Mercury Enters Cancer

Mercury follows Venus into Cancer today, where it will be swimming for just over two weeks. Mercury in Cancer is a subjective Mercury. While all communication contains implicit bias, Cancer Mercury opinions and verdicts are highly colored by emotions and memory. What seems obvious to us may not be to another person. We can forget that our experiences are not universal, and for this reason, subconsciously, we tend to gravitate toward those who think like us. While Mercury has less to do with belief than fact, facts structure the worldviews that societies run on, and often it is easier to empathize with those who share OUR worldview.  

Clearing this hurdle is the primary challenge of Mercury in Cancer. The next two weeks enhance our capacity for emotional intelligence, but will we apply that intelligence to everyone we meet, regardless of their potentially oppositional opinions? Or will we stick to connections that make us feel safe – those with whom we can recount exploits of the “good old days” when life was “less complicated”? Can we have vulnerable conversations without allowing sensitivity to cloud our judgment? Can we allow sensitivity to open our minds instead?

Ultimately, the poison is the cure with this placement, because the same quality that may discourage discussions with “outsiders”, will also draw us instinctively to them. Much as we may wish to hold onto our treasured prejudices, compassion prevents us from ostracizing those whom we would ordinarily other. This is an excellent time to really LISTEN to each other. Below the curated talking points is a human being with dreams and fears just like you. Perhaps THAT is the true universal experience.