Everyone is Sensitive Right Now

Anyone who spends any time in an online tarot community knows to be careful about what they say. Tarotists are extremely sensitive.

Recently, a person new to the online tarot community commented on this, saying she had never seen a group of people so easily offended. Many folks offered explanations as to why tarotists might in fact be more sensitive and easy to offend than members of other communities might.

At the time, I questioned the assertion that my tarot community would be more easily offended than, say, my drum community or my music community, for instance. 

Recently, listening to some talk shows on my local radio station, I got the fuel I needed for my argument. On a show about music, a guest proclaimed that no community was more sensitive or easily offended than the community of musicians and their fans.

The following show was about the recent Festival de Cannes 2015. Within the first fifteen minutes of the show, the guest was telling us that the film community was the most sensitive and easily offended community of all.

In each case, each person made clear that they had been members of other communities in the past, and so they knew that no community was as thin-skinned as their current community is.

Meanwhile, the  daily news is full of people all over the world who are offended about something or other, and ready to kill and die over it.

Clearly, the problem is not limited to one community, one fan base, or even one country. Right now, the whole world is easily offended.

On explanation could be astrological. Between June of 2012 and March of 2015, there were seven Uranus-Pluto squares. The last series of Uranus-Pluto squares happened between 1932 and 1934. Then, we saw the Great Depression and the beginning of the Holocaust.

Even a non-astrologer like me can understand how Uranus, with its energy of individual exploration and expression could conflict with Pluto, the planet of subconscious forces, transformation and power.

Heavenly events do not create world events. What happens on Earth is mirrored in the heavens. These events are reflected in each one of us. Right now, each of us may feel more defensive and more sensitive than usual. Each one of us may feel the urgent need to express our unique viewpoints.

Soon, a shift will occur and we will all have an easier time getting along, and forgiving each other. Until then, we would all be wise to remember the second of Don Miguel Ruiz’ “Four Agreements”, “Don’t take anything personally”.

Resources for Mercury Retrograde

Mercury is in retrograde from October 4 to October 25, 2014.  Many people are uncomfortable signing contracts, traveling or working with electronics during a Mercury retrograde. While most astrologers will argue that the effects of Mercury retrograde are a real thing, many people don’t understand what Mercury retrograde is and how to work with it.

In case you are concerned about how Mercury might affect your October, here are some online resources to help you understand what’s going on, and what to do about it.

From Zuri, at AskZuri.com, here are “Seven Ways to Successfully Navigate a Mercury Retrograde.”

From Marina Macario at Dark Star Astrology, here is a great discussion of this October’s retrograde.

Here are Gala Darling’s ideas on how to survive a Mercury retrograde.

From Moly Hall, here is a clear understanding of “Mercury Retrograde in Scorpio-Libra.”

Overall, the message of these great astrologers is that we need to prepare for the retrograde and be aware of how it affects us, but Mercury retrograde is nothing to fear.