A Year of Noble Silence: when Saturn met Mercury

The dance of the planets is internal as much as it is external, and planetary transits are often experienced as an initiation or expansion of one aspect of yourself: your inner archetypes dancing together to promote growth and self-awareness. . One of my teachers calls this "learning about the cosmic bathwaters”.

Knowing about their transits can help you to ride the waves of support for refining your life intentions, resolving patterns relating to career, relationships or family, or opening up new pathways of creativity. And ever so often, they can help to bring solace and clarity to great changes prompted by Pluto, our old friend, the shadow roto-rooter.

How have transits affected me? In oh so many ways! But let's take one example: this past year, Saturn (Chronos, which influences timing and was once referred to as the Crone/Cailleach/Wise Woman and often brings about physical world circumstances to support transformation) has been transiting my natal Mercury (the archetype of Hermes, influencing communication and thought processes.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the energy behind my communications shifted significantly: my inner Wise One prompted me to spend most of the year in silence. I continually felt that I was being called inwards, that past communication habits were not appropriate anymore… and I didn’t have the energy for much communicating. (It has to be said: the long-term retreat I was in (guided by my Teacher) certainly helped me frame the shift, though the shift itself started before the retreat began).

When I did communicate with other humans (the trees are another matter…), it was often in the context of a sangha, utilizing Thich Nath Hanh’s deep listening and mindful speech or Non-Violent Communication, skills I had previously practiced that supported a more authentic and respectful form of relating.

I also found that I sang a lot more. My vocal range spontaneously shifted, and singing-wise, shifts and integrations of technique happened faster than ever before.

Had I noticed the Saturn transit earlier in the year, it may well have brought more playfulness to the process, even more magic, and less embarrassment that I had so little energy to communicate (Trust the Force, Luke…)

What hasn’t changed? I still have a penchant for puns & prosody (and consonance, apparently :) )

What does this year hold for you? If you’d like to find out more about how the year’s astrological currents will support your unique journey, you can find out more about my astrology transit readings here.