(24 November 2024) The transit picture this week is dominated by the Mercury retrograde station. Mercury turns retrograde Monday evening at 9.42 pm EST. Communications and technology may therefore be more prone to disruption around this time, although this is not an inevitable outcome. As the old saying goes, ‘the stars incline, they do not compel.’ Another way of saying it is that planetary movements only exert a probabilistic influence upon life on Earth. Where multiple factors operate concurrently, correlations can only be partial at best as individual planetary influences are often lost amid the celestial noise.
Perhaps we will manage to escape the worst of it since Monday’s Mercury station isn’t heavily afflicted, although Saturn does cast a wide 10th house square aspect to Mercury. It is also worth noting that Mercury will be conjunct Saturn in the D-9 Navamsa chart at the time of the station. This somewhat increases the risk of system interruptions, although I would not say this particular Mercury Rx station is particularly fraught. Nonetheless, financial markets may be more prone to some selling, especially on Monday and Tuesday.
The influence of Saturn may be on the rise this week. Since stationing direct on Nov 15, Saturn is now moving forward. However, the Mercury retrograde station means that Mercury is approaching its square alignment with Saturn. This could intensify the pessimistic outlook of Saturn. At the same time, Saturn will also be approaching a square aspect to the Sun. While both of Saturn-Mercury and Saturn-Sun squares won’t be exact until next week, we should be attuned to any changes in collective sentiment. With Jupiter’s optimism now receding after its previous alignment with Chiron, the sobering impact of Saturn could now start to reveal some harsh realities. This approaching double dose of Saturn could be more in evidence next weekend (Nov 30-Dec 1) when the Moon conjoins the Sun and Mercury on Saturday and Sunday.
Before that there will be some constructive transit setups. Wednesday’s Venus-Jupiter-Chiron alignment could produce a more positive mood, just ahead of the US Thanksgiving holiday. It may well be the best day of the week in terms of transits. Thursday’s Mars-Moon square could introduce some tension at Thanksgiving gatherings, however, although thankfully it will be separating in the afternoon and evening. With all the talk about families dividing along partisan political lines at holiday time, Americans may have to work extra hard to try to put their differences aside this year. The Mars-Moon square suggests rancor won’t be far from the surface, although social events should become more manageable as the day wears on.
Friday also looks quite positive as Mercury aligns with Venus and the Moon. The clustering of benefics will take place just in time for Black Friday shopping. The mood could be ebullient at midday when the Moon aligns most closely with Venus and Mercury. This bodes well for sales, and by extension for a stock market looking for positive news on the retail sales front.
