Of all the archetypical gods and goddesses, only one had the power to enter into the Underworld and return unharmed- Mercury, also known as Hermes. This busy winged messenger was able to transcend the boundaries of physical matter to travel through time and space. Astrologically, Mercury is the link between mind and matter, heaven and earth. The winged messenger’s astrological glyph consists of the cross, a circle, and a crescent; symbolizing the uplifting of humanity to receive spiritual nourishment. Mercury prefers no gender, leaving the issues of sex and sexuality to other planets.
Surely Mercury resembles its namesake, quicksilver, as she busily delivers important communications here and there. Active Mercury rules two astrological signs, Gemini and Virgo. A mutable or adaptable earth sign, Virgo is known for qualities of discernment, and rules our sixth house of health as well as how we interface with this physical realm as we express our soul purpose. As lord of the air sign Gemini, Mercury rules thinking and speech, which would include the power of language and spokenwords. Body parts assigned to Mercury and Gemini are the arms and hands, primary tools of our minds, as well as the lungs and vitalization of the body through breathing.
Mercury may seem small and insignificant as a planet, but this swift messenger plays a mighty role in the scheme of our archetypical development. Just as the planet Mercury orbits most rapidly around the Sun in our solar system, astrological Mercury is in constant motion. The planet Mercury was revered because of its position in the solar system. Of all the gods, Mercury was closest to the Sun, or solar logos, and therefore most intimate with the source of life, as the sun was viewed by ancient people.
Changing Matter through Alchemy
Reality and mythology inevitably merge when blended by the relentless waves of time, and Mercury as Hermes is no exception. Hermes was accepted into Greek mythology, and later became Mercury. Even more clues as to the nature of Mercury come to light when one looks at the role of Hermes Mercurius Trismegustrus, or Thoth, the great teacher of alchemy. This Hermes was regarded by the ancient Egyptians as the embodiment of Universal Mind. Hermes (also known as Thoth) was credited as the author of 20,000 books, as well as a great teacher of medicine, chemistry, law, art, astrology, music, rhetoric, magic, mathematics and many other disciplines. The Egyptians also credited Hermes with the measurement and recording of time.
It is doubtful that the Egyptian deity Thoth was actually a living being named Hermes, author of 20,000 books; but the archetypical qualities of these characters have merged into one. Thoth is remembered as the Lord of the Divine Books, the most important of his works being the sacred ‘Book of Thoth’, the book that taught secrets of tarot, an ancient system of wisdom and divination.
The original Book of Thoth has also been credited with containing the secrets of immortality. Distinctions between old and new, ancient and modern blend again, when thinking about the yogic teachings of pranayama breath control. The self proclaimed Immortalists of these days practice ‘Rebirthing’, which teaches that through consistent and monitored breathing techniques, one can even achieve the finest gift of continued life uninterrupted by the inconvenience of physical death.
Mercury as Hermes is also credited as a great teacher of the sacred art of alchemy. Part philosophy, science, and even religion, alchemy is considered one of the two oldest arts known to the world. (The other art, according to Manly P. Hall in his book ‘The Secret Teachings of All Ages’, is astrology.) Alchemy is most commonly thought of as mans quest to change lead, or a gross substance into gold. For this transformation to take place, alchemy teaches that matter must pass through twenty-two steps. These steps are also encoded in the twenty-two cards of the major arcana of the tarot, as well as the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Somehow, as we delve more deeply into our complex past, this ever expanding world becomes implicitly simple.
Alchemy is a tool of our desire and perhaps even compulsive drive to control our environment. Whether or not there is a possibility that Hermes actually existed, it is important now to learn how thought can be used to influence the outcome of events in the physical realm. Our basic requirements always remain the same; we need food, water, and air. And, we seem to have a need to understand and even influence that which we cannot see and only hope to comprehend; the ultimate mystery of life.
Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life
As ruler of intelligence, Mercury rules the mind and even reason, but not human emotion. Mercury delivers the message, yet does not internalize it. Keeping this in mind, it helps us understand why positive affirmations and visualization work, as well as why sometimes they do not. Mercury can deliver any message, so it is vitally important that the right one be sent. This is also part of another ancient teaching, the Hawaiian practice of Huna; specifically- the teaching of contacting ones Middle Self, or conscious mind which formulates the Huna prayer to the Higher Self, and delivered by the Low Self. It’s again, a simple yet so powerful teaching.
Obviously, cleaning out negative mental themes and replacing them with positive images is an early step. But remember, the Sun shines down equally on the rich man and beggar. As a neutral entity, Mercury is also lacking in emotion, the other necessary ingredient to make successful changes. Fortunately, Mercury has many other helpers to assist with this other important human quality.
A partner in transformation, Mercury greets us eagerly. Remember, Mercury is the link between ‘heaven and earth’, which may seem an old fashioned term in this new age of Hemi Sync brain wave machines and Neuro Linguistic programming. But, sometimes the old ways and terminology have a purity that speaks volumes. Think also about shamanic journeying, chanting and drumming; and even one of the simplest yet most powerful forms of communication we have with our essence of the Divine- prayer. So, thank you planet Mercury, and Blessed Be.
