Star Poetry: Mercury Retrograde

This is the Mercury Retrograde of all Mercury Retrogrades, folks.

It’s happening in Gemini, the sign ruled by Mercury, through a Gemini Eclipse season, and the midpoint of the Retrograde – the day Mercury is Cazimi, exactly conjunct the Sun – is the day of our Solar Eclipse. To boot, Mercury will be making three squares with Neptune through this time period (one of which is already happening) casting an extraordinarily dreamy, enchanting, and perhaps confusing hue over the next few weeks.

To celebrate, Oilbhe Pepper and Charlie Cross are leading a 3 session-long class series, in which we’ll be presenting much of the information we’ve been gathering for our book over the last year, which will hopefully be finished this summer. This book sets forth the paradigm of Star Poetry, a novel, artistic approach to astrology, planetary remediation, and astrological magic, and applies it to the Deity of Magic themself, Mercury. We’ll be giving early access to the book to everyone who takes part in the class!

Mercury represents our process of thought, cognition, perception, and communication. It’s a common experience that while Mercury is retrograde – and the times before and after, when Mercury is moving quite slowly – that we run into sudden challenges. We run into unusual technical snafus, can’t find easy, quick, answers to challenging questions, and logistical wires get crossed. These can also be some of the most magical times of the year, when the mythological nature of life becomes more readily apparent.

Oilbhe and Charlie will be leading the members of this class through a process to fully engage with this potent time. We’ll help everyone tailor their contemplations and ritual process to their own particular moment (with extra office hours to conspire), but the strategies we’ll be sharing will be applicable to each of Mercury’s Thrice-Yearly retrograde cycles. On top, we’ll give you free, early access to our book, which will hopefully be ready later this summer!

Once you sign up, we’ll send you your first assignment – a ritual observation of Mercury, which will ideally take place as a direct, naked-eye encounter. This is a chance to introduce yourself to Mercury, start a growing relationship with them, and set a container for your next few weeks in working with them.

Our first class will take place on May 26th, the day of the Lunar Eclipse and three days before Mercury stations retrograde.

Our second class will take place on June 9th, the day before the exact midpoint of the retrograde, Mercury’s Cazimi (conjunction with the Sun) and the day of the Solar Eclipse.

Our third and final class will take place on June 23rd, just after the Summer Solstice.

Each one will be recorded, and there will be office hours to consult and conspire with Charlie and Oilbhe between each class. We’ll also have a Google Classroom to share your ideas and experiences.

We are asking $88 for the three-part series, although scholarships and payment plans are available if necessary. Simply let us know about your situation in our signup form.

Oilbhe Ephraim Pepper is a folk healer, spiritual activist, multi-disciplinary artist and mystic, using any pronouns, and currently living in Taos, New Mexico, on unceded Tiwa land. Oilbhe grew up exposed to and immersed in many heritage traditions, working with teachers of tarot, shamanism, anti-oppression and ritual theatre. They have experienced the planets and stars as living spirits for thirty years, encountering them through dreams and through tangible visitations. You can visit their website at schoolforallages.com

Charlie Cross is an astrologer, artist, and athlete, using he/him and they/them pronouns. Charlie is originally from San Antonio, Texas, but currently living in Dornach, Switzerland, where they study Anthroposophy, the tradition initiated by Rudolf Steiner. Since starting to practice Astrology in 2013, they’ve taught classes with the Astrological Society of Austin and written content for and done thousands of readings through the Sanctuary App. You can read their recent paper, Star Logic, Star Wisdom and Star Poetry, here, and visit their website at astrologyally.com