Our friend Mercury is in the late degrees of Gemini and you know what comes after Gemini, right? The sign of the Crab, the sensitive sideways mover, the mother of indirectness: Cancer.
Now I’ve got Mercury in Cancer and yet I do not feel qualified to speak on this topic. See, I usually think I’m being straightforward and direct but Cancer’s reputation is otherwise so… what’s the truth?
Because I’m at such a loss, I’ll tell a story, an old one: In the Garden, the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Life, God pretty much wanted to know who started it. Well, Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent and you know what? I kinda doubt that any of them had Mercury in Cancer. More like Mercury in Blurt i.e. fire.
Mercury in Cancer is sensitive to others. Mercury in Cancer doesn’t want to get anyone in trouble. Mercury in Cancer can feel other people. When I go on the train each day? I can feel if a person is… ready to get rowdy or totally neutral or crazy-dangerous or crazy-not-dangerous. Mercury isn’t just how we speak but how we write, think, understand, perceive. Communication. It goes both ways.
Mercury in Cancer isn’t necessarily quiet, but can be subtle, so subtle that you miss it, and it remembers EVERYTHING. Water retains. You say something that hurts Mercury in Cancer? They’ll remember forever and possibly bring it up, kindly, gently, sensitively the next time you do that thing or say that thing.
Mercury in Cancer, above all, doesn’t want to hurt with words, unlike Mercury in Scorpio who is so damn good at it. And maybe they don’t consider it hurting. Mercury in Cancer will do everything it can to prevent this, even if it knows, and it usually does, exactly what to say that will wound. Â We keep such secrets to ourselves.
Remember, too, that Mercury rules the hands and Mercury in Cancer has sensitive hands, nurturing hands. Healing hands? Probably, yeah.
My question for you: who has the best Mercury?
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6 thoughts on “In Praise of Mercury in Cancer”
I do not enjoy my Leo mercury conjunct Uranus when it comes to trying to be verbally empathetic or soothing to others. I can never figure out what to say or do. I think I come across self-absorbed. (notice every sentence starts with “I”)
i am very supportive of others. I honor the right of free speech/expression and for everyone to have an opinion, and to voice it. and live it.
but I’m lost with the subtleties and nuances necessary for sensitive and comforting interaction. I feel the pain, I want to help, but I’m totally out of my element.
Hi Anita– Oh I bet you do say some interesting and unexpected and vivacious things! You sound like you have some Aquarian in you as well.
Sometimes no words are best, too. A touch is good. But if you feel the pain, that says a lot. Not that you asked my advice, but you can always say: wow, I really feel for you. I’m so sorry. How can I help?
Hey, thank you Moonpluto!
I’m in the process of remembering “i really feel for you. I’m so sorry. how can I help”:)
I’m trying to be silent and allow others to talk, if they need nurturing. thanks for the reminder…it’s very good and welcome advice:)
I just read your Venus/Saturn post, and realized perhaps my Saturn in first might be another culprit here, in the “expressing warmth” department.
Yeah, Saturn is a bitch wherever he be 😉
Also if he’s in a fixed sign? Harder to charge…. The sign wld be a big clue here.
And remembering to say “I’m (so) sorry” with some kind of empathic tone to the voice? It can be all your need. But be prepared because then… you may be in for a longer conversation than you really wanted 🙂
my Saturn is in sag, but my Ascendant is fixed. it is true, having a difficult time changing and processing change.
I think people are starving these days for someone to sit down and just listen.
although I mean it when I say “I’m sorry, how can I help”…. it “feels” fake to me. can’t figure out why.
Maybe you need words that feel (more) true to you. Or maybe it’s a touch you need/want to give. Or… ?? Something to think about 🙂