The god Mercury and its symbology

  • 2019

The god mercury, is one of the most prominent gods of ancient Roman culture. Also its equivalent in the pantheon of Greek gods is Hermes and for the Egyptian culture it is Thot . Its name comes from the Latin word, Merx which translates by merchandise. It is in this sense, the patron god of merchants, and also of travelers.

What is your symbolism?

He is the favorite messenger of j piter (or also Zeus), often represented with a caduceus opigandiga, wide-brimmed hat and winged slippers. Also, it is traditionally represented with a stock symbol of profits, productivity and trade.

The caduceus of the mercury god, is a wand in which two antagonistic snakes are nippled, but that complement each other. Alluding to the balance of the world . Perhaps for this reason, it is also the sign of medicine, because esoterically, it represents health and care, as a balance of antagonistic forces, on the psycho-bio-spiritual axis. Likewise, the mercury god with his pole, is the messenger of the gods and guide of changes in human beings.

At this point it is interesting to note that, to the mercury god, rational qualities are attributed, which are usually attributed to dual thought or understanding (hence his wide-brimmed hat ). In a certain way , thought is the manifestation of unconscious processes, hence it is said that he is the messenger of the gods (because the archetypes are in the collective unconscious).

In addition, the mercury god is a symbol of the industrious intelligence of thinking, so thanks to our thoughts we can begin to transform ourselves, and illuminate unconscious aspects, as evidenced by cognitive behavioral psychology, through tools such as: Downward arrow, or cognitive records, to account for irrational ideas. Do not forget that many of our thoughts affect the health of the body, so the Caduceus refers to mental balance for body health.

What function does the god mercury play?

The wide-brimmed hat and the winged sneakers, can mean, the dynamism and sublimation of low instincts in the artistic and philosophical ideas that make man move out of common sense, until reaching dyes of divine inspiration (Ex: observe the works of divine inspiration Dalí, Davinci, or Plato or Hegel) but also scammers dyes.

We see that mercury is a symbol of transformation and sublimation from a psychic point of view, the same is true for alchemy . In this ancestral knowledge, mercury is a passive element, which joins with sulfur (which is an active element), whose equilibrium itself produces salt. Ultimately, it is a symbol of the constitution of the Great work: the universe itself that is invested with polarities.

Mercury in astrology.

The energy of the god mercury is materially represented by its homonymous planet in the solar system. His zodiacal address is in Virgo and also in Gemini. His exile in Sagittarius and Pisces, his exaltation in the aquarium and his fall in Leo.

The planet mercury, if well aspected in the natal chart, symbolizes the need for communication of thoughts through logical-rational language, having the need or impulse to learn, using new techniques or instruments. It will be a person who has a curiosity and a favorable aptitude for analysis. However, it also relates to illegal aspects, liveliness or trap.

On the other hand, the famous “ retrograde mercury ” indicates that the person must stop to reflect on himself and his behaviors, it is a time for the individual to analyze the ways he is understanding and perceiving his surrounding reality.

Author: Kevin Samir Parra Rueda, editor in the big family of hermandadblanca.org

More information in:

  • Chevaler, J. (1986). Dictionary of symbols . Barcelona, ​​Spain: Editorial Herder.
  • Grimal, P. (1965). Dictionary of Greek and Roman mythology. Barcelona, ​​Spain: Paidos

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