Mercury Through the Houses
Mercury Through the Houses
Whilst all signs have their positives and negatives, with the planet Mercury it is not so much the sign it is in, but the aspects to it that will dictate how we communicate. Mercury shows us how we think and what we like to think about. It can show our relationship with any siblings, and describe our early environment, especially primary school. Mercury can also show us how we speak to others and whether we find it easy or hard to communicate. I enjoyed discovering about Mercury because it not only taught me that we all think differently but how we can think differently. Understanding that not everyone finds it easy to talk about their feelings is a big step toward learning about their defences and their boundaries. If we know someone with Mercury conjunct Saturn in Scorpio, we should be able to accept they need to know everything about us but may give little away themselves. We can't force someone to trust us because that has to be earned, and neither should we feel obliged to share if we are not that way inclined. Astrology can help us to be more authentic, but it can also show us how to find other ways of expression if our Mercury is having a hard time. Ultimately it comes down to acceptance; we cannot change our essence, but we can modify our outer behaviour.
Fixed - Mercury will tend to stick to its opinions once formed,
and perspective will also be slow to change once established, but with a fixed Mercury, you are likely to know where you are. These are the types that will say it once and mean it; they mean what they say and say what they mean.
Cardinal - Much more flexible but can stand firm on issues that are considered important. Can be more unpredictable and can change opinions to fit in if necessary (Capricorn), to keep the peace (Libra), to remain independent (Aries), or if they love you enough (Cancer).
Mutable - I never understood just how changeable these temperaments could be until I'd lived with a Sag for a while; they alter from one week to the next and words have little power. Whilst they can be great teachers, they will say they hate when they do not, they will say they love when they do not. They will be appalled by something one minute and a supporter of it the next. It can be hard to understand if you are fixed in nature, but if you can sit back and watch you can be amused and take pleasure in pointing out just how mentally fickle they are, and they will usually agree or disagree with a smile.
Mercury through the houses
In the 1st we usually have someone who just has to talk, and unless Mercury is badly afflicted they will be openly curious and happy to chat the hind legs off a donkey, especially if they are talking about themselves. There is a possibility they will want to remain youthful forever and may even give the impression they are ten years younger than what they are. There could be an element of the trickster in them, and they love being cheeky; they may jest a lot as a means to communicate with others. The mind itself is quick.
2nd - This house tends to hold onto its words. Mentally they should be quite stable; even if Mercury is in a more erratic sign, it will help to slow the thought process, and they will be more reliable in not changing their mind so frequently. The person with Mercury here could enjoy talking about money, antiques and other things that hold their monetary value, or there could be a love of art and colour. Mercury in the 2nd may not be the sharpest placement, but it is usually thoughtful and tends not to make careless mistakes with documents or written assignments.
3rd - Mercury is extremely comfortable in this house and tends to pick up information with little effort. Writers, teachers, and salesmen do well with this particular placement as it frees up the intellectual process to relate to others on a day-to-day level. Like those with Mercury in the 1st, they tend to be open, chatty, and friendly. A third house Mercury will ask more questions and have a stronger need for information. Unless Mercury is in a fixed sign they may have a tendency to gossip, so make sure you know them well before unleashing your secrets; there is rarely any malice present they just can't keep anything quiet.
4th - This Mercury will be most visible when the person is at home, and there could be a degree of inherited writing or speaking ability. There could be a reluctance to communicate outside of the home whilst the person is young, but as time moves forward, they should be able to communicate without fearing their privacy is being invaded. If boundaries are crossed, they'll erect defences quickly and go silent. Earn their trust and communication should be effortless unless Mercury is incredibly afflicted.
5th - As this is one of the most creative houses, Mercury here has a fondness for storytelling and other creative ways of communicating. If it is well aspected, they will make good fiction writers, and a dramatic flare is almost always present. These are the embellishers, the ones who may make mountains out of molehills but not because they need the attention, they just appreciate a good story. Mercury in this house has to have an outlet and will not be content to stay silent; painting, drawing and even sculpture are other possible tools to use. If it is conjunct Mars and in Taurus, you could also consider dance.
6th - In this house, Mercury leans more towards efficiency and having everything in their minds very well ordered; they may externalise this by having everything in boxes with labels. In communication they could be reserved, preferring to speak when it is necessary, and they may be cautious about which words to use. Typists would do well with this placement, and although the house is associated with Virgo and Mercury rules Virgo, it is a different kind of energy to Gemini. Mercury here needs to use his or her mind to be of service in some way and if this is not attainable the person may become very critical of himself and others. The 3rd house is more blasé about things, but this is a more serious-minded person.
7th - With Mercury in the 7th, relating to others becomes very important; the person may well be more comfortable communicating on a one-to-one level but could also have a tendency to project their ability to communicate onto others. They may be more sensitive to what others say than most people. If there is difficulty in expression, it has to be worked on. There could be indecision at times, and may automatically think "what will so and so think". There is a need to balance this out so that all attention is not focused on others. If Mercury is afflicted, they will probably attract shady partners who lie to them, especially if Neptune is involved. With Mars, it leans towards argumentative types who have to have the last word; this can manifest in the person themselves or in the people they attract. It depends on whether they can own the good and bad points of this placement, the good being they can relate to almost anyone on a mental level.
8th - This is a naturally secretive house, and those with Mercury here may not be too quick to express their innermost desires. The thought process tends to be very deep and thorough leaning toward psychology. There could be a fascination with the occult, crime, death, or sex, or it might be that most time is spent thinking about these things whilst trying to work it all out. They are rarely superficial in what they say, and if the conversation doesn't grip them, they probably won't engage. A good placement for a detective or researcher if backed up by other factors in the chart. These people pry....they dig deep, and rarely judge anything by face value alone.
9th - This is another house that Mercury can thrive in although it tends to lean towards more abstract concepts and does not fit quite so well with everyday life. It is the thought process of a philosopher, someone who sees the big picture and tends to overlook minor details. Whereas the 3rd rules lower schooling, the 9th is university education and other areas of learning that are more advanced, though we need strong foundations in the 3rd if we are to get the best from Mercury in the 9th. This is the place Mercury wants to preach from.
10th - The people with Mercury in the 10th could be known for their communication skills both good and bad. They may be publicly vocal, or Mercury will be visible to everybody in some other way. It could be that they are always heard above everyone else, or they may be con men or famous writers. Nothing is cast in stone; charts show potential not definites. The man or woman that can inspire and motivate the masses with a powerful speech of honour and truth is cut from the same cloth as the man or woman who can talk an old granny out of her savings. Politician perhaps?
11th - At its highest expression it is the mental idealist whose mind travels the far-flung corners of the galaxy searching for cosmic truth. In everyday life, it is the one who speaks out when something seems unfair; it is the campaigner for change so that more of the group can benefit. Greenpeace, animal rights, and CND may be attractive to the 11th house Mercury or they may be the champion of their friends and always be there when you need them. In fact, with Mercury here, friends are usually considered family. There could be a tendency to attract friends from other cultures or there may be something unusual about one of the siblings.
12th - Mercury here could find it very difficult to communicate with those who are spiritually insensitive or just too grounded in physical reality. They may not go for the common sense approach, preferring instead to see how they feel before responding. There is a different sort of depth here when compared to the 8th house as Mercury in the 12th seems to morph into whatever they are thinking about. They become one with it and absorb the energies rather than studying whatever it is. They may feel at times that they do not get heard, or that others always seem to communicate better. This is not true. Yes, the thought process is different, and they may well not learn too much from the old blackboard method. However, if they are allowed to explore things creatively without boundaries, they can absorb more knowledge than most.
