Mercury Conjunct Saturn

Once I lived on a working farm where occasionally farm hands would come and stay in exchange for room and board. Once a couple stayed who had recently come from Stephen Gaskin’s intentional community in Tennessee, The Farm. The couple would say a simple grace before dinner and then end it by saying, “Let us think to the origins of our food, ” meaning to think about and be grateful for all the things that had contributed to the dinner that lay before us.
This morning I was reading a book about the history of the Tarot ( a hypothetical history at best). It speculated that the Tarot had originated as the result of an ancient ritual performed in the Temple of Thoth. The Temple’s walls were covered with elaborate paintings which symbolized the “major forces governing the patterns of life.”* The Querent ( the person asking a question) would toss a loose bundle of rods and the priests would interpret the meanings based on which images the rods were facing. Later some speculated, the Tarot deck was made so that the images could be transported and readings could be done elsewhere.
With Mercury conjunct Saturn in Scorpio heading towards a solar eclipse on Nov 3, the timing is good to think about origins – particularly origins of behavior or thought patterns you would like to change. Often these patterns were not chosen freely as an adult but was taught to us by the many influences around us or developed as a coping mechanism. Under the transformative energy in effect now, it is a good time to rethink the origins of things you would like to change and set clear intentions about how you are going to do that.

Quote from Juliet Sharman Burke’s The Complete Book of Tarot

Mercury Stations Retrograde in Scorpio

“The highest magic is that which lies within ourselves.” Anodea Judith

Mercury stationed retrograde today at 18 degrees of Scorpio. This is an intriguing retrograde period (through November 1) as during this time Mercury will conjunct Saturn and then play a significant part in the upcoming eclipse on November 3. It is a good time to deepen awareness as information that has been hidden over time may be revealed – information that can enable you to unravel limited perceptions and understandings. One of the Sabian symbols associated with the retrograde is,
“A Woman Drawing Aside Two Dark Curtains That Closed the Entrance to a Sacred Pathway.”

Anodea Judith quote from Wheels of Life, Sabian symbol quote from Lynda Hill’s 360 Degrees of Wisdom