Ocean Magic, by Willow Arlenea

Mercury moved into Pisces a couple of days ago following on the heels of Venus, ending the stellium (grouping) of planets in Aquarius. Where Mercury in Aquarius seeks intelligently reasoned dialogue and, though rather insensitive, is concerned about social justice in Pisces Mercury seeks magic and mystery and connection with the divine.

Although traditional astrologers will say that Mercury is in its detriment in Pisces because its ability to think rationally is affected by Pisces’ watery nature which tends to act like a psychic sponge and the boundaries between reality and the mystic are often blurred, for spiritual matters Mercury is at its best in Pisces where it is unaffected by personal ego and rigid belief systems.

The psychic sensitivity that Mercury in Pisces (or in the twelfth house of your natal chart) engenders makes it necessary to spend periods of time in solitude and silence so that the psyche can be cleaned of external impressions. Beth Owl’s Daughter has been discussing the customs of fasting that many cultures have adopted during the period leading up to the Spring Equinox, including of course the Christian custom of fasting at Lent.

Beth writes:

I have come to believe that our Western emphasis on intellect, analysis and the mighty mind, rather than being an asset, is often a handicap. I am fortunate to travel in social circles with people who are astonishingly smart, articulate and creative in wordy ways. And I, myself, admittedly also aspire to this. But I am beginning to suspect that those kinds of brilliance, as important as they are in some ways, ultimately hamper our understanding and knowledge of who we are.

I have observed that one of the last socially acceptable forms of arrogance and bigotry is that of “intelligence.” Few of us question what that actually means, and fewer consider that “intelligence” may be only an arbitrary, possibly meaningless description. Perhaps it is no more important to the truth of our identity than the color of our skin, our age, or our gender.

I have also noticed how “intelligence” and intellect frequently interfere with magic. Have you ever been at a concert where the music had swept you to realms of rapture, only to overhear the people behind you discussing the performer’s technique, or how they heard a better rendition last year, or analyzing the merits of the composer’s earlier works? Perhaps that is how some people believe they are “enjoying” the music – by processing it through the data banks, and sparring with one another over the breadth of their knowledge.

But I wonder.

We have made it seem natural and admirable to have constant analysis and commentary of every single aspect of our lives. We give one another verbal validation or criticism. We process our experiences with words, and verbalization has been inextricably linked to what defines us as the intelligent apes.

Yet the power of silence cannot be overstated.

The use, or non-use, of words and language for the purposes of magic and imagination is what Mercury in Pisces is all about. With Mercury in Pisces the inner landscape becomes rich and colorful, a gorgeous tapestry of thoughts, ideas and dreams. Let us embrace the enhancement of our dream world during this time, and use it to our advantage!