Mercury in astrology is one of the personal planets, along with Venus and Mars. This means we feel these planets in a personal way, and Mercury connects to your minds and ability to express ourselves.
Mercury Astrology & Your Natal Chart
There are ten planets in a standard astrology chart (I personally also add Ceres, and there are others, but we start with the ten). Each planet links to a different part of your personality and life. Your natal chart is a snapshot of the locations of the planets, other bodies, and houses in the Zodiac at the moment you're born and from the location you're born at.
Mercury is the natural ruling planets for two signs, airy Gemini who rules the mind, and earthy Virgo who rules the details, and naturally connects with two houses, the third house of education and the sixth house of work.
Mercury is the natural ruling planets for two signs, airy Gemini who rules the mind, and earthy Virgo who rules the details, and naturally connects with two houses, the third house of education and the sixth house of work.
At-a-Glance Mercury Keywords:
- the mind
- active
- variety
- immediate environment
- thoughts and ideas
- news
- duality
Mercury in Astrology: The Mind
In your natal chart, your natal Mercury rules your mind. It shows how you express yourself, your communication style, as well as how you learn and share knowledge or information. This is mostly found via your Mercury sign, and the house in your natal chart natal Mercury falls in can show areas where you communicate a lot more, need to express yourself, or have a lot of knowledge.
Conjunctions (alignments by other planets to your Mercury) tend to be strong, and can dominate your communication style and knowledge. But, you also feel the other major aspects the planets make to your natal Mercury, and they can show how you connect with them mentally.
When it comes to transits, the transit (moving) planets aspecting your natal Mercury can be felt mentally. They can impact your ability to express yourself openly and authentically, and impact your connection to your mind.
Conjunctions (alignments by other planets to your Mercury) tend to be strong, and can dominate your communication style and knowledge. But, you also feel the other major aspects the planets make to your natal Mercury, and they can show how you connect with them mentally.
When it comes to transits, the transit (moving) planets aspecting your natal Mercury can be felt mentally. They can impact your ability to express yourself openly and authentically, and impact your connection to your mind.
Mercury in Astrology: Active
Mercury is a fast-moving planet, second only to the Moon, and Mercury likes to be quick on its feet and ready to move. This means Mercury is a planet that is quite active, and wants to have plenty to do.
We tend to keep busy with our Mercury and whatever it rules, and we generally don't want to sit around and wait for very long. We can feel that staying busy helps more.
We tend to keep busy with our Mercury and whatever it rules, and we generally don't want to sit around and wait for very long. We can feel that staying busy helps more.
Mercury in Astrology: Variety
Mercury in astrology loves variety. This is because it connects to the mind and it wants to be active, so variety helps with giving plenty to focus on to keep it interesting. Whatever Mercury is doing, we usually want some variety with it.
Mercury in Astrology: Immediate Environment
Mercury in astrology is an active planet, but it's one that doesn't go far into the future, so it governs our immediate environment. It's local, it's what's around us. It's siblings, neighbors, communities, schools.
We tend to want to build community with our Mercury and whatever it rules, and we generally don't want to disconnect much.
We tend to want to build community with our Mercury and whatever it rules, and we generally don't want to disconnect much.
Mercury in Astrology: Thoughts and Ideas
Transit (moving) Mercury brings mental focus to whatever it's touching. We tend to think a lot about the areas of life ruled by the natal house transit Mercury is touring and the planets being aspected by transit Mercury.
We can come up with lots of new ideas as well, especially under conjunctions. Mental energy can be easy to use with sextiles and trines, and focus might be a challenge with squares and oppositions.
We can come up with lots of new ideas as well, especially under conjunctions. Mental energy can be easy to use with sextiles and trines, and focus might be a challenge with squares and oppositions.
Mercury in Astrology: News
Mercury in astrology governs communication, thoughts, and ideas, so it also governs news. Our natal Mercury may show how we get news and what do we get most news about, and how we give news.
Transits with transit Mercury to the natal bodies or by transit planets to natal Mercury can stimulate energy for news, and important news can be shared by you or with you at the time it occurs.
Transits with transit Mercury to the natal bodies or by transit planets to natal Mercury can stimulate energy for news, and important news can be shared by you or with you at the time it occurs.
Mercury in Astrology: Duality
Mercury in astrology is dual in nature. It rules two Zodiac signs and two houses, and it's seen as a planet that can flip around. Remember that it's an active planet that loves variety, so it makes sense to be dual in nature.
This means Mercury can connect with two of whatever it's doing. Mercury in the professional houses (2nd, 6th, 10th) can show having two jobs or careers; Mercury in the relationship houses (5th, 7th) can show two great loves/relationships; Mercury in the 11th house of friends can show two best friends at a time, and on and on.
This means Mercury can connect with two of whatever it's doing. Mercury in the professional houses (2nd, 6th, 10th) can show having two jobs or careers; Mercury in the relationship houses (5th, 7th) can show two great loves/relationships; Mercury in the 11th house of friends can show two best friends at a time, and on and on.
Where Your Mercury Energy is Found
For everyone, look to the Zodiac sign and natal house your Mercury falls in. The energy of the Mercury sign is how you communicate and use your mind, while the areas of life ruled by the house your Mercury falls in are where you need to communicate and express yourself. Also look to the natural planetary ruler of your Mercury sign (the natural planetary ruler of the Zodiac sign your Mercury falls in) as this can also connect to the Mercury energy.
Planets that are conjunct (aligned with) your natal Mercury can be super important and have a direct impact on your communication style and mode of thinking. They might be more dominant than the sign Mercury is in.
Transit (moving) planets aspecting your natal Mercury can bring some temporary energy for the Mercury matters. This can impact you mentally with Mercury, but can also impact the areas of life ruled by the house your Mercury falls in, as well as the areas of life ruled by the houses your Mercury rules (so the houses that fall in Gemini and Virgo).
The most challenging aspects to your natal Mercury can be hard transit Pluto (since Pluto wants to wreck your mind, and you have to work to transform and empower your mind), hard transit Saturn (since Saturn restricts and can bring a more depressive mood), and hard transit Neptune (since Neptune obscures and can make it difficult to see reality).
Make sure to sign up for the free monthly worksheet to keep track of the transit planets impacting your natal Mercury and aspects by transit Mercury every month!
Planets that are conjunct (aligned with) your natal Mercury can be super important and have a direct impact on your communication style and mode of thinking. They might be more dominant than the sign Mercury is in.
Transit (moving) planets aspecting your natal Mercury can bring some temporary energy for the Mercury matters. This can impact you mentally with Mercury, but can also impact the areas of life ruled by the house your Mercury falls in, as well as the areas of life ruled by the houses your Mercury rules (so the houses that fall in Gemini and Virgo).
The most challenging aspects to your natal Mercury can be hard transit Pluto (since Pluto wants to wreck your mind, and you have to work to transform and empower your mind), hard transit Saturn (since Saturn restricts and can bring a more depressive mood), and hard transit Neptune (since Neptune obscures and can make it difficult to see reality).
Make sure to sign up for the free monthly worksheet to keep track of the transit planets impacting your natal Mercury and aspects by transit Mercury every month!
A Strong Natal Mercury in Astrology
Some may have a more important natal Mercury. This can be the case for you if you have:
- a stellium (3+ planets) including your natal Mercury
- your natal Mercury conjunct an angle
- your North or South Node in your Mercury sign
- your 1st house ruler conjunct the natal Mercury
- your natal Mercury anaretic (at 29 degrees)
- natal Mercury retrograde
- retrograde Venus or Mars conjunct your natal Mercury
If your natal Mercury is in a stellium, this can make your mind an important part of that stellium, and you need to make sure you're communicating and expressing yourself well. If your natal Mercury is conjunct a retrograde Venus or Mars, or is retrograde itself, you likely have an alternative way of communicating and using your mind, and this may be perceived as you being stupid or having a disability when young (even when you don't). There is power in this position but it usually comes after tearing down your self-esteem when it comes to your mind. If you have Mercury retrograde, make sure to check out THIS ARTICLE about it.
An anaretic natal Mercury can show you either are a super communicator and can't shut up, or you never speak up about anything and have no confidence in your ability to do so. That's the nature of the anaretic degree, and you need to find middle ground. Having confidence in your ideas and mental abilities, but also be a good listener and receptive to others.
Mercury conjunct an angle makes communication and your mind more important for that angle; conjunct your North Node, you can connect with your potentially mentally and realize your potential via your ideas; conjunct the South Node, you may fall back on bad habits mentally, and have to work on taking control of your mental abilities; and conjunct the 1st house ruler, you can be more expressive and comfortable with sharing your ideas.
Suggested Reading: Natal Mercury and Transit Mercury pages for general interpretations
- a stellium (3+ planets) including your natal Mercury
- your natal Mercury conjunct an angle
- your North or South Node in your Mercury sign
- your 1st house ruler conjunct the natal Mercury
- your natal Mercury anaretic (at 29 degrees)
- natal Mercury retrograde
- retrograde Venus or Mars conjunct your natal Mercury
If your natal Mercury is in a stellium, this can make your mind an important part of that stellium, and you need to make sure you're communicating and expressing yourself well. If your natal Mercury is conjunct a retrograde Venus or Mars, or is retrograde itself, you likely have an alternative way of communicating and using your mind, and this may be perceived as you being stupid or having a disability when young (even when you don't). There is power in this position but it usually comes after tearing down your self-esteem when it comes to your mind. If you have Mercury retrograde, make sure to check out THIS ARTICLE about it.
An anaretic natal Mercury can show you either are a super communicator and can't shut up, or you never speak up about anything and have no confidence in your ability to do so. That's the nature of the anaretic degree, and you need to find middle ground. Having confidence in your ideas and mental abilities, but also be a good listener and receptive to others.
Mercury conjunct an angle makes communication and your mind more important for that angle; conjunct your North Node, you can connect with your potentially mentally and realize your potential via your ideas; conjunct the South Node, you may fall back on bad habits mentally, and have to work on taking control of your mental abilities; and conjunct the 1st house ruler, you can be more expressive and comfortable with sharing your ideas.
Suggested Reading: Natal Mercury and Transit Mercury pages for general interpretations
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