Summary
The planet Mercury
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and as such has a special connection with it. He is the messenger of the gods, a deity who carries information from one level of existence to another, from one person to another, and learns to practically integrate knowledge into daily choices. Mercury’s role is incredibly important, although she is small, representing our own split personalities. Mercury represents the way we think and its position in the element and the house shows how we reason, pointing to thoughts that preoccupy our entire existence. As the ruler of both Gemini and Virgo, Mercury seems tasked with creating a connection between our mind – the field of ideas, and the practical, earthy side of our human nature which speaks to our physiology, our work habits and our routine.
Mercury is the messenger in astrology as in mythology. It is the planet of daily expression and communication. Mercury’s action is to take things apart and put them back together. It is an opportunistic planet, decidedly unemotional and curious.
Mercury not only rules communication, it represents coordination. Thought processes, ideas and sensory information from both conscious and unconscious sources must all be coordinated and understood. Mercury analyzes, sorts, groups and makes sense of things. How do we deal with nervous energy? How to express and transmit our thoughts? How to approach others and information to learn and exchange ideas?
Mercury in astrology
Mercury is about spirit, and your sign and house position influences the mysterious way you put it all together. This planet determines how you make sense of your world, formulate ideas, and share them with others. Your speech patterns, your communication style, your sense of humor, your speed of thought – all of these are influenced by the position of your Mercury.
When we « act » our Mercury, we are curious, communicative and versatile. On the negative side, we can be nervous, picky, indecisive, and overly technical.
On a personal level, Mercury reveals how individuals get their message across, how they study, and how they process information. Mercury shows an individual’s communication style. By house, Mercury reveals where we seek to have a voice as well as the areas of life that we tend to intellectualize and think about a lot. Mercury colors the planets it approaches with a desire for communication and the exchange of information. Likewise, Mercury aspects to the planets affect how an individual communicates. Mercury prominently indicates wit, liveliness and curiosity.
The planet Mercury in the natal chart
What element your Mercury is in is a good starting point for understanding your particular type of intelligence. Mercury is at home in air signs, which lean towards rational and logical thinking. In fire signs, Mercury is quick, instinctive and inspiring. Water signs give the mind an intuitive and emotional filter, while Mercury in earth signs tends to be pragmatic and concrete.
In Greek mythology, Mercury as Hermes, the messenger of the gods, has one foot in the physical world and another in the realm of the unseen. Likewise, your Mercury crosses mental boundaries into the mysteries of the imagination and the memories of the past. In the fertile landscape of the spirit, your Mercury collects and interprets your personal experience of life.
Knowing your Mercury sign can help you understand and maximize your imaginative potential. It can reveal why you’re not always on the same page as others and offer clues for sharing your unique expressive gifts. The aspects of your Mercury made with other planets can explain your way of speaking, such as being defensive, talkative, eloquent, emotional, etc.
In the infinite variety of life, Mercury determines your fascinations, the types of puzzles you would like to solve, where you would like to focus your mental power. Mercury’s influence on the way you think can shape your career path, as you’re likely to be drawn to areas where your mind thrives and excels.
