Mercury Retrograde Timeline April - June 2023 and Explaining "What are Sextiles?"

 This Mercury Retrograde Going to be Good - Detailed Timeline Until June 2023

Mercury turns retrograde in Taurus on April 21, just a day after the big season opener Aries Solar eclipse, and will station direct on May 14. Quickly, a mercury retrograde is something that happens three or four times a year, for about three weeks, and it appears from our vantage point on earth, that Mercury is moving backwards across the sky, instead of forwards. 

In addition to the eclipse, we have some big Pluto activity as the sun squares Pluto for the first time, and of course a second new moon in Aries, hosted by Mars in its fall in cancer. What does all of this mean? Well, lots of changes are coming, and thanks to this retrograde of Mercury, we have some time to think about what it all could mean. Over the next three weeks, Mercury retraces its steps through several sextiles to Mars (already had a 1st sextile april 8), Venus, and Saturn (sextiled mercury already once april 5), and gets two more sextile dates with Mercury. 

What are sextiles? A sextile is a 60 degree angle aspect between two planets, and they are sometimes referred to as sexy, exciting, enticing, all the rather seductive words, because sextiles are in the nature of venus. That’s one way to think about it, another way to see sextiles is like a stimulating meeting between two planets who are acting as supportive friends to each other during that period of time. Think of a person you truly enjoy, a good friend, where the conversation never dulls, and no matter how long you have been apart, the warmth and camaraderie picks back up as if no time has passed. You meet up for a weekend retreat somewhere you both love, and the two of you are alike enough to really understand each other, but also slightly different enough to compliment or add something new, enticing or exciting layer to each other's lives.  

So taking into account that Mercury in its retrograde is not making any challenging or hard aspects to any planet for the entire run, that indicates that this could be a stimulating, and maybe even inspiring time for Mercury related things. Mercury retrogrades are famous for being times of slowing down, reevaluating, rethinking things, and practically it is not always the best time for technology or signing contracts. However, if you time it right with the information I am about to give you on the sextile aspects, that could mitigate some of the snafu nature Mercury Rx always gets saddled with. 

Let’s talk about the details of this retrograde of Mercury in Taurus.  

The first thing that’s interesting is of course the timing of this Mercury retrograde happening just a day after the solar eclipse/new moon in Aries.  It turns retrograde within less than two degrees of a conjunction to Uranus. 

When I look at the sabian symbol for the degree Mercury turns retrograde on it is 

(TAURUS 16°): AN OLD TEACHER FAILS TO INTEREST HIS PUPILS IN TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE.

KEYNOTE: The inadequacy of past knowledge in times of crisis.  

The type of wisdom learned from this past remains in the background to be revived later on in new forms; what is emphasized is change. Traditional concepts are not adequate to confirm the new conditions of existence. Thus whenever this symbol comes to a seeker's attention it indicates that even the most consecrated tradition does not have the real answer to the problem.

Mercury made three trines to Uranus back in December and January in it’s last retrograde period, which is the most supportive aspect, and turning away from Uranus, just before conjoining at this degree tells me that Mercury is not ready to give Uranus the message it needs to hear. Maybe we are still working with old information, or old mode of operation, ways that need to go the way of the dinosaur. And there may be some frustration with this because it is not comfortable to release from the past. With Mars ruling the eclipse from a place where the warrior is traditionally in its exile, Cancer, there can be some heavy desire to hold on to the past, to fight for the familiar, nostalgia, etc. But there is only so much recycling of the same old thing that can be done before there is nothing of the original left. 

Even in our memories, when we remember a moment, it is more solidified each time in our long term mental storage, but it is also corrupted each time. A bit of it gets lost, or augmented - changed without us even knowing it, until that memory eventually is not a truly an accurate account of what happened. 

So Mercury says, please hold on to Uranus, I need to meet up with a few friends and get some ideas together before we meet up as one in our conjunction. 

Mercury’s Meetups pre Uranus conjunction 

1. Mercury sextile Mars in cancer, April 24th 

1. Mars in cancer gets some grounding energy from mercury in taurus, and mercury gets some warm water from mars. This could be a time of vigorous thinking, deep explorations of emotions and possibly seeing things more rationally than relying on reactionary responses, how to fight for what is most important - love, nurture, kindness, and home. Communications with loved ones to clear the air, or acts of personal forgiveness over things long in the past are strong now. Clear the mind of debilitating memories from the past, get ready to move forward. 

2. Mercury sextile Saturn in pisces May 12th, and May 19

1. This is the first of two meetings of these two planets, Saturn being in Pisces, the realm or imagination and inspiration, there can be some solid creative things coming during this time, an understanding that is deep and meaningful, a time of deep mental focus, careful thought, inspired speech, writing, communication of some form.  

3. Mercury sextile Venus in cancer May 13th Sandwiched in between the saturn sextiles, Mercury meets up with Venus, back in Cancer, where Venus is co present Mars in exile. 

1. Happy thoughts, good memories, conversations with old friends, family, or even some nostalgic going back in time on the wings of a song, a smell, a picture. Here Mercury is picking up the flip side of the hurting Mars may bring up in cancer, and getting the bounty of the sea, beautiful, inspiring, heart warming. Camaraderie, love and affection is communicated. This is the time ripe during this retrograde for making agreements or compromises, signing the contract, etc. that should mitigate the typical mercury retrograde pitfalls. Also, the entire period between the mercury saturn sextiles, which venus lands right in the middle of, is a very great time for revision of a creative writing idea, editing, integrating new levels of stimulating beauty into your art or craft. 

Mercury turns direct on May 15th.  

The conjunction of Mercury and Uranus being delayed until June 4th, makes me think that around this time, there will be a big surprising or shocking thing that could come into the world, a big mind blowing revelation. This is also exactly a week before Pluto retrogrades back into Capricorn, which could indicate some big financial, structural, or geopolitical news. This could be a challenging time for the world, so taking this Mercury retrograde time with all the lovely sextiles, to possibly prepare for the next big changes approaching is the best advice I can give right now. We focus on the positive and beautiful opportunities, and we keep them like jewels in our pockets to pull out in harder times. If the mercury mars sextile can release you from past pain, the Saturn mercury sextile can present the imaginative and concrete idea, and the Venus mercury sextile can inspire you to express that truly lovely radiant soul inside of you, then you are layered with some lovely protection. Those friends that never let you down, and always have your back.