Your Mercury and Ascendant Reveal What Communication Weaknesses and Strengths You Have

Yana Yanovich, a professional astrologer of Nebula, is here to tell us what guidance astrology can provide about our communication skills.

Communication is perhaps one of the most important areas of our life. It is everywhere. Astrologers believe that a person’s Natal Chart provides information about various psychological traits and can help detect problem areas.

So, we decided to ask Yana Yanovich, a professional with two decades of experience and a top astrologer of Nebula, to tell what information astrology can provide about our communications skills and how it can help deal with problems.

The Influence of Mercury

Many people have probably heard something about Mercury and communication being connected. You know, with all the retrograde Mercury hype being quite popular in recent years, it is hard not to. It’s true. Mercury is connected with communication as well as a thought process, ideas, and other mental faculties. The sign Mercury is placed in acts as a filter through which our communication and thinking happen. For example, Mercury, in calm and deliberate Taurus, chews the mental food slowly but thoroughly. It quickly gulps in jumpy and rushed Aries, switching to the next one before finishing the first. In emotional Cancer, Mercury tries to feel rather than analyze and relies more on intuition than facts or observation.

However, it is not the only Natal Chart factor an astrologer looks at. Besides the placement of Mercury in the Zodiac sign, we also examine aspects (planetary contacts) because the planets modify each other in either positive (harmonious contact) or negative (harsh contact) ways.

Before I go to the next set of factors that influence one’s communication style, let me give you an example. My own Mercury is in Aries, a fast, straightforward, plain-spoken, and even undiplomatic sign (it is the opposite of the soft-spoken Libra, after all). Perhaps you can’t notice it as much in written communication. Still, I assure you in a conversation, I can be quite impatient to get the reply out, especially if I already know what the other person is getting to. “Interruption” could have been my middle name but for several other modifying aspects in my Natal Chart. Venus, the ruler of mild and tactful Libra and patient and placid Taurus, is closely conjunct with my Mercury. Conjunction means that two planets are working as one. My communication style (Mercury in Aries) is strongly flavored by Venus, the lover of all nice and pretty things. I think you might have noticed this part by now if this text has been a pleasant and easy read for you so far. That’s my Venus working hand in hand with my Mercury.

Let’s look at an example of a negative influence. Say, Mercury is in a conflicting aspect with Mars, the planet of action, assertion, and, in some awful cases, aggression. A person with such placement will be prone to verbal (Mercury) conflicts (Mars). Being argumentative and seeking out conflict or verbally (Mercury) attacking (Mars) other people. A conflicting aspect with the Moon makes a person more emotional and subjective in both their thinking and communication.

Ascendant as a Gatekeep

The second thing in the chart that needs to be examined for communication issues is the 1st house. It is also called Ascendant or the Rising sign, and it is the Zodiac sign which is rising above the horizon at the moment of your birth. Some compare it to the mask or the face which we present to the outer world. In part, it is so. Our Rising sign shows how we appear to others at first. But I also like to describe it as “the gatekeeper.”

Think about it this way: If all the placements and aspects of your Natal Chart are the energies inside you, waiting to get out and interact with the world… well, maybe not, depending on the energies. Some of them like to be left alone so that they can play quietly in the corner somewhere… Anyway, in this case, the Ascendant is the gatekeeper because it “decides” which energy gets out with ease and which one is out of luck and has to negotiate and work hard for its chance to be seen and heard.

An afflicted 1st house can indicate problems with being able to express oneself. Again, here we look at the planet or placement which is causing the problem. It could be the ruler of the first house (self) placed in the sign of its fall or detriment, indicating low self-confidence. It could be the opposite—a powerful, exalted ruler of the 1st house or a planet in the 1st house such as the Sun or Jupiter will give a person exaggerated confidence to the point of arrogance.

The Problem Is Detected. What to Do Next?

So, as you can see, there are plenty of nuances, and the amount of information is probably starting to scare you off. “What use is it anyway?”—you might be asking. Well, the uses are numerous, but the most important ones are the following:

You can improve your own communication efficiency and style by carefully learning and analyzing your own chart, identifying the weak and problematic places in it, and applying conscious effort to keep your negative tendencies in check or even work on improving them. For example, if you tend to get into arguments—practice avoiding them or seeking compromise. If your problem is a lack of clarity in expressing your thoughts—sign up for eloquence courses (or at least watch some videos about it). The first step toward fixing the problem is always a recognition of it. Nobody is perfect.

It allows you to understand that other people around you, especially those you communicate with regularly (family, friends, colleagues), all have their own individual communication and thinking styles. Many conflicts and misunderstandings happen because we assume other people’s inner workings are the same as ours. They are not. Looking at the natal charts of people you can’t seem to get along with will actually give you beneficial insight on how to fix your communication with them.

You can check your Natal Chart on some free websites or try the Nebula app, where you also can get a detailed explanation about your zodiac features and have a consultation with an astrologer.

If you have decided to read a Natal Chart on your own, Yana advises starting slow and with your own chart. Don’t get carried away by all the other elements if you are looking at one specific issue, i.e., don’t start analyzing relationship potential if you’re checking for communication issues.