Chapter X. MERCURY, THE PLANET or REASON

MYTHOLOGICALLY Mercury is represented as a "Messenger of the Gods" and this is in line with the occult facts, for when infant humanity had been led astray by the martial Lucifer spirits and fallen into generation' it became necessary for the other divine hierarchies to take steps looking to a future regeneration and to further that object the Lords of Venus were brought to the earth to educate humanity in such a manner that love might be substituted for lust and men might thus be induced to aspire to something higher. While the Lords of Venus dealt with mankind in general the most precocious among them were taken in hand by the Lords of Mercury, whose wisdom-teaching is symbolically embodied in the caduceus or 'staff' of Mercury, consisting of two serpents twining around a rod and representing the solution of the riddle of life: "Whence we have come, Why we are here and Whither we are bound, ' ' showing the pupil the spiral path of involution by which the divine spark has buried itself in matter, also the spiral path of evolution by which humanity will eventually again reach the Father's bosom, and the short road of Initiation

represented by the central rod around which the serpents twine. But to understand these Mysteries requires mind and reason. Mercury then is the mental educator of men and its place and position in the horoscope shows the status of the person's mind for whom it is cast.

Being the Messenger of the Gods to the other planets Mercury has no voice of its own and is even more dependent for expression upon the aspects of other planets than the Moon which rules the instinctual mind. So Mercury is really a focus through which the faculty of reason finds expression in the human being to act as a brake upon the lower nature and assist in lifting us from the human to the divine. Many may and do feel deeply, they may also have valuable knowledge, but they will be unable to give expression or share it with others if Mercury is lacking in aspects. Even a so-called evil aspect of Mercury helps to bring out what is within and is therefore better than none.

When Mercury is so placed in relation to the Sun that it goes before the luminary it has the effect of materially brightening the mind, for the Sun represents the Ego and it may therefore be said that then its path is illuminated by the lamp of reason. On the other hand if Mercury is so placed that it rises later than the Sun and thus follows behind the luminary the Ego learns more by afterthought than by forethought for it walks comparatively speaking

in the dark and must learn a great deal of its lessons by experience.

As we have found that it is difficult for a number of young students to determine when Mercury goes before or behind the Sun we may say in farther elucidation of that subject:

When Mercury is in a lower degree of the same sign as the Sun or in any degree of the previous sign then as a matter of course he rises before the Sun. To illustrate : If the Sun is in twenty degrees of Cancer and Mercury is in five, ten or fifteen degrees of that sign or if he is in any degree of Gemini, then he rises before the Sun.

But if he is in twenty-five degrees of Cancer which is a higher degree of the same sign, or if he is in any degree in Leo which is the succeeding sign to Cancer, then he rises behind the Sun and loses part of his good influence.

A retrograde Mercury is also a detriment to the faculty of reason. But in the year of life when Mercury by progression again turns direct, the reasoning faculties will improve correspondingly. Mercury is strongest in the airy signs, Gemini, Libra and Aquarius, but he is exalted and therefore most powerful in Virgo. Mercury has special rule over agents and messengers, salesmen, postmen and other common carriers, people engaged in advertising or printing, literary men, writers, reporters, secretaries, clerks, stenographers and typewriters, commission men and other middle men, demagogues, confidence-men and thieves.

MERCURY, THE PLANET OF REASON 195- MERCURY IN THE TWELVE HOUSES.

$ 1 Mercury in the Ascendant, or First House makes the person quick-witted and sharp according to the nature of the sign rising and the aspects of the planets which he receives. The fiery signs and the airy signs have the strongest influence in that respect. In Aries and Leo he is more impulsive than when rising in Sagittarius, but Gemini, Libra and Aquarius are best. When Mercury is rising in the watery signs Cancer and Pisces the intellect is dull, but rising in Scorpio where it is fired by the martial energy and armed with the venomous sting of the scorpion it has a somewhat similar influence to that of Mars in Scorpio though not quite so pronounced.

£ 2 Mercury in the Second House is good for gain through mercurial occupations especially where the person is employed by someone else so that he appears in a true mercurial capacity as agent,, messenger, clerk, writer or whatever else.

$ 3 Mercury in the Third House and well-aspected has wonderful influence on the mental qualities of the native. It makes the mind serene and optimistic, inclined to study and research work. It gives fluency as a speaker and success by short journeys or travel and makes the relations of the person harmonious with his brothers. When Mercury is afflicted in the Third House it in-

dines to worry and pessimism, trouble and annoyance with sisters and brothers and when on short journeys.

3 4 Mercury in the Fourth House gives instability to home conditions. It signifies the homeless wanderer who is always moving from place to place unless a good aspect to Saturn comes in to steady him down. This is, however, a good aspect for people engaged in mercurial positions which require a stationary residence, such as librarian, or literary men engaged in newspaper work, employees in printing establishments, commission houses, agencies and kindred occupations. If Mercury is afflicted by Saturn the home conditions of the person will cause him a great deal of worry.

% 5 Mercury in the Fifth House centers the mind upon education, amusements, courtships and children. If Mercury is well-aspected by Saturn or Jupiter it gives depth to the mind and makes the person successful in enterprises connected with education, publishing or public amusements. Good aspects from Mars or Venus give success in courtship but the adverse aspects of the planets make the nature cruel; he is inconstant in affection toward those he professes to love, inclined to worry over affairs of his children, and superficial as a teacher. A good aspect from the Sun is an excellent indication

of success in a government position, in an educational capacity.

£ 6 Mercury in the Sixth House makes the mentality too active for the person's own good, for he is extremely ambitious and therefore liable to overtax himself to the detriment of his health, and the disability of the nervous system is most likely to express itself by a digestive disorder in the region governed by Virgo, the sixth sign, viz: the intestines. Such people are supersensitive to the conditions of others which affects their health, it brings much trouble and worry in dealing with servants or subordinates. They are fond of the study of hygiene and diet and meet with considerable success in the practice of the chemistry of foods, particularly if Mercury is well-aspected. Adverse aspects of Saturn to a Sixth House Mercury make a chronic invalid of a most melancholy mind. The adverse aspects of Mars and Uranus are fruitful sources of suicide through brooding over disease.

$ 7 Mercury in the Seventh House and well-aspected makes the person popular in literary and scientific circles. It is a good position for public speakers and all who are engaged in mercurial activities of a public nature. But if Mercury is afflicted the Seventh House position brings a great deal of hostile criticism of a public nature and is liable to involve the person in litigation

either to defend himself against libel from others or on account of libel committed by himself. A well-aspected Mercury in the Seventh House also indicates a successful marriage to a relative or an employee, but when Mercury is afflicted either the person or the marriage partner is of a nagging nature so that the married life is spoiled by constant quarrels and disputes on account of fickleness and faithlessness.