February 5/6: Mercury retrograde gains strength combined with Vesta, Saturn and star cluster M93, structuring the mind with concentration but also expressing rigidity and confrontation

February 5/6: Mercury retrograde conjunct Vesta, sextile Saturn and in opposition to star cluster M93. This combination points to a very special mental concentration, which gives strength to thoughts and words. Vesta's ability to focus is mixed with the intellectual and communicative tendency of Mercury, and also with Saturn's sense of structure. This indicates this is a very good day to give some structure to scattered information and to advance in projects that require a strong mental concentration. Giving order to our mental chaos (or material as well) can be difficult at other times, but today, results can be excellent.The sense of duty may be to our advantage!

     However, the same combination can match a stubborn and limiting attitude. Mercury and Vesta are in ecliptic opposition to star cluster M93, which indicates the need to "be right". M93, a star cluster located in the constellation Puppis, has many G-type stars (like our Sun) and also of type A, suggesting a need to be heard and to impose viewpoints. With M93, ideas take on a connotation of power, and the sextile to Saturn represents "being right". It is possible that in many cases the truth will come to light, but the problem is that the trend is towards imposition, not objectivity, and towards rigidity, not flexibility. It is likely that today ideological extremes will manifest, and in many cases, repressive or controlling, as befits the dark nature of Saturn. Therefore, it is desirable to avoid confrontations and falling into power plays while focusing on one's own duties, in peace.

      Mercury is undoubtedly the busiest planet today: it also parallels the Sun and the Hyades cluster. This also represents great mental strength, and we should use it to put our mind in accordance with our inner will. Do our thoughts match with our actions, with what our intuition is telling us? When Mercury and the Sun conjunct or parallel, our mental programming is "reset", adjusting to the internal or external reality. This process can be enhanced by the presence of the Hyades, a naked-eye star cluster located in the constellation Taurus. The Hyades cluster contains stars of all spectral types, but has a particular deficiency in stars of very high and very low temperature (Types O and M). This suggests that the Hyades are "anti-extremist". It is therefore a good time to drop extreme views and seek moderation, to really redefine our goals and procedures in different areas of our lives...

      This reassessment of our ideas, combined with the mental power represented by Mercury / Vesta / Saturn can put things in place, neutralizing uncertainties, fixing unclear ideas. However, as we have seen, is necessary to prevent mental rigidity and not to exaggerate strict attitudes or criticism.

    There are several other astrological trends operating right at this time! Check the Galactic Guide on Facebook and Twitter, where you can find more comments about combinations that the objects in our solar system make with deep space objects:

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Carlos Duarte
Research Astrologer