Mercury enters Aries tomorrow. Aries is ruled by Mars. Retrograde Mars is in Virgo. The orthodox ruler of Virgo is Mercury. Two planets in each others’ rulership is a mutual reception. Hours after Mercury’s ingress to Aries, Mars will rise in the east, opposing the setting Sun. It’s a volatile scenario, and in all probability, so is your life. Working with this astrology means being conscious of how to cycle your own volatile potential back towards its own regulation. It’s a matter of adjustment.
Planets adjust their expression in your life according to the quality, element and ruler of the sign they occupy. Aries is of cardinal quality, implying initiative, because the Sun’s entry to a cardinal sign initiates a season. The element of Aries is fire, corresponding to energy.
When you consider that Mercury expresses itself in your life largely through matters of mind, its ingress to the realm of cardinal fire indicates an abrupt activation of mental activity. Directing the increased energy level is where Mercury’s mutual reception with Mars comes in.
Mutual reception means just that, a reciprocal exchange between two planetary archetypes. The outcome of that exchange, which is not always the same, is determined by three things. First, one must consider how empowered each archetype is in the dominion of the other. Next, the angular relationship of the two respective signs must be taken into account. Finally, it is important to look at what both of the mutually receptive planets are doing on their own and whether there is any resonance between their independent activities.