The seven planets · 6 of 7
The hour and day of Mercury
The Messenger of the Gods. Master of communication, intellect, and the crossroads between worlds.
Mercury rules Wednesday and the first hour after its sunrise, then returns every seventh hour through the day and night. Mercury is sixth in the Chaldean order, the sequence of the hours: communication, trade, intellect, travel.
The day of Mercury: Wednesday
Wednesday belongs to Mercury. Its first planetary hour, beginning at sunrise, is Mercury’s, and Mercury returns for day hours 1 and 8 and night hours 3 and 10. Lord of Wednesday: communication, commerce, intellect, travel.
Best for: writing, studying, negotiations, signing contracts, short trips. See when Mercury’s hours fall today →
The hour of Mercury
Mercury's hours quicken the mind and loosen the tongue. Writing, studying, sending important messages, conducting negotiations, and all forms of commerce thrive under the Messenger's influence.
Mercury governs quicksilver, the color orange, language, and the crossroads. In ritual, Mercurial hours favor works of eloquence, divination, travel, and the acquisition of knowledge.
Mercury’s hours through the week
Every planet rules three or four of the twenty-four hours each day. These are Mercury’s, counted from sunrise (day) and from sunset (night); ★ marks Mercury’s own day.
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Saturday | Day 6 · night 1, 8 |
| Sunday | Day 3, 10 · night 5, 12 |
| Monday | Day 7 · night 2, 9 |
| Tuesday | Day 4, 11 · night 6 |
| Wednesday ★ | Day 1, 8 · night 3, 10 |
| Thursday | Day 5, 12 · night 7 |
| Friday | Day 2, 9 · night 4, 11 |
Suitable work
Favourable
Communication, writing, studying, signing documents, commerce, intellectual analysis, travel arrangements.
Best avoided
Purely emotional exchanges, monotonous physical labor, hasty ill-considered decisions.
Keywords
- Commerce
- Communication
- Cunning
- Divination
- Eloquence
- Intellect
- Knowledge
- Memory
- Travel
- Wisdom
Correspondences
| Day | Wednesday |
|---|---|
| Element | Air |
| Direction | North |
| Metal | Quicksilver (Mercury) |
| Colours | Orange, Purple |
| Numbers | 8, 64, 260, 2080 |
| Zodiac | Gemini · Virgo |
| Kamea | 8 × 8 |
| Sephira | Hod |
| Olympic spirit | Ophiel |
| Archangel | Raphael |
| Intelligence | Tiriel |
| Spirit | Taphthartharath |
| Divine name | Elohim Tzabaoth |
| Angelic order | Bene Elohim (Order of Archangels) |
| Chakra | Throat (Vishuddha) |
| Scents | Mastic, Storax, White Sandalwood |
| Crystals | Agate, Aventurine, Carnelian, Citrine, Emerald, Fire Opal, Fluorite, Jasper, Malachite, Opal, Serpentine, Topaz |
| Plants | Almond, Anise, Caraway, Celery, Cinquefoil, Dill, Fennel, Fern, Hazel, Lavender, Lemongrass, Lily of the Valley, Mandrake, Marjoram, Mulberry, Palm, Parsley, Valerian, Vervain |
| Animals | Ape, Dog, Fox, Ibis, Jackal, Magpie, Parrot, Serpent, Swallow, Weasel |
| Body | Brain, Five Senses, Hands, Lungs, Nervous System, Tongue |
| Qualities | Adaptability, Communication, Eloquence, Intellect, Knowledge, Memory, Skill, Wisdom |
| Shadow | Deceit, Dishonesty, Fickleness, Nervousness, Restlessness, Trickery |
From the planet profiles in Planetary Dial.
The kamea of Mercury
The 8×8 magic square — every row, column, and diagonal sums to 260, and the total sum of all cells is 2080. The sigils of Mercury's entities are traced across this grid of intellect and swift-moving force.
How it is pictured
A youthful figure, often androgynous, wearing winged sandals and a winged cap (petasos). Carries a caduceus — a staff entwined with two serpents — in one hand. May be depicted with a purse or money bag representing commerce, and is sometimes shown riding on a chariot pulled by roosters or stags.
- Hermes: Greek messenger of the gods, guide of souls, patron of travelers, thieves, and merchants.
- Mercury: Roman god of communication, commerce, financial gain, eloquence, and trickery.
- Nabu: Babylonian god of literacy, rational arts, scribes, and wisdom.
- Odin: Norse all-father, seeker of wisdom, master of runes and sorcery.
- Thoth: Egyptian god of writing, magic, wisdom, and the moon. Inventor of hieroglyphs.