At I write this, the planet Mercury is making a transit of the Sun. This is the direct motion transit so Mercury will be behind the Sun, in relation to our point of view on earth. For a few days Mercury is hidden from view as the rays of the sun prevent us from seeing the little planet, even by telescope. This is considered debilitating symbolically for the mind. However, for a few hours, right now, as Mercury sits at the very center of the conjunction, it is called Cazimi, which means “in the heart of the Sun”. This is the few hours of magic and genius which we can all harness if we are fortunate today.
(image: www.fallonastro.com)
Mercury needs to be within 17 minutes of arc or almost a third of a degree (made up of 60 minutes) latitude, of the exact conjunction with the Sun in the sky above our heads. This occurs three times a year, in sets of two, so that means six times a year. Three are when mercury is going forward or direct, like now, and three are when Mercury is going retrograde. The retrograde conjunctions are considered more powerful since Mercury is between us and the Sun then.
Nevertheless, right now the Conjunction is occurring and Mercury is said to be “on the throne of the Sun” by Medieval and Arabic astrologers. This is when the mind can be at its best and when ideas come to the fore and great progress can be made. Today this cazimi falls directly on my personal IC in my horoscope. The IC or Imum Coli, is the very base point in the horoscope which is drawn up at your time of birth. It represents the home base, the family, ancestry, roots, and end of life.
Somehow today worked out well and I was able to roam the property that I currently call home, and get an idea of the potential here, which is vast and untapped. Also I connected well with my elderly mother and had an inspiring walk together, while discussing the home. The rapport was great and the walk together through the forest at home was special. For you the Mercury conjunct Sun today may affect you differently and offer other opportunities. It depends on your personal horoscope.
Since the ruler of my horoscope’s fourth house (where this cazimi occurs for me) is in my tenth house of career in my horoscope, I was also yesterday able to secure a fine work opportunity, making this one of the high points in my vocation or career this year. It’s a pensive time as the Sun shines and Mercury hides behind the Sun for a few days. Once Mercury passes out of the direct conjunction, it appears on the other side of the Sun but is still invisible due to the blinding rays of the Sun for a few days more.
We will then have Mercury debilitated or incapacitated by the overbearing nature of the Sun’s energy and influence. But in about a week Mercury will be literally visible again to telescope observers as it moves out of the rays of the Sun. So today is the one window of opportunity to capitalize on the cazimi or exact conjunction to harness the potential of the mind, and its bright ideas and creative inspiration.
I try to write and publish a poem or a post on each of the cazimi days, like today, so here is my captain’s blog for this occasion of cazimi. It is a positive report, with good opportunity and a secure foundation and future for the rest of this winter and the foreseeable coming third quarter of 2023. Mercury, as the muse of alchemists and astrologers for millennia, is known as such particularly because it is the closest ally of the Sun, never more than 23 degrees away from the Sun’s position in the zodiac and in the heavens, as seen by astronomers.
