“Go inside a stone.
That would be my way.
Let somebody else become a dove
Or gnash with a tiger’s tooth
I am happy to be a stone.
From the outside a stone is a riddle.
No one knows how to answer it.
Yet within, it must be cool and quiet
Even though a cow steps on it full weight,
Even though a child throws it in a river,
The stone sinks, unperturbed,
To the river bottom.
I have seen sparks fly out
when two stones are rubbed,
So perhaps it is not dark inside after all;
Perhaps there is a moon shining
From somewhere beyond a hill –
Just enough light to make out
The strange writings, the star charts
On the inner walls.” Charles Simic
The Winged Messenger, Mercury stations retrograde at 7:54 PM on 2/16 at 12 degrees of Pisces. The retrograde period will last through March 9 when it will station direct at 28 Aquarius.
Mercury retrograde periods present a good time frame for reflection and reconsidering. This particular retrograde period bodes well for reflecting on the quality of our emotional , spiritual and creative lives. It’s a good time for inner exploration and being open to mystery.
In some ways this retrograde period is like the Tarot Card of the Hermit. It is a card of solitude in which a monk -like person, dressed in a hooded cloak, stands on a mountain top holding a lantern in the darkness. It is a card about retreating from the busyness of everyday life in order to access inner wisdom for the path ahead.
The cards in the Tarot deck speak of the journey pf personal evolution. The Hermit Card is associated with the number 9 and is followed by the Wheel of Fortune – the number 10 card – which ushers in a time of change. The Hermit Card provides the time of reflection before change is ushered in.
One of the Sabian symbols for this time is,”A sword, once used in many battles, is now in a museum.”
Sabian symbol from Lynda Hill