| Jo Tracey Astrology |
| Astrology in Real Life |
As I write, Mercury has moved into Virgo. This is good news on a couple of fronts:
Anyhow, here is the link to the post on Mercury in Virgo…
Pic by me
‘and on that farm he had a …. crocodile!’ announced Sarah.
‘But there aren’t any crocodiles on farms, Sarwah,’ pointed out A.
My daughter and my niece were singing “Old Macdonald Had a Farm” in the back of the car. Both girls were about 4 at the time and very cute.
‘Well, there was on this farm.’
‘But what sort of farm was it Sarwah?’
‘The sort of farm that has crocodiles on it I spose….’ Sarah thinks carefully before announcing with great confidence: ‘I know… it must have been a crocodile farm.’
By this point my husband and I were giggling. Two more different cousins you could not imagine- our brown eyed Sarah is a typical Aries, whilst blonde & blue eyed A, is Virgo personified. Sarah, like most Aries, has problems with detail and quite simply can’t be faffed with anything that isn’t jumping around singing “notice me”. A, like most Virgos, can’t understand why Sarah wants to move on so quickly. As different as they are they have always got on beautifully, with each complementing the other.
‘OK.’ A seems unusually accepting of this response. The back seat is silent.
‘But what sort of noise do crocodiles make Sarwah?’ she eventually asks.
‘Crocodile noises, I guess,’ replies Sares.
‘Are there any other animals on crocodile farms?’
‘Of course there are,’ says Sares.
‘But wouldn’t the crocodiles eat them all?’ asks A.
‘How about we sing another song?’ I interject from the front seat.
A has Mercury in Virgo- and has the quick, yet supremely analytical, mind to go with it. Sarah has Mercury in Aries and can’t be bothered looking below the surface.
Mercury is about how you communicate, the way in which you process information, and how you think, how you learn, the questions you ask. And, if you have Mercury in Virgo, you will ask an awful lot of questions! Mercury in Virgo concentrates on the details- every single little detail. Nothing is below the notice of Mercury in Virgo.
Mercury rules Virgo and is strong, smart and extremely sharp in this position. From one who has the worst Mercury in history, the only (and rather mean) comfort I take is that during Mercury retrograde periods, you are likely to be substantially more affected than I am. During Mercury retrograde periods, your thought processes become more internalized…more like a Piscean. And guess what? We have a retrograde period coming up in just a week…but more on that later…
Mercury in Virgo is the ultimate record keeper and statistician, forgetting nothing, and having a place for everything. This placement has a quick and brilliant mind (although sell themselves short), and the ability to make conversation on numerous subjects (but think they could be smarter). They write beautifully (yet edit themselves constantly). I once gave a friend with Mercury in Virgo a journal with the instruction not to re-read or edit anything she had written, as that would be tantamount to editing her own thoughts and feelings. Mercury in Virgo is humble.
Where others simply see problems, Mercury in Virgo breaks them down into readily digestible pieces and organizes that information into categories where it will be most useful. Once she can see a logical order she can proceed. The danger with this approach is paralysis by analysis- a tendency to over-think an issue, but the up side is an extremely well articulated response.
Like Mercury in all the Earth signs, the urge to be practical can sometimes mean that communication is not as sensitive as it could be. This is simply because Mercury in Virgo likes to be matter of fact- don’t call her with problems unless you want her to offer you a straight forward and very practical solution…and to ask you multiple times how that solution is going. This placement has a great desire to be helpful, but may find it difficult to empathise.
When she asks about your health, she is genuinely interested in your response. The issue may be that she simply doesn’t know when to stop asking you or when to stop talking about that argument that you had with your husband and happened to mention in passing two months ago and now just want to forget ever happened. As far as you are concerned you never want to talk about it again. As far as she is concerned, she has some information in her head which hasn’t been properly categorized and can’t be filed away until it is complete…and she will continue to ask questions until (in her mind) it is.
As tough as it may be for the one on the receiving end, imagine life in the head of Mercury in Virgo as situations and words and questions are played over and over. Like all Earth Mercuries, Virgo does worry…but not about the unknown- the unknown is, well, unknown. She will instead worry about the detail of what is known until it is all known…and then she may worry about whether there really is more to know about it. OK, I may sound flippant and a tad exaggerated, but this is what it is…
Mercury in Virgo is critical, picky, and may come across as being negative. Again, she is just telling it how it is. Never ask if your bum looks fat in those jeans- she will tell you it does and what you need to do to make it better. Not because she wants to be mean spirited, but because she truly believes that perfection can be attained and if you asked, you must want to know. It is this idealism, and an awareness of how things are versus how they can be that drives this analytical and very literal placement.
But to those of us with a weaker Mercury and a more expansive arse, a little less analysis and a little more dishonesty would be nice!
These days A’s questions are around my astrology. It fascinates her, but not in a metaphysical possibility way (Mercury in Virgo leaves possibilities for those with a weaker Mercury…like PiscesJ) but in a “I’m going to keep asking questions until a get a practical understanding of what it is you do and why it is that you do it” sort of way. I can’t answer these.
Other questions like “can you tell what I will do when I grow up?” or “can you tell me who I will marry?” or “can you tell me when I am going to die?” I won’t answer. And my responses of “I can tell you where your potentials and challenges are” or “I can tell you what type of relationship will suit you” or “why would you want to know?” are, to A, unacceptable and inconclusive. I know that she will continue to ask until she gets answers that she can do something with, answers that are useful. I quite simply don’t speak Virgo.
A couple of months after the car incident, my sister and I take the girls to the Opera House to see a kids play called “the Flying Babies.” Sarah is laughing very hard at their antics, but A seems thoughtful.
‘Aunty Jo?’ she whispers loudly, ‘They are very big babies.’
‘That’s because they aren’t really babies, they are grown ups dressed up as babies,’ I explain.
‘So, they are really grown ups dressed up as babies?’
‘Yes.’
‘But, Aunty Jo, why would grown ups want to dress up as babies?’
I look across at Sarah, she is still completely focused on the stage.
‘Because they are actors.’
‘What are actors?’
‘People who pretend to be something or somebody else,’ I reply.
‘But why would people want to pretend to be something that they aren’t?’ she asks, ‘Isn’t that like fibbing…and Mum says it is bad to fib?’
Without denying her absolute logic, I reply in the only way I know:
‘A, I think you better ask your mother!’
Gotta love ya A!
Mercury moves into Virgo at approximately 4.10am on Friday 29/7/11…that’s Sydney time, if you want to be exact-ish…
A few months ago I posted a story on astrology.com regarding multi-tasking- Just Another Corporate Myth? Mercury is currently retrograde, and at this time we need to be aware but not necessarily alarmed.
Mercury in Virgo is the ultimate multi-tasker- if indeed there is such a thing. But does this really mean that Mercury in Virgo gets more done than other signs or simply that she takes on too much in Virgo? Maybe this retrograde period is a time for us all to re-focus on what is really important.
While Mercury is retrograde in Virgo, the risk is in attempting to juggle too much and in so doing miss details which you may otherwise be across the top of. This is the environment in which the trickster does his best work. This is the environment in which mistakes are made, appointments missed, data is lost, communication is confused.
Mercury in Virgos greatest strength is her attention to detail, it can also be her greatest weakness. Virgo in general tends to take on more than what she should- partly because she wants to be of service, partly because she wants it done right and partly because she believes that she is the only one who can do it right. In order to apply her level of detail to everything, she often works twice or 3 times as long and as hard as everyone else does- often at the cost of her own health and welfare.
This retrograde is happening in Virgo, so health issues may well raise their nasty little heads during the next few weeks. That makes this a great time to put the “re” prefix in front of all your healthy (or not so healthy) habits. Review, revise, re-configure, re-program.
No matter how much you think you have to do, prioritise your tasks and focus on one thing at a time. I know you think that this isn’t possible, but if you realistically look at your expectations and those of others, you may find out that there is a gap between just how much you really have to do vs how much you feel that you should do. And that gap could be in your favour.
As I write this I am watching Thursday nights episode of Rush (an Aussie police drama set in Melbourne). The screen is reduced to take up half of my screen, with this document on the other half. Am I genuinely multi-tasking as I do this? Not a chance. Sure I am vaguely registering how good Snr Sergeant Lawson Blake’s bum looks in that tactical response uniform, but I can’t say that my focus is genuinely split in 2 directions. It isn’t possible.
One snippet I read recently on the whole multi-tasking discussion argued that multi-tasking more effectively involves thinking before acting, and really shows more of an ability to manage time, acknowledge distractions for what they are, but re-focus on the task at hand before moving on.
So during this retrograde, how about we re-focus our attitude towards multiple tasks, re-prioritise what is important and learn to live with this re-ality. Worth thinking about?
‘and on that farm he had a …. crocodile!’ announced Sarah.
‘But there aren’t any crocodiles on farms, Sarwah,’ pointed out A.
My daughter and my niece were singing “Old Macdonald Had a Farm” in the back of the car. Both girls were about 4 at the time and very cute.
‘Well, there was on this farm.’
‘But what sort of farm was it Sarwah?’
‘The sort of farm that has crocodiles on it I spose….’ Sarah thinks carefully before announcing with great confidence: ‘ I know… it must have been a crocodile farm.’
By this point my husband and I were giggling. Two more different cousins you could not imagine- our brown eyed Sarah is a typical Aries, whilst blonde & blue eyed A, likes the detail. Sarah, like most Aries, has problems with detail. A, like most Virgos, can’t understand why Sarah wants to move on so quickly. As different as they are they have always got on beautifully, with each complementing the other.
‘OK.’ A seems unusually accepting of this response. The back seat is silent.
‘But what sort of noise do crocodiles make Sarwah?’ she eventually asks.
‘Crocodile noises, I guess,’ replies Sares.
‘Are there any other animals on crocodile farms?’
‘Of course there are,’ says Sares.
‘But wouldn’t the crocodiles eat them all?’ asks A.
‘How about we sing another song?’ I interject from the front seat.
A has Mercury in Virgo- and has the quick, yet supremely analytical, mind to go with it. Sarah has Mercury (conjunct Mars) in Aries and can’t be bothered.
I have the absolute worst possible Mercury in history. And, given that Mercury is about how you communicate, the way in which you process information, and how you think, it is actually a miracle that I can even string 2 words together, let alone be able to sell coal to Newcastle when I have had a few bevies. In fact, I once (under the intellectual influence of a few red wines) convinced an ex Liberal would be prime minister that it was a great idea to buy a painting (for a ridiculous sum of money) that “looked like happiness should feel”.
Why is my Mercury so bad? Amongst a myriad of other problems, my Mercury is in Pisces where it is traditionally in the sign of both its detriment and fall. Mercury has difficulty expressing itself in mutable, watery, no boundaries Pisces.
If you have Mercury in Virgo, your Mercury is exactly opposite to mine- Mercury rules Virgo and is strong, smart and extremely sharp in this position. The only (and rather mean) comfort I take from this is that during Mercury retrograde periods, you are likely to be substantially more affected than I am.
Where Mercury in Pisces is about the “big picture” and “beyondness”, Mercury in Virgo concentrates on the details- every single little detail. Nothing is below the notice of Mercury in Virgo.
Mercury in Virgo is the ultimate record keeper and statistician, forgetting nothing, and having a place for everything. This placement has a quick and brilliant mind (although sell themselves short), and the ability to make conversation on numerous subjects (but think they could be smarter). They write beautifully, yet edit themselves constantly. I once gave a Mercury in Virgo friend a journal with the instruction not to re-read or edit anything she had written, as that would be tantamount to editing her own thoughts and feelings. Mercury in Virgo is humble.
Where others simply see problems, Mercury in Virgo breaks them down into readily digestible pieces. Once she can see a logical order she can proceed. The danger with this approach is paralysis by analysis- a tendency to over-think an issue, but the up side is an extremely well articulated response.
Like Mercury in all the Earth signs, the urge to be practical, can sometimes mean that communication is not as sensitive as it could be. This is simply because Mercury in Virgo likes to be matter of fact- don’t call her with problems unless you want her to offer you a straight forward and very practical solution. This placement has a great desire to be helpful. When she asks about your health, she is genuinely interested in your response.
Mercury in Virgo is critical, picky, and may come across as being negative. Again, she is just telling it how it is. Never ask if your bum looks fat in those jeans- she will tell you it does and what you need to do to make it better. Not because she wants to be mean spirited, but because she truly believes that perfection can be attained. It is this idealism, and an awareness of how things are versus how they can be that drives this analytical placement.
But to those of us with a weaker Mercury and a more expansive arse, a little less analysis and a little more dishonesty would be nice!
A couple of months after the car incident, my sister and I take the girls to the Opera House to see a kids play called “the Flying Babies.” Sarah is laughing very hard, but A seems thoughtful.
‘Aunty Jo?’ she whispers loudly, ‘They are very big babies.’
‘That’s because they aren’t really babies, they are grown ups dressed up as babies,’ I explain.
‘So, they are really grown ups dressed up as babies?’
‘Yes.’
‘But, Aunty Jo, why would grown ups want to dress up as babies?’
I look across at Sarah, she is still completely focused on the stage.
‘Because they are actors.’
‘What are actors?’
‘People who pretend to be something or somebody else,’ I reply.
‘But why would people want to pretend to be something that they aren’t?’ she asks, ‘Isn’t that like fibbing…and Mum says it is bad to fib?’
Without denying her absolute logic, I reply in the only way I know:
‘A, I think you better ask your mother!’
Gotta love ya A!
The Moon is about to move into watery Pisces…and as I sit here freezing in trackpants and ugg boots, freezing through a cold, wet Sydney day, watery it certainly is. Expect to be a tad emotional over the next few days, for some of us that translates to being even more emotional than usual…you have been warned.
Mercury has moved into super sharp, super analytical, super critical Virgo. This question came through on google the other day, and seems appropriate to post now:
My boyfriend has Mercury in Virgo and is a nitpicker. Is this normal?
Ouch! With all due respect and no intention to upset all the Virgos who read this site regularly, here goes:
Aside from anything, I have noticed that only those who have neither the focus or the energy to complete tasks or communications right the 1st time accuse others of nagging or nit-picking. So there!
To illustrate this, I will use an email which turned up in my inbox last week. A moving and mythical story, whilst a tad politically incorrect, the message is vaguely appropriate:
A man asked an American Indian what was his wifes’ name.
He replied, “She’s called Five Horses“.
The man said, “That’s an unusual name for your wife. What does it mean?”
The Old Indian answered, “It old Indian Name. It means …
. . . NAG, NAG, NAG, NAG, NAG!”
Hmmm a previously good friend had the hide to ask if that is the pet name my husband uses for me….
