The loss of Walter Mercado, as has become clear in the days since the Puerto Rican astrologer’s passing, is the loss of an unending source of light. Perhaps best exemplified by his loud and fabulous capes, Mercado always made clear that his goal was to make all of us shine as bright as he did himself. As we all continue mourning his death, there’s no shortage of Walter content to tide us over and remind us why he connected with millions of people. Case in point: his appearance in HBO Latino’s Celebrity Habla 2 documentary. As with all the Habla docs, the central conceit was getting people both famous and not (as in the Habla y Vota one) to share their insights on what it was like to grow up in Latino households all over. And no one spun a tale—and offered delicious advice—quite like Mercado.
Wearing an unforgettable olive green ensemble (with eye-catching glasses to match), Mercado got to wax poetic about one of the themes near and dear to his heart: Love. Speaking back when 2012 apocalyptic fears were all the rage Mercado wanted us to see instead a new kind of awakening on the horizon. “We’re in the Age of Aquarius,” he shares in Spanish, “where energy is what matters.” There’ll be no time for the polarizing dualities that had come before. Seeing the clip in 2019 can feel a bit quaint, almost tragic but it’s a testament to Mercado’s messaging that the more closely you listen to him, the better armed you feel to tackle the world we found ourselves living instead. Indeed, all he urges everyone to do is to “saborear la vida.” To revel in it and to enjoy life to its fullest.
To relish life is the only way to live, according to Mercado: you have to do so otherwise, what’s the point? You should approach life with a tantric sensibility, he says, so that you can have sex even with a sunset. Let others be dulled by their routine. Find instead enjoyment in everything you do. It’s as powerful a message back then as it is now. Take a look at the full clip below which captures the famed astrologer’s sunny optimism which we could all use more of. “Mucha paz,” as he says, “and mucho mucho amor!”