Mercury and the Mind in Vedic Astrology

Mercury, called Budha in Sanskrit, is one of the two main planets of the mind (the other being the Moon) in vedic astrology.

It represents our intellectual capacity, our comprehension, our mental acuity, our communication ability and power of speech.

Mercury is known as a changeable planet who can take on the energy of other planets that may be in close proximity – this is also true for individuals who have a prominent Mercury dominating their chart. The company they keep will have a strong influence on their lifestyle and so they must carefully choose the environments they spend time in. For this reason, while Mercury can be associated with the Vāta dosha, it is also considered a Tri-dhatu planet, as it can take on the qualities of Pitta and Kapha through its associations.

Mercury is androgynous (going along with its changeable nature) and is the ruler of the signs Gemini and Virgo. Gemini and Virgo are both dwiswabhava, or mutable signs indicating their changeable and flexible nature. Gemini is an air sign and Virgo and earth sign which shows the intersection of Mercury’s ability to be practical, reasonable and communicative.

When Mercury is strong in our chart, we generally have good intelligence, mental flexibility and sharp powers of discrimination. We display our quick minds through great powers of speech as well as through the written word. We may have skill in commerce and trade and find it easy to share wit and humor with just about anyone. A strong and helpful Mercury contributes to good psychological health and balance.

When Mercury is afflicted in our chart, our power of discrimination is reduced. We may not see clearly; we may fool ourselves into believing that reality is how we wish it were and not how it is.  We can rationalize and convince ourselves of many untruths to suite our purpose. We may act immature, be naïve and make poor decisions. We may have lackluster communication styles and, therefore, not be skillful in our expression. We may struggle with emotional and psychological challenges and find it hard to stay balanced.  Or, sometimes we overuse our mind and suffer from excess thinking and too much analysis.

On a physical level, an afflicted Mercury gives us a sensitive nervous system. We may feel jumpy, have tremors, and feel sensitive to the world around us. We may even suffer from nerve pain or have speech defects. We may have a sensitive digestive system, which worsens when feeling nervous or upset. Mercury also rules the skin, and when feeling troubled we can break out in problematic skin conditions. A weakened Mercury also affects our lungs and heart and may give us palpitations, breathing problems or allergies. An afflicted Mercury also contributes to memory problems.

In Vedic Astrology we like to think about how we can work with the planets and honor them in our daily lives. To honor Mercury, it is recommended that we partake in studying, reading, writing, and work on our communication skills. We can even study a new language to increase the power of Mercury!  Green is Mercury’s favorite color and Wednesday is the day ruled by this planet, so we can wear something green every Wednesday in honor of Mercury, if doing such a practice is helpful for our individual chart.