Reply To: Jyotish Lesson Reflections

[ILanaRea]

Lesson 2: The 6th House Ruler

My 6th house is Gemini, ruled by Mercury. Mercury on my chart is in Chitra, pada 4, ruled by Mars. There are no planets in this house. In the body, Mercury governs the respiratory system and speech organs, nervous system and skin. It also governs intellect and cognition, communication and expression, as well as business and finance, including the entrepreneurial mindset, accounting and diplomacy/negotiation. My Mercury is influenced by Mars, which governs the blood, muscles, red blood cells, and liver and is linked to inflammation, energy, and physical drive.

I have observed within myself a sharp and quick intellect, ready creativity, entrepreneurial tendencies, the ability to communicate easily as a writer, and a lifelong pattern of diplomacy and peace-making. I have always felt like my body, especially my nervous system, struggles to keep up with my mind, which can leap ahead without rest to a fully formed plan when I am on a creative streak. There is a drive and energy, like trying to rein in horses. My intellect often goes to the future, which helped me in past roles as an operations manager when I had to mitigate risk and financial stability.

On the physical side, I have seen that if I hold in what I am supposed to communicate, there are immediate effects on my nervous system, and the release happens through my skin as inflammation, eruptions, or nerve pain. There have also been digestive issues. Also, I have had a propensity to overthink, overwork, and overexert myself (physically in sports like triathlon, Tough Mudders, running, gardening, etc. – yeah, sigh, I know – shakes head), which has also affected my nervous system. A daily meditation and mindfulness practice has been the key to keeping me grounded in the present versus the future. These practices and VERY strong boundaries on my time and energy are the guard rails that keep my system in better balance. Less is more is my mantra now.