Astrology for the Autumnal Equinox

Starstruck!~Gemini
By Zorian Cross

Natural born multi-taskers, Geminis are known to possess numerous talents and minds that function like hurricanes. Although known to be "two-faced," Geminis are actually adrenaline junkies that need to be excited and stimulated (intellectually) all the time. If not, they switch off and focus on something that catches their fancy. Fueled by an endless supply of nervous tension, a Gemini's need to be "informed" about everything and anything going on around them--which might bring upon the reputation of being a gossip--is why they love the old saying, "don’t shoot the messenger." They work hard, and party hard, and can switch roles at the drop of a hat. When inspired and motivated, they can achieve great heights, hence, it’s important that they nourish their versatility, yet make sure they don’t fall into the category of ‘Jack of All Trades, Master of None’.

Gemini has always been symbolized by as a pair of twins due to the two bright (and identical) stars that shine brightly within its constellation.

This is what Gemini looks like in the sky.

The ancient Greeks associated the sign of Gemini with the myth of Castor and Pollux. Their mortal parents were Leda and Tyndareus, but Leda also had a relationship with Zeus, the king of the gods (he appeared to her disguised as a swan). Leda gave birth to two eggs. In some versions of the myth one egg was white and other was black. Pollux and Helen (later to be known as Helen of Troy) were hatched from the white egg and were said to be the children of Zeus. Castor and Clytemnestra hatched from the black egg and were assumed to be the mortal children of Tyndareus. In fact, some claim that this myth was inspired due to the fact that in ancient civilizations, it was common practice to claim one child from a pair of twins was of divine origin! (Visit Mystic Mills for a FREE coloring page of Castor and Pollux and other myths!)

The two boys fell in love with two sisters, Hilaeira and Phoebe, who were already betrothed at the time. When the boys carried them off, Castor was tragically killed in the ensuing brawl. Pollux couldn’t bear the thought of being separated from his brother, and wept over his body. Touched by the sight of such brotherly love and devotion, Zeus allowed Pollux toshare his immortality with Castor leading the twins to spend half their time in the Underworld with the spirits of the dead, and half with the gods on Mount Olympus. This is why Geminis tend to possess two distinct sides to their natures, enabling them to do two things at once. Duality, therefore, constitutes a strong part of their personality.

After the sheltered toddler-like existence in Taurus, the soul evolves over to the next phase of Gemini, where it's an active child. No longer dependent on its parents for everything, the child is now able to do things on its own. It can eat its own food, brush its own teeth, and certainly speak its own mind without any hesitation. Unlike the Taurus toddler who only managed to repeat the words he was taught, the Gemini child picks up more fluency of speech and discovers the joy of expression. This is why Gemini people always have a childlike twinkle in their eyes whenever they narrate an interesting story.

In Aries the soul screamed, in Taurus it waited patiently and listened, and in Gemini, the soul talks. Like all children, Gemini is forever curious about what’s out there in the world. In Taurus, the soul has spent so much time stuck in familiar surroundings, that when it reincarnates as Gemini, it's itching to go out and explore. This is why so many Geminis enjoy traveling and trying out new things; curiosity is something that may have killed the cat, but it drives the Gemini child soul insane! Ever notice how children are so inquisitive and openly ask question adults find difficulty answering, like, "Why is the sky blue?" or "Why is the grass green?" or "Why is fire hot?" or "What color is water?" and "Where do babies come from?" (I dare any adult to explain that to a child without flinching on the details!). Gemini seeks to satisfy their inbuilt curiosity and discover all the answers out there in the world in much the same way. This is why Geminis often have a Peter Pan quality about them, refusing to ever want to grow up and retain their childlike wonder and fascination for the world.

Gemini's motto is "I THINK," for unlike earlier, where the infant and toddler could easily be molded by the whims of their parents, this child develops the ability to think for herself to a certain extent, and learns to say the word "No" without even flinching. Such independence is intoxicating for them, and allows them to experiment in areas that parents might deem taboo--like learning how to cuss, or playing in the dirt, or stealing cookies from the cookie jar before dinner. This causes them to develop a dualistic nature (Gemini--The Twins). A Gemini can exhibit one persona of the angelic child who can do no wrong, and another--a mischievous brat that's always up to something. With that gift of free speech, they also get the curse of fibbing (so that they can cover up their ill deeds and get spared from any kind of punishments!) This is why many Geminis have trouble with authority-figures and boundaries.

Yet this new-found independence isn't experienced on a complete level. Remember, the soul is still a child. It still needs its parents to take care of its basic necessities. Even though they are gifted with incredibly versatility, they find it difficult to focus on one thing, and at times it is hard for them to be truly dedicated or devoted. This doesn't mean that they will be unfaithful; they require plenty of space and freedom for a variety of pursuits. But like the child, they always end up coming back home.

The soul doesn't crave routine anymore; it finds a peaceful harmony in chaos--enjoying a fast-paced jet-set life filled with thrills and spills. And here the soul also realizes the power of creating magic just by thinking, and allowing those thoughts to manifest into reality (after all, Gemini's ruling planet is Mercury--The Magician). So even though you might find a Gemini not telling you the whole truth, you need to understand that one man's truth isn't neccessarily another's. One man's right can be another's wrong. The world is not black and white the way the soul observed it in Taurus. In fact, in Gemini, the soul can clearly see all the shades of gray, and all the hues of the rainbow as well.

The Karmic lessons for souls born in Gemini are in communication and truth; they need to learn how to express their "Self." The issue of what truth is is important to them, as their Karmic goal is to express their "Self" clearly and openly. The inner nature or destiny of this sign is MOTIVE.

Ruling Planet	Mercury
Color	All bright colors especially bright citrus shades
Dates	May 22 - June 21
Polarity	Positive
Duality	Masculine
Element	Air
Quality	Mutable
Body Area	Arms, Nerves, Shoulders
Direction	West
Geography	Armenia, Belgium, Lower Egypt, Sardinia, Wales
Cities	Bruges, Cardiff, Cordoba, London, Melbourne, Metz, New York, Nuremberg, Plymouth, San Fransisco, Versailles
Trees	All nut bearing trees
Flowers and Herbs	Aniseed, azalea, balm, bittersweet, bryony, caraway, elfwort, fern, haresfoot, lavender, lily-of-the-valley, maidenhair, myrtle
Foods	Most nuts, especially Hazel and Walnut
Positive Traits	Versatility, mental alertness, quickness of perception, deductive reasoning and flexibility
Negative Traits	Restlessness, glibness, shallowness, double-talk, unreliability, and self-deception