive. People giving work presentations or conducting otherwise boring business will be garner praise and crack a few jokes, similar to how our trickster Mercury teases his brother the sun. Even those of us who struggle with communication might be surprised by how fluidly they are able to participate today, so prepare to release any fear or inhibition as we all think to ourselves, "Damn, I'm a witty motherfucker."
WHY?
How could we all be feeling so charismatic and erudite, you might ask? Is it not Mercury Retrograde, a.k.a the time to hunker down and hide in a muslin sack in a cave, bereft of both cell phones and email?
Yes, but a cazimi is the lone exception to the otherwise dangerous sand pit that is a backward Mercury. Because the sun will be so close to Mercury, who is in turn very close to us on earth, the best and brightest qualities of the messenger planet are illuminated and strengthened, much as Apollo and Hermes strengthened their brotherly bond through a series of hilarious pranks. We also get an assist from the moon as he swings through Gemini, one of the signs ruled by Mercury.
Hermes (Mercury) is the wiley, cherubic brother of mighty Apollo, the sun god. He is so wiley, in fact, that he managed to pull one over on Apollo a mere day after being born, stealing all of his cattle when he was just a chubby infant. When Apollo went to Zeus for reparation, Hermes played the innocent baby card and was let off the hook. He made it up to Apollo with the gift of a lute he crafted, and all was (mostly) forgiven. Apollo couldn't help but love his scamp of a brother, and eventually helped him become the official messenger of the Olympic gods. Teamwork!
Apollo really works overtime for us this week, because on Friday he forms a trine with daddy Zeus, a.k.a. Jupiter, so in addition to our communication, our luck will also be on point. Considering Jupiter is in retrograde through Taurus right now, don't be surprised if some endeavor from the past, or even an individual cheerleader from the past, comes back around to present the possibility of rejuvenation.
WHEN?
This morning, 9/6 is when our cazimi burns brightest, but we can expect it to cast it's rays throughout the day and possibly into tomorrow. Then on Friday 9/8, we have Jupiter forming a trine to the sun, bringing Apollo's illuminative nature to our endeavors of fortune. All this lucky Zeus/Hermes energy means winning is almost assured. Play that lotto ticket.
TAROT
Hoo boy. Thursday brings us a much-needed emotional purge with the 3 of Swords reversed, probably in the form of a necessary but painful conversation, given all the moves Mercury makes this week. On Friday many of us will be inclined to eschew social engagements in favor of introspective solitude, possibly because we are working through a solo project that requires a high degree of concentration if we want to see it succeed. However, the 3 of Cups reversed indicates that those of us who are thrilled to have a little group fun on Friday should be cautious of overindulgence. Saturday shows us making progress on ending a truly dangerous and fraught situation, as the 10 of Swords reversed encourages the final nail to be pounded in a coffin that should have gone to ground long ago. This situation may actually finish out on Sunday, when we are encouraged to protect ourselves from this kind of danger in the future by examining what went so wrong in the past. 7 of Cups reversed shows up on Monday to further clarify any of the craziness from the weekend, and we will have a chance to disregard someone's delusion as we finally get concrete answers.
On Tuesday, we might begin to grasp all the near catastrophes that have been avoided, courtesy of the demon Vassago in The Tower reversed, and on Wednesday, don't be surprised to hear about more public break-ups and schisms via the 2 of Cups reversed.
While normally all these cards in one week would have me running for the hills and hiding under a mound of dirt (try it sometime - very peaceful), I am inclined to think these pulls are community focused, rather than showcasing any personal upheaval. Note the top left corner where my candle was burning in a star holder and you will see a very specific color distribution of wax. Apropos of nothing, I chose a red candle this week to honor Mars, which is also the glyph I wear most frequently because as a Scorpio sun with an Aries ascendant, Mars and I generally get along. I've burned hundreds of colors in this holder, but this week it ended up looking...oddly patriotic, no? As though it was illustrating the public meltdown of a global superpower and its elite members. In deference to the United States, a 10 of Swords situation has been coming up again and again in my spreads, in tandem with the public hysterics and slow crawl to justice we are all witnessing in real time. The Tower reversed might be illuminating a messy aftermath that could have been far, far worse, and the 7 of Cups has shown up over and over to warn us of someone suffering dangerous delusions and trying to create a fantasy realm, which sounds, frankly, like every branch of our incompetent government. Marinate on this spread when you hear dramatic news this week. I know I will be.
For more in depth daily readings you can find me at http://www.YouTube.com/@AlectoChaos.
CELEBRATING VENUS DIRECT
Thursday 9.7 thru Sunday 9.10, Noon - 6pm
The Ritual space will be in use for a wee bit longer as we try to unload some of our more massive fixtures and the very last of our merchandise, so as we wind down our tenure on Capitol Hill, we will be open Thursdays through Sundays to showcase local vendors, show off new art, do tarot readings, and generally vibe. This weekend we are celebrating Venus finally going direct and on Sunday we are welcoming Ocelotl's Trade and Yew Pansy to Ritual for a mini-market. They are a local maker of custom harnesses and collars, tees, and totes and are resposible for the kick-ass leather chokers with brass hardware that Ritual carried last year. Come see us, drink some hibiscus tea, talk astrology, and revel in the fact of at least one benefic planet getting the fuck out of retrograde.