If the dreaded Bloggers' Block strikes I often reach for a book and open it at random. This time I pulled out my copy of Robert Hand's "Horoscope Symbols", a book I'd recommend to anyone who hasn't come across it yet, by the way. I opened it and my eyes were drawn to these words:
"Mercury is often underplayed in astrological writing. In part this may be because it is not often an obvious source of difficulty to people. Also, I suspect, people find its symbolism less exciting than that of some other planets. Yet it is a symbol of immense importance. It is connected to the mind, especially the logical and reasoning capabilities, and to all forms of communication".
That is something I've noticed. Mercury is almost taken for granted. I've always thought it should be included along with Sun/Moon/rising sign when producing a rapid pencil sketch of any personality.
How we communicate is such a huge part of who we are, it colours the perception of those we meet, it's almost always the first thing others notice about us - it's instant.
Because of its position Mercury can only ever be in the same sign as the Sun or in one of the adjacent signs (previous or following). In many natal charts Sun and Mercury are in the same sign, which simply adds to the Sunsignliness (made that word up) of the native, but where Mercury is in a different sign from the Sun, the properties of Mercury's sign can often be sensed first: Mercury governs communication and communication is instant.
I've noticed this in a few people I've known well, whose charts I've been able to investigate. My husband, Sun Aries, Leo Moon and ascendant has Mercury in Pisces - he comes across initially as very quiet and thoughtful, certainly nothing like outgoing Aries/Leo. My mother, with Sun in Libra and Mercury in Scorpio definitely could come across as rather sharp and biting, not at all tactful and diplomatic as Libra is usually perceived.
My own Mercury in Capricorn reflects my father's, we were both Aquarius Sun with Capricorn Mercury. I can't, of course, say how I come across to others, but my father had a definite Capricorn feel, until you knew him better. I suspect I might be the same. Still, I like this combination because it unites Aquarius's ancient and modern rulers, Uranus and Saturn. That has to be beneficial, I reckon. It's only when Sun is in the adjacent signs of Aquarius or Capricorn that this uniting of ancient and modern rulers can happen. Scorpio has Mars and Pluto, ancient and modern rulers, but Aries and Scorpio are too far apart to house both Sun and Mercury. Pisces has Jupiter and Neptune as ancient and modern rulers, but Sagittarius and Pisces are too far apart for Sun to be in one and Mercury in t'other.
Sigh. I hope my desktop PC gets well soon because, somehow, this laptop inclines me to waffe.
