Mercury in Cancer in the First House
The placement of Mercury in Cancer indicates you have a need for those functions symbolized by Mercury to operate on the emotional level. Much of the behavior and many of the personality characteristics associated with Mercury in Cancer are a result of the basic emotionality of the mental functions. Mercury is generally challenged somewhat by its placement in Cancer. However, as symbolized by the natural sextile between Cancer and Mercury-ruled Virgo, there are very positive aspects of this placement that can be realized.
Cancer is the Cardinal Water sign. Most of the time, the active watery nature of Cancer symbolically drowns and dampens the changeable airy nature of Mercury, forcing the Mercury-associated functions to act through an unaccustomed element. This can produce a major amount of stress if the mental functions do not adapt to the emotional energy field represented by Cancer. However, if there is attunement, then the combination can become very powerful and positive, as you now have become “bi-lingual” as it were, able to unite and balance the Yin of the mental with the Yang of the emotional.
Insecurities
Having Mercury in Cancer, if you are insecure as a person, you are likely to feel unsure of your mental nature and, because of this, you reject the emotional attunement toward which your mental state leans. Your intellect feels overwhelmed with irrationality and you cannot deal with this. The ego subconsciously perceives its vulnerability in allowing the mind to function in a state in which the “irrational” (i.e., the ego’s perception of the unconscious Reality) may break through and threaten the integrity of the ego. Your response to this mental confusion is to withdraw mentally from active engagement. However, because you cannot escape the nature of your mental functions, you tend to communicate in an emotionally reactive manner whenever you are mentally confronted with “the irrational.”
Mercury in the 1st House:
Having Mercury in the 1st House suggests that your mind and your ability to communicate play an important role in defining your identity and your sense of self. Inwardly, you may mentally focus on your self-identity. You are apt to think consciously and analytically about your identity and selfhood. You are more likely to consciously form the question, “Who am I?” than are most people. You can be expected to take a rational approach to answering this question. With Mercury in the 1st House, your self-analysis may extend beyond this basic question to others involving the definition of your identity. The danger in your mental energy being particularly focused on your self-identity is that you may become too self-absorbed.
With Mercury in the 1st House, tt is even more common for you mental and communication functions to manifest as an integral part of your identity. You are likely to see yourself as a thinking person (or, if you shun seeing yourself as an “intellectual,” as a communicating person). Because the mental and communicating functions are so closely identified with your self-concept, they are likely to be energized and extroverted.
Insecurities
As an individual with Mercury in the 1st House, if you are inwardly insecure, you may feel that your self-identity and self-worth are tied to your intellectual ability and/or your ability to communicate to others. With Mercury in the 1st House, you think about and analyze yourself and your worth excessively. When critically comparing yourself to others, you inevitably come up short. You may think, consciously or subconsciously, that you are mentally inferior to others or that you cannot communicate as well as others can.
Having Mercury in the 1st House, you may have an idealized mental picture of yourself – one that is flattering to your ego – but when you think about yourself honestly and realistically, you feel ashamed that you are not what you think you should be. Your response may be to belittle yourself or to express your lack of self-confidence. As an individual with Mercury in the 1st House, you may also over-compensate by criticizing others and becoming arrogant about your own intellectual abilities. Your over-compensation, however only hides your own inadequacies from yourself.
Intellect’s Focus
With Mercury in the 1st House, your intellect is generally self-focused. You are likely to be self-analytical and to think about your self-identity. Of course, you, also apply your intellect to a variety of external situations and tasks but you usually consider your intellect to be an important dimension of your personality and to define who you are.
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Article referenced from:
Gargatholil, Depth Astrology: An Astrological Handbook – Volume 2: Planets in Signs
Gargatholil, Depth Astrology: An Astrological Handbook – Volume 3: Planets in Houses
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