Mercury: Planets In Astrology
In mythology, Mercury (Hermes in Greek mythology) is a messenger, the god of trade and the guide to the Underworld. He is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and wit, of literature and poets, of athletics and sports, of weights and measures, of invention, and of commerce in general.
Mercury is a ruling planet for Gemini and Virgo. Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and takes only 88 days to orbit the Sun, spending about 7.33 days in each sign of the zodiac.
Mercury represents the principles of communication, mentality, thinking patterns, rationality and reasoning, and adaptability and variability. Mercury governs schooling and education; the immediate environment of neighbors, siblings and cousins; transport over short distances; messages and forms of communication such as post, email and telephone; newspapers, journalism and writing, information gathering skills, and physical dexterity. Mercury is often described as an inconstant, vivacious, and curious planet.
In relations to our health, Mercury is associated with the nervous system, the brain, the respiratory system, the thyroid, and the sense organs. In Chinese astrology, Mercury is ruled by the element water, which is diplomatic, kind, and intuitive.
Mercury is also associated with Wednesday. People who are born on Wednesday may appear easy to communicate, witty and curious, but you also need to look at your Mercury card, because its power is multiplied by Wednesday - the day of the week you were born.
In a Destiny Cards system Mercury is responsible for the first 52 days after our birthday. If you look at the life spread, the first card to the left of your birth card is your Mercury card. The card in Mercury position applies to your earliest years – the years of our first education and learning ways of communication with others. The influence of the card in the Mercury position influences how we express and convey our thoughts, how we approach others and information in order to learn and exchange ideas. It represents our day-to-day expression and communication. When you meet someone, first you will see his or her Mercury card. Today, we often meet people through the internet. Your Mercury card affects the way we write emails, either short and business-like, or flowery and creative. The same is true for our speech representation. Mercury is also responsible for short trips (nowadays car trips and air travel for those who travel a lot).
For example, Ten of Diamonds has Eight of Spades in a Mercury position. Eight of Spades in Mercury helps to overcome any challenges of your childhood. Spades are responsible for work and health. Eight is the number of power, a symbol of action and overcoming, one of the most positive and constructive influences of all. In Mercury position, Eight of Spades give you good health and strong drive to overcome most obstacles in your life. It also mean an early involvement in some kind of work. In communications, people with Eight of Spades in Mercury can be aggressive and dominative and certainly know how talk others into anything they wish.
In yearly readings, the card in your Mercury period will tell you about short trips, education and communication with others. The card suit tells you which areas in your life will be affected by Mercury:
Hearts – love, emotions, and feelings.
Clubs – mental activities, learning, speaking, writing, teaching.
Diamonds – finances, values.
Spades – work and health.
For example, if you have four of Diamonds in your Mercury period, you can expect suddenly coming money. It might be quick turnover or good return of investment. Any events in Mercury period happen fast and do not influence our year as much as more significant planetary periods as Saturn and Jupiter, but you will still feel light influence of your card in Mercury throughout entire year.