The Hit List - This is only a test

There are some who think that Mercury retrograde is a hoax. That’s fine. They can believe that. Maybe they’ve never had issues with the cosmos. Or maybe they don’t pay attention to any of that (kinda like I don’t notice when football season starts). They may pass that cosmic test without batting an eye. Not me.

Perhaps it’s because they don’t have six Mercury ruled planets in their astrological makeup like I do.

When it hits, I feel it, dudes and dudettes. I’m especially sensitive to the “shadow period,” those few weeks before it actually arrives. Like PMS (Pre Mercury Shit), stuff seems to get crampy and make me cranky around that time.

This time, my computer – a brand new one, mind you – crashed, hard. I had to clean install that sucker, which meant a few things got lost along the way. I didn’t really mind though. If I wasn’t reading that crap anyways, might as well Marie Kondo the whole thing! BAM!

The other side of the retrograde coin has been the same old issue I have always tangled with: boundaries. Why is that a Mercury retrograde thing if that’s my continuous problem? It’s because this particular retrograde is happening in Pisces, which tends to blur boundaries. People become blind to spatial awareness, time, and other people’s policies. At least, that is how it seemed lately.

I’ve had folks demanding special treatment. Others wanting me to bend my rules to suit them. And then a few manipulative types trying to pull some woolen socks over my eyes (I kept your previous email so I see you, boo). Frankly, it’s made me saltier than a bag of kettle chips. It’s taken every ounce of my good common sense to restrain my mouth. (It hasn’t stopped me from furious typing on the ole keyboard.)

My husband listened to my gripes, shook his head, and said “I’ve never met anyone who gets buggered in this way like you do. It’s like people don’t respect your boundaries at all.”

He’s right. But one thing I’ve been learning, Mercury retrograde in Pisces or not, is that boundaries require consistent enforcement, especially if your game is weak. I’ve been working hard on them and this period seems to bring little relief. All I can do is continue to practice, practice, practice.

Because this Mercury retrograde (and life) is a test. It’s only a test. I may not be getting straight A’s but I am sure as hell trying.

Bend the knee.

Other Stuff:

Gayle King wasn’t having it.

Also, Oprah got ready to take some heat: The Most Notable Part of Oprah Winfrey’s After Neverland Special.

Ever get one of those dire sounding letters from psychic Maria Duval? Check this out: Key players charged in $200 million psychic mail fraud case.

Compelling: Incarceration helped me find my voice.

About time: These Women Are Revolutionizing Hollywood.

In this week’s Astrology Bytes, I talk about the Finger of Yod.

Just wow: My Family Was On A TLC Reality Show. Here’s The Dark Secret That Never Aired.

Tarot reader Jaymi Elford shares 5 ways to add tarot to your self-care routine.

Here is the least politically prejudiced place in America.

How Trump’s Global Gag Rule Is Stigmatizing Women’s Reproductive Rights Overseas.

Yup: Ignoring Female Expertise Proves We Know Nothing At All, Really.

What are Gate Cards? Rachel Pollack sat down to talk about them.

This is bullshit: Auckland tarot card reader denied Eftpos machine due to ‘high risk’ of tarot industry.

I am going to try this: Sleeping Technique, Reportedly Used by the Military, Can Help You Fall Asleep in 2 Minutes.

Worth a look: Hashtag Authentic: Finding creativity and building a community on Instagram and beyond.

Steven Pressfield is always a good read: The Artist’s Journey: The Wake of the Hero’s Journey and the Lifelong Pursuit of Meaning.

Interesting: Living a Feminist Life.

WANT: The Empath Experience: What to Do When You Feel Everything.

Want to learn tarot but struggling to get started? The Tarot Coloring Book is a great intro (and totally fun!).

You can preorder Tarot For Troubled Times – a book about tarot, shadow work, rituals, activism, and courage.

Classes:

I’m teaching at New Renaissance Books in Portland, Oregon on July 2nd at 6:30. Tarot Cards for Shadow Work – Together we’ll explore shadow work, Tarot archetypes, Birth Cards, finding the good in “bad” cards – and the dark side in the “good” ones. You’ll come away with knowledge about your Tarot Birth Card and some suggestions for making peace with your shadow.

If you’re in the Bay Area, join Chris Zydel and me on July 7th for Brushes + Cards + Shadows An Intuitive Painting and Tarot Workshop. It will be EPIC!