After an extended stay in steady Taurus, Mercury darts home to Gemini on June 10 at 1:41 a.m. EST (June 9 at 11:41 p.m. PST) and will stay through the 25th. Mercury governs all manners of mental activity, communication, writing/publishing and short travels. He rules the zodiac signs Gemini and Virgo. In Taurus, Mercury is thoughtful, careful, practical, thorough and persistent. In Gemini, he is social, good-humored, witty, quick-thinking and curious. At best, intelligent, charming, a great conversationalist, friendly, relaxed, secure and expansive. At worst, unfocused, not serious enough, quick to become disinterested and can be non-committal.

Mercury in Gemini encourages us to entertain our curiosities; run with small ideas and see where they take us or what they evolve into; collaborate and brainstorm with others because more minds working together is better than one; meet and greet with new people so we can learn from them; get captivated in engaging conversations; and generally, become a sponge for information gathering. As human beings, we are wired to make connections with others. Even an introvert can find comfort and joy in meaningful contact.

On the day Mercury enters Gemini, he quickly aligns with Uranus (unpredictable), Jupiter (lucky), Mars (aggressive) then Pluto (intense). There's optimism and excitement which could trigger impulsiveness to get things accomplished. Perhaps actions taken can even be due to impatience or frustration instead of following a plan of action. Be mindful of where motivations lie and what the consequences may be for our thoughts/actions. Mercury's alignments with these celestial bodies remain influential for a few days. This can be a short period of time where we can successfully complete immediate goals. The key is remaining aware of our thoughts, why we are doing what we are doing and whether what we're thinking/doing brings us closer to fulfilling our objectives. Mercury in Gemini is easily susceptible to being distracted by bright lights or shiny objects. I know, I have my natal Mercury in Gemini :) Focus!

While in Gemini, Mercury will align with the following celestial bodies (all dates reflect EST (NYC) time zone; give +/-2 days for life span of influence):

• June 10 to 12 ~ Mercury sextile Uranus and Jupiter; square Mars; and quincunx Pluto-rx. covered above
• July 24 ~ Mercury square Saturn and trine Neptune-rx. Possible confusion and inability to separate what's real and what's imagined. Creative/writer's block. Difficulty communicating ideas or thoughts. Misunderstandings in conversations.

How might Mercury's transit in Gemini have an influence on you? Look to the Gemini-ruled house/s in your birth chart. Match the sign with the house cusp/s on your birth chart. Use the list of zodiac signs below to identify the Gemini zodiac sign on your birth chart then click here for a brief explanation of Mercury transiting those houses.


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For those without a birth chart, you may use your Sun sign or Rising/Ascendant sign, if you know it. Look for them below then click here for a brief explanation of Mercury's transit in those houses.

• Aries-Sun or Aries Rising ~ 3rd House
• Taurus-Sun or Taurus Rising ~ 2nd House
• Gemini-Sun or Gemini-Rising ~ 1st House
• Cancer-Sun or Cancer-Rising ~ 12th House
• Leo-Sun or Leo-Rising ~ 11th House
• Virgo-Sun or Virgo-Rising ~ 10th House
• Libra-Sun or Libra-Rising ~ 9th House
• Scorpio-Sun or Scorpio-Rising ~ 8th House
• Sagittarius-Sun or Sagittarius-Rising ~ 7th House
• Capricorn-Sun or Capricorn-Rising ~ 6th House
• Aquarius-Sun or Aquarius-Rising ~ 5th House
• Pisces-Sun or Pisces-Rising ~ 4th House

Alternatively, you may cast your own birth chart -- birth date, time, and place required. I am also available for customized readings tailored to your needs. Are you celebrating a birthday? Schedule a session for a Solar Return or 3-Chart Package Reading. Or give the gift of insight.

Have a question or need a quote for a more customized reading, ask me here. Or feel free to cruise on over to the AstroCreeps and TarotFreaks Forum* to start or join a discussion.

What significance do planets, signs, and houses have in astrology? Planets have the function, the job to do. The style/manner they will use get that job done is defined by the zodiac sign they occupy. Where in our life the job gets done is determined by the house the planet occupies/transits. So, when Mars (aggression) is in Aries (bold), he is more assertive than when he is in Cancer (sensitive). When traveling through the 10th house (professional life), he may bring his confidence and motivation in matters relating to our career. While in the 11th house (friendships), we may be more inclined to having our social calendar packed with activities. Having the foresight for what may be coming up or receiving confirmation on what may be happening now are ways astrology can be beneficial ... as above, so below.

Related articles:

• Transiting Mercury in Natal Houses
• Solar Returns Explained ~ your personal year
• 2010 Cardinal Climax Explained ~ June to August 2010
• Sun in Gemini ~ May 20 to June 21, 2010
• Mars in Virgo ~ June 7 to July 29, 2010
• Saturn Returns to Virgo ~ April 7 to July 21, 2010
• Jupiter in Aries ~ June 6 to September 9, 2010
• Uranus in Aries ~ May 27 to August 13, 2010
• Neptune Retrograde ~ May 31 to November 7, 2010
• Pluto Retrograde ~ April 6 to September 14, 2010

*Click here to learn more about the AstroCreeps and TarotFreaks Forum.

'3D Mercury Transit' - APOD image credit and copyright to Greg Piepol.