Planets: Mercury—ray 4 (sacred)

Ray 4 triangle

C Ray 4 (sacred planet)

Method: intelligent, fluid response to change

Rulerships: Orthodox: Gemini Virgo Esoteric: Aries Hierarchical: Scorpio
Dignities: Exaltation: Virgo Fall: Pisces Detriment: Sagittarius Pisces
Symbol: C A cross surmounted by a circle crowned by a semicircle.
Mercury triangles:

Mercury: general information

Details to follow

Mercury: Rulerships

Orthodox: Gemini

To follow

Orthodox: Virgo

To follow

Esoteric: Aries

Details to follow of Mercury as esoteric ruler of Aries: clarity of mind, the ability to cut through illusion, incisive perception and the combination of the dissimilar to form fresh insights.

Hierarchical: Scorpio

Details to follow of Mercury as hierarchical ruler of Scorpio: the resolution of conflict and the harmonising of seemingly impossible oppositions.


Mercury decanates

(To follow) The decanates in Esoteric Astrology are not given consistently. They are sometimes reversed and other times given in the familiar direction. Current research aims to provide a coherent system that ensures consistency and reduces ambiguity, while adhering to the basic tenets of the esoteric decanates as well as the “reversal of the wheel”. Alan Leo’s decanates tend to follow the traditional method (i.e. the rulers of each sequential sign by element), yet Alice Bailey often replaces these, sometimes with Sephirial’s planets, and at other times with fresh esoteric replacements.

For now, decanates are covered under the “Details” tab in each sign.

Mercury Dignities

Exaltation in Virgo

To follow

Fall in Pisces

To follow

Detriment in Sagittarius

To follow

Detriment in Pisces

To follow