Sun – Mercury Sextile
(Transit Sun → Natal Mercury)
Avesalom Podvodny. Aspects
Sun sextile: An incorrect choice most often does not indicate frivolity or error, but rather a betrayal of one’s God. The Sun’s sextile gives the individual, in areas ruled by the Planet, opportunities whose realization will require volitional effort and initiative; it is also likely that in working through these opportunities, the person will encounter rather firm, imperative circumstances which, however, will not be hostile, but on the contrary potentially favorable, though demanding a certain approach and mutual adaptation. The Sun’s sextile seems to throw a masculine challenge to the individual (in the areas corresponding to the Planet), offering a test of whether he possesses the willpower needed to overcome obstacles and establish cooperation; the obstacles implied are non-antagonistic, and the cooperation expected is beneficial and efficient. If the person does not feel ready to accept this challenge, he may reject it: once, twice, three times… after some time, such a consistent refusal to accept any constructive proposals from fate begins to work against the person; he regresses and falls into rigid karmic programs where his choice is minimal or entirely absent. On the other hand, the Sun’s sextile offers a very valuable opportunity to work through its principle—namely, one’s will—during constructive activity related to the Planet. By resolving inner problems arising in connection with such activity, the person learns to direct his will correctly, gains the ability to determine which egregore influences him, and to harmonize it with external circumstances and various subconscious programs. For example, the Sun-Moon sextile is a highly promising aspect; in particular, it provides great opportunities for both physical and spiritual development; at a high level, this is the aspect of spiritual teachers who thoroughly understand the relationship between higher and lower natures in a specific individual and are able to set it on a constructive path of evolutionary development. Mercury sextile: Mental activity is effective within the range between what the person does not understand and what he cannot conceive of in principle. The Mercury sextile gives the Planet the opportunity for constructive interaction with the principle of thinking. The statement “the mind rules everything” is simultaneously both a simplification and a falsification of reality; however, within the sphere of the Planet’s influence, the sextile will provide the person with various opportunities for rational understanding and tactical mental management. The Mercury sextile does not grant the immediate, easy, superficial rational comprehension of the Planet’s principle characteristic of the trine, but it does make constructive the efforts directed toward its realization; and after applying a certain amount of work, the person reaches a level where his understanding does not trivialize the Planet’s principle, but on the contrary, gives it new directions for development. In interpretation, it is important to note which planet is stronger in the sextile. If Mercury is stronger, the person will be tempted, as soon as he begins to understand the issue, to consider his initial (or secondary) thoughts sufficient and effective, and will forcefully suppress the Planet’s principle with them, perceiving it with significant distortions; mental management of the Planet will thus prove overly crude. If, however, the Planet is stronger in the sextile, the person will be tempted to subordinate his thinking to its principle, and then rational understanding will be biased, hindering objectivity in judgment, and mental management will be too weak. In any case, the person will feel a general need for mental development in the areas ruled by the Planet. Working through this aspect provides, in the Planet’s spheres of influence, great opportunities for rationalization, refinement, and flexibility of rational thought, the boundaries of whose competence the person will clearly sense. It is favorable for teachers in areas related to the Planet, since such a person can give students broad opportunities to master the Planet’s principle, compelling their rational minds to work—this is a very effective teaching method. Conversely, the absence of such work, a persistent refusal to use rational thinking in dealing with the Planet’s principle, leads the person to loss of self-confidence, doubt in his abilities and possibilities, mental depression, and possible blows of fate in the corresponding areas.
