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.

Pluto is the planet of transformation. It rules the sign of Scorpio, the sign of death, redemption, and divine mysteries. Pluto’s energy is mysterious. Its discovery in 1932 associates it symbolically with the creation of the nuclear bomb and the development of psychoanalysis. In ancient mythology, Pluto was considered to be associated with all the aspects of the underworld – Hades, the Greek name for Pluto, was the god of shell. Today, the underworld is synonymous with the Mafia, and the two share many characteristics. Pluto occupies an important place in the horoscopes of great mystics and spiritual beings, as well as in the theme of certain dictators and tyrants, among them the most ruthless and greedy for power. In psychological terms, Pluto corresponds to the transmutation of instinctive energies into energies which are accessible consciously by the individual’s ego. This transmutation, which is never completely controllable, induces a power complex. On the social level, it might be symbolized by the nuclear disaster, the failure of Western man to master the energy of the atom – a power complex gone awry. On the individual level, Pluto is expressed either in a “power complex,” in which instinctive energy is completely transmuted into a personal resource, or as a “failure complex,” in which certain inhibitions prevent the instinctive energy from being transmuted.

Jupiter is the planet of luck and success. It is also the planet of social growth and expansion. It is important to note that the Jupiterian has a tendency to amplify qualities out of compensation. This can lead to problems with self-identity and neglecting your inner self.

Bryant Eslava, you should pay attention to the tenth house in your theme.

Traditional associations of this area of the sky chart with profession, ambition, power, honors and recognition, and eminence are applicable to you. The North Node, the gateway into the tenth house, corresponds to the vertical line connecting the zenith to the nadir. The North Node can be opposed to its partner, the South Node, the lowest point on the map of the sky. As the highest point, it symbolizes your elevation, your social position. You are sure to derive some power from your social eminence, such as money, prestige, or privilege, but you also have duties to fulfill. When this area is the site of significant activity, it does not mean that you will automatically have a high social eminence. It means that you will invest a great deal of energy in acquiring a form of social power. Because the energy is somewhat vague, you will have to become aware of the various desires, needs, and ideals which are motivating and inspiring you. As a result, you will probably become conscious of how closely your social destiny is linked to your family’s reputation. Indeed, all you can give society is what you have managed to make of yourself from the raw material you received from your background. When the tenth house is especially significant, it means that the use of power deriving from social rank is problematic for you. Your attitude toward both accomplishment and failure may be somewhat obtuse. As a result, you should always be asking yourself why you aspire to a certain career or profession, what your learning is worth, what meaning you want to give your relationship with society, what you are ready to give of yourself, and what you want from society in exchange.

The third house is an important part of your theme and we will explain its meaning in the following paragraph.

The house associated with intellectual abilities is said to be related to the immediate family environment, with brothers and sisters, peers and classmates, and people in the social setting we relate to every day, like neighbors, etc. Likewise, study, writing and publication, correspondence and letters, mobility and short-distance travel are also attributed to this house. Another aspect of it concerns bodily movements and exchanges, like the circulation of the blood, breathing, nerve networks, the hands, etc. In essence, this house corresponds to the mental interface between you and your environment. Indeed, if intelligence is the ability to adapt to one’s environment, it is true that on the other hand, the environment has a basic influence on the formation of character and the way you will react to life. By asserting itself, adapting and claiming a place of its own in society, your self is formed and defined and learns to know its potentials and its limitations. In doing so, the self develops elaborate mental tools. If this house is especially significant in your chart, it means that you will find positive adaptation to your environment, your main challenge in life. It is likely that the presence or absence of brothers and sisters was a major factor in your development, and that one of the main psychological issues you are dealing with is resolving the problems of identity and selfhood which arose in relationships with siblings and peers. Biologically, your nervous system is likely to be fairly vulnerable; in any case, it is the barometer of your general physical well-being. Psychologically, communication, both verbal and written, is your passport to fitting in, to social integration. You are quite likely to embark on lengthy studies which will enable you to develop the skills necessary for effective communication and productive exchange. Regardless of the level at which you function in society, you will obey an urge to express your ideas and opinions and communicate with others about yourself.

The second house is an area of the sky which is especially important in Bryant Eslava’s theme.