#surviving mercury retrograde

[pallastrology]

surviving mercury retrograde 🫖

since the often-dreaded transit affectionately known as mercury retrograde is coming up, i thought i’d write a little post talking about how i personally get through it. some of you may know that i’m a virgo rising with mercury retrograde in the first house. so mercury retrograde tends to hit me like a ton of bricks! over the years, i’ve worked on a little survival guide of sorts, and decided to share it in hopes of easing the transit for you a little bit.

firstly: it will pass. mercury rx only lasts about three weeks, which, yeah, feels like a lifetime when it’s not going well. but it does pass, and in the grand scheme of things, three weeks is almost nothing. when you feel like everything’s falling apart at the seams, take a moment to remind yourself that whatever is going on for you won’t last forever, and calmer seas lie just past the storm.

stay on top of your schedule. mercury rx tends to cause problems with communication, travel and timing; plans go awry, time escapes you, the bus doesn’t show up. this is all completely normal, and there are things you can go to mitigate the effects. personally, i make sure to stay more on top of my to-do list than normal, try not to pack too much into a day (because things will inevitably take longer than normal, or i’ll end up sidetracked and having to rewrite my whole week!). leave enough space in your diary to add things on if you need, and then if you have free time, enjoy it! use it to get ahead of the game, or just take a break – we all need and deserve them from time to time. another thing i do is try to prioritise what needs to be done today, and what can wait if i do get overly busy. these are all handy skills to have in general, but when everything goes a little haywire, it really helps to be able to focus on the important things and reorganise the rest without too much stress.

look at your chart. mercury rx will affect us all a little differently, and this is due to where it lands in our chart, and which of our placements it activates. i’ll use a personal example here: for me, it lands in my fourth house – the house of home and family – and will form a conjunction to my natal mercury. disaster, right? well, it doesn’t have to be. at least i’m prepared, and when i’m going through a crisis and feeling overwhelmed, i can take a breath and remind myself this is just part of the transit. i know in advance to really watch my work schedule so as not to overbook myself, stay on top of my workload, and put in 110% to keep things running efficiently while making time for my family and rest. having a sense of why this is happening, and the foresight to be able to plan ahead and feel a little more in control, brings a sense of power over your situation. personal power is so important for your wellbeing, so make the most of the power of foresight here!

add extra travel time. this might sound silly, but the amount of times i’ve been late, or had to massively rush to get somewhere on time, or to get something handed in or completed on time, during mercury rx is shocking! nowadays, as part of my personal survival guide, i make sure to add an extra five minutes to get ready and to get to my location, i check deadlines more carefully and make sure to finish before them in case there are problems, and i’m careful not to go for back-to-back engagements when possible. it’s more for peace of mind than anything, but it definitely seems to help keep life calmer during a hectic time.

communicate clearly. because retrogrades tend to send energy inwards, communication can get tricky. you might find it’s harder to make yourself understood, or you misunderstand others more. old arguments, often over silly things, can pop up like daisies. people from the past can reappear and bring up all sorts of emotions. i would recommend journaling to anyone, but especially if you’re struggling to make sense of your thoughts and feelings, journaling can be an amazing tool to help you reflect and analyse what’s going on for you. i find it really fascinating to read back through old journal entries too, and look at the themes of the transit through my own words. when it comes to communicating with other people, if you’re dealing with professional situations, i would recommend following up communications with an email or letter reiterating your points. this helps keep the record straight and prevent crossed wires later down the line. in your personal life, it can be helpful to remind yourself that the person who is driving you mad right now is someone you love and care about, and you don’t want to hurt them. you can give criticism without being harsh, though it’s more difficult during this transit. take breaks if you need to during arguments, and make sure you’re being clear with what you want. sometimes i find i go round in circles while trying to express something, and my original point gets lost. taking a breather to reassess what you’re trying to say and then coming back to the conversation can be really helpful here.

stay grounded in the present. when any planet goes retrograde, it’s easy to focus on the past. old issues seem to swing back around to meet you in the present, and you may encounter full-circle moments. so when you’re feeling overwhelmed by old arguments, old friends and lovers, and old thoughts, take a moment to ground yourself in the present. you could use mental grounding to affirm where and when you are, or utilise an anchoring object. i have a post that talks about grounding techniques in more detail here which may be helpful if this is something you would be interested in, but essentially, you are helping yourself to emotionally understand where and when you are, as opposed to logically knowing but feeling stuck in the past.

lastly: it might not be all that deep. transits definitely have an affect on our day-to-day lives, i’m not going to dispute that. but perhaps they don’t have as much power as we feel they do. is there a bit of placebo effect that comes into play when we’re running late for work during mercury rx? probably, yeah! our brains are incredibly powerful organs, and our beliefs can hugely impact our perception of, and feelings about, our current situation. if you’re feeling overwhelmed and at the mercy of a transit, it might be time to take a step away from astrology and just let yourself live in the moment. more than anything, we are at the mercy of our own perception, and that’s something that we can work on.

i hope this guide helps you feel a little more prepared, and a little less scared, of mercury retrograde. take care of yourselves readers,

kira xo

[inkindofmagic]

Mercury Retrograde Cycle ☿℞

— Astro Notes

This diagram illustrates the 5 distinct periods that are related to the Mercury retrograde phenomena, as well as 4 sensitive points along its path.

🌟 Why Mercury Retrograde?

Mercury's orbit is closest to the sun. It completes its orbit in about 88 days, compared to the earth which takes about 365 days. As a result, from our perspective we first experience mercury moving forwards as its orbit takes it between the earth and the sun.

💫 Mercury Retrograde Pre-Shadow

The Mercury Retrograde Pre-Shadow phase is indicated in blue and corresponds to the time during which Mercury traces the path in the sky that it will later return to as it moves backward, during the Mercury Retrograde Phase. Often it is during this time that the conditions are set up for the Retrograde phase that follows. As Mercury slows down, just prior its retrograde motion, the contributing factors and the experiences of the cycle are strengthened, and this is indicated in the diagram by a violet color.

💫 Mercury Retrograde Station

There is a moment in time, when Mercury by our line of sight has slowed down from moving forward and is about to appear to move backwards. That moment is referred to as the Mercury Retrograde Station, and often somewhat incorrectly as "Mercury Retrograde". This tends to be the most intense part of the Cycle, and is show in Red on the graphic.

💫 Mercury Retrograde Phase

Then for about 3 and a half weeks or so, it appears to be going backwards in the sky - when Mercury is retrograde. The Mercury Retrograde Phase is in light red. Near the beginning and the end of the retrograde phase, Mercury seems to slow down in the sky, and its effect tends to stronger. This is shown with a darker color. The retrograde phase is famous for revealing the consequences of inattention to detail, wrong assumptions as well as errors in communication and transportation. For some people at this time, transportation and communication issues may develop. Many of these are often set up in the pre-shadow phase.

💫 Mercury Direct Station

Towards the end of the retrograde period, Mercury has reached a place in its orbit where it begins to move in the same direction as the earth around the sun. The moment Mercury appears to stop moving backward and is about to move forewords is called the Mercury Direct Station. This is indicated in the Calendar with dark brown. As much as the Mercury Retrograde Station, discussed earlier, tended to be a focus of errors, false assumptions, lack of clarity and proper execution, the Mercury Direct Station tends to be a focus for revealing the consequences.

💫 Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow

The Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow phase is indicated in brown. Mercury is now moving forward, and this phase refers to the time during which Mercury is retracing the path in the sky where it had formerly moved backward during the retrograde period. During the early part of this phase, Mercury is still moving slowly, and thus the effects are more intense. Often, the Mercury Retrograde Post-Shadow can reveal the errors in communication and travel that may have occurred during the pre-shadow and retrograde phases.

🌟 Mercury Retrograde can be a Blessing

The retrograde cycle tends to reveal what is not working properly, and although it can contribute to delays and frustrations, it can also reveal issues that are important to resolve, fix or address. It is a good time to deal with what you may have put on the back burner and for reflective and creative writing, inner work, journaling, spiritual work and completing long overdue tasks.

🌟 The Two Levels of Mercury Retrograde

Mercury retrograde occurs at two levels. At one level, there is not much you can do with the actions of others, except to be more conscious and prepare for delays and errors by double checking. But at the personal level you can do a lot in order to avoid the consequences of Mercury Retrograde. Most of us encounter the consequences when we are not centered, aware or conscious of what is going on around us, and more often than not the culprit is that we are not acting from our heart and spirit. Instead we are reacting from our needs, our hurts, from our buttons being pushed, or the way that we take care of others and not ourselves. In that way we act from our shadow, and that is what mercury retrograde is all about. Mercury Retrograde occurs when it is moving backwards, into its shadow, and thus communication, scheduling, transportation and judgment becomes cloudy or error prone. As much as outer work is challenged by Mercury Retrograde, introspection and inner work is very supported. Take advantage of Mercury Retrograde by clearing your own tendencies to get caught up in your own shadows and those of others.

next → how to survive Mercury Retrograde

source astrologyhoroscopereadings.com

via @inkindofmagic

[richarlisonny]

good morning

[piscesprncesa]

hi tumblr <333

[moonlightkingdom]

It coming up soon!

What is Mercury Retrograde you ask?

All of the planets move in the same direction around the Sun, each with a different rate of speed.  Mercury’s orbit is 88 days long; therefore approximately 4 orbits of Mercury around the Sun equals 1 Earth year.

Mercury appears to slow down, then stop, (stationary retrograde) and then move slowly backwards for several weeks (retrograde).  Eventually, it appears to stop again and reverse direction (stationary direct) moving slowly forward once again (direct). Eventually Mercury appears to return to its normal orbital speed.(Mercury isn’t really going backwards, it’s just hanging out by the sun, but from Earth, that makes it look like it’s in reverse) There are three Mercury Retrograde periods each year, each lasting approximately 3 weeks.

As Mercury rules communication, clear thinking, truth & travel, during the time of retrograde it is advised that you don’t make any new beginnings or projects etc. This time period is perfect for:

❤ Reviewing and revising plans

Evaluate how well you've achieved your goals and what things you’d still love to bring into your life.Mercury Retrograde marks a period of Mercury “slowing down,” which means our requests and longings can find more potent expression into the universe. This is a terrific time to ponder intentions.

❤  Finish up any old, lingering projects.

You might not want to submit, release, or publish them during this time, but old projects can benefit from a fresh look. Mercury also helps with creativity, making Mercury Retrograde an ideal time to edit or revise.

❤ Rejuvenate your living space!

Clean out your closet, organize your wardrobe, get rid of clutter, even do a little Feng Shui to your home. That Retrograde energy amplifies your ability to process through old things.

❤ Relax & take care of yourself

Enjoy some solitude or time away. Read a book, take a walk in nature, have plenty of sleep, stay hydrated & do a lot of stretching. This especially applies during Mercury retrograde. Even book a spa day. Go on Treat yourself!!

❤ Back up data

Have patience with your electronics. They’re trying their best. If your phones, computer, email, cell phone or internet act up, take a deep breath and ask yourself if you really need to push things right now. Pushing usually makes things worse, especially during a Mercury Retrograde.

So even though to many people the Mercury Retrograde is something they dread, make this the perfect time to just kick back and relax from everything. Use the Retrograde to your advantage!! 

xoxo

[sparklediva22]

Good morning my beautiful Gems!!

I hope this note finds you snuggled up with your favorite fur baby, or enjoying a lovely cup of tea or coffee. Today I wanted to give you a head's up for Mercury Retrograde which is December 29th - January 18th.

Normally, this is doom and gloom for everyone, especially people like me that have cancer and Capricorn in their astrological wheelhouse. However, here is my survival guide:

1- Leave extra time for project deadlines, commuting to work, and appointments.

2- set a routine for yourself and budget your time accordingly. I know this doesn't work for everyone but even having a loose routine will contribute to easing the frustration that comes with the retrograde.

3- Watch your tongue, lmao. Mercury affects how people move and communicate; Therefore, it is pertinent to be mindful of your words. The truth will come out, but if you're gentle about it, it may be easier to deal with the aftermath once the retrograde is over.

4- Drink extra water and get extra sleep

5- Take time to breathe, meditation or decompress every day twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. Staying calm is key.

Lastly, shift your perspective. It is natural that retrograde brings a TON of negativity and charged emotions, instead of viewing it as "everything is going wrong" view it as "this is clearing my path for better things. (Yeah, I know it's super upbeat, just humor me, okay? Lol)

Have a beautiful day!

SD22

[imlettingeverythinggo]

1st Astrology notes 🧊

These are my 1st observtions after a long time (forgot password of my old account lol) so yeah, i hope some reasonate with you. Please do not plagerise or copy my work, if you want to include some of my notes please mention me ♥️

🧊 Most people ignore or do not know the fact that they should take the planet that's making most aspects with all planets as one of their strongest planets in their NA.

i.e. my saturn aspects all planets in all ways except moon and uranus (probably for good), so a lot of karma boomerangs have been through my whole life and as much as i remember small comebacks from universe have been done just some secounds after any kind of mistreatment.

🧊 People with mercury in scorpio mostly think how to get something done fastest and directly no matter how cruel or hard it can be

🧊 Also people with mercury in scorpio tend to lose trust in people time after time, no matter how close they can be with some people

🧊 People with uranus in the 10th house tend to have their reputation so changeable, every person has a different perspecrive of them and it can range all way from hate to pure admiration

🧊 Chiron either retrograde or not in 2nd house mean that the person struggled terribly with finances through childhood or even later in life, but overall become very good workers because all of the forced work they could have been doing just to survive

🧊 12th house ruler in aspect with neptune or 8th house ruler can make your dreams vivid a lot, it could all range from reflecting past experiences, to traumas and even predicting what someone feels or thinks about the individual with these placements.

🧊 Same goes for chiron in 12th house as they might tend to escape reality by isolating themselves or living in their own world/dreams

🧊 Having mercury in a positive aspect (conjunction, trine, sextile) with uranus retrograde/neptune retrograde can make someone very, very intuitive and tend to speak about random topics just because their intuition said so or is storing a huge gut feeling so they just have to speak it out

🧊 Moon opposite neptune people are filled with dissapointment as they cant do much in their ways because they mostly predict things wrongly no matter how logically things should have actually gone

🧊 Water risings/6th house people tend to have problems with sweaty hands and feet or problems with dehydration

I hope yall find these notes useful and relatable, if there are any errors in observations lmk in the comments, lya <3

[astrolovecosmos]

The April 8th 2024 Eclipse

There's been a LOT of information out there about the infamous April 8th eclipse. From a straightforward astrological perspective an eclipse represents repressed thoughts, feelings, and energy coming to the surface in a forceful way. While many cultures have deemed eclipses as bad luck or a sign of destruction and doom this isn't fully representative of a modern astrological standpoint. Karma and themes surrounding the collective can certainly exist within the eclipse in many ways. If the placements of the eclipse conjunct your placements, then you may be affected more than others. Those with the same modality (cardinal, mutable, fixed) as the sign of the eclipse can be influenced too. Don't forget to pay attention to the House your placements are in if you are influenced by it, this will give clues to the environment surrounding its effect.

The collective is always influenced by eclipses which is why many astrologers will speak about world or societal events surrounding them.

When there is a solar eclipse, this represents light of consciousness, life force, and vitality being blocked out by the subconscious, unseen, emotions, and potentially irrationality by the Moon. When there is a lunar eclipse it represents rationality, warmth, and giving (the Sun) overcoming the primal and emotional side of the Moon.

On April 8th the Sun and Moon will be in Aries, a sign of war, recklessness, competitiveness, anger, and passion. I am not making any predictions for the eclipse, but this can explain many of the intense claims out there. The fire element overall can disrupt energy flow, confidence, and activity. Aries also represents enthusiasm, enterprise, winning, leadership, adaptability, and new beginnings. Eclipses ultimately ask us to change and reevaluate, they bring thoughts and feelings to our attention.

There are other aspects and placements that have been adding extra "flavor" to this eclipse. Mercury will be retrograde in Aries during the eclipse which adds more challenges, especially to travel (a time where MILLIONS are traveling). Be mindful of emotional outbursts, harsh truths, and impulsive anger or communication from this retrograde.

Jupiter Conjunct Uranus is a major aspect for April and while the exact conjunction won't occur until later in the month many believe this will cause expansion, explosion, abruption, and/or a major shift in global events. With the two planets in Taurus most astrologers are predicting the aspect to influence finances, economies, the environment, food, the material world.

Sun Conjunct Chiron will be happening on the 8th, which can indicate the collective confrontation of wounds related to similar themes as the eclipse - a fresh start, assertion, force, bravery, initiative, selfishness, survival, impulse, self-expression, and identity.

It is important to remember that the eclipse's influence is not for one day or moment, there are debates about how long an eclipse's energy/influence will last but many will cite that the effect is at its height in the month leading up to the eclipse with influence being felt up to six months before or after the event.

I am not a Vedic astrologer but in Vedic astrology the eclipse is in Pisces which is a sign that represents endings, completion, returning to the whole vs. the newness of Aries. Pisces also has a strong connection to spirituality, an active imagination, is famous for intuition, empathy, and healing as well as illusions, addictions, isolation, guilt, blame, belief, and confusion. When an eclipse is in the water element it messes with our emotions, feelings of security, and attachments.

Whichever type of astrology you practice and follow I hope this gave you a big picture idea of how eclipses work.

[krisluxxeeempress]

Astrology Observations

Those with Mercury in Cancer tend to eat, to process their thoughts. For example, if a mercury in cancer individual has a paper to write and are struggling to formulate words, they will stop to get something to eat and while they’re chewing, their thoughts become clearer about the subject matter. Cancerians love food and when placed here, it helps their mental functioning.

Mars Square Pluto Aspect will force a MF to face and fight their battles, fears and WIN. Mars is the God of War ruling over soldiers, warriors, fighters, champions and heroes. You have the spirit of a champion but with every champion, you must TRAIN as such. Whatever sign or house Pluto resides in, will reveal the type of training you undergo during your “training camp. (ex. boxers do not train the same as soldiers but they both have an opponent they need to take out/ down)  The Individuals  who stick the course and endure- usually come out of mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually stronger. They come out on top! If you have Mars or Pluto (retrograded) , this aspect is fought within. You are fighting yourself, you vs. you. You are your enemy, and you will have to fight the version of yourself that is weakening, sabotaging, discouraging and ultimately holding you back. The battles fought could be fear, denial, self-doubt, insecurity, inferiority, addiction, abuse etc. Anything or anyone that makes you feel powerless, you will be forced to overpower it/them or die trying.

The quotes “only the strong survive” and or “ death before dishonor” can be used to explain this aspect.

Pluto in Capricorn 6th House ( especially retrograded) Makes individuals obsessed with achieving greatness and success on a grand scale. If this isn’t accomplished Pluto can also make one begin to self-destruct in such a way that it’s hard to bounce back from. This placement promises a slow grind and slow demise. Considering Pluto is farthest from the sun, that is seen by all, no one will notice the trials and tribulations one must overcome until they either overcome or succumb. This placement can certainly be discouraging if one is unable to handle the pressure that is placement gives.  We all want to be successful until it’s time to put in the consistent time, effort and energy required. It’s a heavy weight to carry. “Heavy is the head that wears the crown”.

Saturn in Aquarius 8th house ( especially retrograded) Individuals with this placement do like people at all. They are forced to experience and witness all the negativity humans are capable of. Because of this, these people are not only rebellious towards societal norms but also resentful towards all who uphold and live by these societal constructs. These individuals categorize everyone. If they experience rudeness from one person, they will conclude everyone is rude etc. This placement gives these individuals a solid reason to dislike everyone. The sign of Aquarius is naturally rebellious and different in comparison to most. They do not have to try; however, Saturn in Aquarius 8th house gives them a REASON to be rebellious. There’s a major difference. They are constantly in situations where they are forced to see what others attempt to hide about themselves including the corrupt in governments, business and other countries. They observe everything that is wrong and experience injustices to confirm what is wrong with everything and everyone. These individuals really would prefer not to be bothered by anyone and wouldn’t be if it was possible. They are pessimistic because they are realist. This placement will make these people extremely indifferent to the suffering of humanity because they “feel” it’s deserved. High levels of intelligence are granted to those with this placement making it difficult to tolerate many people who are simple/ narrow minded and impressionable. This placement is unbearable especially in their younger years because with Saturn’s influence, they must learn to control their anger, resentment and hatred towards humanity. These are our misanthrope’s, sociopaths, psychopaths and murderers. If this energy is retrograded in one’s chart- they have more control over their disdain towards others. They are more aware of the consequences that would follow if they acted on these violent urges deriving from hatred. When the government is lying, they know and can’t stand when others can’t see or worse- accept they’re being lied to. When workplaces pull some bullsh*, they see if before it occurs and can’t stand when others “fall victim” or willingly conform. When people get caught up, confused and taken advantage of in relationships- these individuals can’t understand how others can’t see it or won’t leave it. Everything that most find so complex and difficult is the complete opposite for them. Lastly, These individuals may enjoy reading psychological thriller books that involve crime, death, detective work and anything considered DARK.

[judasgot-it]

Ello o/, may i request again (dk if i can tho, don't feel pressured if not maken), really love the post you made for the request my heart literally- aawkwkw, i have so many things to say to that post but really busy asfck like if i wnated to, i could literally write a essay or thesis statement, */ahem anyway

BSD boys, while having a fighting/argument with s/o they suddenly grip they're s/o's wrist too hard and ended up leaving a mark (they didn't mean to tho ;-;) that reminded the reader's past child abuse/not used to this type of conflict which lead to angst to comfort or just angst hehe. Idk this is just a random 2am thought(my time rn) I have classes later waking up at 4am too…

AHHHHHH omg yes I'm so sorry I haven't like set up any request rules yet which I should do lol, but I'm so shehejwj but I don't have limits on requests! I just try to get to them when I can &lt;3 Also I'm so sorry about the late response! College is hard x[

But also, I wanna do some scenarios for this, so I'm gonna have to only pick a few that I feel I can write the best for this if that's ok cause ngl I feel the mercury retrograde rn,,,

Scenario: Accidentally triggering past abuse/trauma during an argument (Ranpo, Dazai)

Ranpo

Ranpo was a rather loud guy. That's not his fault, since he's only loud whenever he has a reason to be - he's confident because he knows he can get away with it. He's smart enough to survive some of the most dangerous killers, and is bold enough to laugh in their face about it too.

But god is it aggravating as hell whenever you want to truly talk to the man one on one. Sometimes, you just want to have a normal date with him - like a normal couple and do normal couple stuff.

Like right now, you just want to walk down this busy street and not have to listen to him boast about how stupid people were. It was embarrassing how loud he was about it, how the person who got hit with a car could have easily avoided it had they just checked both sides of the street.

A normal conversation to have after witnesses a horrible event, but you could feel the stares from across the street from the mans wife. Especially towards Ranpo, who seemed to have no social boundaries as everyone else in the area seemed to instead be occupied with the normal human behavior of freaking out after witnessing a man flying in the air and being hit by a car.

To save face, you dragged him away, with him still talking about it as if it were a normal everyday thing. In his world, it probably was - but not to you. Not to normal people, who didn't think about death everyday.

"Ranpo, you need to quiet down."

"What? I'm just saying. It was pretty avoidable you know?"

You turned around to glare at him, gripping your enclasped hands tightly. He thought nothing of it, swirling his ramune bottle rather casually. The ball clinked around with each step the both of you took together.

"I know that. But you do know that it's pretty insensitive to say that in front of him and the wife who saw her husband get hit with a car."

"Y/n."

You were forced back as Ranpo stopped on the sidewalk. It was apart of a narrow stretch of road, empty and away from the commotion, which forced you to look at him. He was staring at you with his eyes, as if trying to puzzle something.

"You don't actually care about them."

There was a pause. You blinked once. Then twice.

"What do you mean by that?"

He held your hand tighter, almost painfully so.

"You don't really care about them that much. So why are you defending them?"

His viridian eyes bore into yours, which deeply unsettled you. He meant nothing by it, especially with the iron grip he had on your hand which kept you in your spot.

"Because not everyone is a superfreak like you Ranpo!"

But it made you incredibly uncomfortable.

You felt the need to defend yourself, somehow.

"Some people have 'empathy' which I know is a foreign concept to people like you."

It was as he cocked his head to the side, like a crow trying to understand what you had just told him. It was as if what you just said had gone right through him, like the wind.

"You don't mean that."

He pulled you towards him. You tried to step back, but you only found yourself stepping around and trying to find your balance again.

You flinched when Ranpo reached to balance you, but you still felt the energy from your sudden bout of frustration pumping through your body. It was embarrassing, but your mind and body were reacting all on their own.

Ranpo kept staring at you, looking past your angry scowl and into something deeper.

"I'm not your enemy Y/n, I know you're upset but there's something more."

He left you feeling naked there.

"It's not that deep. You don't need to defend yourself against me."

You looked down, avoiding his eyes. The sidewalk underneath you was rather cracked and abandoned - there was a dandelion growing just underneath your feet, a rather resilient flower.

"I'm not defending myself, I'm just..."

Ranpo lifted your chin up so you could meet his eyes again, which were now softer, as they had quickly figured out the puzzle that he's struggled with.

You looked back at him. A part of you wanted to keep arguing - it was in your nature, to keep fighting. Unfortunately, it was something you've done for a long time, which Ranpo has figured out by now.

Another thing that made you feel a little uncomfortable.

He met you with a cheeky smile, like a little rat. He closed his eyes, his cheeks raising to meet his eyes.

"I know. You're a good person Y/n."

Dazai

"I just don't think you understand. I can't expect you to, but it's not your problem, so why are you so upset about it?"

Dazai was looking at you from the couch, watching as you were once again picking up bottles he had left from one of his drinking binges. He still smelled of last night, wearing the same clothes and smelling of the various drinks he had lost himself in.

"It clearly is my problem. I'm the one cleaning up your mess right now, so how could I not be involved? Dear god, do you ever look at yourself and want to even try to be better?"

Dazai looked at you, sitting up from his previous lounging position. He stared up, his elbows resting on his knees as he stared at you - his eyebags prominent in the early morning sunlight.

"What do you mean 'try' to be better? Have you ever even known what it's like to be like this?"

You rolled your eyes, dragging the bag to the front door so you could later bring it to the dumpster of your apartments. In your eyes, he was clearly being dramatic - sitting like some sort of mafioso, needing only a cigarette to seal the deal.

"Everyone has had it hard at one point Dazai. Losing yourself to alcohol every night and weekend doesn't justify it. You have a life to live you know? It's worth living."

You heard footsteps approach behind you, and looked up to see Dazai standing a little too close for comfort. His body was warm, and you could see the sweat and stains on his bandages. His hair was usually fluffy hair was greasy, but his eyes - they were dark, simply staring down at you.

"What do you know about living?"

"What?"

He had backed you into the wall, his hands now on either side of you, blocking you from exiting the danger that had become him and whatever emotional rage he had thrown himself into.

"You act like you know so much about life but you know nothing! You don't know anything about death or life - I don't think you know anything at all really. You feel all too comfortable making these assumptions about me when you don't know who I am, do you?"

He was smiling but it didn't reach his eyes at all.

You pushed at him, trying to find space to escape from his hold. His clothes and warmth made you want to burn your skin and run at that moment, and you closed your eyes in order to avoid the worst of your fears as you knew he was staring at you with those eyes that seemed to hold nothing but contempt in that very moment.

When you couldn't break free, instead feeling him pressing himself more against you, you felt your eyes begin to tear up.

"Dazai get the fuck away me."

"Or what? What will you do, oh sweet belladonna?"

You could feel tears build up in your eyes as your pushing did nothing against him - so you resorted to what you knew would work.

You raised your knee as hard as you could, and watched as Dazai fell hard on the ground, falling like a sack of potatoes. He writhed around, clutching his pearls while you gripped your pants, trying to soothe your nerves.

"Dazai I'm..."

You looked around your apartment, looking at the mess that it had become because of him. You looked back down at him, who was still on the ground and wasn't saying anything.

"Dazai I'm going to leave for a bit. Sorry."

I'm so sorry this took so long waaaaahh I'm a slow writer I'm working on it tho ;( also I was thinking about doing Jouno but I felt that it would've been super harsh so maybe I'll do him another time

[seafoamreadings]

week of march 31st, 2024

these are written predominantly for the *rising* signs but they are also intuitively "channeled" enough that they should work for any dominant energy you have! (try your sun if you don't know rising, or more advanced readers can try moon, anywhere you have a stellium, etc and see what works best for you!)

aries: let's not beat around the bush; these are not easy times for aries people. self care is critical. finding joy in the small things is critical. allowing joy and despair or any other blend of emotions to coexist is critical.

taurus: the focus upon your 12th house of hidden things intensifies like a magnifying glass catching something on fire. do not be an ant under that beam. you won't be able to see it necessarily, it's hidden after all. but you can feel that fire and act accordingly.

gemini: the eclipse is no small thing but for you, mercury retrograde is bigger. you will feel an urge to blurt things out, but do not. probably not even to your most trusted circle, unless it is a very serious matter. everything else can wait a few weeks, no?

cancerians: eclipses are always major for you. cardinal eclipses even more so. it isn't until the weekend - actually technically monday! - but you feel it already, i'm sure. mercury retrograde nearby to the eclipse point happens first. it is intense. stay home if you can. if not, keep to yourself a bit anyway. everyone will be blurting things out; let that inform you, don't be the informant.

leo: aries vibes build and build all week which ultimately is good for you in a really transcendent, perhaps also cerebral way. but you also feel the first hints of the coming eclipse which is not meant to be a comfortable time for you. still, comfort can be overrated.

virgo: so much is going on it can be overwhelming to your constitution so take it easy physically AND mentally. avoid debts or loans, other people's money, stay in your lane, etc, but also i suspect a good relationship development occurs IF everything in your partnerships has been aboveboard and authentic.

libra: relationships are always a focus for you of course, but with everything going on in aries there's no way to ignore them or let anything else take center stage for most librans. you have to maintain balance of course, but attend to what needs your attention.

scorpio: no matter how tired of pressure you become, you have more ability to thrive under it than probably any other sign. it intensifies all week, it transmutes us all and you emerge the most beautiful phoenix. doing hard things, surviving hard things, is worth it.

sagittarius: fifth house activity is fun, at minimum in a dramatic soap operatic way. fine, the eclipse is hardcore, mercury is retrograde, and chiron is still over there doing his thing. but see if you can't get a bit of a thrill out of the chaos. start over if you want.

capricorn: these cardinal times are hard on you, but the antidote is to beautify your home and make it a peaceful sanctuary. yes you might want to be out there making status and legacy for yourself, or finding a suitable partnership of one kind or another. for everything a season. but this season is for the peaceful lair you make for yourself, from which you spring forward later in full bloom.

aquarius: your local community or people close to you emotionally are probably in some chaos. your money though? your resources? all good there. avoid delusional spending, just stay a bit frugal and it all plays out very nicely for you.

pisces: something or someone you thought you could depend on - thought you HAD to depend on, maybe - it turns out is not so reliable. it may or may not be their fault. but you have to become independent. if you already are, you are called to rely upon that independence this week, fortify it, and appreciate it. there are still others to lean on. not all is lost.

[truevedicastrology]

Retrograde Realities

🌠🔄 Cosmic Backspins and Their Astrological Impact 🪐✨

You've probably heard someone blame Mercury retrograde for their latest mishap, but did you know that all planets (except the Sun and Moon) go retrograde? Let's dive into this fascinating astrological phenomenon!

What is Retrograde? 🤔 Retrograde is when a planet appears to move backwards in its orbit from our perspective on Earth. It's an optical illusion caused by differences in orbital speeds, but astrologically, it's so much more!

🪐 The Major Players and Their Retro Rhythms:

Mercury ☿

Frequency: 3-4 times a year

Duration: About 3 weeks

Themes: Communication, technology, travel

Effects: Misunderstandings, tech glitches, travel delays

Venus ♀️

Frequency: Every 18 months

Duration: About 40 days

Themes: Love, beauty, finances

Effects: Relationship re-evaluations, financial reconsiderations

Mars ♂️

Frequency: Every 2 years

Duration: About 2.5 months

Themes: Energy, action, desire

Effects: Frustration, misdirected energy, reviewing goals

Jupiter ♃

Frequency: Annually

Duration: About 4 months

Themes: Growth, luck, expansion

Effects: Introspection, philosophical reassessment

Saturn ♄

Frequency: Annually

Duration: About 4.5 months

Themes: Structure, responsibility, limitations

Effects: Karmic lessons, restructuring life areas

Uranus ⛢

Frequency: Annually

Duration: About 5 months

Themes: Innovation, rebellion, sudden changes

Effects: Internal revolutions, unexpected insights

Neptune ♆

Frequency: Annually

Duration: About 5 months

Themes: Dreams, intuition, illusion

Effects: Heightened creativity, spiritual awakenings

Pluto ♇

Frequency: Annually

Duration: About 5 months

Themes: Transformation, power, rebirth

Effects: Deep psychological changes, unearthing hidden truths

🔍 The Retrograde Lowdown:

It's not all bad! Retrogrades are times for the "Re-" words: Reflect, Reassess, Revise, Redo.

Personal planets (Mercury, Venus, Mars) tend to have more noticeable effects in daily life.

Outer planet retrogrades (Jupiter through Pluto) often bring more subtle, long-term changes.

Your birth chart might have retrograde planets - these influence your personality uniquely!

💡 Pro Tip: Check which house in your natal chart the retrograde is happening in. This shows which area of life will be most affected!

🌈 Retrograde Survival Guide:

Don't panic! Retrogrades are natural cycles.

Use the energy for introspection and review.

Be patient with delays and miscommunications.

Avoid starting major new projects if possible.

Double-check important documents and communications.

Take time for self-care and reflection.

🤔 Food for Thought:

How have you experienced retrogrades in your life?

Do you notice differences between various planetary retrogrades?

Any personal stories of retrograde challenges or breakthroughs?

Remember, retrogrades aren't cosmic curses - they're opportunities for growth and realignment. Embrace the backward dance of the planets and see where it leads you! 🌠💃

[inkindofmagic]

Mercury Retrograde in Virgo ☿℞♍︎

august 2023

— Astro News

The Second Mercury Retrograde of 2023 begins the Pre-Shadow in Virgo on August 4 at approx. 3:00 am Universal Time*, and on August 3 at 11:00 pm EDT, and 8:00 am PDT.

Mercury goes Retrograde in Virgo (21º 51') on August 23 at 7:59 pm Universal Time, 3:59 pm EDT, and 12:59 pm PDT.

The Direct Station occurs in Virgo (8º 0') on September 15 at 8:21 pm Universal Time, 4:21 pm EDT, and 1:21 pm PDT.

Mercury ends the Post-Shadow in Virgo on September 30 at approx. 5:15 am Universal Time, 1:15 am EDT, and on September 29 at 10:15 pm PDT.

The previous Retrograde in Virgo occurred in August of 2017 and 2016.

Discover more about Mercury Retrograde ✨here✨

Useful tips on how to survive Mercury Retrograde ✨here✨

source astrologyhoroscopereadings.com

via @inkindofmagic

[harmoonix]

The last Mercury Retrograde for 2023 will end soon y'all 😍🙌🏼🙌🏼 we survived another one!!

In my defense it was in Sagittarius 💅🏼

[a-d-nox]

what's a mars return?

did you know that you can check more than just your sun's return? any time a planet transits and becomes exactly conjunct your planet (it is in the exact sign and degree it was when you were born), you undergo a planetary return. mars returns happen roughly every 2 years (unless there is a retrograde too). my mars return is coming up this august and i couldn't be more thrilled to shed the lessons of my 2021 mars return chart and step onto a new battleground.

but what can a mars return chart show you?

what are you passion at / what you desire to do. your confidence and lack thereof. sex. what makes you angry / frustrated / aggressive / competitive. your impulsive behavior. where you are dominant / a leader. the challenge(s) you face.

sun

ego, leadership, self-confidence, sex life, focus, creative passions, authority, dominance, individuality, leadership development, dignity, awareness of other's intentions, and self-expression desires/passion.

moon

frustration, passion, desire, lust, anger, survival instincts, care for your unit/squad, where you feel most powerful, your blood family, passionate/lustful instincts, fertility, adaptability, relationship with your mother, menstruation, and habits.

mercury

communication about what you want, verbal inspiration of others, debates, arguments, how you antagonize others, the determination of your mind, physical health, perception, short trips, ground transportation, diplomatic mannerisms, aggressive mannerisms, and profanity.

venus

who you lust over, who you're attracted to, your reception of others' love, empathy/sympathy for others, pleasure, self-love/pleasure, compromise, values and moral drive, and possessions.

mars

passion, desire, confidence, ambition, lust, sexual desire, anger/combativeness, aggressiveness/competitiveness, athletics, temper, impulse, dominance over other, activity / physical energy, and violence.

jupiter

luck at pursuing your passions/desires, wins/successes, opportunity to move into leadership roles / win, who is willing to follow you, expansion of you empire, knowledge of the things you desire / are passionate about, wisdom gained from previous experiences, air travel, how you seek justice, exploration of foreign land, and spoils/profit/gains from what you win/achieve.

saturn

hard work, challenges/struggles, what the absence of your father/fatherly figure is like (mars has no father - read that myth here), lack of confidence, delays in you passions/desires, physical limitations, physical discipline, responsibility for others, physical effort, self-control, physical stability, endurance, emotional detachment (battle compartmentalization), and grudges.

uranus

allis, fluctuation in attitude/confidence, online arguments, physical uniqueness, rebellion, unplanned/sudden occurrences (surprise attacks), independence, freedom from others, p0rn0graphy, shock (usually of the traumatic variety), (battlefield) chaos, disasters scenarios, and fans/followers.

neptune

creative plans/strategies, camouflage and how you blend in, over-sensitivity, selflessness/egoism, retreating, intuition, deception/lies/manipulation, passionate inspiration, and fascination.

pluto

physical transformation, power, sex, 0rgasms, destruction of others, death, intensity, physical magnetism, physical regeneration, infatuation with other, obsession with others, seduction, manipulation of other, how you plans evolve and change, and the liabilities you remove from your life.

1h/asc

how you approach life, physical body, confidence, the initiative you take, your ambition, your behavior, physical alterations, individuality, and passion.

2h

impulse spending habits, passion projects / side hustles, your work ethic, material possessions (spoils), stability, giving/receiving, and resources.

3h

communication, your strategic mind, your perceptions, interests, ground transportation, social media (the arguments you get in and your followings), and short journeys.

4h/ic

homes/houses (raiding homes that aren't yours or location of your own home), family/family roots, and the foundation of your plans foundations.

5h

children, talent for arguing or your passions, creative plans, risk-taking activities, hookups, pleasures/desires, and strategy games you play

6h

physical health, fitness routine, your duties towards others, your hygiene, and analytics/strategy.

7h/dsc

long term relationships, physical attraction towards others, partnerships, allis, known enemies, and negotiations.

8h

major physical transformation, sex, death, changes of heart, your partners resources/assets, seduction, secrets, spiritual transformation, surgery/operations, and trauma (ptsd).

9h

(battle) wisdom, morality/ethics, foreign environments / long journeys, travel, and learning about leadership / your passion.

10h/mc

your legacy, your reputation, long-term goals/plans, mission, responsibilities towards others, authority, expertise, and leadership.

11h

allis, gains, desires, awareness of other's intentions towards you, groups you lead, politics, and interaction with others.

12h

mental healing/health, hidden weaknesses, hidden enemies, k!nks, fears, losses, closure from tense situations, repressed memory, past challenges, and mental restrictions that become physical restrictions.

like what you read? leave a tip and state what post it is for! please use my "suggest a post topic" button if you want to see a specific post or mythical asteroid next!

click here for the masterlist

click here for more return chart posts

want a personal reading? click here to check out my reading options and prices!

© a-d-nox 2023 all rights reserved

[germiyahu]

Thinking about this sentiment now that I see tweet after tweet, source after source, refer to "Nakba survivors."

I mean, no matter how you slice it, hundreds of thousands of Arabs at minimum were violently chased out of their homes, which is condemnable. I have no issues with people seeing the Nakba as a tragedy, a crime against humanity, what have you.

But clearly "Nakba survivor" is an attempt at taking some of the punchiness of "Holocaust survivor," or deliberately trying to compare these two events.

And it's a little corny to me, because well, if you were a Nakba survivor you weren't exactly beating the odds. It varies from source to source, but as few as 800 or so Arab civilians were killed, but let's go with the high estimate of about 15,000. Out of 750,000 Palestinian Arabs (and that's a widely agreed upon estimate though there are estimates that put that number even higher) who for whatever reason fled Palestine, that amounts to 2% of the Palestinian Arab population. Actually closer to 1% because only about half of Arabs actually fled the country to begin with.

Let's compare that to a Holocaust survivor. Much longer odds there! 67% of Jews in Europe were wiped out. And not just from militia violence, they were murdered on an industrial scale with industrial means. The number of Jews who outright avoided the violence (c.f. the Palestinian Arabs who did not flee/were not forced to flee) was orders of magnitude smaller.

It's not just a matter of numbers, 15,000 at most compared to 6,000,000, but of percentages (~1% vs ~67%) and it may seem callous to say "well those numbers are so much smaller so they don't matter," because they do matter. But come on! The deliberate and desperate attempt to hitch the Palestinian National Struggle to the wagon of Jewish suffering and genocide is offensive. It's pathetic.

In the grand scheme of things, it's incredibly likely that someone who lived during the Nakba survived it! Most of them quickly found temporary or even permanent homes, even citizenship, in neighboring countries. The Jews of the 1930s had none of that. They were even officially barred from fleeing to Palestine! The survivors were chased out of Europe en masse when they weren't still held in internment camps because no one knew what to do with them (because surrounding countries didn't want them to come back). Oh and don't forget that point about militia violence. The Arabs not only had their own militias who were fighting, but sovereign Arab armies from surrounding friendly states. Jordan even had British officers advising its armies!

So what exactly do you gain from calling those who fled/were expelled from Palestine "survivors" other than the inevitable Holocaust comparisons? I suppose it's part of a canard wherein no matter how inefficiently and unenthusiastically Jews carry out this "75 year slow genocide," it's still a genocide. It was always genocidal in intention.

Yeah, hundreds of thousands fled of their own accord, or because of the general panic and societal collapse among Arab communities, but trust us if the Irgun had tried a little harder they surely would've slaughtered these Arabs at a similar scale to the Jews of Europe! And I mean for the hundreds of thousands who were forcibly evicted at gunpoint... well they Jewish troops would've um... well see Mercury was in retrograde at the time… but seriously they would've massacred them all! You can't trust the Zionist propaganda!

And there are similar connotations with phrases like "Nakba denial" because various sources throughout history having different interpretations of different accounts of a very chaotic time and place is not really going to have the same effect as literal white supremacist bigots insisting that Jewish genocide is greatly overplayed, or straight up a lie, but it should've happened. Even ardent Zionist historians agree that the Nakba at least happened.

The reason I linked that previous post I made is because the sentiment is crystal clear. There are people who very much want the Palestinian National Struggle to have its own Shoah. They want Palestine to be a survivor like Am Yisrael. Whether that's to demonize Jews as hypocrites who became the very monsters who tried to annihilate them, or because the shine of being a Victim is capital in Leftist spaces, who knows.

But I sense an inherent numbness to Jewish oppression and suffering. Six million is a statistic, but a few hundred or thousand is such a sickening tragedy that it justifies violently harassing Jews in America, Australia, Canada, and Europe.

The Jews of Europe being herded like cattle to their systematic slaughter is something you (maybe) learn about in history, but the Arabs of Palestine and their allied neighbors fighting on much more even terms but losing is an injustice that justified chasing an even greater number of West Asian and North African Jews out of their countries.

The Holocaust was bad, sure, but the Nakba was so inhumane that the only recourse is to destroy Israel utterly, and who gives a damn what happens to 7 million Jews (almost all refugees and their descendants). They deserve it for what they did to Palestinians! The Shoah was "so long ago," but the Nakba is "ongoing," even though the former ended only 3 years before the latter.

Arab, Palestinian, Muslim life is intrinsically fragile and precious to the antizionist. Jewish life is cheap, and a nuisance. Begging them to learn about it and cherish it is propaganda and both sidesing the issue. And it's a convenient weapon for them. Those of us who do care about Palestinian lives can be accused of not caring at all because we dare to put the conflict in context, or insist that Jewish lives not be cast aside.