29thdegree:

*keep in mind that the sign mercury is in serves as the filter through which the house position characteristics are displayed and is of equal importance; dignity, retrogrades, and significant aspects to other planets also alter its expression. the following analyses are general and assume no aspects.*

mercury in the 1st house: 

whatever planet is found in the 1st house possesses a particular potency in one’s life being that this is the house of self. an individual with mercury in the 1st house will likely be tremendously influenced by the art of communicating, whether it be verbal or written. they have a noticeable mercurian curiosity and high intelligence, which lends to their remarkably quick wit, ability to multitask, and general air of cleverness. because this house is traditionally ruled by aries, there may be a slight propensity to talk about themselves or dominate somewhat in conversation. nonetheless, mercury blesses these natives with an uncanny talent for communicating their message, whatever it may be, through any medium (art, philosophy, photography, acting, politics, linguistics, etc.) they desire. they may also be prone to nervousness or fidgeting due to mercury’s link to the nervous system. mercury in the 1st natives (especially when mercury is conjunct the ascendant within a 10° orb and free of malefic aspects) may have a very youthful appearance. from the 1st house mercury aspects the 7th house of interpersonal relationships, so an individual with this placement may seek a communicative, young at heart partner and projecting their individual message to the masses becomes a key focus in their lives. [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 1st:  mahatma gandhi, hillary clinton, freddie mercury, zooey deschanel, mark twain, barbara walters

mercury in the 2nd house:

with mercury inhabiting the 2nd house of possessions, these people will undoubtedly have an innate ability to utilize their intellectual mind and mercurial talents to generate revenue. to them, “business is like a puzzle waiting to be solved” - they are highly adaptable and resourceful in a financial sense, blessed with a mind finely tuned and highly motivated to generate income. because taurus traditionally rules the 2nd house and taurus rules the throat, mercury in the 2nd natives may be naturally inclined toward effective communication through public speaking or singing - and if they are, it’s likely a highly profitable venture for them. careers in communications, business, retail, and sales are sometimes seen from this placement. no matter what they choose to do, they may be susceptible to allowing money to dominate their thoughts. the 2nd house also represents self-worth, so what they think may be very closely tied to their sense of value and identity. in essence, they are what they think. the 8th house is aspected from this placement, so these natives could potentially be interested in the occult (astrology, divination, magic, etc.) [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 2nd: elvis presley, oprah winfrey, bob marley, walt whitman, frank sinatra, winston churchill

mercury in the 3rd house:

the 3rd house (of communication) is traditionally ruled by gemini, so mercury (the planet of communication) is at home here in the sign of its rulership. because of this, an individual with mercury in the 3rd house is apt to be highly skilled in terms of natural writing, reading, logical thinking, and general communication ability. they are exceptionally articulate with a verbose vocabulary that lends to their clever air and quick wit. with boundless inquisitiveness and expansive intellect, these natives are generally fast learners with at least some knowledge on a broad range of topics (shoutout to gemini, the jack of all trades). thanks to the hyper-mercurial influence, people with this placement may have somewhat of a restless mind that requires consistent mental stimulation to maintain peak performance. they may be particularly gifted linguists, or at least exemplary conversationalists with tremendous power to voice their thoughts. from this position mercury aspects the 9th house of higher education and philosophy, which may reflect mercury’s curious nature in the realm of those subjects.  [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 3rd: nikola tesla, edgar allan poe, emma stone, rené descartes, albert camus, oscar wilde

mercury in the 4th house:

when mercury is found in the house of motherly nourishment & the physical home in the birth chart, one of the parent figures in the native’s life may have served as an important intellectual influence. perhaps this person’s mother or father had mercurial qualities and the individual’s logical mind was cultivated based on the mother’s teachings, or they may even posses similar viewpoints and ideas. the home environment could have been very mentally stimulating, and the thought patterns established during one’s youth might stick with them for the rest of their lives. family or home matters may be a popular topic of conversation for these people. because the 4th house is traditionally ruled by cancer and is considered a water house, having mercury here could potentially make the mind sensitive and receptive to mediumistic talents and emotional speech patterns. because the moon, the original ruler of the 4th house, is frequently on the go, the mercury in the 4th native might have experienced many changes of residence as a child. the 10th house is also aspected from this position, so the acquired communicative skills and mercurial intelligence might be used to affect the person’s public image and imprint on the world. this may also indicate a home-based business or self-employment. [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 4th: kate middleton, will smith, j.k. rowling, tim burton, daniel day-lewis, joan crawford

mercury in the 5th house:

a comical, intelligent, highly imaginative person is seen when mercury sits in the 5th house of creativity, romance, and children. the logical mind takes on a fun-loving, lighthearted air and transforms the individual’s intellect and communication skills into a colorful playground of creativity and imagination. they are gifted with the rare ability to take their thoughts in any creative direction (poetry, art, acting, etc.). because of the 5th house’s connection with children, they may be specifically drawn toward communication with children, and doing so may bring their inner child out. additionally, their own children may be somewhat “mercurial” with a high degree of intelligence and creativity. romance is also a key element of the 5th house, and natives of this placement may be romantically attracted to communicative, intellectual people. conversation might be a form of foreplay for them, morphing romance as they know it into the art of creative communication. they can be charming conversationalists with a particular interest in topics concerning creative ventures, amusement, and romance. however, this person may also have to beware of becoming overly prideful of their intellectual prowess due to leo being the original ruler of this house. with mercury aspecting the 11th house of hopes/wishes and material gains, this person could potentially use their mercurial gifts to generate wealth and fulfill lifelong wishes. [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 5th: charlie chaplin, tyra banks, ringo starr, rupaul, bill maher, stephen colbert

mercury in the 6th house: 

 mercury is in its house of exaltation (traditionally ruled by virgo) here in the 6th house of service, routine, and health. this points to a person with a mind like a finely tuned filing system - practical, ordered, and meticulously organized. the calculative abilities of mercury are enhanced with this position, and this individual’s intelligence becomes a well-oiled machine build to resolve conflicts, solve puzzles, and analyze data. mercury in the 6th natives might have an exceptional eye for detail thanks to virgo’s influence over this house, but may also suffer the more negative consequences of this relation with a highly intelligent mind primed for stress and worry and an undeniable urge to overwork themselves. issues with the digestive tract or nervous system are possible with this placement, as well as potential hypochondriac tendencies with the intellectual mind (mercury) residing in the house of health and disease. from the 6th house mercury aspects the 12th house, so people with this placement may be tempted to seek spirituality or isolation to get away from whatever’s bothering them. [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 6th: barack obama, kurt cobain, gordon ramsay, betty white, carl sagan, lady gaga

mercury in the 7th house:

7th house mercury is a powerful placement because it aspects the ascendant. it makes the 7th house matters of partnership, marriage, and other people particularly poignant in the native’s life. because this house is originally ruled by libra, people with this placement have a somewhat venusian flair to their communication which gives them a people-pleasing quality. they make natural counselors and mediators because of their knack for communicating with others - even those who dislike them can be swayed by their verbal charm because of the 7th house’s tie with open enemies. mercury here signifies an individual who is seeking a partner that stimulates them mentally. they may look for someone mercurial in some way  (communicative, intellectual, clever, young at heart, an exemplary listener and speaker who keeps them thinking), even perhaps with strong mercury/gemini/virgo influence in their chart. [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 7th: dr. phil, john lennon, whitney houston, edgar cayce, jean-paul sartre, sharon tate

mercury in the 8th house:

the 8th house is traditionally ruled by scorpio, so when mercury is deposited in this house it signifies an individual with an intellect of vast depths. the mind receives plutonic influences that allow it to delve deeply into 8th house matters such as the occult, the supernatural, sex, other people’s money, and things below the surface. it is also a water house, which gifts the native with an intuitive ability to recognize liars and see gaps in a story - if you plan to be dishonest or vague with a mercury in the 8th house person, you’re setting yourself up for a challenge. this scorpionic influence on their communication can also make them highly persuasive, even manipulative if other placements reinforce this. they may be highly secretive and conceal their own thoughts, but adore uncovering the secrets of others. their intelligence is probing and investigative, fascinated with mysteries and taboos. they may have a dark, sarcastic sense of humor or be prone to morbid thought patterns. they are extremely gifted when it comes to communicating/writing about esoteric studies and have great potential to excel in the field of psychology.  [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 8th: mark zuckerberg, bruno mars, sylvia browne, whoopi goldberg, maya angelou, tom cruise

mercury in the 9th house:

the subjects of philosophy, religion, higher education, and teaching are a few of the 9th house matters that a native of this placement might concern themselves with. mercury in the 9th house individuals boast a high intellect that allows them to see the big picture - often times, these people are visionaries with big ideas and a strong sense of curiosity that spurs them to make profound discoveries. sagittarius is the natural ruler of the 9th house, so they may have a tendency to speak with some level of exuberance or enthusiasm. their mind is highly interested in and influenced by foreign cultures and religions they may encounter. they have a natural aptitude for linguistics, love learning, adore research and never tire in their quest for knowledge. because of this, they are lifelong students who make excellent professors or philosophers. one thing mercury in the 9th natives should beware of is excessive egoism or boastfulness. from this position mercury aspects the 3rd house of communication, which allows them to showcase and voice their 9th house discoveries to the world. [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 9th: ralph waldo emerson, john travolta, sophia loren, stanley kubrick, susan sarandon, sylvia plath

mercury in the 10th house:

chances are the first thing you equate the word “einstein” with is intelligence - his mercury in the 10th house placement is surely no coincidence. because the 10th house symbolizes public image, career, reputation, and status, having brilliant, versatile, communicative mercury here makes a person appear intellectual to the masses. this is one of the most powerful positions for mercury because it lends a self-reliant, persistent, strategic intellect that naturally shines in the public eye. they are able to climb the corporate ladder with ease when they employ their broad communication skills, and are gifted with auspicious relations with authority figures because of this talent. they’re bound to seek a career that is mentally stimulating (perhaps in journalism, communications, any facet of media) and may move through many jobs in their lifetime, but this is seen as a welcome change or a fresh start.  capricorn/saturn is the natural ruler of the 10th house, so this person may choose have a more serious approach in terms of communication and perhaps chooses their words very carefully. they could also be influenced by their paternal figure’s communication styles and perhaps model their own after what they’ve observed. financial stability and security is often seen from this placement, and these natives may also flourish as an entrepreneur or with a home-based business based on mercury aspecting the 4th house of the physical home. [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 10th: albert einstein, johnny depp, marilyn monroe, robin williams, tom hanks, friedrich nietzsche

mercury in the 11th house:

mercury holds a position of great social power when it is found in the 11th house of one’s natal chart. this house is associated with friendship and group interactions, so networking is an innately powerful natural gift for these natives. they may be drawn to intellectual types who stimulate them mentally, or even young at heart “mercurian” people. they’re unusually perceptive in the realm of social norms and their ability to store and compare behavioral patterns allows them to notice broad sociological, ethnological, or even historical trends. people with mercury in the 11th may be strongly interested in and concerned about community affairs, recognizing the power of the collective instead of just the individual. with aquarius as the natural ruler of the 11th house, these people can be selfless, charitable, and tolerant of other people’s opinions. they care about how others see them, sometimes a bit too much, and should guard against gossip because others are so willing to divulge information about their life to them. mercury aspects the 5th house from this placement, which brings communicative skills to the realm of creativity and children. [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 11th: david bowie, donald trump, cher, bill clinton, john cena, jackie chan

mercury in the 12th house:

this placement of mercury ties the intellectual mind (mercury) with the 12th house (piscean matters of spirituality, hidden things, and the astral realm). being one of the three water houses, having mercury here in the 12th can translate to intuitive or psychic gifts - in certain rare cases, the native can serve as a sort of “communicator of the spirit world”. the logical mind and intelligence come from the unseen world of the 12th house, so these people may spend a lot of time in deep reflection or may be particularly gifted writers. the mind may require total isolation from time to time, as this is when the mercury in the 12th individual feels best suited to employ their own personal form of logical problem solving. because the 12th house also represents losses, this person may have been somewhat shy or withdrawn as a child, or perhaps was made to feel that their communications were inferior in some way and negatively influenced their self-esteem. with the potential for many hidden or suppressed thoughts, an individual with this placement might possess some degree of fear of being overtaken by the waves of thoughts that bubble over in their chaotic mind. they are typically of a rather introverted nature and may have an interest in metaphysical matters such as astrology or the paranormal. [x] [x] [x]

notable people w/mercury in the 12th: heath ledger, janis joplin, frida kahlo, johnny cash, bruce jenner, ernest hemingway