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 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.
©Maya White 2009
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