The transits of the planets

Effects of transiting Mercury

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Inward

Whenever an important Mercury transit occurs, you will be called on to use your mind, think, and communicate more than usual. Fortunately, Mercury's energies make this easier. If Mercury is in poor condition as it transits your chart, however, your thoughts and communications may be confused rather than clear. If this happens, the best course is to slow down and think things through carefully. Mercury signifies speed, among other things, so be cautious about speaking or making decisions too quickly. Some Mercury transits can also feel like a stimulant, as if you had too much tea or coffee. Take deep breaths and slow down.

Normally, Mercury transits help you think and decide more clearly. You can consider all the issues and see how they fit together. Even if you sometimes have trouble expressing yourself, you can communicate more clearly than usual during most Mercury transits. You may also feel a stronger desire to read, write, enjoy musical and theatrical performances, or do anything that stimulates your mind.

Oddly enough, Mercury transits may also enhance your ability to contemplate or meditate. The only problem you may encounter with these transits is that your mind might race and you may experience a loud internal dialogue. If this happens, do not fight it; do not resist it; do not “try” hard to suppress it. Instead, observe it. See what is happening as clearly as possible, and learn from it.

Outward

Outwardly, Mercury transits often coincide with increased activity and communication with others. Whether you want to or not, you may attend more meetings and conferences than usual. You may also have to get around much more during these transits, taking trips in your car, commuting more frequently, or simply moving busily around the house or office, taking care of tasks and chores. Do not be surprised if you are a bit more fatigued at the end of a day under Mercury transits.

On another level, most Mercury transits are good for studying and acquiring new information. As a bonus, you may also share what you know with others, for example by teaching, giving lectures, or making presentations. Remember that Mercury's energies do not determine the quality of the information itself; they simply help it be conveyed more effectively. It is up to you to ensure the quality of what you communicate and to be mindful that you are exchanging useful information rather than merely gossiping with friends (which is fine as long as you do not take it too seriously and you do no harm).

Mercury at the Personal Level

Mercury operates equally well at all three levels: personal, interpersonal, and transcendent. It is closely tied to thinking and communicating, and it helps you make it possible for others to understand you and how you think. Expressing yourself in this way is Mercury at the personal level. It is also perfectly appropriate under Mercury transits to argue a personal point of view in a discussion or conflict. The only requirement is that you be honest and forthright. Mercury's energies are equally capable of conveying truth and falsehood; that, too, is Mercury on the personal level. It is entirely up to you to decide what you will communicate.

Mercury's energies also support self-analysis, another manifestation of Mercury at the personal level, but they have a limitation. The only person you can directly and completely feel at the nonverbal, non-rational level is yourself, while Mercury is mostly about rational intellect. If you do not allow your self-understanding to arise from both non-rational and rational levels, your self-image may become a caricature rather than a genuine understanding.

On the physical level, Mercury's energies have much to do with the nervous system. While certain aspects of the nervous system fall under the significations of Uranus, the transmission of information, the nervous system's fundamental function, falls under Mercury. Overstimulation of the nerves, or simply moving faster than you can comfortably manage, is unlikely to damage your nervous system directly, but your nervous system may transmit energies that can strain other parts of your body. For this reason, Mercury's energies are often not ideal for relaxation, so you must ensure that they serve your conscious mind rather than dominate it. Mercury’s energies relate strongly to consciousness, but they are not conscious in themselves. Consciousness is more aligned with the energies of the Sun.

Mercury at the Interpersonal Level

Mercury works equally well at the interpersonal level. It has to do with all your communications and interchanges with other people. The energies of Mercury can be, and often are, profoundly social. And it is here that the image of Mercury as a “Faithful Herald” becomes important. It is, of course, sometimes necessary to say something that is not completely true. In fact, Mercury can have much to do with lying even though its energies are not in themselves dishonest. When a medieval king gave a message to his herald, it was not the herald’s responsibility to judge whether the message was true or false. The herald simply conveyed the message as accurately as possible. The energies of Mercury function in exactly this way.

Mercury at the Transcendent Level

Mercury is not often thought of as a transcendent planet. However, in the ancient world Mercury, also known as Hermes, was a God of wisdom and science. The energies of Mercury are perfectly appropriate at this level so long as they do not eliminate qualities of heart and soul from the communication.

While Mercury has its most characteristic function in rational discourse, it can also rise to the level of transmitting important elements of the non-rational in communication. Music and poetry are both partly ruled by Mercury. If you listen to the music of Bach, you can hear it. If you read the poetry of T.S. Eliot (and any other great poet), you can see it. If you study the wisdom of the more spiritual philosophers and esotericists, you can also see the energy of Mercury at work. Remember that the God Mercury not only conveyed the souls of the dead to the afterlife, but also signifies energies that lead to enlightenment.