About Mercury

Mercury is the planet of communication and intellect, and the lower octave of Uranus. Mercury takes about 2-3 weeks to pass through each sign of the zodiac, but can stay in one sign for up to ten weeks when it retrogrades (which it does three times a year). It is never more than one sign away from the Sun in anyone's chart due to it orbiting closer to the Sun than Earth does.

Mercury in our natal chart represents:

• how we think—our everyday mental processes
• how we communicate & express ourselves
• how we learn and how we make sense of what we learn
• how we organize, label, and categorize what we perceive
• how fast or slow we think and communicate
• what we find interesting, what we are curious about
• how we explain ourselves, the stories we tell
• the modes of information exchange we enjoy (or not)
• our ability to be self-aware and understand our own mind

The flavor of all of the above will be determined by your Mercury sign, house, and aspecting planets (see below).

Mercurial people. People with Mercury strongly placed in their chart (for example, conjunct their Sun or Moon, or on one of their angles), or who have a lot of Gemini, are highly communicative and may act as connectors in their social and professional networks. Having a Mercurial nature can manifest as versatility and adaptability, but it may also lead to restlessness or a tendency to spread themselves too thin across various interests. (Kind of an ADHD vibe.)

Mythology. Mercury is sometimes described as "The Messenger of the Gods". In mythology, Mercury (Hermes in Greek) traveled between the divine and mortal realms, as well as being the only being who could travel to the Underworld and return without paying a price. In astrology this is reflected as Mercury forming a bridge between our subconscious, conscious mind, and the outer world. Hermes is considered a "Trickster" which is an archetypal deity found in many cultures.

Polarity: Mercury vs. Jupiter

Mercury rules two signs: Gemini, an Air sign which is social, adaptable, and curious, and Virgo, an Earth sign that is practical, analytical, and detail-oriented. Gemini is associated with the 3rd house and Virgo with the 6th house.

Jupiter is the traditional ruler of two signs as well: Sagittarius, the adventurous and optimistic Fire sign, and Pisces, the dreamy and compassionate Water sign. Sagittarius is associated with the 9th house and Pisces with the 12th.

These four signs form two polarities with the Zodiac wheel: Gemini-Sagittarius (3rd-9th) and Virgo-Pisces (6th-12th). These polarities represent the contrast between the detailed, logical, practical, and rational and the expansive, intuitive, abstract, and imaginative aspects of thought and the mind.

Gemini vs. Sagittarius

These signs represent two complementary approaches to knowledge and understanding. The opposition between Gemini (Mutable Air) vs Sagittarius (Mutable Fire) highlights the tension between:

• Analysis vs. Synthesis: Gemini breaks down information into smaller parts, while Sagittarius wants to integrate knowledge to form a big-picture understanding.
• Short-term vs. Long-term: Gemini is concerned with immediate learning and adapting, whereas Sagittarius is trying to understand where everything is going and what it means.
• Wandering vs. Seeking: Gemini is fascinated by the variety of things it can experience and learn about, while Sagittarius is seeking out specific experiences that feel aligned on an intuitive level as part of its path in life.
• Data vs. Meaning: Gemini is looking at reality as it is and classifying it logically, while Sagittarius is trying to understand everything as part of a unified vision that feels personally true and meaningful.

Virgo vs. Pisces

These signs represent two complementary approaches to interfacing with reality. The opposition between Virgo (Mutable Earth) and Pisces (Mutable Water) highlights the tension between:

• Discernment vs. Dissolution: Virgo says "no" and "not good enough", while Pisces seeks to transcend and merge, allowing everything.
• Mundane vs Spiritual: Virgo deeply cares about the practical and the real, while Pisces is seeking transcendence and to escape mundane reality.
• Improving vs Allowing: Virgo is trying to improve and perfect the everyday reality she lives in while Pisces wants to experience the magic inherent in existence.
• Analysis vs. Empathy: Virgo breaks down and critiques, while Pisces seeks to feel and understand.

Mercury Challenges

The negative expression of Mercury can include coldness, boredom or restlessness, duplicitousness, manipulation (not always intentional or conscious), being overly rational and detached from feeling, or seeing everything (including morality) as relative.

Mercury retrograde in the Natal chart. Mercury being retrograde when you were born can make your thought processes more inward-focused. You may be more imaginative and independent in your thought, but also find it harder to express yourself to others. The way your mind works is just different, and you might find techniques that work for others don't work for you. In many ways you will have to figure mental things out for yourself in life, which can be frustrating and lonely but lead to highly original thinking in the long run.

Saturn and Mercury aspects. Saturn in hard aspect to your Mercury can cause a sense of awkwardness and self-consciousness around communication and a feeling of inferiority around your intellectual abilities. You may avoid speaking or feel shame or pain around your ability to communicate. For more on the Saturn journey, see our Saturn Lessons report.