Mercury in Aquarius

A couple of years ago, while at a restaurant with a friend who loved Astrology as much as me, we decided it would be fun to guess the astrological sign of our waiter. So, we began with the physical analysis (what he was wearing, his body language, etc.) and we concluded that he was an Aquarius. When he arrived at our table, my friend asked for his birthdate. He mentioned his birthday, and sure enough, he was an Aquarius. My friend and I, said happily, “So, you are an Aquarius!” His response, of course, was not surprising. He got very angry and said “I don’t believe in Astrology!” and quickly left from our table. When he came back he gave us a sermon about how Astrology is “pseudoscience.” When he was done speaking, I asked him, “Have you studied Astrology?” When he didn’t respond. I quoted Isaac Newton. “Sir Halley, I have studied the matter, you have not!” and I left it at that.  

This is my example of an “Aquarius moment in time.” Aquarius is a fixed (willful and stubborn) air (belief systems and ideals) sign. Fixed signs will stand their ground, and air signs will fight with words. As Mercury, the planet of words, thoughts, and communication enters the sign of Aquarius on February 5th, 2024, it is important to be mindful of our use of words, and of the ways we identify with our belief systems and ideals. With Pluto, the planet of power and control, conjunct Mercury next week, we may tend to seek to be “right”.  We may seek to take power and control through the use of our words. Communication can be a power struggle.

However, Aquarius at its best is about tolerance. Tolerance begins when we can listen to one another, and step outside our own fixed ideas of “I’m right” and “You are wrong.” We can learn the lesson that we are not our belief systems, thoughts, or ideas. We are the thinkers of the thoughts, not the thoughts themselves. We are the silent observer who thinks the thoughts and who speak the words. But we are not our words. Words, thoughts, and ideas can and will change. Because we as humans evolve so do our belief systems, ideals, and thoughts.

So, if I could go back in time to that moment with the Waiter and be the person that I am now. I would be humble and respectful. I would simply listen to him with an open mind and learn from his perspective. I would understand that the goal in a conversation is not to prove my point, but to learn and be tolerant of the other person’s point of view. There is potential for growth in learning and celebrating our differences, that’s the gift of Aquarius…as Mercury enters Aquarius, let’s keep an open mind and open heart and be willing to learn from one another.

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