Each zodiac sign has one (or two) ruling planets that exert greater influence over it than other planets.
The ruling planet is also known as the dominant, governing, or rising planet of the sign, as well as the astrological domicile of the zodiac sign.
In this article, we will take a deeper look at Virgo’s ruling planet Mercury, its energy & nature, and the influence that it exerts over Virgo in everyday life.
So if you want to:
- Know more about Mercury, the ruling planet of Virgo.
- Understand the nature & energy of Mercury, as well as the positive and negative traits that it has.
- Learn when it’s best to use the influence of the planet to your benefit.
Then read with attention. Important truths are often hidden in small details.
Ready? Let’s get started…
Virgo’s Ruling Planet Mercury in Astrology
Ruling planets have a lot of significance in astrology. Each of the twelve astrological signs has a ruling planet that explains how the sign functions, what are its distinguishing traits and what are the differences between various zodiac signs.
Mercury is the ruling planet of Virgo. This explains why Virgos like to live their life a certain way. Mercury strives to strike a balance between facts and fiction, is associated with good communication skills and a propensity towards learning. These are traits that are also found in people who have the zodiac sign, Virgo.
Virgos are known for their regimented view on life that helps them take a long-term view and plan their life out better. This may have a lot to do with their ruling planet, Mercury.
Mercury in Astrology: Quick Facts
Here are a few quick facts about Mercury that would lead to a better understanding of this planet:
- Color: Green
- Nature: Perfection, cleanliness, order, discipline, meticulousness
- Metal: Aventurine
- Precious Stone: Emerald
- Ruling planet of: Virgo and Gemini
Mercury’s Sun Orbit
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun and also the smallest in the solar system. Its axis also has the smallest tilt around the Sun. It takes around 88 Earth days to revolve around the Sun which is also the fastest by any planet.
Mercury is not a generational planet.
Mercury influences Virgo’s action in many ways and manifests in the propensity of Virgos towards cleanliness, order and routine.
Effects of Mercury in Different Houses
Mercury in the first house exercises influence over people’s entire lives. It paves a great deal of attention to communication skills and can be seen in the great quality of Virgos towards memorizing things and articulating them in a better manner.
Likewise, Mercury in the second house is concerned with material pursuits, Mercury in the third house is all about relationships with family and the society at large. Mercury in the twelfth house represents endings and is all about a departure from the material needs of life.
The twelve different houses of Mercury represent different aspects of one’s personality and exercise control in distinct ways governing different areas of life.
Mercury Positive Traits
When placed positively, Mercury leads to great communication skills and gives one the ability to gel with people from a range of backgrounds. This makes Virgos very amicable to a wide range of people.
This is not only because of their communication skills but also the fact that they are able to bring compassion and empathy to the table, another offering of its ruling planet.
Other positive traits associated with Mercury include good memory, good intellect. These people have a knack for different languages and have certified prowess in IT skills. They are witty, disciplined and people one would go to for solving problems.
A well-placed Mercury imbues Virgos with a strong sense of self and a gut feeling that is right on most occasions.
Mercury Negative Traits
A negative Mercury can lead to undesirable traits and situations that one needs to be mindful of at all times. Some of these include:
- Over Analytical: A negative Mercury makes people over analytical and makes them susceptible to asking several unwanted and unproductive questions. This may be a source of annoyance to people around them.
- Nagging: A negative Mercury can turn people into nagging, obsessive beings that may be a source of annoyance for others around them.
- Prone to Mental Disorders: People with wrongly placed Mercury can face issues with mental health and can fall sick repeatedly.
- Repetitive Behavior: People with negative Mercury can exhibit obsessive- compulsive behavior and may face stuttering or language issues.
- Stress: A wrong Mercury can make people prone to complexes and may induce anxiety in them. They may feel underconfident and may not feel great about life or themselves.
Energies of Mercury: Electric
Mercury is known for its energy and this is the reason both Virgos and Geminis are blessed with good foresight. Both these signs are adept at looking at the bigger picture and are known to propel life in the right direction based on a vision. Mercury is all about taking the right action and focusing on goals that matter.
Mercury Keywords
Mercury is a special planet that has a profound impact on the zodiac signs it is associated with. Here are some keywords of importance:
- Adaptable: Virgos are extremely social people despite their quirks. This is because Mercury imbues them with a sense of adaptability. They are easy to get along with and take no time in mingling with a wide range of people.
- Efficient: Mercury imparts Virgos with unparalleled efficiency. These people are always ahead of the curve. They are excellent planners, are disciplined and make sure to be productive and efficient at all times.
- Enthusiastic: Virgos navigate life with an enviable zeal. They are enthusiastic about the grand things and banal things alike. They have a great attitude to life and believe in living it up.
- Strength and Stability: Virgos are blessed with strength and stability that helps them waltz through the curveballs life throws at them. This is because of Mercury’s solid influence.
- Perfection: Mercury is associated with perfection and this gets reflected in the personalities of Virgos. They are known to seek perfection in any and all activities they undertake and this makes them, unlike any other zodiac sign.
Mercury Domicile
Virgo and Gemini are the domiciles of Mercury, meaning the planet is most comfortable in these signs and is positively placed. When this happens, the people who are governed by this ruling planet showcase positive traits such as analytical prowess, enthusiasm towards life and discipline.
Mercury Detriment
Mercury is detrimental in Sagittarius and Pisces. This refers to an irrational, mathematically inept Mercury. Contrary to the learned Mercury, this is a simple, naive Mercury.
Mercury Exalted
Mercury is exalted in Virgo. It is a special case because Mercury is the only planet that is exalted in the sign it has a home in. This can be explained by its preference for closeness with the Sun.
Mercury Fall
This happens in Pisces and results in a weak Mercury that doesn’t function to its full potential. The refinement of ideas and energy that one generally associated with Mercury is absent in this position.
Mercury Retrograde
Mercury retrograde takes place three times a year with the retrograde lasting approximately three weeks. Since each retrograde has a shadow period before and after, the total retrograde may last at least two months.
Mercury retrograde can manifest in the form of glitches and technical errors, quite far from the usual self associated with positive Mercury.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few commonly asked questions on Mercury and its many positional aspects. These are also useful if you want to know more about astrology in general. Read on!
What Is a Ruling Planet and What Does It Do, Anyway?
The ruling planet determines the characteristics of people associated with each zodiac sign. For instance, Mercury is the ruling planet of Virgos that is manifested in Virgos being intelligent, disciplined and goal oriented.
How Are Ruling Planets Assigned?
Northern Hemisphere seasons determine this and are different for each zodiac sign.
Why Do Some Signs Have Two Ruling Planets?
Certain signs have both modern-day planetary rulers and ancient rulers in place and this results in them having two ruling planets.
Ancient vs Modern Ruling Planets: What You Need to Know
The discovery of three outer planets i.e. Uranus, Neptune and Pluto are associated with modern astrology. Before this, there were no generational planets and astrology was only concerned with the inner planets. Scorpio, Pisces, and Aquarius are considered the three magical signs thanks to modern astrology and its discovery.
The Final Word
Mercury is a special ruling planet that is associated with a number of good traits such as intelligence, analytical prowess and lots of discipline and a result-oriented mindset. We hope we have given you comprehensive information about the various aspects of Mercury and its impact on Virgo where it is in domicile.
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