Meet the Planets: Mercury

Mercury is the archetype of the Storyteller. We underestimate the power and importance of story. Our lives, our experiences are nothing but a story. We are immersed, engrossed and utterly transported by the story. The story seems utterly real to us. And yet no matter how true, how real the story appears, it is, underneath, merely a story. What we experience as real and as true is nothing but a collection of well-chosen words declaimed by an expert storyteller.

Story is what drives us. Story is what we live for. And yet, as important as story is to us, we seldom give any thought to the Storyteller. In order for there to be a story, there must be one outside of the story, one who tells the tale and lies the lies and transports us with words and images to far-away worlds. Mercury is the part of us that tells the story. Mercury is the part of us that narrates our lives. Mercury is the part of us that convinces us that everything that we experience is absolutely real, is absolutely true. And Mercury is the part of us that lies, and then convinces us that those lies are true.

None of what we perceive is real. Our entire world, our entire reality can be changed with a word, transformed with a single thought. We are so engrossed in our story that we utterly forget that we are at once the story and the Storyteller. If we do not like the way the story is unfolding, we are the ones who have the power to change it.

When we are in right relationship with Mercury, we experience near absolute mastery of the story. We are skilled in changing the words (and the world) in ways that please, delight and entertain us. We absolutely know that this entire experience of reality is a grand and glorious game, and we have the freedom to play the game in any way that we choose. Of course a good story requires challenges, conflicts, adversaries and unexpected plot twists to keep us fully engaged. Being in right relationship with Mercury does not protect us from the trickster energy. However, it does allow us to stay connected with the fun, the challenge and the gifts that always accompany the tricks and traps that Mercury builds into the story. Without quests, adventures and insurmountable obstacles to overcome, the Hero can never fulfill his potential. But most importantly, being in right relationship with Mercury affords us the perspective, the intelligence, the wit and the creativity to beat the Trickster at his own game.

When we are out of alignment with Mercury, we are trapped by our own words and limited by our belief in the story that we are writing. Our mind runs constantly, gathering evidence that supports the false belief that the way things are is the way they will always be, and there is nothing we can do to change it. Our minds repeat self-limiting, self-sabotaging and self-defeating stories that manifest as self-fulfilling prophecies. We are engaged in a constant battle with reality, insisting that it should be other than it is, and yet unable to accept that what makes our experience of reality real is how we describe it to ourselves and the meaning we give it in the story.

In order to get into right relationship with Mercury we must first begin to disengage from the little “s” story that keeps us small. We can begin to cease our struggle with reality and free up the energy bound up in that fight for more creative pursuits. Begin by developing Awareness of when we are caught up in story. When we are Aware that we are creating stress in our lives because we’re engaged in a story that is absolutely not true, we can accept Ownership of that story.

Finally, we can make the Choice to stop telling the story. When we become aware that we are gathering evidence to support an old story, we can choose to stop. As we begin to interrupt the old patterns, we create the opportunity to choose new words. We can shift from telling the little “s” story that keeps us small, and begin to tell ourselves the Big “S” story that calls us to our greatness.

To begin to connect with the Sun, meditate on some of these questions:

• What kind of story do I tell?


• What are the major themes of the story?


• What kind of world do I live in?


• How do I communicate?


• What defines my story?


• Where do I give up my power in my story?


• Where and how do I get lost in the “little s” story and forget to advance the plot of the “Big S” Story?

Meet the Planets: Venus

Venus is the Archetype of The Beloved. Wherever we experience love or appreciation, we find Venus. Venus is the archetype who determines our values, and fully appreciating and aligning with our values is the first critical step to discovering our personal standards of integrity. Our values are what give meaning, purpose and direction to our Hero’s Journey. Venus is what motivates us to take the Hero’s Journey in the first place. We set out on our own, we face challenges, pass tests, and claim our greatness because doing so will bring us into closer relationship with The Beloved. Love, after all, is the most powerful and most important force in the Universe.

When considering Venus, it is important to understand the difference between what we Value and what we Desire. We do not value things or possessions; rather we value concepts and experiences. For example, we may value Love, Peace, Beauty, Harmony, Balance, Freedom, Joy, Wisdom, or Creativity, to name but a few. Our Desires, on the other hand, are more tangible, and we believe that when we attain the things that we desire, that we will have an experience of what we Value. Desire seeks to acquire, to conquer, and to possess, and therefore is an expression of Mars. Venus exerts no effort whatsoever to attract the things that she values and appreciates. She simply magnetizes them to her. On occasion, she may manipulate Mars into going out to bring things to her, but Venus never lifts a finger to get what she wants.

The glyph for Venus resembles a hand mirror. And while the Moon is the archetype of The Mirror, Venus, the archetype of The Beloved, is perhaps the reflection in the mirror. The true Beloved is within each of us. All things that we Value, all things that we Love are within ourselves. And we must learn to look within in order to find them.

When we are in Right Relationship with Venus, we are carried along by an infinite river of abundance, prosperity and love. We are the embodiment of the Law of Attraction. Everywhere we turn the Universe seems to shower us with love, appreciation, and opportunities for fun. We are in a constant and continual state of gratitude, and the more we open our hearts and give thanks, the more reasons there are for us to feel grateful. We experience a deep sense of personal satisfaction in our lives. The joy we experience from being in the flow has less to do with the material prosperity and more to do with the knowledge that we are absolutely in alignment with our true Self. Each and every relationship in our life is joyous, and loving. We are loved, appreciated, and respected, and in turn, we love, appreciate and respect every single person in our life.

When we are out of alignment with Venus, however, we are unable to experience any of the sweetness of life. We perceive little reason for joy, or for gratitude. Nothing comes easily, and everything is a struggle. We are immersed in a consciousness of lack. There isn’t enough money, there isn’t enough time, there isn’t enough pleasure, and there certainly isn’t enough respect. We feel unappreciated, unnoticed, unacknowledged, unloved, and unworthy. We are driven by the illusion of status, of power or of glamour. We believe that Love must be earned; that it is a limited resource that can be hoarded or purchased. We look for ways that we can change ourselves, our circumstances, our lives so that we will be more attractive to others, believing that this is the way to be loved. However, even when other people do express love and appreciation for us, we are unable to enjoy it. The person being loved is not our true self, it is the persona we created to please other people. And since we are not that persona, we still do not feel loved.

The key to moving into right relationship with Venus is the practice of Gratitude. By consciously choosing to develop our Gratitude muscles, we begin to align with the flow of Love and Appreciation. Taking even five or ten minutes a day to contemplate things that we Love and Appreciate can create powerful and lasting shifts. It’s enough to begin by just saying the words; as the intention begins to open the heart, the experience of Gratitude will begin to grow on its own.

Once you have begun to develop your Gratitude muscles, you can begin to uncover some of your core Values. Consider some of the things that you love and appreciate. What is it about these things that calls to you? What do you experience when you think of these things? Explore some of the things that you want and desire. What is the experience that you believe you would have when that desire has been fulfilled? As you become aware of your Values, you draw closer to The Beloved.

To begin to connect with Venus, meditate on some of these questions:

• What do you value?


• What do you appreciate?


• How do you express affection and gratitude?


• What do you want to attract?


• What about you is the most loveable?


• Where and how do you adopt other people’s values?


• What kind of status do you seek?


• How do you want to be noticed?


• Where do you compromise your values?


• Where do you lack gratitude?