I have my natal Sun in Libra, the sign of relationship, conjunct Chiron in Libra and have spent many years analyzing what makes us tick when it comes to relating to others.
With Mercury currently moving through my 1st House and encouraging me to babble, some observations about Mercury in the natal chart have come to mind. There are several of us in the astro-blogosphere who have Mercury conjunct Mars natally. Mine is in Scorpio sitting on the 12th House side of the Ascendant inconjunct to Uranus in Gemini . . . lots of Mercury action there! One of my favorite astrologer/bloggers, Elsa P of Elsa Elsa.com, has Mars conjunct Mercury in Libra, and we all know what an amazingly prolific writer/blogger she is! Melody Zindell (Astrology and More) has Mercury in Gemini conjunct Mars. I know of several other people who share this astro-signature too. In fact, it’s an example of “affinities” between charts, giving us all a common denominator and a certain assertive turn of mind.
The way Mercury expresses its self in different signs and elements gives us all a decidedly different manner or approach to problem solving. To illustrate this, I will use myself and the young woman who replaced me as an office manager. She has her Mars/Mercury conjunction in Virgo as well as Sun in Virgo. I have an excellent visual memory and have a knack for finding just about anything if I’ve seen it. My organization style falls somewhere between neat & tidy and organized chaos – meaning I keep my work area clear but have vaguely ordered piles of papers, etc., sitting around. I could find things but nobody else could very easily. The first time I went by to help Ms Virgo after she had been there for about a week by herself, I was floored! My casual clutter was gone, replaced by extremely tidy files, all carefully labeled and if there were piles of paper, they were perfectly stacked and aligned. My former boss was thrilled because he shares her taste for what I see as excessive order. They both still call on occasion if they can’t find something . . . and I can usually direct them to its location.
My Aries SO has his Mercury conjunct Jupiter in Aries and is prone to painting a broader picture than I of the same event. One thing I’ve noted about Mercury in the Fire and Air signs is they often will be able to repeat a conversation verbatim. This is astonishing to me because I couldn’t do this to save my soul.
The women in my immediate family all have Mercury in Scorpio though we range from Libra to Sagittarius Suns. We are all good at ferreting out information when we put our minds to it. In fact, my mother and I had this ongoing “game” when I was growing up of her hiding my books and me finding them. She hid some Christmas gifts so well even she couldn’t remember where she put them! It’s tough to keep something hidden from someone with Mercury in Scorpio. =grin=
Mercury can be either Oriental or Occidental is relationship to the Sun. Oriental means it rises ahead of the Sun and in traditional astrology is more powerful; Occidental rises after the Sun. Modern astrologers tend to see Oriental planets as more subjective and vivid in expression and Occidental planets as more objective and cool in nature. My Mercury is Occidental and I know I tend to be quite objective and dispassionate in my thinking . . . unless I’m pissed about something, and then all bets are off because Mars is in charge. For those like me who get confused on what rising ahead of the Sun means, picture a chart with the Sun in the 1st House and Mercury in the 12th House – Mercury crossed the horizon ahead of the Sun meaning it’s Rising or Oriental!
Please feel free to share your thoughts on how you see Mercury operating in your chart or the charts of family and friends. A post on Mercury is a great place for feedback!
This post also appears on Astrodynamics where Dharmaruci & I are currently guest blogging for Lynn Hayes. We both were thrilled to do so . . . 
Just had to run outside in my birks to get this shot before the rainbow faded . . . nutz but, hey! It’s a winter rainbow!!
My mother was a Sun Libra with Mercury in Scorpio conj Mars in 11th, sq Uranus conj Jupiter in Aquarius in 2nd. It was an uncomfortable combination for her. She wanted so much to be a peaceable Libra (her Venus was in Sagittarius in 12th) the whole time and found it difficult to accept and integrate the sudden bursts of anger – and she had a cutting tongue – which seemed to erupt out of nowhere when she felt threatened or defensive.She was also a great one for keeping secrets. There were a few corkers that only came to light after her death …PS: love the rainbow.
Remembering that my Venus is Oriental, my Mercury is definitely Occidental. And notice that I said “remembering” – with Mercury in Capricorn, memory is my strong point. Other than that, it doesn’t make me a great talker (I prefer to be quiet as a mouse).I was wondering how it could be possible that the person that I know that talks the most also has Mercury in Capricorn (this is almost an insult to astrology), but I notice now that there is also a Mercury-Mars conjunction there and that it is right on the Ascendant.The second person that speaks the most also has that conjunction (confess Neith, you talk a LOT
but Mercury in Cancer. Put these two together and you don’t have to say a single word for the rest of the day, they’ll take care of that.
It was an uncomfortable combination for her. She wanted so much to be a peaceable Libra (her Venus was in Sagittarius in 12th) the whole time and found it difficult to accept and integrate the sudden bursts of anger – and she had a cutting tongue – which seemed to erupt out of nowhere when she felt threatened or defensive.Hi MM! This is a great example of the effect of Jupiter and Uranus . . . in fact, it’s a very elegant and exact description of how this aspect works. Jupiter magnifies and Uranus give the edge and unpredictability.Secrets . . . yes, that is indeed part & parcel of Mars/Mercury in Scorpio. Others have confided in me over the years in strictest confidence and I will take their secrets to the grave too.PS: love the rainbow.
Thanks!! 
The second person that speaks the most also has that conjunction (confess Neith, you talk a LOT
but Mercury in Cancer. Put these two together and you don’t have to say a single word for the rest of the day, they’ll take care of that.LOL! Actually I WRITE a lot!! I can go for long periods of time saying nothing. And can spend hours talking with friends. I suspect it’s the Scorpio that is given to silences. Scorpio is about control and I think before I speak. Libra is about dialogue too. 
my sister is the one who talks endlessly. I finally decided she had to have Uranus in Gemini on the ASC because she hasn’t stopped talking since birth!!! I swear!!!
My Mercury at 0 Pisces is closely sextile Mars at 29 Aries. I definitely have a lot of energy to write. I like blogging because I can publish my posts RIGHT NOW (Aries).
neith, can you send me that e-mail from yesterday? my mac account is acting squirrely today…
My Mercury at 0 Pisces is closely sextile Mars at 29 Aries. I definitely have a lot of energy to write. I like blogging because I can publish my posts RIGHT NOW (Aries).Ha, Ha, Ha!!! See me still laughing and laughing! Aries all right!!
i just have to share this bit of fun:Ride into Spaceit will most likely work better for those with high speed connections.
Oh no!!! Not that Oriental/Occidental thing again!!!! Somebody put me out of my misery, quick!!!! . . .Mars/Merc in Libra here. It (my MM in L) was injured along the way and is in the process of being rehabilitated. . . .Awesome pic, btw!!!xoxo
Oh… and…my life is currently filled with Mercs in 12th and/or Pisces. The interesting thing is that it does not at all play out the same for any of them. Goes to show that 1) no placement can ever be taken by itself and 2) free will does play.
What a photo! this has got to be one of the few times that being on very slow dial-up was worth it for the breathtaking unfolding.very neat.haha mercury in fire, my friends say i have a “wicked memory” meaning they wish that i forgot more. Mercury in fire is like double mercury. Then there is the Pluto mercury too, long memory.Great post.
The interesting thing is that it does not at all play out the same for any of them. Goes to show that 1) no placement can ever be taken by itself and 2) free will does play.Yes, all the above is accurate. Sometimes when we look at a certain element in the chart, we need to remember it’s out of context. That’s why those “cookbook” style astrology reports can leave a person more confused than ever.
What a photo! this has got to be one of the few times that being on very slow dial-up was worth it for the breathtaking unfolding.very neat.It was worth getting my toes cold & wet knowing how transient rainbows can be. It’s that one shot out of a hundred that makes it all worthwhile. Once an artist always an artist in the way we look at the world around us.haha mercury in fire, my friends say i have a “wicked memory” meaning they wish that i forgot more. Mercury in fire is like double mercury. Then there is the Pluto mercury too, long memory.LOL! Yes, those fire Mercury’s have loooong memories down to the exact phrases. Now I am one of those who never forgets a face – names, yes, faces, no.
Sag Mercury conjuct Saturn in the 11th and Mercury opposite Chiron. Where with my Merc in sag I should be always yapping and bursting with things to say, Saturn keeps a tight reign on what and when I say things. I used to be perplexed by the general views about Sags with with their foots in ther mouths. That rarely happens to me. I usually think first and if that isn’t enough I go research before I say something. Merc is ahead of the sun, so communication is very subjective and emotional for me… so it has to come out right. No throwing stones, unless I really want to… and even then they’re wrapped in cushions… Pisces moon in the 3rd. Lol.Merc opp Chiron… used to surpress a lot of wounds and hurts, Pluto brought that up with this run through Sag… I would physically react a lot faster if I sucked it in. Now I just let it out with some Merc-Saturn tempering.
There is something very compelling about this timed-exposure photo of the stars dance. Notice how the star-trails curve in opposite directions due to their positions north and south of the equator.Very cool.
I used to be perplexed by the general views about Sags with with their foots in their mouths. That rarely happens to me. I usually think first and if that isn’t enough I go research before I say something.Yup! That sure sounds like a Saturn/Mercury conjunction. Do you find you retain what you learn?BTW, Janelle, you are getting really, really good at this astrology stuff. Bet your friends are going to be bringing you their birth data and asking what’s what – if they don’t already!
There is something very compelling about this timed-exposure photo of the stars dance. Notice how the star-trails curve in opposite directions due to their positions north and south of the equator.Very cool.Yes indeed. And please keep bringing these wonderful photos to everyone’s attention. **sigh**
Um, wow. I just checked my SO’s chart and saw he has Mercury conjunct Mars in Sagittarius…how could I not notice this before?!?! As soon as I read ‘can repeat conversations verbatim’ a little light bulb went on. “I know someone like that!”
Um, wow. I just checked my SO’s chart and saw he has Mercury conjunct Mars in Sagittarius…how could I not notice this before?!?! As soon as I read ‘can repeat conversations verbatim’ a little light bulb went on. “I know someone like that!”Not only that but his Mars/Mercury are trine Uranus – freaking brilliant mind for sure!BTW? that ability to repeat conversations verbatim annoys the crap out of me . . . mostly because I’m envious!
Or, as his step-mom likes to say ‘B, you should have been a detective.’ LOL! I know, it makes me soooo jealous. The worst is when I fall into the trap of trying to repeat, then being corrected, then I get frustrated and all hell breaks loose, like, why the hell am I trying to keep up with the detective? ha ha!Then again people say ‘Oh, that was so great when you said _____, Chrispito!’I just have to scratch my head because I can’t keep track of all the nonsense that spews forth from me when I ‘go Gemini’ (as I like to call it)