Making Love Last: Mercury–It’s Our Story and We’re Sticking to It

Mercury Love Stories

Mercury is generally not thought of as a “relationship” planet. The planet of our thinking processes, business, commerce and communications, it just doesn’t fit in our notion of romance. At best it gets a glancing blow in composite and synastry chart readings. But we may have to revise our thinking on the importance of Mercury in a relationship. Several studies have shown the importance of Mercury’s processes in keeping a relationship strong.

While good communication between partners is universally recognized as an important element in a strong relationship, the functions of Mercury go deeper than that.

Judith Wallerstein in her 1995 book, “The Good Marriage” describes what astrologers would call a Mercury function as one of the 9 major tasks of making love last. She describes this task as “applying humor in appropriate ways and keeping the relationship interesting to laugh and ward off boredom and ennui.”

Still another aspect of Mercury that of the storyteller is an important quality in a long lasting relationship:

Those who endure have a story, and they stick to it. Robert Sternberg, dean of the school of arts and science at Tufts University, has researched this and has come up with about two dozen relationship stories, some good, some bad. The “fairy tale story” has a prince and a princess; the “visionist story” is a business model, accumulating homes, goods and successful children; the “travel story” says that life is a journey; the “police story” divides the partners’ roles into cop and perp, with the former constantly monitoring the latter; the “war story” means that two people expect constant fights. “What our research shows is that couples tend to be more satisfied if they have matching story profiles,” Sternberg says. Pair a fairy tale believer with a war story believer and “it won’t work,” he says.

Mercury, as the planet of communication, has an important role in maintaining a relationship, even those with less than desirable storylines. More than just being able to talk, Mercury lay the foundation of what the couple view as their reason for staying together.

Weekly Forecast: What Do We Do? What Do We Do?

Witty Mars in Gemini challenges stuck in the mud Saturn in Virgo to do something, ANYTHING, as long as it’s fast, and smart. Saturn in stress aspect (inconjunct) to Jupiter in Aquarius feels the pressure, but feels that

things are out of hand

as it is anyway. The result is a fair amount of wailing and the gnashing of teeth as frustrated people cry, “What do we do? What do we do?”

Aries—Joni Mitchell sang about you. “You are rambler, and a gambler and a sweet talking ladies’ man.” Well, this goes for the women too. And yep, with Gemini in Mars, you are dangling a couple on your line. Someone should slap a warning label on your forehead “Warning—Date at your own risk!”

Taurus—New and unusual opportunities pop up that have the potential to be very lucrative. Don’t stare a gift horse in the mouth. Climb up and ride that sucker. Don’t think too long, or the wagon train will leave without you.

Relationship Astrology: Making Love Last, Part 1–Your Relationship Style

Wedding Ring

In a country where well over 50% of marriages end in divorce, researchers have been looking into what makes love and marriages last.

One researcher interviewed in depth over fifty couples that regarded their marriage as happy. Through this interview process she identified 4 relationship styles and 9 essential psychological tasks to creating a happy relationship. As it turns out, from this astrologer’s perspective, what the researcher did was to peg down the 4 styles of interacting that directly relate to the elements and the developmental tasks of 9 of the ten planets.

Judith S. Wallerstein and Sandra Balkeslee have published a book entitled, “The Good Marriage: How and Why Love Lasts”.

The four types of marriages Judith S. Wallerstein identifies include the “romantic”, the “rescue”, the “companionate” and the “traditional”.

This typology suggests that there is not just one “right” type of relationship but also that multiple styles that are associated with longevity and happiness. However, it also suggests that relationships survive more satisfactorily if the partners’ philosophy concerning the type of relationship they have or want is similar.

Let’s take a look at the four relationship styles and see how they relate to the elements, fire, earth, air and water.

August 16, 2009 ASC New Age Fair!

Mark the date! The Astrological Society of Connecticut New Age Fair will not disappoint. There will be lectures, vendors, and of course, readers of all kinds, from astrology to tarot cards. And this fair, yours truly will be among the readers.

Because the readers are such popular feature, tickets to sign up for a reader are handed at on a first come, first serve basis. Many people arrive early just to get a ticket to sign up. Readings are set up in twenty minute blocks and are very reasonable. If you’ve been looking for a place to get a reading, but not sure what kind you would like, this is the place to come to choose and sample what is available.

So pull out your Blackberry or your Daytimer and make sure you don’t miss the date.

When: August 16, 2009
10 am to 4 pm
Where: The Keeney Memorial Center
200 Main Street
Old Wethersfield, CT

Directions: Take I-91 to exit 26. Follow signs to Old Wethersfield Historical district. At the intersection of Main Street (flag pole), turn left. The hall is the third building down on left. Plenty of free parking in rear of building, on the street, and across the street behind the fire station. The fair is on the second floor.

What’s a Blogger to Do?

Oh No!

Things were banging at Astrology Explored for July. I posted most days, got lots of page views and I was looking forward to the month’s wrap up so I could pat myself on the back. And what happened? The server inexplicably went dark! Nothing like blogging-interruptus to let a girl down! Last year a similar thing happened and it took two weeks for the problem to be resolved. It could be resolved tomorrow, it may not be resolved for weeks at a time. Until then, you will find all my latest posts here.

Photo published under a Creative Commons License from Flickr.

Astrology’s Promise Of Marriage in Your Chart

One client told me that an “astrologer” had told him that he would never marry. Aside from the obvious, that knowledgeable astrologers refrain from making absolute judgments, this person was just plain wrong.

In the “Art of Predictive Astrology” Carol Rushman shows a little technique that helps to predict the number of marriages you can potentially have. She calls this the natal promise.

In a woman’s chart, count the major applying aspects to the Sun: the conjunction, square, opposition, trine and sextile.

For a man’s chart, count the major applying aspects to the Moon.

The planets to look at are Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Rushman observes that Mercury and Venus may bring an opportunity for marriage but often these alliances don’t end up at the altar.

Rushman also observes that the planets in applying aspects are very descriptive of the relationship itself. For instance a relationship representative of Saturn can be very long lasting, but filled with frustrations and burdensome responsibilities. A Jupiter marriage may give a partner who is very good to you. A Uranian marriage may be unusual, with each of the partners go their own ways but coming together from time to time.

In the case of the gentleman above, he has four aspects to his solid Moon in Taurus, but with Mercury, the Sun, Jupiter and Saturn in the sin the sign of Capricorn you can be sure he will marry later in life. Of course, just because you have an opportunity to marry, doesn’t mean you will. It is your choice, after all.

What planet in your chart describes a long lasting relationship?

Some Other Posts On Relationships:

The Moon–The Astrology of How You Feel
Bad Boys–The Uranus Ruled Relationship

Photo from Flickr

Lift Your Spirit at the New Age Fair

Writer’s note: The newspaper who prints my astrology column Shoreview sent me to cover this story, then cut it for “space”. Not wanting to waste anything, including an afternoon of research and writing, I’m sharing it with you.

Maia Lynd

Once a quarter, the Astrological Society of Connecticut gathers together vendors, astrologers, intuitive readers and body workers in a New Age Fair.

For many people just the phrase “New Age” conjures images of people who are “out there”, maybe a bit flaky, people they are not likely to know, at least not well. But the friendly people at the ASC New Age Fair will dispel this notion.

Among the picturesque 17th and 18th century houses of the historic district of Old Wethersfield is the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, a late 19th century public school building renovated in 1985 to become the permanent home of the Wethersfield Historical Society.

Astrology and Domestic Violence

The statistics are there, the warnings were there, there was even a dramatic demonstration of how dangerous the man was, but for 2nd Lieutenant Holley Wimunc, a nurse at Fayetteville, North Carolina’s Fort Bragg, there was not enough protection from the man that would ultimately murder her.

One in four women experience domestic abuse in their lifetime. Approximately 1,400 women die at the hands of their intimate partner each year in the United States. On July 9, 2008 Holley Wimunc became one of them.

Astrological Analysis: A Psych Out of Shawn Spencer

James Roday as Shawn Spencer

Shaw Spencer hails from a family of cops, and was fully expected to carry the torch by his father, Henry, who meticulously schooled his son from a very young age in the finer points of detective work. But while Henry made him a detective, he can’t make Shawn be a detective.
It soon becomes clear that Shawn’s extraordinary powers of observation and deduction are still no match for his overdeveloped sense of fun, as he takes a string of random jobs strictly for enjoyment and entertains himself calling in tips to the police hotline for crimes he sees on television

In the series opener, after calling in one particularly accurate tip, he had to come up with a reason why he knew so much so he wouldn’t be considered a suspect in the crime. His solution, he pretends to be psychic, which apparently is more believable than “I notice things that trained police detectives, don’t.”

Sadly the USA Network or Wikipedia does not give us Shawn’s birthday, so we are on the hunt to peg the horoscope down. Let’s take a look at Shawn’s resume, also posted at USA:

more

Astrological Analysis: The Chirotic Cat

Old Style Siamese

BETH MY SIAMESE WAS BORN ON MARCH 15, 1996 AND HE IS A NUT CASE BUT HE’S ALSO MY BEST BUD – CAN U GIVE NE SOME FEEDBACK ON THIS CRAZY PISCES CAT ?

Cat Felix Sunrise Chart Tropical Koch Mar 15 1996 6:15:40

Because I only have the birth date, not the place or time, we’ll have to look at Felix from the perspective of the planets and their interrelationships.

Sun Essential Energy 25 Pisces 09
Moon Emotional Needs 01 Aquarius 43
Mercury Thinking Process 13 Pisces 29
Venus Value Systems 10 Taurus 18
Mars Survival Instincts 22 Pisces 49
Jupiter Spiritual Connection 13 Capricorn 57
Saturn Duties and Lessons 27 Pisces 10
Uranus Individuation Process 03 Aquarius 23
Neptune Spiritual Lessons 27 Capricorn 12
Pluto Transformation 03 Sagittarius 05
Chiron Pain for Growth Point 12 Libra 25 R

True North Node 17 Libra 18 R
Mean North Node 18 Libra 29 R

Because I only have the birth date, not the place or time, we’ll have to look at Felix from the perspective of the planets and their interrelationships.

Felix has two significant groupings of planets, called stelliums, one in the sign of individualistic Aquarius and the other in the dreamy sign of Pisces. Moon in Aquarius, Neptune and Uranus sits in one group: the Sun in Pisces sits with Mercury, Mars and Saturn in the other. In one sense, Felix is the uber cat, very aloof and independent, quite willing to chill in long naps in the sunlight of a nearby window. This is quite an equalitarian animal as well. Even though you don’t have four legs and tail, he is quite willing to accept you as his equal.