Characteristics: easily bored, fickle, humorous, inconsistent, knowledgeable, light-hearted, loves variety, quick learner, short attention span, social, talkative, versatile

Dates: May 21^st – June 20^th

Symbol: The Twins

Ruling Planet: Mercury

Natural House: Third House

Body Parts: Shoulders, Arms, Hands, Fingers, Brain, and Lungs

April showers bring May flowers, and so with the end of the Taurus period comes Gemini. It’s the last sign of the spring season, and its period from mid-May to mid-June is a very lively time. Proms, graduations, marriages, class and family reunions and other social gatherings take place frequently. People who may not regularly interact with each other—classmates with differing schedules or majors, the bride’s and groom’s families, extended family members living in other parts of the country—are given a chance to converse with each other and catch up, or meet for the first time. Participants and guests can gather new information by communicating with the others; that’s a big part of what Gemini is all about. It’s why the sign is represented by a set of twins: it needs that give-and-take, that back-and-forth.

Mercury, the ruling planet of Gemini, is named for the Roman god of intelligence and communication. As mentioned above, Gemini is all about learning any piece of information that comes its way. What new shows are coming out this season? What’s the new fashion craze? What’s the latest celebrity scandal? Gemini can tell you all that and more. Its desire to find out anything about everything is what makes it the great conversationalist of the zodiac. It can spark a dialogue about anything, from sports to travel to politics to baking. And because they pick up on so many things, not only can Gemini talk about anything, it can talk to anyone. No matter the occupation, gender, age, or personality of the other person, Gemini can strike up a conversation with them. And it can easily go from one topic to another, so others will never get bored. Like Venus, Mercury is a double-duty ruler: it not only rules Gemini, but also Virgo. Both signs are involved with mental processes; however, Gemini is focused more on the social and communicative aspects of the mind, whereas Virgo is more apt to analyze and research on their own.

Gemini rules the natural zodiac’s Third House, which rules all things having something to do with swift information or action: the taking in of concise bits and pieces in various contexts and from different people. Primary and secondary schooling allows students to learn small portions of each subject rather than going into depth in one particular area. People represented by the Third House usually have a latitudinal relationship¹ to the individual (except in the case of neighbors, depending on age and culture). Siblings, classmates, and cousins are not considered higher or lower in rank than the individual, but rather on the same level and, therefore, give and reciprocate facts and gossip with him/her. And normally, short trips are not made very far in advance, and errands are usually done as a set of steps (i.e. grocery shopping, going to the dry cleaners, paying bills, etc). Gemini is great at taking in new information very quickly, but isn’t a stickler for being set on one particular thing. It will move on to something else either out of boredom or lack of focus, and it can be difficult for it to stay on topic. Gemini’s opposite sign, Sagittarius, rules the house which deals with the in-depth study of the abstract. It’s not satisfied with knowing only a little of anything. Nonetheless, it is advantageous to everyone to utilize the Gemini way of learning. Sometimes it’s better to have just the facts most convenient for the situation at hand. It also helps in socializing with people who have interests different from one’s own.

Gemini’s air element and mutable quality fuses to create a sign adaptable in the rational and objective side of the mind. Gemini can thrive in job or other situations where there is a need for quick thinking and sudden changes of gears. It is forever asking questions and giving answers, always well-informed about current affairs, locations and anything else convenient. And even if it doesn’t know about something, like a sport or cuisine or genre, Gemini will be willing to learn about it so they can get something out of that baseball game, cooking show episode or fantasy novel. Sure, it may not sit through the whole nine innings or nine hundred pages, but it will gain some insight from whatever portion it witnesses. This doesn’t mean people with strong Gemini or Third House influences will never be able to look deeply into anything; it’s just that they may need more practice than others in doing so. One thing’s for sure: if you’re talking to a Gemini, don’t dwell on a single subject for long. Also, don’t be a downer. Gemini wants to be in a jovial atmosphere when conversing with others and will quickly look to someone else for a chat if things become too awkward or serious.

At a party, Gemini would talk to everyone, even people who put themselves off in their own corners. The loners may find Gemini especially determined to chat it up with them because it wants everyone to have a good time, and it’s curious about what they’re thinking. It may go all over the house to get to know the other guests and catch up with friends. I imagine Gemini, in its pure form, may also help the host with anything and everything in keeping the party going, including dealing with food, fixing decorations, greeting guests, being the DJ, and cleaning. Playing games, especially social and trivia games is one of Gemini’s favorite activities. It is also likely that it will flirt with one or more potential mates in the process of having itself a good time.

Gemini rules the brain and lungs, as well as the upper extremities from the shoulders to the fingers. I think this makes sense since they’re all parts that come in pairs. The sole exception is the brain (imagine if we all had two brains), and even then the brain is divided into left and right sides. Gemini has to do with dexterity and duality, being able or wanting to handle two things at once: two jobs, two homes, two lovers, two of anything. Gemini people are highly capable of doing anything involving flexible hands, use of both the left and right sides of the brain, or skill in multitasking. Nonetheless, the body parts associated with a sign are also its designated weak spots. Gemini is particularly susceptible to things such as mental stress, anxiety, nerve issues, shoulder pain, and bronchitis and other lung conditions. It would do well for people with certain Gemini placements to keep away from smoking and over-stimulation.

Next Article: Cancer, the Cardinal Water Sign

¹Latitudinal relationships: siblings, cousins, peers, and other people who fall within the same generation. Longitudinal relationships involve one’s parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren, etc.