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 Mercury rules Gemini, mutable air, and Virgo, mutable earth, and is
said to be exalted in its own sign, Virgo. By some it is considered
exalted in Aquarius, where it becomes steadied and humanised.
The basic conception of Mercury is intercommunication. Hence its rule
over thought and speech and writing, especially the writing of letters;
for the same reason it rules short journeys and all that ministers
to them, such as roads, bicycles and buses. It rules trade, which
is the exchange of commodities, and is one of the planets most valuable
in business. When prominent, it gives a quick, inquiring mind and
ready expression with tongue and pen. There is a strong sense of logic,
and a rapid comprehension of facts, often with a taste for detail
rather than generalities. It may be a brilliant talker, and often
possesses encyclopaedic knowledge. Note that it is not imaginative.
Imagination is rather Lunar and Neptunian. It is exact, matter-of-fact,
and critical.
Under affliction, the mental powers are seldom lessened, but their
may be a tendency to untruthfulness, exaggeration, sarcasm, or ill-temper,
according to the nature of the affliction. There may be a liking for
hair-splitting or quibbling, too great immersion in detail, or even
a criminal misapplication of the mental powers, as in slander, libel
or theft. Mercury can never be found in pure form; it is always coloured
by sign, house and other factors. In its pure form it would describe
the completely rational and objective mind. A mind free of any distortion
or bias, but also free of any kind of moral reasoning too. For Mercury
is not concerned with the rights or wrongs of a given situation. The
realm of principles, ethic, meaning and morals comes under the umbrella
of Jupiter, the planet that rules the signs opposite to those ruled
by Mercury.
You cannot always derive the level of intelligence from an astrological
chart, but the condition of Mercury will reveal a great deal about
the type of intelligence a person has. This is why aspects to Mercury
are so important. Mercury in Aries or Gemini gesticulates a great
deal; and the planet, unless it is unusually subdued which it sometimes
is with Saturn, is naturally very volatile, restless and even merry.
Mercury has no emotion, except that it finds great amusement in teasing,
in being sceptical or flippant, it is anti-pompous. Mercury is curious,
clever, lucid and fluent, and it becomes frustrated if its fluency
is inhibited.
While Mercury is shrewd, it is not of itself profound. Writers, though
they do not have Mercury in Gemini more then anywhere else, almost
always have very active Mercuries. Intelligence is like physical dexterity,
which is also Mercurial.
In synastry, the comparison of two charts, Mercury is a vital factor
because it helps us judge how two people will think together, or fail
to do so.
Mercury is often underplayed in astrological writings yet it is a
symbol of immense importance. Mercury represents the power of symbol
making. It is connected to the mind, especially the logical and reasoning
capabilities, and to all forms of communication. Likewise Mercury
(along with Uranus) signifies the nervous system, because the nerves
enable the organs to communicate among themselves.
The sign, house and aspect relationships of natal Mercury will contribute
to what we think, talk and generally communicate about, our mental
wavelength and have a lot to say about how we learn and what might
impede, obstruct, support or accelerate this leaning process.
Hard aspects to an individuals Mercury may suggest that their opinions
are likely to get tested and challenged by others, or that they expect
them to be challenged, whereas soft aspects suggest the reverse. The
person with soft aspects is less likely to feel threatened if disagreed
with and so can often express themselves more easily. The challenge
may come from within oneself or from outside, for therein lies the
possibility of the mind and our ideas being stretched and broadened.
As always the soft aspects, especially the trine can give rise to
complacency, whereas the hard aspects offer the potential for growth.
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