Mercury through the 12 Signs

My friends, good to be back with you. So let's talk about Mercury through the signs today.

Mercury is the messenger of the solar system. It is the initial use of and transmission of information. Mercury is a mental planet, our intellect and our reason. Mercury is the initial meanings we give to things through relatedness. It represents the process of association, how we think and communicate, how we organize information and agendas, the immediacy of our environment. Our siblings are also represented by Mercury.

What we think and communicate about is shown by the sign that Mercury is in. The house Mercury is in will show where you are most comfortable gathering information and where your mercurial abilities will show up most. So the area of personal experience where Mercury is going to move the most prominent will be shown through the house.

So, Mercury in Aries describes the faculty of learning through action. Mercury in Aries is motivated by strength, survival, impulsivity, supremacy, and competition. Aptitude is described by Mercury, how we comprehend information, and also how we bring smaller groups together. Mercury is the closer circle of everyday contacts and immediate information. So Aries Mercury is like a trigger finger. The thinking comes fast and furious, and the speech and reactions are immediate. Planning is not a strong suit with this style of Mercury. Mercury is meeting the need for survival in Aries. The thinking, the perceptions, and the communication are meant to further survival. It is a more reckless way of acting and thinking with Mercury in Aries.

People with this Mercury do move on rather quickly from embarrassments or setbacks. They recover very fast and don't waste time on the past. This is a forward-moving sign. Mercury in Aries can be less concerned with feelings or what is going on with others because Mercury is operating through a more self-serving motivation in the sign of Aries. It's urged by self-preservation and stopping to think or collect or consider consequences. It can actually be counter to successful survival in the moment. Words can be used as weapons with this particular Mercury. Mercury in Scorpio as well. Above all, Mercury in Aries is motivated to keep the mind sharp and reactive, ready to handle any situation. Mercury in Aries is also going to lead to testing everyday situations to see if they're really going to get burned. This style of Mercury needs to touch the stove to prove to themselves that it's hot. They don't listen to mother. Self-experience is really what they learn from, and they don't generally absorb information through lessons other people have learned.

Mercury in Taurus describes the faculty of learning through the senses. Mercury in Taurus is motivated by comfort. This is not a hurried style of learning or speaking. Retention of information and comprehension does tend to be good, although there is a type of savoring of mercurial things that goes with having it in Taurus. This is not a talkative or know-it-all style of Mercury. Taurus Mercury people generally don't have a lot to say, but what they do share can be very grounded and practical in perspective and can be seen as very valuable as well. The actual voice of someone who has Mercury in Taurus itself can often be beautiful or of a high quality, and they are into quality, not quantity, so much with what really any planet coming into Taurus. This is not a pointed expression of Mercury; it's a meandering type of style. So getting to the point is not something Mercury feels rushed to do coming through Taurus. The opinions are often formed more slowly, but in a very fixed way. Once they make up their mind, they're generally not going to change it. Mercury in Taurus takes their time with thinking and doing and often showing up as well. It's one of them again, the slower, even sometimes more idle styles of Mercury. They often will go about their daily activities at a slower pace as well, and Mercury is not just thinking and communication, but how we go about our daily agenda, the details of our lives. So information is first absorbed by the senses and processed through the senses with Taurus Mercury, and then disseminated through the mind. Skills can take longer to learn because of the slower pace of Mercury. They actually learn through the body itself, and their skills are usually well done. They do tend to spend more time on things, so there can be a quality that comes with that, but once something is learned, it is rarely forgotten with this particular style of Mercury.

Mercury in Gemini is motivated by the flow of information. Mercury is fulfilling the psychological need for relatedness. This is Mercury in its most true and flexible form, ready to learn anything new and always on the hunt for a distraction through new information. This is the multitasking Mercury. They like to have their hands in everything and don't do well with confined systems. They like to have options. They have a very active thought process and need a lot of information to feed it. The style of Mercury is typically motion. These people are always chewing on something, always mentally digesting something. Restlessness can be a problem because the mind is so tuned into what's next, always looking for something new to digest. That's the actual pattern. So stillness and quiet are very hard for people with a Mercury in Gemini to tolerate. They feel that they will go crazy or jump out of their skin if they slow down because the mind is so used to leading. Achieving even two minutes of solid meditation is a real accomplishment for these people and can really equal what, you know, two hours of meditation would do for someone else. The penchant for talking fast and a lot is definitely there. The mind races with Mercury in Gemini. It requires, again, constant food for thought. The inner awareness can be lacking with Mercury coming into Gemini because the attention goes to the outside environment, trying to understand the self through the outside environment. So another thing is that picking up new skills is very easy for this particular style of Mercury. They can learn anything, but they generally have to want to because it's the fickle Mercury. They're not easy to pin down or funnel into any one thing, and studying is generally not easy unless it's interesting, and then they're going to flip through that book and just eat it up for lunch. If they find something worth learning, they can master it. This is the constantly engaged style of Mercury, and Mercury in Gemini people can talk a lot, but they don't listen as well as they probably could. They're more concerned with getting their thoughts out there, with getting their actions out there, then worrying about the response. Opinions are often not well-formed because the thoughts are typically not well-developed with Mercury in Gemini. The thoughts can pass through quickly, and this impedes the ability to bring order to the mental connections. But Mercury functions very well in Gemini.

Mercury in Cancer is motivated by feelings. Mercury is fulfilling the psychological need for belonging in Cancer. This is a more sensitive style of communication. They often will hold back information they perceive as painful and can struggle with being harsh or honest with their opinions. Mercury is trying to be a caretaker in Cancer, so they take care with their word placement, with their diction and choice of wording. This is not a conspicuous style of Mercury. These people do tend to be quieter, more focused on enhancing their relationships through communication. They communicate about impressions, feelings, needs, and often about the past. They tend to be backwards-facing when it comes to perceiving what's in the moment. They're tied to their impressions and memories that they rely on to give them the truth about something or someone in the present moment. So memory is the chosen yardstick by which to judge the present tense. So they tend to think in circular patterns. They enjoy a stagnant routine because it draws from the past; it's comfortable. Mercury is the mediator between the self and others when it comes into Cancer. Communication is used to grow associations that can facilitate one's protection and nourishment and belonging. Mercury is strongly tied to instinct in Cancer. The thoughts are a result of the feelings. Conversation and communication is going to be about intimacy, emotions, what is dear to us, and understanding feelings. Emotions that result from contact with one's own environment are then going to require a logical understanding. It's easy to take opinions or reactions from others very personally with Mercury in Cancer. Most everything is taken personally and internalized with this style of Mercury. A changeable mood, being moody, is also associated with Mercury in Cancer due to that strong link between thoughts and feelings.

Mercury in Leo is motivated by the need to be noticed. Mercury is fulfilling the psychological need for recognition. When it comes into Leo, this is the showy side of Mercury. People with Mercury in Leo tend to be exaggerators, great storytellers. A drama laces their communication. In Cancer, Mercury is the result of impressions, but in Leo, Mercury makes an impression. This can be more of an extroverted style of engaging with the environment and with other people. There's a certain flair to someone with a Mercury coming through the sign of Leo. Mercury is employed socially in Leo, so it's a bridge to further acceptance, to more personal recognition. Because of this, Mercury Leo is very personally expressive. This Mercury is also prone to feeling hurt easily because they are sensitive and aware of how their show is coming across, how their Mercury is coming across, how is that being accepted by the audience. Very, very aware of this. And remember, Mercury is in the service of the need for recognition when it comes into Leo. Mercury will be the chief actor for garnering attention, unless there are other planets that are also in Leo. They will also be serving that side psychological need. So this is the self-promoting way of dealing with and organizing information. They're going to communicate about themselves. The communication is crafted to enhance other people's opinions or perceptions of the person who has Leo Mercury. So this can be a very warm, funny, friendly, engaging style of Mercury. They do tend to extend themselves and make an effort to connect. They feel they have a lot to add to the conversation, and they're usually right. People love the casual humor, the of a Mercury coming into Leo. It's a comfortable, informal place to have Mercury, and as long as you're going to laugh and respond in ways that confirm someone with Leo Mercury's social recognition, they will continue to entertain you. So if you don't respond in ways that are confirming of their social power or identity, then they will feel hurt, embarrassed, and very small, and their show will no longer be available to you. Mercury in Leo people are really looking for a receptive audience to share their opinions and their thoughts and their communications with.

Mercury in Virgo is motivated by analysis. Mercury in Virgo is fulfilling the psychological need for organization. This is a very self-conscious style of Mercury. People with Mercury in Virgo are very aware of others' reactions to them and can be self-censoring as a result. High amounts of discrimination are part of the thinking and the communication process. A self-critical attitude leads to further perfection of the mental faculties, skills, and communication because there is self-criticism. Criticism of others is also going to be present. The need to organize daily activities, routines, health, and information perfectly leads to a correct sense of proportion, unless aspects are challenging. This is because, again, any plan in any sign is going to be challenged by aspects. So there is a measured amount of partaking in things when we have a Virgo Mercury. This is a smart and diverse mind, and it's the result of self-deprecation and self-consciousness. Self-criticism. Analysis paralysis can be a problem when we have Mercury in Virgo. The calculating nature of this sign asks Mercury to know all the details before making a decision. One can rely too much on their mental powers and experience a cut-off of the instincts with a Virgo Mercury, and we can become extremely book-smart with this particular placement, but instinct-stupid. This can hamper the ability to make a correct decision because Mercury is not in tune with the irrational. When it comes into Virgo, it is in tune with the rational. It does Virgo and things really, really well. Mercury in Virgo, though, avoids messes. The opposite sign of Pisces is messy, so Virgo Mercury is like organization. This is a style of Mercury that's more surgical in its approach. Mercury in Virgo sees things in parts, in detail, and this makes it hard to understand the the big picture, the entirety of something. This is something that makes navigating emotional situations difficult because they're more focused on the problem at hand, the immediacy of what could go wrong or what needs to be fixed, rather than the eventual outcome of something. Assuming one has the solution is also characteristic, characteristic of a Virgo coming into Mercury, coming into Virgo. In short, being a know-it-all can be something that we experience have a Mercury in Virgo, but I wouldn't know anything about that, would I?

Mercury in Libra is motivated by equality. Mercury is fulfilling the psychological need for balance in Libra. There's a harmonious quality to what Mercury in Libra people communicate, but always consider aspects because those are the challenges to one's natural expression in any sign. Mercury in Libra does not want to rock the boat. Sweet talk and speaking in ways that are enchanting rather than challenging is part of the skill of this particular style of Mercury. They can adopt others' opinions and perceptions easily. They are completing their own mental development through engaging with others and absorbing their opinions. A marked avoidance of confrontation is often a part of having a Mercury coming through the sign of Libra. They can be the victim of the last opinion they heard until they develop the conscious recognition of their own individual opinions. They're interested in others. Mercury in Libra people communicate about others, about relationships, about other people's points of view. The objectivity of the Libra Mercury is caused by the ability to place oneself in the position of the other person, to see the other person's point of view, and this makes for an understanding person, but it does not make for someone who is easily able to make decisions because one can see the other side. It makes one's own side questionable. Compromise is often going to be the basis of most decisions that are made when we have Mercury coming through the sign of Libra, and they're concerned with balancing their opinions and perceptions with others' opinions and perceptions, and so this often results in fairness, but again, indecisiveness can be a product of that as well. Knowing what one individually thinks and has opinions about, but taking the other point of view into consideration is the right balance that we're looking for with the Mercury coming through Libra. So this can inform one's personal opinions and allow for better decision-making based on additional information rather than the giving up of one's own opinion.

Mercury in Scorpio is motivated by exposure. Mercury in Scorpio is fulfilling the psychological need for transformation. Mercury is emotionally driven in the water signs, especially in Scorpio, and has a strongly penetrating quality to it, how they think and speak. Mercury in Scorpio is concerned with uncovering, with exposing what lies beneath the obvious. The real meaning of something is what they can obsess over. Investigation of feelings and the needs that they signal lead to growth, spiraling down into deeper insights that lead to transformation. Ferreting out the weak spots in oneself and others is also the chosen vehicle for growth. Rooting out buried complexes in oneself and others breaks down the current belief system, allows it to die, and be reborn as something more in tune with current conditions. So the style of Mercury is pointed and sharp and often hurtful. Mercury in Scorpio people speak the truth in order to free themselves and others from chains that bind and inhibit growth. Sometimes their communication is just plain hurtful because words are the defense against their own exposure. People with Mercury in Scorpio point out others' failings when hurt or triggered themselves. They can strike a weak or sore spot in someone else to avoid something painful being exposed in themselves, but this leads to self-knowing anyway, and to know another's weakness is to know our own. The mind feeds on crisis with Mercury coming through Scorpio. The mental attention goes into what is flawed or seemingly suspicious or needing to be ferreted out. The personal reactions and perceptions can mature into something beautiful with this particular placement of Mercury, once they fearlessly penetrate the core of their own nature. If they do, once they expose their own secrets, they can become reliably compassionate communicators, wise, able to skillfully deal with traumas and crises because they have skillfully dealt with them within their own self. They're no longer going to suffer from the consequences of their sharp, emotionally driven receptions. Other people will benefit from them. Any planet in the sign of Scorpio will encounter a choice to remain mired in suspicion, reactivity, or paranoia, or transform into something free from the chains of desire, jealousy, intense feelings. Mercury in Scorpio can become an agent of authenticity if the perceptions and mental patterns are fearlessly confronted in one's own self.

Mercury in Sagittarius is motivated by inspiration. Mercury is fulfilling the psychological need for faith. Mercury is concerned with the components of things, and when in Sagittarius, can struggle with taking all the little things into consideration. There's a spontaneity that can impede the proper understanding of facts. A long one's search for truth, and this is also a blunt style of communication. They are not aware of the details so much of the time, and this can affect the Sagittarius Mercury person's ability to comprehend the totality of the timing of their responses or how they respond. And they can apply their large understanding to a small situation, and this doesn't allow, again, for the handling of the details of that situation well. So another thing about Sagittarius Mercury is they are broad-minded. They love to laugh. Their attention goes to humor. They are into communication that furthers their engine of life, and they're also prone to learning about what is adventurous or breaks new ground or leads them to think bigger thoughts. Routines are less apt to be followed well when we have Mercury coming through Sagittarius. They are not focused on what is next on the agenda; they're more inclined to make it up as they go. So this is the spontaneous mind with Mercury coming into Sagittarius, and daily activities are going to follow a pattern of not following a pattern.

Mercury in Capricorn is motivated by status. Mercury is fulfilling the psychological need for conformity in Capricorn. Mercury is steeped in forms. When we have it coming into the sign of Capricorn, pragmatic communication, pragmatic outlook, consistency, and a strategic approach are very, very characteristic of having Mercury in Capricorn. Mercury here is not wasteful. Words are short and to the point. Routines are well known and regimented. Mercury Capricorn has a very good understanding of their overall aims, and they apply themselves carefully and with a plan. A plan is always in place with Mercury in Capricorn. Mercury's functioning in its most formal style in Capricorn. A ruthlessness also does accompany this particular style of Mercury. Acting without emotion, status is the goal, and Mercury is the employee of the need for status when coming into Capricorn. So conversations will will be about getting to the pinnacle, winning, coming out on top. There is identification with ideas when Mercury is in Capricorn. One may see themselves as the goal and feel like a failure when the goal is not met. So the tactics used are practical, concrete, and typically void of emotion or based solely on the need for social recognition or success. Mercury is a self-imposed straightjacket when it comes through Capricorn, and the people who have this Mercury can feel that they can only act in ways or think in ways that are going to be effective in building the three-dimensional forms that we all see in life. So there's often an automaton type of way with a Capricorn Mercury. They don't waste time on words, and they don't value taking other people's time as well. There's a predetermined objective to achieve, and this is what the thoughts and the daily agenda are going to center around.

Mercury in Aquarius is motivated by innovation. Mercury is fulfilling the psychological need for reform in Aquarius. The forms that Capricorn is so concerned with are destroyed and reformed with Mercury in Aquarius. Mercury in Aquarius is a universal thinker. This style of Mercury enjoys diversity and sees value in it. Mercury in Aquarius is an Edison of the world. This Mercury talks and thinks about what is mind-expanding, what is progressive, what is yet to be known, what is still existing as a possibility. Mercury in Aquarius is concerned with the group, with the whole, with the entirety of us, and these people understand that brilliance comes from inclusion and identifying with the all, the entirety of the group, or the entirety of the universe itself. Reforming what was previously thought to be safe or logical is the business of an Aquarius Mercury. Seeing beyond the immediacy of a situation and at the same time grasping the details of it makes for a superb intellect. People with Mercury in Aquarius are some marked, but more than that, they are mentally flexible, and they are open to learning new things. This is where innovation comes from. They can be very insistent about their own perspective, but this usually is because they think it, or sometimes even know it, to be superior. This isn't often the case. The superiority isn't often really the case. They need to be aware of their own minds convincing them of their specialness due to the ease of their mental processing. So they have to watch out for the negative side of Mercury in Aquarius, which is being a know-it-all.

Mercury in Pisces is motivated by mystery. Mercury is fulfilling the psychological need for transcendence in Pisces. Unlike Mercury in Aquarius, Mercury in Pisces is an emotional thinker. Experiences and everyday activities are centered around feeling states. The syntax for Mercury in Pisces is emotions. Mercury is the faculty of logic, but it is applied to illogical concepts and routines. Intuitions in Pisces. Communication is going to be centered around altered states, surrender, spiritual pursuits, becoming the nothing. The conscious mind disintegrates when Mercury comes through Pisces. That is, it falls apart, it disconnects from the rational. The dependence on forms to swim in the formless. Pisces Mercury does tend to lead to some identity issues. Any planets in personal planets in Pisces are going to have that effect because there isn't a solid sense of self, and that can result in boundary problems. It's easy to influence with someone with Mercury in Pisces because they are so suggestible. Not having a solid center or concrete belief can lead to issues with integrity. Mercury is of a critical, discerning nature, and the power of discernment is not really available in Pisces, not until we understand our personal place in the whole, how our personal perceptions fit into and are informed by the universal human nature. This is a very poetic, idealistic expression of Mercury. They want to experience transcendence through the mind. They apply their logic to the mystical, and Mercury in Pisces people can be prone to escaping into blissful states of mind or even worried states of mind. It's the ability to unite the personal agenda that enables them to grow out of their personal sensitivities and into the next phase of growth. Aries to unite that personal agenda with the universal agenda. This is a very creative style of Mercury. They apply their skills to what is special, what is beautiful, high art, or what is emotional.