After weeks of almost getting here before going into retrograde then having to retrace its steps to get back to where it started, Mercury finally crossed the threshold from Virgo to Libra at 12:56a PDT on Friday, 7th October.

The most wonderful thing about Mercury being in Libra is that Libra is a cardinal air element sign, which lends itself to intellect and logic – two things Mercury is very comfortable with as the ruling planet of Gemini (mutable air). Libra shifts our focus to one-on-one relationships of all kinds and the balance between the people or parties involved, while Mercury likes to bring its thoughts, ideas, and perceptions to the table.

Therefore, Mercury in Libra allows and encourages us to exchange information and ideas with other individuals with the intention of creating conditions of mutual understanding, diplomatic debate, and the objective negotiation of terms which establish or sustain peace and respect among the parties involved.

Yet understanding isn’t always agreement, and this is where Libra’s peacemaking and peacekeeping talents come to the fore. Libra has a knack for objective assessment of equality, fairness, and justice between two or more parties because its air element enables it to be rather emotionally detached from its subject matter. That Libran detachment will likely play a crucial role in the dialogues occurring throughout these next four weeks as intellectual matters will take priority over most other matters…or at least it will try to.

Mercury’s 2016 presence in Libra means there’s a strong possibility that some “fuzzy logic” could be used in debating and discussing matters of inequality and injustice over these next four weeks. As Mercury is quick-witted and charming in Libra’s cardinal air energy, people who easily talk their way into seemingly impossible blessings and out of complicated situations will find this Mercury in Libra influence relatively easy to navigate. In fact, those who are most comfortable in applying their intellectual and communicative abilities to their advantage may use this energy to charm, confuse, and distract those who aren’t as intellectually savvy or smart, especially if they are in positions of power and influence.

Yet in trying to prove they’re smarter than everyone else in the room, those putting this 2016 Mercury in Libra energy to use may also be a bit too eager to prove their intellectual “superiority”, overlooking some basic common sense in the process. 1) Those who aren’t as smart as they are may be overwhelmed by the information and may simply intellectually tune out the dialogue. 2) Others may recognize the intellectual efforts being made to confuse and distract them, and as result, they may begin seeking out or outright demanding the bottom-line facts in the matters at hand instead of trying to keep up with the pretty words being tossed about to cover any not-so-pretty truths emerging…

…and there will be plenty of words. From 9th-13th October, the amount of intellectual noise increases to a fever pitch and probably to the point of overwhelm for many. Libra is known for being adamant about matters of fairness, justice, and equality, and many of us will indeed reach intellectual “full tilt” as social and societal discussions and debates push us to or beyond our limits of tolerance and acceptance of the status quo. As we realize that the conversations are what they are because there are so many things out of balance in our lives and in our societies, get ready for many people – and possibly even yourself – to say “enough is enough” and jump on the other side of the teeter-totter of whichever positions are emerging as prominent in desperate efforts to bring matters into balance. You’ll notice that there may be enough people experiencing enough upset and outrage to finally make their voices heard and their perspectives known in dynamic and assertive ways, and that there may be enough vocalization to shift the balance of power in unexpected or unpredictable ways.

More and more people will be seeking out and speaking up for truth, justice, and peace as result. This is the beauty of this 2016 Mercury in Libra – that more people will begin speaking up for what they really want (which is balance and harmony) AND speaking out against whatever and whomever doesn’t support or align with those balancing and harmonious intentions. This leads to more dialogue than may be expected about relational equality, fairness, and justice as people begin to see and understand where and how these imbalances exist in their own relationships and interactions, and strive to do something about bringing them into balance.

For a bit more insight as to how this 2016 Mercury in Libra energy plays out, here are some of its upcoming transits:

• Libra Mercury conjunct Jupiter, most exact on 11th October – Listen, and you’ll hear it. People are becoming more aware of where equality, fairness, and justice are and aren’t present. A growing desire for balance, justice, and peace emerges and continues to expand.
• Libra Mercury square Capricorn Mars, most exact on 13th October – What is being said may not be aligning with what is being done…which is why you may see certain people or groups aggressively pushing their agendas at this time. It’s a rush to get things done before their objectives are clear. Seek knowledge and understanding of their objectives before you agree to their actions.
• Libra Mercury sextile Sagittarius Saturn, most exact on 14th October – Are you ready to grow beyond your perceived limitations? Your conversations with others about what you believe to be equal, fair, and just may help you recognize where and how you may be either holding yourself back or allowing others to hold you back.
• Libra Mercury square Capricorn Pluto, most exact on 15th October – Diplomatic intentions and approaches may end up revealing some very non-diplomatic agendas. Those in power want to hold onto their power…which doesn’t sit well with those realizing that the power balance is off and not in their favor. Use your voice to challenge those in power who are not acting in your best interests.
• Libra Mercury opposite Aries Uranus Retrograde, most exact 20th October – What is being said to keep the peace may be in direct opposition to what is being asked for. What’s being said may also be in direct opposition to what is actually being done. Don’t be surprised if dialogues become a little (or a lot) more aggressive as people (including you!) won’t like being called out for their roles in the imbalance of power. You may also find you need to speak up to defend your interests from those who are pretending to share your intentions.

These transits as well as the simple presence of Mercury in Libra will remind us all that sometimes, in trying to outsmart others, we can set ourselves back. It would be wise for us to remember that just because others aren’t as intellectually savvy doesn’t mean they don’t have brains to recognize when they’re being taken for granted or being played for fools.

You’d also be wise to remember this about yourself. You’re not as clueless as others may believe. Use your brain and your voice to your best advantage in these next four weeks. Let those who you believe have power over you know how smart you actually are.

Mercury will be in Libra now through 24th October.

Thank you for reading and sharing Signs and Numbers. Until next post…

~ Light, Love, and Blessings,
Grace