At the end of last week Mercury overtook the sun. Not really, of course, but it looks that way when seen from Earth. Today, for example, the sun is at 22 degrees of Pisces, but Mercury has finished going through Pisces and is already entering Aries.
These phases when Mercury is ahead of the sun are not rare. They occur about three times a year and last for about six weeks at a time. Astronomically, therefore, they're nothing special; but astrologically, I think they mean something. Some people, people born under Gemini or Virgo, or with Virgo rising, which is a large percentage of us in these latitudes, seem to be very sensitive to Mercury cycles.
It works like this. Whenever Mercury is ahead of the sun you feel upbeat and confident. You are on top of your work, and you take minor problems in your stride. Then, as Mercury starts to lose speed, you find that your energy fades, and when the sun overtakes Mercury again you fall behind, having to work longer and harder just to keep up with what you have to do. Then Mercury starts to speed up again, chasing the sun, and at the same time you start to catch up on your backlog, so that as Mercury overtakes the sun you find you are slightly in front of yourself, and can relax again. And so the cycle repeats. The odd thing about this, as any Virgo will confirm, is that you never intend to get behind; you work as well as you can all the time, but somehow it just happens. Anyway, happy days are here again - until mid April, at any rate.
When Mercury is ahead of the sun it becomes visible after sunset. The further ahead it gets, the higher above the horizon it is as the sun sinks. Mercury should become more and more visible as the month goes on. See if you can spot it.
