The Planet Mercury

Ruler of:  Gemini/Virgo
Keyword:   Perception
Synodic Period:   116 days
Orbital Period:   88 days
Discovered: Ancient Times 
Glyph:

The planet Mercury symbolizes our ability to perceive things and identify them. It represents the whole nervous system's activity in identifying objects by smell, taste, etc, and by forming words to express human concepts. The energy of Mercury is neutral, identifying with neither yin or yang energies.

My keyword for Mercury is "perception" because it best describes the planets intellectual and neutral nature. Mercury represents the specific ways in which we come to understanding our world. The glyph used in birth charts (see above) is the circle symbol of our consciousness with the crescent of soul above it and the cross of the material world below it. The sign where Mercury resides indicates the way in which Mercury perceives; for example, Mercury in Scorpio sees behind surface impressions to the motivation and energies behind other people's actions. The house where it resides shows us in what area of life this ability will manifest.