August Magazine 2014 Becoming Psychic Magazine February 2014 | Page 6

Last month’s article focused on the phases and cycles of the
Moon, something we all find easier to understand due to its
visibility in the night sky. However, all the other planets also
have their own cycles, and this month sees the planet Mercury
moving into a retrograde period, so it would seem appropriate
and timely to look at Mercury in more detail.
Mercury is the astrological ruler of Gemini and Virgo, and traditionally
rules the astrological houses of the third (Gemini) and sixth (Virgo).
In ancient mythology, Mercury was known as the messenger of the
Gods. Thus, in modern times, Mercury is known as the planet of communication. As an element, Mercury is a metallic liquid that is able to
reasonably conduct electricity, although it is a poor conductor of heat.
Mercury represents all forms of communication, from mental thoughts
and the spoken word through to travel and transport. The placement of Mercury at the
time of our birth will be a good indicator of our preferred style of communication and will
define our mentality and manner of handling nervous energy.
Mercury is sometimes commonly referred to as “quicksilver”, and the Mercurial speed of
thought and communication can often be seen in individuals born under the Sun signs of
Gemini and Virgo, or those with strong Mercury placements in their charts. I once was
asked to do an astrological reading for a female Gemini who had Mercury in Gemini in
her third house. Needless to say, I was well prepared for the fact that talking was not
something she shied away from!
Mercury is able to provide us with the skill of logical thought, and to express ourselves in
a variety of ways. From a conscious perspective, thinking, writing and speaking are all
obvious ways of communicating. So too are physical forms of travel like air, road, rail
etc.
However, it is important to understand that everything that has been created in our physical world
started with a thought, and that thoughts come in
both conscious and unconscious form. Mercury
therefore is a vital player in assisting us with the
connection between our conscious and unconscious
minds, as well as being the link between ourselves
and all that exists beyond us in both the physical
and non-physical realms.