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Mercury is the Messenger of the Gods, a winged creature bringing
communication and information, bridging the gap between heaven
and earth. The wings of Mercury represent the flight of
soul/spirit on its heavenly sojourns or "trips."
Mercury represents first and foremost: perception - sense
perception, intuitive/psychic/spiritual perception, insight,
reflection, realization, cognition.
Perception is followed by the sense of knowing. This is then
followed by languaging of perception that we call description
and saying "what's so," saying how something is for us.
We may follow perception with curiosity to perceive and to know
more, so we ask questions: who, what, when, where, how, why?
There are fruitful questions and unfruitful questions, and
fine-tuning our ability to ask good questions to surface the
information we need is a Mercurial high art.
Mercury represents thought, all kinds of thought, from the ideas
we use as building blocks to [co-]create our universe(s), to
deliberate and disciplined self-determined thinking, to
conditioned or programmed ideas, to mechanical mind chatter or
"monkey mind."
The way we express our thoughts (deliver the message) in
language, gestures, facial expressions, are all Mercurial. Other
vehicles and mediums of communication include writing letters,
fax, phone, email, internet lists or public forums, and/or art.
In cases where the "medium is the message" and "virtual is its
own reward," we see the additional influence of Venusian
aesthetics and images on how our communications are conveyed and
received. Interestingly, Mercury and Venus are never far apart,
symbolically saying that the two necessarily work closely
together.
How many people will perceive and deliver a divine message, a
message from "the gods"? How many will deliver a very degraded
message, a message of put-down, invalidation or other abuse? And
what of the ordinary garden-variety messages in between - just
what are we thinking when we deliver them? Are we aware of
thinking at all, or do we act from a conditioned mechanism or
automaticity, in which case we are no better than robots.
The Brain
The brain, nervous system, all brain functions and
neurotransmitter and hormonal communications are represented by
Mercury. Even small deviations from optimal structures, amounts
and ratios of neurotransmitters or hormones will influence
quality of attention and thinking. The immune system is also
related to Mercury when it interprets something as foreign and
therefore attacks it. In autoimmune diseases, the body
interprets a part of itself or nature as foreign, and so attacks
it. There's probably a close correlation between autoimmune
responses, including allergies, and other fights against
opposition going on in our lives - other areas where we're not
getting what we want, so get what we don't want - our desires are
opposed.
The respiratory system, oxygenation, and digestion are also
correlated to Mercury, especially leaky-gut syndrome which
predisposes to food allergies.
Our nervous and mental well-being are often related to adrenal
(Mars) function as well.
Detours
Mercurial detours include: ADD (attention deficit disorder),
learning disabilities, confusion, memory problems, logical
fallacies, misunderstood words, distrust of intuition, failure to
ask fruitful questions, inhibited or comulsive speaking, failure
to listen, failure to want to listen, foreign language barriers,
undeveloped writing or public speaking skills. Some of the above
are from simple ignorance or lack of education. Others derive
from a person's attention and psychic energy being stolen away to
deal with abuse, traumatic life situations, illness, or other
problems.
Anatomy of Communication
Communication requires a sender and a receiver, and a
communication or message that travels from sender to receiver,
and is in fact received by the receiver. The receiver then
normally acknowledges receipt and responds, lest the sender's
attention is tied up in wondering if the receiver did receive the
communication and what did the receiver think of it. Failure to
acknowledge a communication when a relationship has been
established, and acknowledge it in a socially-agreed amount of
time, is to be willing to leave the sender hanging, leave him
"hung out to dry." Unfortunately it's becoming more socially
acceptable to leave others hung out to dry, justified by being
"too busy," or "my absence or lack of response will not be
missed," when in fact that if a relationship has indeed been
established, a lack of response signals a lack of care for the
sender who has taken the initiative to extend himself, reach out,
and communicate.
There is 1) the form of the communication (e.g. words), 2) the
basic content of the communication, 3) the intention or set of
intentions riding on the basic content, and 4) any other hidden
messages that were attached to the communication (e.g., innuendo,
implication, threat, etc). #1 and #2 are ostensive. #3 and #4
are metaphysical or implied. Since we are spiritual beings
living in a telepathic universe, #3 and #4 are the more important
communications, and ones we will likely receive when we "get the
message." Yet our culture ignores the invisible yet perceptible
#3 and #4 in favor of the visible #1 and #2. This makes it
difficult to acknowledge to ourselves, and talk about with each
other, the very real metaphysical dimensions of our communication.
Being aware of the various aspects of the communication process
and levels of message being communicated above will help enhance
the functioning of anyone's "Mercury," regardless of sign or
house.
Mercury rules the 3rd house of basic learning and communications.
Speaking and listening are fundamental life processes, yet remain
either undeveloped and inhibited, or compulsive and unreflective,
in most persons without quite a bit of work-on-self. Indeed,
speaking and listening are lifelong studies in meaning and the
deep structures of langauge, and attempt to answer the
deceptively-simple and universally-applicable question: "How is it for you?"
Heart-to-Heart Conversations
"Speaking from the heart" is an authentic, deeper way of
communicating, a native spiritual ability that normally has to be
re-learned or recollected in religious community or in
psychotherapy, since our culture validates mostly superficiality,
"talking heads," or abusive dramatization ("acting out"). In
speaking from the heart, we invoke the nearby Sun's warmth,
courage and dignity, Venus' love and appreciation, and take our
life-experience together to a profound level of sharing and care.
The Sun represents the individual soul or spirit and is the
primary focal point in our solar system and astrological charts.
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, perceiving information
and communicating the intentions of the soul or spirit. Venus is
next out from the Sun, representing values, love and beauty.
What a dream team! When we have all three working closely
together - as they turn and move closely together in space - we
have communion, conversations from the heart, the possibility to
co-creating a bright future together. Indeed, the word
"conversation" means "to turn together," and references
"the worlds that turn within" (Plato, TIMAEUS). Conversation is
like a kaleidescope where the worlds that turn within each
participant do surface in succession with their own unique colors
and patterns, which turn again and blend to make an ongoing,
unfolding, beautiful, and dynamic pattern of color (feeling and
emotion) and design (ideas). Conversation from the heart is
indeed the warp and woof of the tapestry of our lives.
Business Success
Mercury, as ruler of the 3rd house of communications and the 6th
house of work and service, is a key planet in assessing business
situations. Indeed I have seen astrology election-chart software
that likes to place Mercury right on the Midheaven. Why would
this be? Business is all about relationships, customer
service and sales, the communication skills of speaking and
listening, getting people's attention, generating interest,
getting your message out there, being heard by and listening to
your target audience, being curious, asking questions and
receiving information are essential to business success.
Listening skills are largely a function of liking people and
being interested in real people - simple but true, and all too
often overlooked! One of the biggest breakdowns I see in
business occurs when a company or professional doesn't do market
research, doesn't ask customers for feedback, becomes defensive
or makes nothing of feedback that is given by customers,
generally doesn't communicate well or "stay close to the
customer."
Why would the business people involved not do these things?
Because the business people involved don't really like people,
aren't interested in people. So what are they interested in
instead? They're interested in their subject matter (how to
make, or do, whatever they make or do) and they're interested in
themselves. Obviously this does little or nothing for the
well-being of customers, and customers do perceive this - and
take their business elsewhere. Is anyone surprised? No, but
look at how people actually do business.
They key is communicating with customers in a way that individual
customeers want to be communicated with, not too much or too
intrusive, or too little. Not too superficial or too personal,
or maybe very personal, or whatever their concern. And customers
certainly don't want to be ignored, disrespected, or otherwise
abused by the businesses they patronize.
Mercury in business involves speed. Mercury is a very fast
moving planet and, all things being equal, faster is better in
business. A faster answer, a faster delivery, a faster exchange
of money, faster repairs, someone who understands your language
(e.g. English) thus allowing you to communicate faster, etc.
are preferred, so much preferred that the customer will take his
business elsewhere if you're not fast enough.
The emphasis in business today is on learning, and companies are
called "campuses" and "learning communtiies": learning within the
company, shared learning, learning outside the company. What
kind of learning is needed, how does a company learn from its
mistakes, how is the necessary learning best accomplished and
retained, reviewed and updated? What is the best way to document
and transmit that learning? What corporate learning should be
proprietary, and what can and should be public? Most business
problems reduce to communications and learning.
A Counter-Revolution: Switcheroo for the Late 20th-Century
It is an old esoteric maxim that "energy follows thought."
This means that if you have a [creative] thought, then energy
will move in that direction toward manifesting your thought in
the physical universe. Here's an argument for eschewing
negative self-talk and instead using positive affirmations.
But what happens when energy doesn't follow thought? What
happens when your positive affirmation didn't work - didn't work
after 10-20 years of using it? Did you not give it a fair chance
to work or what's going on here? Allow me to stand that old
esoteric maxim on its head.
Consider now: "Thought follows energy."
Your attention will go where "the energy" is, either where
1) power of the energy, amount of energy, or
2) charged energy that is pushing for release.
Our life energy is very vast, and is much bigger than our
conscious minds, no matter how smart we are. The energy of a
thing determines what will manifest.
If your affimation didn't work, it's because there's something
more powerful at an energy level that's controlling your
manifestation, usually charged or stuffed energy from past
unpleasant or otherwise limiting experiences. Based on these
past experiences - and the buzz of charged energy associated with
them - you may have drawn conclusions, made derogatory
evaluations, or decisions, which then become operative as your
REAL creative ideas - often 180 degrees in opposition to your
affirmations. So "the energy's" running everything. It's up to
us to use our attention to notice where the energy is jammed,
name the energy, say what's true (contrary to what we believed to
be true before), allow the energy to be freed and to realign
according to new truth perceived. Then you draw new conclusions,
make new evaluations, made new decisions based on your new
energy. Now your energy and operative ideas align with your
affirmation, so you can manifest what you desire. "Thought
follows energy."
Intuitive Development and Overcoming Depression
Intuition is a matter of perceiving the subtle cues that are
already present. The best intuition enrolls its partner logic to
ask the most fruitful questions that will surface relevant
intuitive information.
Gut-level intuition is related to perceiving the movement of life
energy at core (lower torso). About 80% of the neurotransmitter
serotonin in our systems is made in the gut. This is the same as
serotonin that's in the brain. Some researchers are suggesting
that there's a correlation between the serotonin in the gut,
calling it "gut brain" and gut level intuition that allows us to
read the truth of a situation in the moment.
Depression is a widespread mental/emotional/energetic problem in
our society, becoming more so with each passing decade.
Depression is related to pressing down the life energies at core,
stuffing feelings, perhaps because we feel we have no other
options in life. The price for stuffed feelings and the life
force that's right behind them is enormous, resulting in a sense
of collapsed universe.
The drug Prozac, commonly prescribed for depression, is a
serotonin reuptake inhibitor, keeping serotonin circulating in
the system longer. My hypothesis is that Prozac is needed when
people have long ignored their gut level intuition, and that by
developing and honoring their gut level intuition, they would
naturally generate more serotonin (and also therefore melatonin)
and not need Prozac. Instead, they would cease to "stuff" their
life energy, resolve their life traumas, learn to read life
energy at core and follow up on it, be in harmony with life
rather than push the flow of life away and justify that action
100 ways til Sunday. Mercury rules Virgo, sign of the intestines
or gut, and we're likely to see more research along these lines
of my hypothesis in the future, how the state of the gut, and its
corresponding energetic "core," relates to a kind of
life-intelligence and to mental well-being. (Some depressed
people may need enhancement of the neurotransmitters dopamine or
norephinephrine.)
INTERPRETING MERCURY
Mercury symbolizes your perceptions, the way you think, and what
you like to think and learn about, also how you communicate, and
what you like to communicate about. Teachers, students, writers,
speakers, healers, professionals and sales persons would do well
to analyze their Mercury's to focus attention well and to be most
successful.
WHERE IS MERCURY BY SIGN, BY HOUSE, AND BY ASPECT?
Mercury by SIGN shows what kinds of information you seek, how you
think and communicate, and some of the subjects you like to think
about.
Mercury by HOUSE shows more areas of life where you seek
information, and what you like to think about.
Students would do well to have a complete chart reading with
special attention to Mercury when selecting a major in college,
or when considering pursuing unconventional or informal studies
that could lead to something much bigger down the road.
As in all astrological factors, a spectrum of manifestation is
possible - from the most exalted and masterful where the person is
an exemplar - to the most perverse and degraded where the finest
potential of the archetype becomes reversed through ignorance or
abuse.
Here are a few keynotes of the MERCURY SIGNS. This should NOT be
considered an exhaustive list.
MERCURY IN ARIES:
Likes to pioneer in new ideas, new discoveries,
interest in leadership, vitality, likes to be right and
to have thought of an idea first. Lots of energy
available for learning, study, communcations,
promotions, but will tend to take a visionary,
essential, inspiring, broad-brush approach.
DETOURS: may have fixed ideas, may try to force his
ideas on others, be argumentative, angry when disagreed with,
something may have to be his own idea before he adopts it.
MERCURY IN TAURUS:
A steady and sometimes slow learner, but when he "gets"
something he really gets it. Practical mind, wants to
see results, very thorough.
Interest in finances, agriculture, horticulture,
business, investments, real estate, animals, farming,
values, bodywork, sensuality, music, arts and crafts.
Needs to have hands-on. experiential, kinesthetic learning.
DETOURS: frustration, anger (can be passive-aggressive),
stubborn, resistant, not being allowed to learn at his
own pace - fast or slow, or not grasping the importance of a
subject, or how theory applies in practice.
MERCURY IN GEMINI:
Fast mind, interest in many things, perceptive, learns
quickly, may forget just as quickly. Interest in
communication, data gathering, literacy, and literary pursuits,
vehicles, air travel, languages, translation,
interpretation, manual dexterity, variety.
Learns best when he can go back and forth between two
subjects or tasks, giving the mind a rest and chance to
assimilate.
DETOUR: high strung, too much speed so eventually
exhausts self, scatters forces, superficial understanding only,
unfocused, mental burnout.
MERCURY IN CANCER:
Good memory, interest in feeling, emotion, psychology,
family, history, house and garden, food, farm, geneology.
Learns well is an emotionally safe learning space,
free of abuse, with lots of positive reinforcement.
DETOUR: subject not made meaningful or put in historical
context. Emotional trauma or stress sabotages learning.
MERCURY IN LEO:
Dramatic presentation of self and ideas. Learns so he
can be on-stage and highly visible in presenting points of view.
Exaggerates an idea bigger than life so it can be seen
or felt by others. Colorful speech. Lively
communicator, lots of stories, fun to listen to, may be
hard to get a word in edgewise with this person.
Generous with teachings. Needs an audience.
DETOUR: may be given to exaggeration, life-drama or
"acting out" if no wholesome outlet for theatre or stage,
overly attracting attention to self, demanding attention
for self, projecting blame onto others.
MERCURY IN VIRGO:
Bright student, devoted to his teachers,
interest in medicine, healing, the learning process,
logic, systems, pedagogy, grammar, libraries, technology,
process-thinking - the "how" of things. Distills
a subject down to its essence, making a subject easy
to understand.
DETOUR: stressed out with a gutful of repressed
feelings, high strung, critiical of others or self.
MERCURY IN LIBRA:
Interest in the arts, beauty, architecture, relationship
dynamics, justice, fairness, diplomacy. Gracious and
diplomatic manner of expressing himself.
DETOUR: can be lazy, wanting everything to be easy,
accepts social superficialities, may not go deeply enough to
get to the bottom of things.
MERCURY IN SCORPIO:
Detective mind, likes to go to the depths, studies
life and death matters, big business, metaphysics,
psychology, sexuality, power, leadership. Likes
intense learning experiences.
DETOUR: should avoid creating losses in conversation
or bowling people by indulging in power plays --
rather, learn to create win-wins instead, which allow
others the safety and comfort that you can go deeper
together, become more intimate.
MERCURY IN SAGITTARIUS:
Tells stories, prophetic. Interest in philosophy,
religion, foreign languages, travel, international
studies, nature and the great outdoors, large open
spaces, publishing, marketing, future.
DETOUR: exaggeration or distortion of truth, lying,
mishandling of truth, offending others with bald truth,
insults, "big mouth" and "foot in mouth."
MERCURY IN CAPRICORN:
Practical mind, needs to see results, high standards
of excellence for communications and writing.
Interest in building, manufacture, the professions,
government, classical arts, finance,
law enforcement, administration, management.
DETOUR: loses sight of the big picture, won't take
risks, narrow viewpoint, fixed ideas.
MERCURY IN AQUARIUS:
Futuristic mind, interested in science, arts, culture,
diversity, electronics, invention, healing, intuition
and prediction, metaphysics, outer space, or unusual
subjects. Fast learner when imagination engaged.
Learns by leaps and bounds. May be ahead of his time.
DETOUR: fixed ideas, won't listen to reason,
only goes so far with reason then shuts down or
becomes overly detached.
MERCURY IN PISCES:
Dreamy, imaginative, psychic, artistic, compassionate mind.
Interest in art, music, sailing, marine biology,
chemistry, photography, psychic development, psychology,
imaging technology, virtual reality, liturgy, poetry and
literature, shamanic journeying, pharmacy,
uses of creative imagination.
DETOUR: lack of structure or schedule, always in
dreamtime. Needs to some structure, schedule, or
program to keep projects on track and avoid drifting.
Here are some notes on MERCURY IN THE HOUSES. This should NOT be
considered an exhaustive list.
MERCURY IN 1st HOUSE:
Curious, talkative, communicative person. May be fluent
in languages. May have a "gift of gab", may over-talk.
Has lots to say and is spotted "out there" saying it.
MERCURY IN 2nd HOUSE:
May make money in Mercurial occupations of medicine,
teaching, writing, communcations, transportation vehicles.
Interest in values, finance, possessions, real estate,
investments, voice.
MERCURY IN 3rd HOUSE:
Interest in words, language, literacy, and learning.
May be a teacher or writer, or work with communications,
communication equipment, travel, or transportation vehicles.
Enjoys conversations with siblings and neighbors, and
many short trips in the local area.
MERCURY IN 4th HOUSE:
Interest in home, domestic environments, gardens,
family, family dynamics, traditions, lineages, parents,
emotional well-being, psychotherapy, the roots of life.
Many interesting conversations with parents and in the
home.
MERCURY IN 5th HOUSE:
Interest in creative expression, the creative process,
the arts, sports, recreation, children, dating and love
relationships, risk and gambling.
MERCURY IN 6th HOUSE:
Interest in health, work and service, communications at
work. Health of the respiratory, digestive, nervous systems
and immune systems should be prudently monitored.
MERCURY IN 7th HOUSE:
Interest in interpersonal communications and dynamics,
tendency to attract intimates who have a lot to say and
are interested in many subjects.
MERCURY IN 8th HOUSE:
Interest in the occult and metaphysics, big business,
finance, life and death matters, dreams, sexuality.
MERCURY IN 9th HOUSE:
Interest in international affairs, foreign languages,
foreign travel, foreign cars, higher education,
education in a foreign country, philosophy, religion,
social sciences, marketing.
MERCURY IN 10th HOUSE:
Fame for ideas communicated in writing or speaking.
Career in healing, teaching, writing, translator,
communications. Someone with a "message" that the public
is "calling" for, and who will get a lot of attention
for their message. A leader with a message.
MERCURY IN 11th HOUSE:
Interest in group dynamics, communities, goal setting,
planning, government and non-profit organizations.
Friends who are teachers, writers, healers,
multi-lingual, communicators. Public speaking,
community or group spokesperson, liaison, or ombudsman.
MERCURY IN 12th HOUSE:
Interest in the hidden undercurrents of life,
metaphysics, psychology, religion, liberation, karmic
patterns, causation, completions, chronic diseases,
energy medicine.
ASPECTS to MERCURY (mathematical relationships of the other
planets to Mercury) and RULER OF MERCURY yield additional
information about perception, ideas, learning, interests,
communications. A Mercury that's well-aspected tends toward
ease in the above areas. A Mercury that's stressed by aspect
tends challenges in the above areas. However, challenges may be
just what's needed to gain a thorough understanding of how life
works in an area, and to learn how to tackle and overcome
obstacles, whereas if things are too easy, we may take them for
granted and not learn much. Some aspects such as the
conjunction have both ease and challenge associated with them.
DWADS are a secondary Sign influence underlying the exact degree
and minute of your Mercury. Dwads can give outstanding
supplemental information, especially for those working on deeper
and more psychological levels, and can help explain why someone
is not the typical Cancer Mercury, for example. It's very useful
to know the dwad under your Mercury, as this deeper information
tends to add confidence in the unfoldment of your perceptions,
interests, learning, ideas, thinking, communications, and
generally tends to give "permission" to perceive, know, and be
MORE.
RELOCATION astrology shows where to go in the continental United
States and in the rest of the world to place Mercury on the
angles of your chart using "astro-cartography." Another system
called "local space mapping," which I have researched extensively
for 10 years now, shows where to go in the world to gain support
for your Mercury projects - where to go to foster Mercurial
learning, teaching and writing experiences, and not bad for
research either. I will say that I seldom see people gravitate
to their Mercury lines except for short periods of time, and then
for Mercury kinds of purposes such as short-term educational
programs.
RELATIONSHIP COMPATIBILITY. "Synastry" analysis places the
Mercury of one person (P1) into the chart of another person (P2), and
vice versa, showing communication patterns. Flowing and open
communications are a "must" in any kind of relationship - truly a
make-or-break factor. I especially like to see a Mercury-Moon
conjunction between two people's charts. And I like to see
couples who have gone through therapy so that their communication
is deeper, more honest, forthcoming, authentic, intuitive, and
minimally abusive.
Using another compatibility technique, the Composite Chart, the
composite Mercury represents the merger of two individuals'
Mercury's, the third energy that's formed in their coming
together, and its sign and house placement are an important focal
point of interest, attention, learning, communications, change,
and possibly writing.
PROGRESSIONS are one way to bring the natal chart up to date in
present time, and show long-term developmental trends. You never
lose the qualities of your Mercury Sign, but the Progressed
Mercury shows where your interest, learning, and communications
are focused in present time, and what's "lit up" for experience
in your chart now. It points toward the kind of experience you
seek now on your soul's journey. Progressions are determined
conceptually and mathematically, and do not correspond to
physical location of the planets in present time. Mercury, like
the Sun, progresses through a sign about every 30 years. When
Progressed Mercury changes sign, this event heralds a new
sub-chapter in the person's life, a new developmental phase, and
many new interests arrive at this time. Progressed Mercury going
direct after having been progressed Rx for many years is an
important turning point correcting setbacks in education and
business matters; if this occurs during a child's school years,
he may find that any learning disabilities or academic challenges
or holdups he had previously begin to lift, sometimes quite
dramatically.
TRANSITS are another way to update the natal chart into present
time. Transits are where the planets are now, and how they
relate to your natal chart. Mercury transits around your entire
chart in about 1 year, and transits through each house in your
chart in about one month per house. As Mercury transits around
your natal chart, it "lights up" the houses of your chart in
succession, highlighting windows of opportunity to cultivate
learning and communications experiences in that area of life.
Much depends on what you do with these windows of opportunity,
rather than depending on externals to determine your experience.
REFERENCES - For Further Reading
Alfred Korzybski, SCIENCE AND SANITY, 1933. Semantic reactions.
Dion Fortune, PSYCHIC SELF-DEFENSE and collected works.
Ann Ree Colton, WATCH YOUR DREAMS, ETHICAL ESP, and collected works.
John Pierrakos, CORE ENERGETICS.
Walter Freeman, SOCIETIES OF BRAINS.
Michael J. Norden, MD, BEYOND PROZAC.
Ratey and Johnson, SHADOW SYNDROMES.
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