Mercury in Astrology

Think of how you solve a problem. Do you talk it through, write a list, sleep on it, sketch it, look for the pattern, or trust the first idea that arrives? Do you speak quickly or carefully, in stories or in facts? That is Mercury in your chart: the way your mind moves, and the way it reaches other minds.

Mercury is named after the messenger of the gods, the one who carried words between worlds. In a chart it carries information between you and everyone else.

What Mercury stands for

Mercury represents:

• Thinking: how you process information, solve problems and make sense of things.
• Communication: how you speak, write, listen and explain.
• Learning: how you take in new knowledge and what you are curious about.
• Connection and exchange: messages, trade, short journeys, siblings and neighbours.

Mercury is the fastest of the planets and the closest to the Sun. Seen from Earth it never strays more than about 28 degrees from the Sun, so your Mercury is always in your Sun sign or in one of the signs next to it.

The planet with no fixed nature

Here is something most horoscope pages never mention. In traditional astrology every planet had a fixed character: the Sun and Jupiter were of the day, the Moon and Venus of the night, Mars and Saturn had their own natures. Mercury was the exception. It was called convertible: neither day nor night, neither kind nor harsh in itself, taking on the nature of the planets it was close to or in aspect with. Next to Venus it grew sweet, next to Saturn serious, next to Mars sharp.

That is a perfect description of the mind. It takes the shape of whatever it is thinking about. When you read your Mercury, look at its sign and house, and then at which planets it is talking to.

Where is this planet in your chart?

Its sign says how it works, its house says where. See both, with the aspects that shape it.

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