The current Merc Rx starts from 26° 55′ Pisces back to 13°11′ Pisces, from 2 March to 25 March. At the time of writing, Mercury is at 25° 38′ Pisces. In this post, I’d like to explore the influence of Mercury in Pisces, and in the next, Mercury Rx in Pisces.

When planets enter signs, their energies can be enhanced or diminished, depending on how compatible they are. Mercury rules Gemini and Virgo, and it is in its detriment in their opposite signs of Sagittarius and Pisces. Being in detriment means the planet’s energies tend to be weaker when it enters the particular sign. As a rule, a planet is in its detriment when it enters the sign opposite to the one it rules.

A planet is exalted or in exaltation when it enters the sign it is most harmonious with apart from the ones it rules. It is said to be in its essential dignity, and some cases, its energy can be more powerful than when it enters its own sign. Mercury is exalted in Aquarius.

A planet is in its fall when it enters the sign opposite to the one of its exaltation. So Mercury is in its fall in Leo. When a planet is in its fall, it is also weakened. You can find a Table for Calculating Planetary Values here; let’s leave ‘accidental dignity’ out for now.

So, back to Mercury in Pisces. Mercury is in its detriment in Pisces, meaning its energies do not flow as smoothly in Pisces as it would in, say Virgo or Gemini. What are the energies manifested by Mercury? Primarily our mental processes, such as the intellect and communication but also travel and manual dexterity to some degree. As a result, according to Susan Miller, it governs activities such as “perception, language, writing, editing, research, speaking, all kinds of learning experiences and learning styles and the assessment of data”, and thus areas of work such as “telecommunications, computing, software, electronic gadgets, the postal service, shipping, couriers, and all forms of transportation”.

As a Water sign, Neptune-ruled Pisces is an emotive, compassionate sign; as a mutable sign, it is also flexible and adaptable. Thus in Pisces, the communicative energies of Mercury can take on a dreamy, poetic quality, as well as that of compassion and understanding. Stephen Arroyo sums up the interpretative guidelines for Mercury in Pisces as such:

  • Communicates sensitively, idealistically, poetically, evasively, imaginatively
  • Compassion motivates one to express perceptions and intelligence sympathetically
  • Establishes connections with others psychically and spiritually; communication is perceived on more than one level
  • Verbal energy is inspired by flexibility and the power of synthesis
  • Reason and power of discrimination can be clouded by confusion, daydreaming, and self-deception

When Mercury retrogrades in Pisces, these energies can stall or be restricted. But more on that later.

References
Arroyo, Stephen. Chart Interpretation Handbook. Sebastopol, California: CRCS, 1989.
Astrology on the Web website. Accessed 7 March 2006.
Miller, Susan. AstrologyZone website. Accessed 7 March 2006.