Studying astrology often starts with an investigation into our sun sign and then a deeper look at our moon and rising signs, but there’s much more to it than that. Enter the Mercury sign, which rules over the way we intake and express information, including how we communicate and socialize with others, how and to what extent we go about seeking information, and how we most easily absorb it. The planet spends approximately three weeks in each zodiac (a little longer if it’s in retrograde), and its position when we were born can be highly influential in our relationships with others and the world around us. Here’s everything you should know about your Mercury sign.
What Does Your Mercury Sign Mean?
Mercury is the planet that rules a lot of our communication processes. Its placement in our charts can dictate how we communicate, as well as how we take in, process, and convey information. That makes sense, seeing as Mercury is the Roman messenger god (the counterpart to Hermes). Mercury rules over Gemini and has a lot to do with this sign’s thirst for knowledge and love for a lively debate — anything that allows them to exercise their wits and learn something new. It’s also the fastest-moving planet in our solar system and the closest to Earth, which is why it affects our lives in so many ways and why we feel so off when the planet enters retrograde.
On the receiving end, our Mercury sign explains the lens through which we understand others, how we share, and how we learn. The speed at which we process information and the methods with which we are best able to learn stem from it. For example, Virgo Mercuries are detail-oriented and require information to be presented to them in an organized way — a luxury they might not always have. When a lot gets thrown at them at once, they may need to take a few moments to compartmentalize and arrange everything in an orderly fashion or in a way that makes sense to them; once that’s done, they can absorb whatever information they’ve been given. Those with their Mercury in Pisces, on the other hand, take in information more passively. They absorb details of their surroundings naturally and, as the last sign on the zodiac calendar, tend to let information come to them instead of seeking it out.
Not only does Mercury influence how we receive knowledge and perceive the world, but it also affects how we go about connecting to it. Our Mercuries can often point to whether we are extroverted or introverted and the kinds of environments that bring out our talkative and shy sides. Aquarius Mercuries like to be creative in how they influence a conversation and will do unique things to stir the pot — which might drive a Mercury sign like Aries crazy, since they are too impatient to beat around the bush when it comes to making decisions and getting to the point.
We all know how jolting Mercury’s retrograde can be, and this is because of the extent to which communication impacts our lives. When Mercury enters retrograde, we are more prone to have miscommunications or mental blocks in learning and conveying information.
How to Find Your Mercury Sign
There are plenty of free birth-chart calculators that can tell you all of your planetary alignments, including your Mercury. Knowing more about our birth charts, especially with regard to a highly influential planet like Mercury, can help us learn more about ourselves and often challenges us to see ourselves from a new perspective.