Mercury in Virgo

With Mercury in Virgo you're practical, logical, quick, precise, and have fine attention to detail as well as good common sense. Although Mercury rules Virgo and is thus strongly placed in this sign of discrimination, you must not forget that the world you live in is governed by emotions, prejudice and self-interest, not by logic. Be careful of getting bogged down on the small stuff or criticism in your relationships. You tend to be honest and a good speaker, but also intolerant of minds that are not as good as your own. If your Mercury is afflicted, notice the position of your Venus to help you balance your thought with your emotions. You love details and trivia, and are quite the salvager.

Famous people with Mercury in Virgo (and also in the first house for emphasis) are Ingrid Bergman, Claude Debussy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Shelley Long, Steve Martin, Margo St. James, Jack Swigert, Robert Taylor, and Lech Walesa.

Mercury goes retrograde (see glossary) three times a year for three-week periods, occurring in 1/5 of all charts. If your Mercury is retrograde there’s an "Ñ" just inside its degree and minutes numbers on your chart. Mercury retrograde individuals need to personalize and digest data before they can understand or recommunicate it. Unusually sensitive to what others say, they take things personally, as they must relate it to themselves to make it significant. Once something has been learned, however, it is never forgotten. This process may appear as mental slowness to others. It is important that parents listen carefully to and make sure they understand their retrograde Mercury child, as well as giving that child plenty of time to communicate what is on his or her mind.

This Mercury-in-Virgo page and, in fact, the entire website are excerpted from You and the Universe, a handmade, individualized fine art book on astrology, mythology and astronomy through which the recipient's complete astrological reading is woven.