Interview with Mercury, Part 5

John: I know that my audience will find your remarks extremely helpful moving forward. [consults iPad] Let’s talk about the signs that you work best in next, if we could. Both the Sun and the Moon talked about the one sign they rule. Which one do you rule?

Mercury: Actually, there are two signs that I rule, if we’re being precise.

John: Two? How is that possible?

Mercury: So back in the day, when there were only seven visible planets, the rulership of the signs was given to just those seven. The Sun and Moon got one each, and the rest of us got two signs for our own. Classical astrologers still use these “rulerships” today.

John: But we’ve discovered more planets now, so…

Mercury: As you humans came across more of us, astrologers re-assigned certain signs to different planets. Not all of them, mind you, but a few. Modern astrologers favor the new assignments, which change after new planets are discovered. The last time this happened was in 1931, when Pluto was discovered.

John: That’s fascinating. Which set of rulerships is the right one?

Mercury: Totally loaded question. And John, you must know by now that astrologers argue about everything. The answer to that question is “It depends on who you ask.” Some split the difference and use various hybrids, too. 

John: Of course. I should have known better. But I don’t want to lose this point about the discovery of Pluto. Wasn’t Walt Disney just starting out around that time?

Mercury: Absolutely. Why do you think the dog was named Pluto? It was a brilliant strategy. Disney said he’d name the next character after the new planet, and the rest is history.

John: Marketing at is finest. But it was a novel concept back then.

Mercury: It sure was. But returning to the rulership concept, in my case, nothing has changed, fortunately; I’ve always ruled two signs and I still rule the same two signs as I did thousands of years ago.

John: That’s convenient. Which two are under your direct control?

Mercury: Gemini and Virgo.

John: Can you explain why those two are yours?

Mercury: Have you met a Gemini sun person before? The chatterboxes of the zodiac, I call them. They are excellent at using words to get what they want. They make excellent communicators; they speak well, they write well, and usually they’re very quick on the uptake. The challenge they face is that the idea of “truth” is not always important to them. In other words, it’s easy for them to manipulate people with words. And since, like me, they don’t really resonate with emotion, they can easily hurt people with words without a second thought sometimes.

John: Sounds amazing and yet a bit dangerous.

Mercury: I hope people understand that every sign has their good and bad points. Gemini people already get a bad rap online, so please ask people not to overly generalize. Not every Gemini lies and manipulates; there are many that are excellent information managers, actors, intelligence professionals, and lawyers.

John: Yes, that’s true. I happen to have two Gemini sisters. One is a lawyer and the other is a mental health counselor, and both are very talented. I find it fascinating that both get paid to talk for a living, too.

Mercury: Indeed. Remember also that lack of emotion isn’t a bad thing all the time. I call it extreme objectivity. You need people who parse information carefully and can paint a picture of what is going on from many disparate places without a bias.

John: You also said Virgo was one of your signs. My question is that if they both belong to you, how are they different?

Mercury: That, good sir, is an outstanding question. Astrologically, every sign has one element and one quality. Both of these signs are very flexible—we call the quality of both mutable as they help us transition from one season to the next—spring into summer, and summer into fall, respectively. But Gemini is of the air element and Virgo is an earth sign. My energy comes from the same place, but it manifests differently in these two signs.

John: You’ll need to clarify that one, Mercury.

Mercury: Think of it this way: My energy goes outward with Gemini—talking, gossiping, collecting, parsing, and disseminating information. With Virgo, my energy is directed inward; Virgo people use that discriminating sense to help others and help themselves become better people. So, the result is different.

John: But there are some similarities, right?

Mercury: Indubitably. Gemini has more of an “information for information’s sake approach” generally. Virgo has a much more practical streak and has a tendency to want to get things done. Gemini has more fun with language, while Virgo focuses more on extreme attention to detail. I call Virgo the troubleshooters of the Zodiac for their outstanding analytical abilities. There’s an old saying: Make a plan, and then let a Virgo shoot holes in it. If the Virgo can’t find anything wrong, then it’s likely a great plan.

John: You’re right. Those are two very different ways of using the energy. Speaking of that energy, can you give us an image to work with? The Moon said her energy flowed like a river. How would you describe yours?

Mercury: Think of the fastest Internet speed you’ve ever had. Now double it. When I’m in Gemini or Virgo, that’s how it feels.

John: So those are the signs you rule, but what about the exaltation, that sign where the benefits can be even more apparent?

Mercury: Well, in my case, I rule Virgo, but it’s also considered exalted as well. There is a refinement of my energy in Virgo that doesn’t exist in Gemini; it’s much easier for Gemini to overload with information that may or may not be useful. Virgo's more practical side refines and focuses my ability a little more. Does that make sense?

John: Certainly. [makes notes on iPad] The Sun talked about the signs as suits of clothes. Which signs don’t flatter your figure, if you take my meaning?

Mercury: When I’m in Pisces—which is both my fall and one of my detriment positions—I don’t perform at my best. There can be a lassitude—a laziness, if we’re being precise—and an emotional focus that doesn’t really match with my overall energy. I will say, for full disclosure, that Mercury in Pisces is much better at picking up the “vibes” or what is left unsaid. And if you’re talking about creative writing, Mercury in Pisces stimulates the imagination.

John: Sounds dreamy. What imagery can you provide for this position?

Mercury: Remember when the Internet first started, and we had to dial in and connect via telephone? The data would flow, but very slowly compared to today, and it was not particularly reliable. That’s Mercury in Pisces.

John: You said that Pisces was one of your detriment signs. Is the other Sagittarius?

Mercury: Well done! How did you come up with that?

John: I noticed that the rulership and detriment signs seem to be opposite signs, and the same appears true for the exaltation and fall signs. Logically speaking, Sagittarius was the only choice remaining.

Mercury: Spectacular thinking and absolutely correct! My Sagittarius position can be a little bit too…blunt and thoughtless, if we’re being precise. It’s a shoot from the hip, tell-it-like-it-is-and-apologize-later sort of deal. The revolutionary astrologer Noel Tyl referred to Sagittarius as having heavy “opinionation”. I really miss that man…he had some great words!

John: But there is hope for folks who have Mercury in Sagittarius, right?

Mercury: Come on, now. Have you learned nothing? Hope is just another word to me. You need to tell them there’s hope for them because I don’t care one way or another.  

John: That’s a fair point, Mercury. Let me rephrase: Would you please share the positive side of this placement for us?

Mercury: A magnificent question that I can answer, John. They are good at honesty and idealism, higher education and abstract thought, and the overall pursuit of knowledge.

John: [takes notes on iPad] And do you have any imagery for this placement?

Mercury: The best one is probably plain-old snail mail. But it is still reliable, and the message gets through…just slowly. I don’t think most people remember life before the Information Age!