mercury moves into pisces and we are officially in one of the WILDEST stretches of astrology in all of 2025...

who's ready to get weird?

Feb 15, 2025

“it is a common misconception that oracles, as well as modern therapy, tend to make the individual more passive. this would be bad therapy and a misinterpretation of the oracles. both should do exactly the opposite; they should require individuals to recognize their own possibilities, enlightening new aspects of themselves and their interpersonal relationships. this process taps the source of creativity in people. it turns them inward toward their own creative springs.”

-Rollo May, The Courage to Create

the stars above:

so…technically mercury moved into pisces yesterday but i took yesterday off for venusian reasons aka valentines day and OMG THIS ONE IS LONG. i dunno, I had a lot to share and i do think this is a catalytic transit to be watched. still, thank you in advance for your patience

just so we’re clear- mercury’s transit thru pisces this year is going to be one for the books. mercury is an eclipse ruler now that ketu has moved into virgo and here he is ferrying thru the sign of the other eclipse ruler (jupiter) who is where? oh right, gemini. we’ve entered a very important window of reciprocity and communication happening between the two planets governing the (truly wild) eclipse season on deck.

there is absolutely nothing straightforward about this transit and I mean that both figuratively and literally. mercury will transit thru the later degrees of this sign, thrice, thanks to its imminent aries -> pisces retrograde. and mercury in pisces is THE HOME of non linear thought. this is an all access pass to the Irrational Realm, dream yoga, poetry (is a spell), subliminal programming, surrealism; mercury in pisces is anything but direct, no matter what the celestial mechanics say. but first, our timeline of the absurd:

2/14 - mercury enters pisces
2/25 - mercury conjunct saturn in pisces
3/1-3/2 - mercury meets north node and neptune
3/3 - mercury enters aries
3/11 - mercury meets venus rx at 8° aries
3/14 - full moon eclipse in virgo: powerful illumination point, made all the more potent by mercury in aries (virgo's ruler) being stationed to retrograde and still closely conjunct venus rx. with the saturn, sun, and north node pileup, this eclipse carries fated realizations about the relationship between detail and divine vision, practical work and spiritual calling.
3/15 - mercury stations retrograde at 9° aries
3/27 - venus retrogrades into pisces
3/29 - mercury and neptune SWAP SIGNS: which is by anyone’s standards historically significant moment. mercury retrogrades into pisces the same day neptune enters aries + we see a symbolic exchange between conscious mind and non ordinary consciousness. this hasn't happened since 1861, suggesting a collective shift in how we process and communicate spiritual/psychological/mythic insight.
4/1-4/6 - mercury rx conjunct north node, saturn, venus rx
4/7 - mercury stations direct crossing north node
4/16 - mercury enters aries, meets neptune at 0°: a literal portal as mercury joins neptune at the aries point - the degree of all beginnings. this suggests the integration of spiritual insight (neptune) with conscious understanding (mercury) initiates a new cycle of thought and communication.

mercury is in pisces now, leave your logic at the door:

we spoke here about what the nodes moving onto the virgo/pisces axis could bring, and this transit (and the next 10 weeks especially) ushers in one of the most blessed times to actually work with some of alchemy we discussed. there's a zen saying that goes something like "the practice doesn't happen on the cushion" meaning, the equanimity gained in meditation isn't the equanimity that really matters. the "practice" happens in real life and all its gooey, gory weirdness.

how serene are you after a day of errands in overcrowded, understaffed businesses selling everything at a 300% markup from what it cost 3 years ago? how are your equanimity levels when stuck in unmoveable angsty traffic and you have to pee? how low is your pulse point if you watch the news? these are the true measures of alignment - you pray for patience and you get a string of the most annoying sidequests known to man so that you might practice...patience!

mercury struggles in jupiter's temple and jupiter doesn't love being crammed into mercurial codebanks but for one, glorious (7-8 week long) moment, they are comrades in struggle, home swapping and supporting each other the best they can (from square so times are rough) in less than ideal circumstances. thank heavens C.S. Lewis already let us know exactly what to do with those…

"if we let ourselves, we shall always be waiting for some distraction or other to end before we can really get down to our work. the only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge so badly that they seek it while the conditions are still unfavorable. favorable conditions never come."

in the piece i did on the nodal switch to pisces/virgo, i laid out a pretty idyllic view of the gifts of integration between these polarities: grounded channels for unobstructed flow, virgoan curated art that doesn't leave you drowning in perfectionist tendencies, a detail oriented mind bringing abstract inspirations to form. these things are true but if you're even remotely interested in the goods, you'll need to work and work through whatever hooks and blocks and deep-seated karmic patterns get churned up by the nodes, ketu especially. that's gonna require some ordeals to overcome, some dragons to slay and we all know it.

if you accept my thesis of Cosmos Supported Developmental Theory (should i trademark it?) then this would be the IDEAL weather to commit to the cause. because challenges are coming, the mental mazes are looming and we're entering a zone where ordinary appearances should be met with plenty of healthy skepticism - things may very well not be what they seem at first glance.

mercury is in pisces refusing to speak in anything but riddles and rhynes, jupiter is in gemini experimenting with a rationalist era (so far, not impressed) and we have added rahu the illusionist to the mix, just to bring some fated chaos into the mix. and most importantly, we have saturn + neptune growing ever closer and as much as I have tried to paint the potential auspices of this transit (yes they do exist) the deception and confusion these two will be/are unleashing is not a threat, it’s a promise.

in traditional astrology saturn is ruler of a lot of the qualities we give to neptune; despair, dishonesty, intoxication, disillusionment. this is a doubling up on the Lying Liars Who Lie front but saturn has one thing neptune does not. GRAVITAS. the ability to endure, the ability to harden, to make concrete. anyway you look at there are new challenges of perception + discernment coming for mind, body, soul, collective - everything.

if you are curious about what any of this means for you there are rising sign musings at the end or you’re welcome to book a reading for that one on one with the oracle experience :)

book here <3

future lore:

“people who claim to be absolutely convinced that their stand is the only right one are dangerous. such conviction is the essence not only of dogmatism, but of its more destructive cousin, fanaticism. It blocks off the user from learning new truth, and it is a dead giveaway of unconscious doubt. the person then has to double his or her protests in order to quiet not only the opposition but his or her own unconscious doubts as well.”

-rollo may, the courage to create

absolute certainty is not your friend at the moment and I can argue (alongside Rollo May) that it is never in your best interest to succumb to any kind of mental rigidity. one of the corniest ways to live a life in my opinion, I’ve never been a fan.

the south node in virgo being ruled + opposed by mercury in pisces could be unearthing karmic or deeply ingrained patterns involving analysis paralysis, toxic perfectionism, excessive judgement that pushes the world away and any detail-obsessed approaches that drain more than they discern. it’s becoming more and more clear that pure logic + analysis alone simply won’t do in the times we live in. an overactive inner/outer critic will wreak more havoc than normal now and ketu will give us the (chaotic) opportunity to address it. but only if we can look it in its face, wrathful form and all.

jupiter in gemini ruling the north node in pisces is a clarion call for developing intuition, compassion, and spiritual + emotional intelligence. all the better to merge and relate with the collective, right? with jupiter in gemini, this education of the heart comes through learning, communication, and connecting with a few many minds, and not all of them should readily agree with you btw. mercury + jupiter are square. if you want the goods you have to dive into and thrive within the friction. these are the rules and I didn’t make them.

in the end, integrating rational thought with intuitive wisdom was always the assignment and that homework is now due. thank goodness we all made promises long ago to engage in life fully, to never to avoid or refuse its gifts whatever packaging they arrive in, to understand that “...favorable conditions never come”

jupiter is teaching mercury to trust the flow even when things aren't clear, and mercury is teaching jupiter how to find meaning in the details even when the big picture is obscured. as above, so below, so these are our lessons as well.

and just in case you need a reminder of WHY this process in not to be skipped out on:

“if we do not express our own original ideas, if we do not listen to our own beings, we will have betrayed ourselves and the world at large. we will have forfeited the distinctive characteristic of human beings—namely, to influence our evolution through our own awareness. we will have capitulated to the blind juggernaut of history and lost the chance to mold the future into a society more equitable and humane.”

-Rollo May, The Courage to Create

this is mercury in pisces tho, so you should be immersed in the most beautiful poetry, art, cinema and music you can find but for two truly beautiful texts that can help with the “healing virgoan perfectionism and freeze” portion I HIGHLY recommend

The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control by Katherine Morgan Schlafer

a really beautiful, warm offering with plenty of nuance to help you integrate the gifts of what your inner perfectionist is trying to lead you to while liberating yourself from the ever present paralysis. lovely, lovely work.

I am still reading this so I cannot offer any comprehensive review but it is beautiful. this is og existential psychology but incredibly readable and relevant. this covers much more than just an artistic process, this is poetry for the soul, if you have a flickering, uncertain flame where your inner bonfire used to live…LET THIS MAN LIGHT YOU UP.

`The Lunar Nodes Crisis & Redemption by, Komilla Sutton`

and last but not least, Christa from Practical Astros and I are leading an eclipse season book club featuring one of my favorite works that has made appearances here OFTEN. this is an extraordinary read and we’re looking to put together an especially consciousness rousing gathering. psychonauts, mages, curious minds, nymphs, witches, muses and the rest of you scoundrels…we would be honored to have you with us. :))))))

we will be meeting Wednesday evenings, 7pm ET from March 5th thru May 7th. JOIN US.

and always remember; heroes are made on the battlefield and poets never truly die (i kid, i kid). gonna be a wild one but I really do like our odds! rising sign musings are below, enjoy. <3

emilie

aries rising:

mercury moves through your 12H before entering your 1H - a journey from unconscious insight to self-expression. when mercury meets saturn, neptune, and the north node in your 12H, deep spiritual revelations emerge. the retrograde period suggests revisiting how you present yourself to the world, especially after insights gained in the pisces waters.

taurus rising:

mercury's transit through your 11H before touching your 12H suggests collective wisdom leading to private revelation. friendships and group connections might bring important messages before you need to retreat for deeper processing. the retrograde asks you to review your relationship with community and spiritual connection.

gemini rising:

mercury moves through your 10H before entering your 11H - professional messages lead to collective revelations. the pisces transit brings mythic insight to your career path, especially when mercury meets saturn. the retrograde period suggests reviewing how you connect your individual voice to larger group consciousness.

cancer rising:

mercury journeys through your 9H into your 10H - philosophical understanding transforms into public expression. the pisces period brings deep wisdom through study or travel, while the retrograde in your career sector asks you to review how you share your knowledge professionally.

leo rising:

mercury moves through your 8H into your 9H - from psychological depth to higher understanding. in pisces, mercury helps you navigate shared resources and intimate transformations. the retrograde suggests revisiting beliefs and teaching methods, especially around spiritual matters.

virgo rising:

mercury transits your 7H before entering your 8H - relationship insights lead to deeper transformation. partnerships bring important messages during the pisces period, while the retrograde invites review of intimate connections and shared resources.

libra rising:

mercury through your 6H into your 7H suggests daily practices leading to relationship revelations. the pisces transit brings spiritual insight to work routines, while the retrograde asks you to review how you communicate in partnerships.

scorpio rising:

mercury moves through your 5H into your 6H - creative expression transforms into practical service. the pisces transit brings mystical inspiration to artistic projects, while the retrograde helps refine how you implement these visions in daily life.

sagittarius rising:

mercury through your 4H into your 5H - emotions fuel creative expression, this is your wellspring and it’s time to DRINK. home and family matters bring important messages during the pisces portins, while the aries rx helps review creative projects and communications with lovers.

capricorn rising:

mercury transits your 3H into your 4H - communication patterns affect emotional foundations and by now you know there is no escaping that truth. the pisces period brings spiritual insight to daily interactions, while the retrograde asks you to review home, family, private relations.

aquarius rising:

mercury through your 2H into your 3H - value systems influence communication style. the pisces transit brings an almost mystical understanding to resource management, the metaphysics of cashflow if you will, while the retrograde helps refine how you express your values.

pisces rising:

mercury moves through your 1H into your 2H - self-expression transforms into value exploration. this transit is personal for you, bringing profound insights about identity and Self when mercury meets saturn and neptune in your 1H. the retrograde helps review your relationship with resources and self-worth.