Mercury is the natural ruler of the 3rd house, and is ruled by the signs Gemini and Virgo. Mercury represents our communication style and our mental processes. In water, Mercury is subjective and driven by emotions.
Mercury in Aries/1st house: is sharp-witted, straight-forward, and to the point in their thinking and communication. Mercury in Aries individuals are argumentative by nature, and often become impatient when faced with opposition.
These individuals are known for jumping to conclusions prematurely because of their impatience.
Mercury in Taurus/2nd house: individuals are patient and practical. They base decisions on the practical, material, and on common sense. These individuals are sometimes considered “slow”, in direct contrast with Mercury in Aries.
Individuals with this placement are stubborn, and it is next to impossible to change their minds once their minds are made up.
Mercury in Gemini/3rd house: Mercury is “at home” in Mercury. Individuals with this placement are very logical and quick-thinking. These individuals certainly have the “gift of the gab”, and can be difficult to shut up once they get going.
This aspect also lends itself to mental boredom when hovering over one subject for too long. As a result, Mercury in Gemini natives often know “a lot about everything, but very little about individual subjects”.
Mercury in Cancer/4th house: People with this placement have subjective through processes based on feelings and emotions, rather than logic. These individuals have fine memories, and have a strong appreciation for history, given that Cancer is a sign that represents the “past”.
Mercury in Leo/5th house: Individuals with this placement are often opinionated, fixed and stubborn when it comes to mental activities. Mercury in Leo natives may also be authoritarian in their speech, and make wonderful leaders.
They tend to look at the “big picture”, and often disregard important details.
Mercury in Virgo/6th house: This placement produces a logical, critical mind. Mercury in Virgo natives are incredibly detail-oriented and have excellent analytical skills. Instead of spreading themselves thin with numerous mental pursuits, the prefer to stick to one subject and explore it deeply.
Grammar and spelling are perfect, and they are quick to catch on to things. Indeed, they make excellent students.
Mercury in Libra/7th house: This placement denotes the individual is fair, rational, and non-confrontational. Mercury in Libra natives are diplomatic and polished in their expression, and getting along with others is important to them.
This placement is also known for its indecisiveness, as Mercury in Libra has the uncanny ability to see both sides to every issue.
Mercury in Scorpio/8th house: This placement indicates the native is secretive, suspicious, and penetrating. Individuals with this placement are intuitive and private, and are skilled at both extracting and keeping secrets.
Mercury in Scorpio natives can be quick sharp-tongued. Like other Watery Mercuries, the thought process is generally subjective.
Mercury in Sagittarius/9th house: This placement indicates a mind that is independent, curious, and direct. Mercury in Sagittarius natives are very opinionated; in fact, they will often give you their opinion without being asked.
These individuals are wonderful storytellers, as well. They tend to look at the “big pictures” and ignore minor details. They are interested in subjects like travel, philosophy, and religion. Mercury in Sagittarius individuals also have a keen interest in higher education.
Mercury in Capricorn/10th house: Produces a methodical, objective, clear mind. The thought process is linear, and words are carefully thought-out before verbally expressed. Individuals with this placement have excellent memories, and can be quite skeptical.
Mercury in Capricorn individuals have the ability to concentrate deeply on a subject, and have a down-to-earth approach to their communication. In fact, Mercury in Capricorn natives can be quite quiet. They may lack confidence in their verbal expression, and are naturally pessimistic.
Mercury in Aquarius/11th house: Produces a rational, scientific, progressive mind. Individuals with this placement love to shock people with their controversial, eccentric, revolutionary ideas. Their ideas often seem “ahead of the times”. This position of Mercury favors equality and acceptance of diversity.
Mercury in Pisces/12th house: With this placement, you may be self-conscious about starting sentences with “I”. I think this placement would actually make you less self-absorbed because Mercury in Pisces has a knack for knowing what other people are thinking and feeling.
Perhaps being aware of other people’s thoughts makes you feel self-conscious about saying “I” too much. Plus, Pisces represents the collective unconscious; Pisces has NO ego or boundaries, so the line between “I” and “we” are often blurred.
Having Mercury in Pisces may denote psychic abilities, given the sensitivity and intuition that comes along with this placement. These people are amazing at “reading between the lines” and seeing the subtleties that lie beneath people’s words/body language.
I also find Mercury in Pisces natives to be excellent listeners, and make incredible counselors and therapists. You’ll often find a Mercury in Pisces daydreaming.
At worst, Mercury in Pisces can lead to lying (not with malicious intent, but often to spare the other person’s feelings), and an inability to stay “on subject” (their minds often wander). Mercury in Pisces people often go off on tangents in conversation, which can be difficult to “keep up with” for people with more linear thought processes.
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