Mercury, Hermes Tresmegistes the trickster and archetypes
I am continuing on my theme of the archetypes for the planets. In my last blog I focused on the luminaries, that is the Sun and Moon from the most negative image to the most positive. This series of blogs will go from the most inner planets Mercury through to the outer planets finishing with the planet Pluto.
Hermes is the God associated with the planet Mercury. He was the child of Zeus and his mother was the nymph Maia. Maia was once a goddess in her own right and connected to the Pleiades. Hermes was a thief almost from his moment of birth in a cave atop Mt Cyllene in Arcadia. There is much to be said about Hermes in connection to theft as he did steal cattle from Apollo and when found out was hauled up to Olympus to be judged by Zeus. The most negative image of Hermes is the negative trickster, that is thief.
Hermes was also considered a psychopomp having the ability to visit Hades in the underworld. He was the only God that was able to do this. The Egyptians saw Hermes as Thoth the transporter of souls. It was Apollo that made Mercury the psychopomp, the conductor of souls between this world and the next. The god Hermes could move freely between the underworld, the earth, and Mt Olympus.
In Medieval times, Mercury was known as Mercurius, the god of the alchemists. Mercurius is “the alchemical androgyne” and there is an astrological tradition that the planet mercury is androgynous, neither male or female.
Mercury being the closest planet to the Sun completes its revolution around it speedily in 88 days. Mercurial types Gemini especially enjoy networking, connect quickly and often at times the mind is so quick that they can complete people’s sentences for them.
Hermes also possessed the caduceus, the healing rod that governs the healing arts today. Although most modern medicine these days is scientism and not the true hermetic arts of healing. The connection the caduceus goes back to the serpent race known as the Brotherhood of the Snake, way back in the ancient world.
The images of Mercury in ones astrology chart can manifest in these ways depending on the aspects. Here is the list from the most negative to positive:
The Negative Trickster- The thief, swindler, con artist. All who seem to change form and who are never what they seem so that they can out manoeuvre and take advantage of you.
The Positive Trickster- Similar to the last, but basically benevolent like countless fairy tale heroes: Jack the bean stalk and many cartoons such as Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner.
The Rationalist or Logician- Anyone who tries to make his or her mental abilities encompass the entirety of existence. It is not that he or she believes that they understand everything, but that Mercurial style mentality is capable of understanding everything.
The Magician- In modern times this would include the master of technology and science. In the true sense, this type may be a master of consciousness but without the clear intention to move toward enlightenment. The power of the word (Logos). The Tarot’s card 1 Magician.
Logos- This would include Hermes Tresmegistes, God as the word, Thoth. This is an aspect of the creative godhood along with the Shekinah.