Gemini - My Inner Child is my Twin Soul

by Guru Rattana, Ph.D. - Issue #18, May 27th, 2000

Evolutionary Astrology

There are so many different ways that each sign can bring more meaning into our lives. I have personally found my study of Gemini fascinating. My maternal Gemini grandfather was a clown in the major circuses in the early 1900's. My memories of him as a young child were that he tried to make others happy, but that he himself was very sad. (He was also very sick.) I share the same astrological chart as my twin brother, but we live very different lives. He is an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond, Virginia. He is married with 3 children (2 of whom are Gemini's). I have never been married and have no children.

We are both part of the Uranus-in-Gemini generation, which includes everyone born when Uranus was in the sign of Gemini from late 1941 through mid 1949. Those born when Saturn was in Gemini from May 1942-June 1944 are even more affected by Gemini themes. These include the search for eternal youth. Gemini embodies the Puer Aeternus archetype, which represents the spirit of the perennial adolescent - happy and bright but always in search of something missing.(1)

We all have every astrological sign somewhere in our birth chart. Each sign holds a key to our wholeness. Whether it is our Sun sign, the sign of one of the other planets, or the sign on the cusp of one of the twelve houses, we must deal with it in some way. If a particular sign is featured in our birth chart, we must learn how to work with those energies and align them for our highest good. If a particular sign and element is noticeably absent we must develop or activate those qualities.

Symbology

Gemini's symbol is twins. There are two of Gemini - himself and his birth twin, from whom he is apparently separate.

Gemini's astrological glyph is two straight parallel lines joined at each end with a curved line. The two straight lines symbolize beams of light. They represent opposing forces, the basic duality of the Universe and the relationship between form and spirit. Gemini is the interplay of Light.(2)

Gemini's light always reveals polarization and an awareness of opposites. Gemini's mission is to demonstrate the relationship between the opposing pairs, and to facilitate an harmonious relationship between the two.

One of my favorite astrological writers has determined that the wind is the perfect mascot for Gemini. She summarizes some of the common characteristics of Gemini as unpredictable, restless and changeable; observant, clever and curious too; quick-tempered and destabilizing; playful and talented; funny and friendly".(3)

Air Signs

Gemini is the first of the three air signs. Libra and Aquarius are the others. The logical mind is the domain of the air signs. The rational mind is concerned with the human facility of exchange of information with others, and with the environment. What distinguishes humans from other living beings is that humans have the capacity to analyze information and to be conscious of what the mind is actually doing. The air signs give us this capacity and opportunity to distinguish ourselves from the rest of the animal kingdom. Human means light in the mind. It is the gift and challenge of the air signs to develop this quality of our human beingness.

The air signs have the capacity to be logical and objective. The water and air signs are irrational. The water signs experience and evaluate life through the emotions. The fire signs experience and evaluate life through the intuition. The air signs possess the quality of detachment, or the ability to dissociate from the emotions, and to separate ourselves from others.

The ideas and thoughts generated in the mind are the seeds for all manifestation. The mind gives us the power to conceive, to change and to communicate. The mind thus holds an enormous creative potential. It is the task of the air signs to tap and wisely use this divine potential of the rational mind. The air signs aspire to intellectual creativity. Their goal is to develop the capacity to use thoughts to impact and transform, and to use the mind as a tool to integrate the psyche.

The Mind

One of the challenges of the air signs is to master both the ability to concentrate and focus the mind and at the same time permit a free circulation of ideas and thoughts. The mind needs to be able to achieve stability, and at the same time freely interchange ideas within itself and with others. The task of the air signs is to explore the workings of the mind and to become its master. They must first learn how to use the mind and understand its many facets.(4)

Gemini, as the first air sign, initiates the discovery of the mind. Gemini begins the exploration of the intellect. He is concerned with education and communication. His intellectual nourishment is information. Gemini is curious about life and revels in diversity. Gemini's food for thought includes his ability to "perceive, analyze, differentiate and label".(5) Gemini acquires information and then moves on. Communication is of vital importance to Gemini. He must interact with the knowledge that he gleans from his experiences, so that he can interpret, classify and give meaning to the information.

Gemini and Mercury, its mentor, are the astrological archetypes for the mind. Mercury and Gemini specialize in a linear approach to organizing thought. They naturally make lists, and like things to be linked together clearly and precisely, and in an orderly sequence.(6) Both Gemini and our minds want to be entertained, are clever and manipulative, and are restlessly curious. Both are skillful at making something out of nothing. They love to play with ideas for the sheer joy of it. Mental playthings fill their toy box.

Gemini offers us the possibility of awakening our mind to the infinite possibilities of expanded consciousness. Gemini prods us to take advantage of our intelligence, to develop our brainpower and explore abstract levels of thought, without self-restriction or censorship. Gemini helps us keep our minds well-tuned, open to variety and adaptable to more effective ways to communicate.(7)

While the water signs feel stifled and irritated when they are not in touch with their emotions, the air signs experience discomfort and irritability when they are denied channels for mental expression and experimentation. When the air signs do nothing with their brainpower, they get cranky, nervous and may experience disrupted sleep patterns.(8)

I recently saw a tee shirt that read "Why is everyone so cranky?" Irritability is one reaction to boredom. Maybe we are simply fed up with our intense routines and need some refreshing stimulation. Gemini, Aquarius and Libra can teach us how to use this nervous mental energy to invent new ways of problem solving, and to explore the vast horizons of the mind.

Invigorating physical outlets are a requirement for Gemini. Gemini teaches us that physical activity is vital to keeping the mind alert and the emotions stable.

The Search

Gemini's power tool is his mind. He uses his conscious intellect to objectively observe and analyze life. He can be direct and to the point. He can stay emotionally detached, even from himself. Gemini's challenge is to use his mind to investigate his own hidden feelings, instead of rationalizing them away.

Gemini is constantly searching for a map to find his way, a concept to guide him, or a model to master, in order to find what he has lost. He is terrified by his loss and will preoccupy himself with many frivolous things in order to fend off the indescribable dark feelings that seem to devour his soul. Below the surface of his conscious mind, something is not right, but he can't describe what it is.

The Gemini mind is both tormented by and motivated by feelings of alienation and exile, which are re-occurring themes in the process of separation and individuation. Gemini needs to make his process conscious. He needs to write, talk, communicate, act out, draw, dance, sing and express what he is experiencing.

Gemini's Territory

Movement

Aries embodies the instinctual will to BE. Taurus embodies our desire nature - the impulse to have. Gemini embodies the relationship between our being and our having. Gemini must mediate between these two primal urges and make choices.

Gemini is one of 4 "mutable" signs (The others being Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces). Their primary function is to produce a constant state of flux. They respond to and encourage responses to the cyclic and periodic movement of time and space, in order to create an ever-expanding field for the expression and growth of our soul. Gemini is forever busy mutating, altering and adjusting circumstances, so that the soul has a huge playground within which it can evolve. Where Gemini is found in our birth charts, either by Planet or house cusp, is where ever-unfolding changes will always take place in our lives.

Instability is a common Gemini theme. Gemini teaches us to accept and eventually become comfortable with the vicissitudes of daily life. Gemini teaches us that unpredictable changes in circumstances and our interpersonal relationships are normal. Maybe not optimal, but when the vast majority of the human population is asleep, the lack of cohesion and irrationality are to be expected. The circumstances that arise from this instability are necessary in the awakening process. This is how the Universe gets our attention. This is how our soul gets our attention. This is how we create challenges and learn our lessons. This is life itself.

The movement created by Gemini is not totally irrational. Viewed from a deeper perspective, movement reflects the logical relationship between cause and effect, between thoughts and emotions, between desire and response.

Relationships

Gemini's territory is RELATING AND RELATIONSHIPS. Gemini gathers life experiences that create interaction and exchange in relationships.

Gemini's mission is to learn how to connect opposites. He is constantly searching for ways to transform the dualities of life into higher expression. Ultimately he seeks to merge, blend and harmonize conflicts, by bringing into Light the reality of our oneness. Gemini must use the creative expression of his mind to accomplish this impossible, yet possible, task.(9)

The ultimate relationship for Gemini is between his personality and his soul. Gemini's life is devoted to learning how to awaken and harmonize the relationship between his spiritual and human selves. His individual evolution takes place through the careful blending of material and spiritual energies. His tasks are to expose the separation between his personality and his soul, to reconcile the conflicts, to adjust and eventually to blend the energies into a soul-centered personality. He is continually creating earthly experiences that further these delicate and liberating goals.

Communication Skills

Gemini has the capacity to master communication skills because he has to ability to be flexible, to gather information, to problem-solve, and to be both playful and direct. Mentored by Mercury, he goes for clear, quick and uncomplicated responses. The challenge for Gemini is to learn to listen, to stop talking, and really hear what the other person is trying to communicate. It is Gemini's task to work out basic communication and listening skills so that he can have effective and fulfilling relationships.

Mercury and Venus

Both Mercury and Venus are Gemini's mentors. Mercury helps create the awareness of opposites. From Mercury's perspective, the two opposing forces must fight it out, and conflict is usually the result.

When Gemini calls upon Venus, he is empowered to harmonize and balance the continual movements and changes in his life. Venus bestows Gemini with the power of graceful change. "Venus is an agent of synthesis because it is her function to blend and harmonize opposites into more creatively evolved wholes".(10)

Gemini can be a positive agent for scientific and technological change, when he integrates the mental power of Mercury and the harmonization power of Venus.

The Siblings

The story of our human journey begins with Aries and our search for identity and individualization. Developmentally Aries symbolizes the age between birth and 18 months. Taurus is the archetype for the period between 18 months and 3 years old, when we become aware of the world around us-possessions, things, and other people separate from ourselves.

Gemini is the archetype for the period between 3 and 4 years old. It is during this time that we have our first encounters with others as equals. We have a distinct awareness of others and ourselves as separate entities. Gemini is the archetype of siblings, and the many ways we experience this primal relationship. The siblings are represented as the twins. Many twin myths capture the variety of early childhood experiences with siblings. The feelings in the sibling relationship range from estrangement to enmeshment. Common themes include duality, separation, sacrifice, grief, loss, and a search for the other.(11)

The duplicity of twinship, which is also a metaphor for fraternity and other close bonded (but not sexual) relationships, presents the siblings with a series of challenges. The first is to separate appearances from underlying truth. In the many myths and stories about twins, they look the same, they appear equal, yet their destinies are different. One is female, the other is male. One is divine, the other is mortal. In their early years the twins find comfort in their connection. However, the plots center around a common theme - if the twins do not separate into their own individual personalities and follow their separate paths, their enmeshment will be the cause of their doom. They will meet their fate instead of carrying out their destiny.

The process of separation and the resistance to this necessary goal is studded with themes of rivalry, familial entanglements and complexity. What might seem to be a logical course of action is not quite that simple to carry out. Separation is difficult because the twins are fused together. Bonded in a state of symbiosis, they have become two halves of a whole. Each takes on their respective role for the other. Typically one acts out the Light, the other the Shadow. So intertwined, their emotional and psychological separation appears impossible. Or at least it is extremely painful. Separation requires the reconstruction of the lost half within oneself. Achieving wholeness requires meeting the shadow or embracing the Light, depending on which half was originally relinquished to the other twin.

One way the shadow side is dealt with is to project it on to another figure - an outsider to the family and typically an in-law. When one sibling takes a partner, the family structure is irreversibly altered. To protect "the system" and to avoid dealing with the "shadow feelings" that invariably arise "is to cast them onto the sibling's partner and family. Unresolved sibling issues can be transferred onto the sibling-in-law as well, such as feelings too difficult to be expressed to the sibling directly".(12)

Consciousness and Separation

An important developmental theme for Gemini, and a major theme in twin myths, concerns grief and loss. But the twins are not consciousness enough to know what they have lost. The problem is that with consciousness comes an awareness of separation. What completed their sense of wholeness is taken away as a normal part of their maturation to adulthood. Gemini becomes haunted with a sense of emptiness, and a feeling that something is missing. The grief is so intense that he often does not want to go on living without his twin, and will sacrifice his own divinity (the Castor, Pollux myth) and become mortal to be reunited (and in the case of Castor and Pollux "equalized through their shared mortality").(13)

Underlying Gemini's nervous, scattered and noncommittal behavior is a frantic search for wholeness. Gemini is basically confronted with the choice of becoming whole within himself, or being condemned to searching for superficial wholeness through another.

Gemini is controlled by an unconscious drive to find the lost part of himself. The fundamental problem for Gemini is that he perceives "the other" to be outside himself. It is his quest for wholeness that leads him into the psychological underworld, where he encounters his shadow. The shadow or dark side is essentially the underdeveloped side of himself. This is in fact a journey into consciousness.

"The pain of Gemini is borne from a severed connection to an ancient memory of being whole".(14) It is in fact between the ages of 3 and 4 that the child loses his or her connection with the Divine. Some event, usually some trauma or wounding, will precipitate this break, and land the young child "in the world." Whether it is a one-time event or a gradual process, every child must undergo this process of separation. It is part of human development.

Being only the third sign in the Zodiac, the first air sign and the first dual sign (Libra and Pisces are the others), Gemini represents our first experience of separation and opposites. This experience takes place before an experience of emotional attachment is internalized in Cancer.(15) Gemini and the child of 3 or 4 are too young to understand what is happening. His ability to reflect, to analyze and to figure things out has not yet been developed. He is too young to consciously hold the impact of such a profound loss. He buries his feelings of grief into his subconscious mind. Although he consciously forgets what has happened, he is constantly haunted by feelings of "a sense of emptiness, of something missing, or lost, a feeling of incompleteness".(16) Gemini can find no rational explanation as to why he feels such a profound sense of loss and disconnection. These hollow feelings impact the nervous system and manifest as anxiety and inability to concentrate.

In his naïveté, Gemini goes outside himself to search for his missing half, which is often idealized as a soulmate. His feelings of separation are projected onto the world. Although Gemini is always in search of relationships and close friendships, intimate partnerships only serve to provoke his unconscious memories of separation. Gemini's tendency to avoid commitments is part of his defense strategy to avoid the painful reminder of separation.

Gemini represents the first experience of consciousness. Initially the consciousness of being separate is painful. However, consciousness is Light in the mind. The more light, the more awareness, the more consciousness. What Gemini becomes conscious of is his lost connection with his divine self.

The gift of Gemini is to push us to remember when and how the separation occurred, so that we can reconnect with our own innocence and our inner child. What we discover is that our inner child is our soulmate. The delightful and playful connection to our soul is what we are searching for. Our inner child is our lost twin.

Complexity

Gemini is a complex sign. The twins embody a universal dualism that never goes away. Whether it is lightness or darkness, good or evil, night or day, the Universe is an interplay of polarized forces. The question is how do these polar opposites relate to each other. Gemini's life is devoted in searching for how to dance with these most primal relationships. For the estranged twins, there are 3 basic options:

1. They can remain polar opposites.
2. They can become united.
3. They can become individualized and peacefully co-exist.

Let's investigate the three options that duplicity presents.

1. The myths featuring the polar opposite choice inevitably pit the rival twins against each other. They each champion antithetical forces. The happiest endings of these stories are that the twins learn to live with (tolerate, but definitely not appreciate) their differences. In more aggressive cultures, the "bad" twin is killed off, annihilated or banished. Reconciliation is not possible. One is sacrificed for the other.

2. Assimilation is the theme of the second choice. In these myths the similarity of the twins is emphasized and union is not only possible, but also achieved. The twin becomes a reflection, a similar image or the lost Self. The twin is integrated and absorbed. This view reflects a holistic or androgynous approach to dealing with what only appear as opposites.

3. The third option is cooperation based on individuation. Rather than a sacrifice in terms of either annihilation or assimilation, the twins recognize that they are different and honor their differences. Rather than be vanquished or sacrificed, the twins co-exist as equals. The realization of the other is a celebration of another outside oneself. It is a birth for each twin in full equality. Duality is resolved through the honoring of differences.

Gemini is fated to encounter its twin. Instinctually it possesses the urge to both annihilate and to assimilate its opposite.(17) Gemini's proverbial question is what urge will it follow. Gemini embodies the consciousness of "the other." Therefore, it will never eliminate this consciousness. It will always have to decide what to do with "the other." The other symbolizes "an awareness of 'shadow', a personification of an alter ego or a mirror that reflects what is missing. The twin may be a rival, a 'dark' or unheroic twin, who must be overcome; or a sibling or partner who is essentially a counterpart or twin soul. The emergent consciousness of other and the attempt to either coexist or obliterate the other often requires a sacrifice in order to mature. Themes of conscious awakening and sacrifice are woven throughout twin myths, informing us of the powerful fate inherent in Gemini".(18)

Duplicity is Gemini's fate. Eventually Gemini realizes that his twin is himself. Gemini's destiny is to develop a loving relationship with all parts of himself. Rather than sacrifice one part of himself, or be perpetually trapped in the wavering between the dark and the light, he must bring all parts of himself into consciousness and then fully embrace each part.

Separation is a Good Thing

Gemini experiences both trauma and freedom in separation. His separation from himself brings feelings of loss and grief. On the other hand, claiming one's own identity and separation from others is a prerequisite for attaining the emotional security that Cancer teaches us. We must be able to experiences ourselves independent of others if we wish to be free. Gemini's ability to detach prevents us from being subject to the emotional whims of others.

Gemini is the first teacher that promotes an internal concept of self separation from others. The individuation process is necessary to survive, to do our own thing, to not be a victim, to not be absorbed into others' trips, to have our own life and to let others have theirs. Gemini teaches us to both honor others and to honor thyself.

The transition to adulthood necessitates the development of a relationship with the different aspects of ourselves. There is a cultural myth that we are one person. Our identification with our Sun sign perpetuates this unilateral interpretation of selfhood. Human beings are complex creatures. We are our Moon, Ascendant, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto and probably more. Transactional analysis explores the different aspects of our psyche.(19) Different aspects of our being are encoded in our chakras. We aren't as simple as we try to pretend we are.

Gemini gives us the opportunity to explore our multi-faceted selves, and not be apologetic about our own complexity or embarrassed about our contradictory sub-personalities. I personally found I was much happier once I recognized that there were parts of myself that simply wanted to experience life in different ways. My Cancer Sun wants to stay home and write. My Leo Jupiter and Mars want to be an out in the world teacher. So I do both. Life is easier when we learn to honor "ourselves" instead of pitting one aspect of our being against the other.

The parts of ourselves that we don't honor sabotage us. We project onto others the parts of ourselves that are frustrated. We attract others to act out our unexpressed selves. Through our projections we attract our undeveloped and dark side to play itself out in others' behaviors. Eventually the bad joke is on us and we realize what we are doing. It is these wake-up calls that confront the Gemini in all of us to develop a relationship with ourselves.

There is nothing like the desire for a mature adult partnership to motivate us to look at why we keep attracting the same dysfunctional relationships into our lives. The answer is found in the nature of the relationship that we have with ourselves. We attract problems because we are the problem. Honest and intimate internal dialogue with the various aspects of our own self helps extricate us from the codependent, victim trip, abandonment loop, and deliver us to the fulfilling partnerships that we desire. Our goal is not to simplify ourselves. Our goal is to become coherent, self-contained and whole.

In sum, Gemini teaches about both external relationships with others and internal relationships with ourselves. When the Twins look at each other, they know one is the reflection of the other. In both the external and internal worlds, polarities fight and conflict until they know, accept and love one another.

Dealing with Duality

Gemini's boredom level is very low. Inconsistencies and impermanence don't seem to bother him as long as he has variety, novelty and entertainment. Gemini can, however, exhaust himself and others in his cleverness. Sooner of later he must investigate the cause of his restless spirit. He must identify the pain of his malaise. When Gemini admits his own frustrations and lack of confidence, he can begin to get honest with himself. Unreality will eventually get Gemini's attention. Admittedly it may take a long time, but sooner or later cynicism, the inability to believe in anything and the nihilistic purposelessness of it all, will push Gemini to quest for his own truth. When his playfulness evaporates it is time to look within for meaning, instead of outside himself. When his indiscriminate trysts and endless games seem pointless, it is time to drop out of the drama. When Gemini becomes disillusioned and squanders or even loses his creative potential, it is time to listen to his soul.

Curiosity is Gemini's trump card. His healing comes when he chooses to use his curiosity to find out about his own life: to ask and answer his own questions about who he is, why he is here, and what higher purpose he can serve. When Gemini's fascination with existence is directed to finding the inner child and soul he disconnected with in his early years, he unleashes a plot that will lead him to freedom and joy.

Gemini needs to find out where he is going. When he has a goal that satisfies his curiosity he can muster the energy to accomplish anything. But doing something new and different is not enough for Gemini. He must dream big enough and he must ground his dreams in reality for them to come true. Gemini needs a lot of sub plots. The secret to his success is to activate the next plot before the last one is figured out.(20) He must keep the movement, momentum going. If the wind (enthusiasm) comes out of Gemini's sails, he loses it. Keep the kite flying with fascination and Gemini will be fine.

Duality is a given for Gemini. Trying to devise methods to escape it only creates more duality and conflict. Instead of worrying about his ability to maintain his focus on one project, or to sustain his interest over a long period of time, Gemini needs to find at least two things to do. "To focus Gemini's energy and contain his jittery momentum, give him two goal posts to skitter between. When one direction gets tiresome, Gemini can keep his spirits up by running the other way".(21)

Polarization is the nature of the Universe, and it is Gemini's fate to experience this reality. It is Gemini's destiny to dance with the two primal universal energies. God and Goddess dance. Light and darkness dance. When Gemini learns that he/she embodies the electric cosmic waltz, the real fun has just begun.

The Sleeping Twins

Asleep Gemini is aware only of his personality and not his soul. His basic urge for moment and change is thus undirected and without purpose. He craves external stimulation, but doesn't really know why. He has no plan. He is not consciously connected to any cohesive force, nor directed toward a worthwhile goal. His instinctual mind is in charge, and his mind is out of his conscious control. He is blindly motivated by the desire for experiences, and does not know how or why to discriminate in his choices between them.

His definition of relationship is how everything and everybody relates to himself. He jabbers on and on with no sense of interchange between himself and the other person he is talking AT, not to. He is only interested in himself. His relationship to duality is to generate conflict in his mind and conflicts with others. His view of opposites is simply "me versus them." He has no concept yet that mutual harmony can exist between opposites, or that anything but duality is an option.(22) High school and college debate teams come to mind. Featuring the "either one point of view or the other" mindset, win-lose as the only choices, right and wrong as the only options, and endless discussion with no resolution except for an artificial, arbitrary "winner."

Asleep Gemini blocks the free flow of information and the communication between his mind and his environment. He is afraid of the unknown, the unexplored and the irrational. He demands information that is proven, empirical and thus safe. "If it is not scientifically measured, how can we know it is true", is the common cry of the uninitiated Gemini.

Asleep Gemini experiences various levels and manifestations of mental frustration and problems with communication. These problems include feelings of isolation, the fear of being humiliated, concerns about mental inadequacy, and insecurities about interactions. He is dogmatic because he is afraid of what he does now know and feels that he does not have adequate training or intellect to find out.

Asleep Gemini lets his mind meander purposelessly. All information is of interest even if it is useless or untrue. He is often loquacious. His diatribes jump from one opinion and subject to another, and he does not talk about how he feels. Indeed he does not know how he feels, and this is the source of his insecurity, frustration and inability to truly express himself.(23)

The Awakening Twins

Gemini eventually awakens to the possibility, indeed the inevitability, of appropriate inter-relatedness between apparent opposites. Awakening Gemini is now ready and eager to explore the dynamics of relationships. He is aware of others. He seeks to understand the nature of interactions, and his mind seeks purposeful, not simply scattered, knowledge. "Intelligence moves from instinctual to creative, and from subjective to objective".(24) He is MORE open to listen to others' opinions and to share knowledge in a true give and take, listen and be heard, fashion.

At this level of consciousness, duality plays itself out in the nature of the Twins' relationships. Gemini's crises often center around misunderstandings in relationships stemming from mixed intent and unclear communications.

Gemini is constantly figuring out how to harmonize himself with others at different levels of evolution. He often moves between two groups of friends - one reflects his instinctual desires and urges of the lower self, and the other reflects his mental acuity and higher self.(25) Vacillation between the dark and the light forces in society is a common feature of Gemini's life, until he achieves an integration of these basic aspects within himself.

Top priority for awakening Gemini is the development of a relationship with himself. He needs to shut up and internalize his dialogues and stop intellectualizing the way he feels.(26) He needs to use his ability to analyze complex data, to decode and unravel his own mental agitation. Reorienting his attention internally may result in arguments with himself, but this is fine. Self-inquiry and self-interrogation are necessary to be candid and honest with himself.

The less conscious Gemini is, the more he will diffuse, scatter and waste his energy. The more he anchors his consciousness in his soul, the more he will usefully direct his interests, energy and activities and indeed his relationships.

Awakening Gemini realizes the importance and the value of careful, methodical and thorough thinking. He strives to use his mind to discover the truth. He uses his inquiring mind to understand mysteries, to search for the reasons why and to explore structures that give meaning.

Awakening Gemini gives high priority to education. Although formal education is important to Gemini, informal life experience is equally important. Gemini must travel, interact and explore. His knowledge is acquired through direct experience, personal observation and life itself. Book education does not suffice for Gemini, who must be out in the world, seeing and participating in life's activities. Hands-on experience forms the foundation for his growth and individuation process.

Awake Gemini

Awake Gemini recognizes that he has two selves - his personality and his soul. He has achieved his goal of knowing himself as his soul. The limited aspects of his personality no longer hold him back. His personality is directed by the clarity and purpose of his soul. The two aspects of self work together in disciplined harmony. Awake Gemini is totally conscious of the spiritual implications of his activities and directs his actions to serve the highest good of humanity. At this stage, his life and mind are directed to achieve synthesis and harmonization within himself, with others and in the world.

When Gemini has consciously connected the various parts within himself, he is ready to be used as a social change agent, to create harmonious linkages between people and groups. This can include negotiating the alignment of conflicting interests, facilitating harmonious interactions in group dynamics, and using his diplomatic skills, which include tact and a canny mind, to bring peace and mutual understanding. Gemini may also use his scientific mind to invent technologies that benefit humanity.(27)

Gemini teaches us to be tolerant and to freely explore life. He teaches us that there are many levels of truth - individual, circumstantial and universal - that co-exist and in fact dance together at the same time. Gemini integrates everything through movement and love. Gemini teaches us that we are happier when we stop resisting what is, and blow with the wind.

It is through the recognition and acceptance of his own mortality and immortality that Gemini finds wholeness. Awake Gemini teaches us all to relax and enjoy life. Heh, we are perfect and imperfect at the same time. There is good and evil in the world. Some things turn out the way you want them too, some don't. And life still goes on. Awake Gemini teaches us to celebrate life the way it is. And if it isn't the way we think it is, that is OK too.

Gemini makes us laugh. Gemini reminds us not to take things so seriously. Gemini has a direct link to cosmic humor. Gemini finds out the joke is on himself, when the other he has been searching for is his own inner child. He and his twin soul sit down and laugh their hearts out.

Gemini Exercises

Silence, Well at Least by Himself

Total silence may not be possible for Gemini. The cosmic void is not Gemini's preferred playground. But Gemini can shut his mouth and learn to listen to himself. He will hear many voices speaking to him. Gemini needs to learn that the voices are not bad. The voices are each powers that he can call upon. The voices are different aspects of his complex self.

Withdrawal is extremely important for Gemini, whose external orientation provides him with an excess of outer stimulation and taxes his nervous system. For his own health and sanity, he needs to have time to himself.

Gemini may not be able to quiet his mind, but he can train himself to listen to the spaces. If Gemini listens he will hear the echo of his own soul. When Gemini opens his heart he will embrace his soul.

The Breath

The air signs are associated with the breath. Breathing in and out is metaphorically and biologically related to the functioning of the air signs. Lung diseases, in particular asthma, are associated with Mercury and Gemini. Medical science recognizes the psychosomatic nature of asthma. There is perhaps more than a symbolic relationship between the ability of a person to allow a free interchange of information, and physical dysfunctions involving the breath.

Tuning into the breath and practicing Kundalini Yoga pranayama meditations are excellent healers for Gemini. Chanting mantras are also an effective way to tame and utilize Gemini's mental powers. Gemini needs to identify and then commit to the regular practice of some kind of non-verbal activity, that engages his imagination and captures his full attention.(28)

Alternate Nostril Breathing

Alternate nostril breathing is a good exercise for Gemini. It is simple, yet there is something to do to preoccupy his attention and focus on. Using the right hand, alternately block the right and the left nostrils with the thumb and the middle fingers respectively. Place the index finger in the third eye to focus the light in your mind. With long, deep, relaxed breathing

Inhale Left Exhale Right, Inhale Right Exhale Left

Do for at least 2 minutes and up to 11 minutes.

Twin Eye Meditation

Many meditations taught by Yogi Bhajan stipulate looking at the tip of your nose with the eyes 9/10th closed. With the eyes focused on the nose, the optic nerves cross and the third eye is activated. When you are looking at your nose, you can feel the subtle stimulation at the third eye and actually bring your attention there while looking down. (The downward focus of the eyes also serves to open the heart center, and connect the heart and the third eye.)

What many of us notice, while attempting to focus the eyes on the tip of the nose, is that one eye is very able to do so and the other one is not. Ahah, one twin likes this exercise and the other one does not. The left eye is the eye of the soul. The right eye is our worldly eye. Our goal is to have both eyes focus equally. This requires working with each eye to develop that capacity. It may also require having the strong eye work with and support the weak eye. I offer this exercise as an experiment. I have worked with it personally, and have found it an effective way to deal with the twin aspects of myself. Other students have also found it interesting and revealing.

In addition to the basic formula, use your imagination and listen. I suggest experimenting, whether alternate breathing before working with your twin eyes, improves your capacity to work with and coordinate both eyes. Have fun and record your experience.

References and Footnotes

"Soul-Centered Astrology", Alan Oken, The Crossing Press, Freedom, CA, 1990, pp. 172-78.

"Saturn: A New Look at an Old Devil", Liz Green, Samuel Weiser, Inc, York Beach, Maine, 1976, pp. 53-61.

"Alive and Well with Pluto", Bil Tierney, Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN, 1999, pp. 129-144.

"Alive and Well with Uranus", Bil Tierney, Llewellyn Publications, St. Paul, MN, 1999, pp. 127-141.

"Gemini-Searching for the Missing Twin", Brian Clark, The Mountain Astrologer, June-July, 2000, Issue #91, pp28-72+.

"A Thousand and One Nights of Gemini", Dana Gerhardt, The Mountain Astrologer, Oct.-Nov, 1999 Issue #87, pp107-111.

1. Clark, p. 34
2. Oken, p. 172
3. Gerhardt, p. 107
4. See The Mind: Its Projections and Multiple Facets by Yogi Bhajan, with Gurucharan Singh Khalsa, Ph.D.
5. Green, p. 56.
6. Tierney-Uranus, p. 136-7.
7. Uranus, p. 127.
8. Uranus, p. 133.
9. Oken, p. 173.
10. Oken, p. 174.
11. Clark, p. 28.
12. Clark, p. 30.
13. Clark, p. 30.
14. Clark, p. 28.
15. Clark, p. 30.
16. Clark, p. 30.
17. Clark, p. 31.s
18. Clark, p. 31.
19. Sid.
20. Gerhardt, p.109
21. Gerhardt, p.108.
22. Oken, p. 176.
23. Green, p. 58
24. Oken, p. 176.
25. Oken, p. 176.
26. Tierney-Pluto, p. 130
27. Oken, p. 177.
28. Oken, p. 144.

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