Mercury is the planet that is closest to the Sun. Its symbol represents all the three symbols that are used in astrology,

  • The cross manifestation of the Earth,
  • The circle of spirit, and
  • The uplifted crescent depicting an elevated personality.

Characteristics

It is neither a feminine planet nor a masculine one and has the habit of reflecting everything that it comes across; that is why it is said that it is Silver. The amount and complexity of your consciousness is directly proportional to the number of aspects that you have with mercury; the more the aspects, the higher will be your personality and consciousness.

The closest aspect is of vital importance since it is the need of reflective mind to have more aspects to be able to expand. The attention of the native remains focused depending on the positioning of the houses.

It is the receiver of messages from god to human beings while also serving as the internal link that communicates between our personality and the innermost soul; moreover, it also maintains a link between the mundane and the external self.

In effect, it symbolizes those channels of communication and the perceptions of sense that is utilized by the divine spark resident within us, which represents our true self, to organize and direct the internal infrastructure of the body just like a well oiled machine.

This link remains intact till such time that the personality is rational and balanced but ceases when a person loses his sanity, the vital communication link from the divine spark within but there are other doors to communicate through; the eyes and the ears still remain active for the almighty to communicate his wishes to us and talk to us.

Mercury is the ruler of:

  1. The senses (as differing from sense organs),
  2. The skin,
  3. The shoulders, arms and the hands,
  4. The lungs and the respiratory system,
  5. The nervous system, and
  6. Communications as a whole.

Thus, it symbolizes all the means of communication like TV, Radio, writing, Oratory and written communications.

Moreover, it also signifies:

  • Siblings (particularly sisters),
  • Reasoning,
  • Intelligence,
  • Logical rationalizing,
  • Reasoning powers,
  • Assimilation of education,
  • Power of perception, and
  • Undertaking short journeys.

Retrograde

Mercury is a planet that goes retrograde:

  1. For three week periods,
  2. It happens three or four times in a year, and
  3. The occurrence of the retrograde mercury is in 20% i.e. one-fifths of all charts.

Note: Mars is retrograde in 10% i.e. one-tenth of all charts while Venus retrograde occurs in about 7% of all charts which translates to one-fourteenth of all charts.

When your Mercury is retrograde, there appears an Rx sign against the numbers indicating its position; they may appear something like 26*.10’ Rx in the charts.

The natives who have retrograde Mercury need to be extra careful while dealing with data; it should be analyzed and then disseminated; comments may irritate a native because they relate to everything personally.

Zodiac signs ruled

There are two rashis ruled by Mercury:

  1. Virgo: wherein it collects data, processes it, forms opinions and chooses what to do with it, and
  2. Gemini: For thought processes and communications wherein it compares, perceives and links.

Own sign (Rashi) are Gemini and Virgo.

Own day is Wednesday.

Direction is north.

Orbiting time for each Zodiac sign is 25 days.

Orbiting time for complete Zodiac is 10 months.

Main Features Intelligent, hence called Budh (clever).

Nature is mixed.

Color is Light Green and Green.

Friendly Planets are Rahu, Venus and Sun.

Enemy Planet is Moon.

Neutral Planets are Jupiter, Saturn and Mars..

Exalted in Virgo.

Debilitated in Pisces.

Favorable Metals is Lead.

Precious Stone is Emerald.

If well placed it gives a good position, clever mind, Business acumen and the native can be a good mathematician.

If adversely place it gives the native an irritating and arrogant nature.

Body parts ruled The nervous system and skin.

Diseases given by Mercury Skin ailments, Obsessive nature and giddiness.