Mercury – the messenger of the gods – is now deep in the trenches of another Mercury Retrograde, but tomorrow he is about to do something he hasn’t done for almost a decade!

For about 7 hours on May 9, 2016 Mercury will travel over the sun and will be visible as a tiny dark circle cutting across the sun’s disc.    Do not look for this without proper eye protection!  Binoculars or a telescope with solar filters are needed to see it.

Occurring just as Jupiter goes direct (at 5:16 am PT), this rare solar transit of Mercury (from 3:12 am – 10:42 am PT) can suddenly ignite the mind and open blocked channels.  This powerful combination of influences will give a burst of inspiration and insight – especially for those in Mercury dasha cycles.
 
When Mercury is combust (close to the sun) it is said that his power burns up in the sun’s rays, however when Mercury gets this close to the solar disc combustion becomes “cazimi.” 
 
Solar light is the light of the soul, and in this brief transit it will become a vehicle for our mental activities and words.  A window will open in which the sun can super-charge the mind with the brilliant light of the soul. In a sense, this means that for a moment the mind and the spirit will become one.  
 
Jupiter’s near stationary position (full stop all day) and trinal aspect will enliven this transit with visionary optimism and expansive hope. This could be a fabulous time for brain-storming new ideas or contemplating future strategies and plans.   However, be careful of overloaded circuitry and electrical shocks, and try as much as possible to ride this mercury transit with a sense of humor.  This is a great little window of opportunity for writers and all those in communication and trades to push their visions forward.
 
And while Jupiter going direct does get things flowing forward again, according to Vedic Astrology, Jupiter is actually more progressive and benevolent when in retrograde. This is because Jupiter’s apparent magnitude is much greater in the time periods around retrograde.  Jupiter will now begin to diminish in power, dimming ever so slightly everyday for the next 6 months.  In general this may decrease some of the pressure we may have been feeling around spiritual growth, education, political and transcendental issues.  To understand how it will affect you on a personal level, book a one-on-one Vedic Astrology Reading with me here.