According to Greek myth, Mercury (or Hermes, whose name derives etymologically from the piles of rocks which marked trails and guided travelers) was the messenger of the gods. He carried orders from Olympus to the mortals on Earth. The child of the illegitimate union of Zeus with Maia, Mercury was born “unknown to the immortal gods” and had to win his place among them by trickery, cleverness, and cunning. This is why he became the vagabond deity of travelers and wanderers. He is the instinctive foe of the settled who see him as an outcast roaming on the outskirts of society: a pariah, a thief, and a swindler. As ruler of the sign of Gemini, the Twins, he symbolizes the brother—the alter-ego who teaches us as much as we teach him and is associated with adolescence, a period of intense intellectual discovery. Mercury thus symbolizes lively, sparkling wit, mobility in any form, mental exchange, and interaction. As a result, a person strongly ruled by Mercury is quite likely to be clever and skillful. If Mercury is “afflicted” in one’s chart, their intellectual velocity may sometimes become mere mental hyperactivity. In any case, these skills are a great resource in the social realm. You communicate easily and effectively, orally or in writing. Your ability to unite and transmit would be a good resource in diplomatic or commercial endeavors.

As the heart of the solar system and the gravitational center of the travels of the earth and the other planets, the sun is the primordial light, the source of all warmth and life. From the dawn of humanity, it has been worshipped. It has symbolized the absolute power kings and despots yearn for and emulate. The sun king, the nucleus of society, embodied a principle of cohesion and harmony. Various subordinates—aka planets—revolved around it. In terms of psychological symbolism, the sun corresponds to the center of an individual, the factor that rules your psyche. Its luminous aspects are usually associated with knowledge and consciousness. As a creator of life, it is related to the image of the mother and the influence of motherhood on an individual’s consciousness and ideals. As a result, the sun’s position in a birth chart always indicates the way in which an individual will relate to your goals and ideals, what your ambitions and aspirations might involve. A person whose chart is strongly “solar” usually identifies very positively with motherhood. Your personality is friendly, energetic, and creative, with high ideals and a firm determination to accomplish them. You take your own superiority and authority over others for granted, and you have a natural ability to command the attention and admiration of an audience. You are a born leader who enjoys being in the limelight and may behave somewhat theatrically or with dramatic exaggeration. You have definite artistic leanings. The sense of your ideals is evident to you and may lead you to be somewhat self-focused. If ill-directed, your deep aspirations may lead to such faults as egotism, selfishness, or greediness for power.

In the Greek tradition, Mars or Aries was the god of war. It is believed that he is associated with the element fire, the color red, and the taste of bitterness. Although it is also associated with the elder brother in the cosmic family, Mars is more likely to be associated with declared enemies or adversaries. Mars morphology is typically virile, angular, and athletic, which corresponds to aggressive, domineering, masculine behavior. Likewise, Mars is usually associated with rage, its resultant brutality, and male destructiveness and domination. Psychologically, Mars figures in any situation of conflict, opposition, and confrontation. Mars symbolism intervenes to separate, oppose, and decide and corresponds to duels, war, and any situation in real life which involves confronting an obstacle. Individuals who are greatly influenced by Mars are typically direct and straightforward—either unabashedly extroverted or furiously introverted. They are extremely active and extremely emotive. Their purpose in life seems to be inextricably mingled with a combat against an unacceptable situation, a challenge which they either issue or are forced to accept.

The eighth house is an area of the sky which is especially important in your theme. This is because in your theme, this area of the sky plays an important role in your overall plan.

According to tradition, this house is associated with the sign of Scorpio, and thus the themes of death, metamorphosis, and sexuality. It is also related to birth and initiation, and, in more practical terms, inheritances, legacies, and debts. More specifically, the area is related to the idea of partnership resources. It raises such issues as the management of a collective heritage and the administration of assets acquired in association with another person, and the sharing out, psychologically and materially, of these resources in marriage and business partnerships. As a result, three interdependent but fundamental factors inherent to initiating any mutually beneficial partnership are emphasized: trust, management, and responsibility. Obviously, a partnership devoid of trust is dangerous, if not impossible. Only when true trust and mutual confidence are established can a cooperative activity yield profit. The next step is managing the profit (or loss) resulting from the cooperative enterprise: sharing it out equally between the partners, or re-investing it in view of making the enterprise more profitable. The responsibility of the manager (and any participant who is a co-manager) is obviously engaged, because it would be unethical for you to keep any of the wealth generated by the group’s activities for your own personal benefit. You must also be responsible enough not to flee in case of difficulty.

Sexuality, which is an asset or resource of the couple, can be thought of according to the same dynamic. If sexual problems arise, if they are not due to physiological problems, they are always related either to a loss of mutual confidence, to mismanagement of the physical and psychological exchange, or to an insufficient sense of duty on the part of one of the partners. Due to the significance of this area in your astral chart, you may encounter one of these issues. It will be vital for you to become truly conscious of what is at stake in your partnerships. As a result, you will have to evaluate the wealth you acquire as a result of your relationships and measure the power conferred upon you by your participation in intimate, social, or professional relationships.

Aaron Brookner, you should carefully consider the significance of the seventh house in your theme. It contains several planets, including the one which rules your rising sign.