Astrology Parent Ed Series - Mercury and "The Way They Learn!"
Understanding your child’s Mercury will allow you to better support them in their education as well as navigating the differences between themselves, their siblings and classmates as they grow up. It also provides parents an awareness of how to nurture positive communication, problem solving and personal expression.
I read a fantastic book called "The Way They Learn -How to discover and teach to your child's strengths", by Cynthia UlichTobias. It's great how she simply breaks down the different ways we all learn and guides you to specifying this for your own child.
As an Astrologer I could not help but assume and hope this would have a direct correlation to the energy and archetype of the planet Mercury. So I've begun exploring it!
Ulrich writes in the beginning, "The way in which we view the world is called our perception. Perceptions shape what we think, how we make decisions, and how we define what's important to us. Our individual perceptions also determine our natural learning strengths, or "learning styles".
Sounds like Mercury to me!
Now Ulich first notes another researcher, Dr. Anthony F. Gregorc, and his model of learning styles which are two basic points of view for how our minds perceive and understand information. The two perceptual qualities that each mind possesses are Concrete Perception and Abstract Perception.
Concrete is gathering information using the five senses of sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. The senses deal with the tangible, obvious, here and now. "It is what it is". This speaks right to how Mercury manifests in our Earth and Air signs; Taurus, Gemini, Virgo, Libra, Capricorn and Aquarius.
Abstract is gathering information using visualization, intuition, intellect and imagination. This quality allows one to conceive ideas, understand or believe what can't actually be seen. "It's not always what it seems." This speaks right to how Mercury manifests in our Water and Fire signs; Aries, Cancer, Leo, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Pisces.
Once information is perceived, what then do we do with it? How do we use what we know? Gregorc states there are 2 methods for "ordering" what we know. Sequential and Random.
Sequential ordering is allowing the mind to organize information in a linear fashion using a logical train of thought and a conventional approach. This quality prefers to have a plan and follow it. "Follow the steps." Here we see another connection to how Mercury manifests in our Earth and Air signs which also take this same path.
Random ordering is allowing the mind to organize pieces of information with no particular sequence, can jump around, skip steps and still produce the desired result. This quality appears impulsive, spontaneous or working without a clear plan. "Just get it done." Here we see another connection to how Mercury manifests in our Water and Fire signs which also take this same path.
Now just as no two people's Astrology is the same and Mercury is simply one piece of each individuals unique and complex personality, no person is only one learning style. We each have a blend of these learning styles that help point to our natural strengths and abilities.
And when we Astrologers talk about Mercury we are also describing this same combination based on all the other parts (planets) and placements (house) of the natal chart and how they respond to and work with each other (aspects).
The planet Mercury is the closest to us and therefore is always traveling relatively close to the Sun. It is never more than one zodiac sign away from where the Sun is at any given time. So everyone's Mercury sign is going to either be the same as your Sun sign or in the sign before or after. For example, if you are an Aries Sun, your Mercury will either be in Aries, Taurus or Pisces.
Next Gregorc puts these styles together in four combinations:
Concrete Sequential (CS) and Abstract Sequential (AS)
Abstract Random (AR) and Concrete Random (CR)
So CS and AR could potentially match people with their Sun and Mercury in the same sign. And the AS and CR could then point to a person who has Mercury in a different sign from their Sun!
My hypothesis is that based on the sign of your Mercury and whether is it in
the same sign as your Sun or a neighboring one can also help direct us to our
unique combination. Then when you consider the distance between them, the house
placement and any other planet players influencing through aspect, a deeper
understanding can be found and the strengths, abilities and any challenges may
be uncovered.
AND not to mention the parenting assist this provides in realizing how different we are from each other in our styles. So knowing our differences can help us be more patient, excepting and more effective in our support of our children. And perhaps looking into some of the "coloring", or places where our learning styles may be similar, we can find common ground and therefore relate better with them.
Now I know Mercury alone cannot spell it all out for our children, but I do feel pretty certain it can be a significant added guidance in understanding how we learn and therefore be priceless in supporting our children both academically and socially.
If you want to read about your or your child's Mercury sign and get an idea of how it adds to the personality and learning style, check out this page from Cafe Astrology! If you don't have your or your child's natal charts you can also get those free here along with a basic report. And you can also contact me and I'd be happy to do a full personal reading for you and/or your child.
This is a fascinating study to me! And I've barely scratched the surface on the topic. I hope you also find it interesting. And I will offer more on my exploration down the line.
My case is proven at first look at my own and my Pisces son's Sun and Mercury.
I am a double Aquarius (Sun/Mercury - Air sign) giving me a foundation CS - Concrete
Sequential learning style, which does pretty much fit the bill for me. And my son is a double Pisces
(Sun/Mercury - Water Sign), giving him an AR - Abstract Random learning style,
which also totally fits him. Crazy! Right!? We do have "coloring"
from the other styles when we go deeper and look at the house placement, but this is a great place to start!
AND not to mention the parenting assist this provides in realizing how different we are from each other in our styles. So knowing our differences can help us be more patient, excepting and more effective in our support of our children. And perhaps looking into some of the "coloring", or places where our learning styles may be similar, we can find common ground and therefore relate better with them.
For example, my Sun
and Mercury are in the 8th house, which is ruled by water (his style) and his
Sun and Mercury are in the 11th house, which is ruled by Air (my style). Cool
right? I think so! So there may be some natural coloring that can create an avenue where we can meet to better understand each other. And there is!
When I first found out I was having an uber Pisces child and knowing myself, I worried about our potential communication issues knowing the conflict between Air and Water. I thought all my logic would be lost on him unless I could get him to "feel" what I meant. So I would have to make an effort there, and I did.
But then I also saw and realized the benefit as he grew up, that all his Pisces and specifically his Sun/Mercury where in the Air house of Aquarius. Once he could talk I was blown away because he actually was able to absorb (water) my logic and even retain and understand it in a way I can't!
And now that he has entered school I am watching his unique learning style blossom first hand. It's so interesting to already see his early ease with math and love of Science with a basic abstract random learning style in a concrete sequential Astrology house. Neither of these areas are my specialty at all! I find more interest in exploring the mysteries of life and seeking the deeper meaning of everything. In that respect I find science and math fascinating. And this certainly points to my CS - Aquarius (Air) Sun/Mercury in the AR 8th house of Scorpio (water) placement.
When I first found out I was having an uber Pisces child and knowing myself, I worried about our potential communication issues knowing the conflict between Air and Water. I thought all my logic would be lost on him unless I could get him to "feel" what I meant. So I would have to make an effort there, and I did.
But then I also saw and realized the benefit as he grew up, that all his Pisces and specifically his Sun/Mercury where in the Air house of Aquarius. Once he could talk I was blown away because he actually was able to absorb (water) my logic and even retain and understand it in a way I can't!
And now that he has entered school I am watching his unique learning style blossom first hand. It's so interesting to already see his early ease with math and love of Science with a basic abstract random learning style in a concrete sequential Astrology house. Neither of these areas are my specialty at all! I find more interest in exploring the mysteries of life and seeking the deeper meaning of everything. In that respect I find science and math fascinating. And this certainly points to my CS - Aquarius (Air) Sun/Mercury in the AR 8th house of Scorpio (water) placement.
Now I know Mercury alone cannot spell it all out for our children, but I do feel pretty certain it can be a significant added guidance in understanding how we learn and therefore be priceless in supporting our children both academically and socially.
If you want to read about your or your child's Mercury sign and get an idea of how it adds to the personality and learning style, check out this page from Cafe Astrology! If you don't have your or your child's natal charts you can also get those free here along with a basic report. And you can also contact me and I'd be happy to do a full personal reading for you and/or your child.
This is a fascinating study to me! And I've barely scratched the surface on the topic. I hope you also find it interesting. And I will offer more on my exploration down the line.
Love & Light
Dominique
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