Who is fond of life and jest and pleasure?
Who vacillates and changes ever?
Who loves attention without measure?
—Why Gemini!


Gemini (Latin for twins) is one of the constellations of the zodiac. It is part of the winter sky, lying between Taurus to the west and the dim Cancer to the east, with Auriga and the near-invisible Lynx to the north and Monoceros and Canis Minor to the south.

Gemini includes two bright stars, named after the two twins, who correspond to the Dioscuri in Greek mythology - Castor (α), a pretty telescopic binary (actually sextuple), and Pollux (β), which is brighter and more southwesterly.

The third sign of the zodiac, Gemini is ruled by Mercury which represents intelligence invested in matter. The glyph symbolizes two pieces of wood bound together. In ancient times this was seen to signify the conflicts arising from contradictory mental processes. Geminis establish their relationship between the self and material substance through a balance of opposing thoughts. This bond may also be interpreted as the link between rhythm and form.

In Gemini we move from the action, reaction response of Aries, Taurus to the interaction response. The Gemini nature Interacts with the environment, investigating, learning, knowing and exchanging ideas. The intellect dominates Gemini, and all things intellectual are valued greatly. As communication is also of importance to Geminis, knowledge is never a thing to be hoarded. Seldom is a twin more entertained than in the midst of exchanging ideas with others of an intellectual nature.

Being the most versatile and changeable of the signs, Geminis are seldom what they seem to be. Chameleon like, they will take a stand, voice an opinion, decide on an option then completely change their mind tomorrow. Nothing is ever written in stone by Gemini. They are truly a free soul, driven by curiosity and a desire to know and do. They usually have several things going at once, and within such chaos, they thrive.

Geminis are bright, witty, entertaining and rarely get deeply absorbed in any one task. There are just too many things to do and know, and so many new people to meet. They prefer to skim the surface of many things, then to get deeply involved in one interest. If they do become drawn into something, they always feel they are missing out. It will always be what they aren't doing, or don't have, or the people they haven't met that intrigue them the most.

Geminis are optimistic people. All things are fresh and fascinating for the twins, it's the way they like it to be. They often possess the enthusiasm of a child. Routine is boring, and boring is not allowed. Restless, with an active imagination and a keen intellect, life must be lived to the fullest for Gemini. Perceived as a game, life is best played with swift moves and entertaining teammates. With the zeal of a sportsman, Gemini analyzes everything. They often possess a compulsive need to know the why of all they experience. A twin wants to know the causes, motivations, and dynamics behind everything and everyone they encounter.

Geminis are expressive folk, and this may manifest beyond mere speech. Often gifted with their hands, it seems whatever they touch does turn to gold. Their love of communication may also express itself as an affinity for languages, which they tend to pick up quite easily. Known for being great story tellers, Geminis have a knack of making life a little more interesting for the rest of us.

Morality is not an issue, and values are situational. Gemini's are usually affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, thoughtful, and superficial. They are attractive and interesting people who instinctively know how to meet their own needs and will do whatever it takes to do so. Although self interest is always the primary motivator in a Gemini person, they are also known to be honest, straightforward and without guile. They are what they are, and usually have no problem admitting their failings. Whatever they choose as a course of action is done out in the open without a measure of deviousness.

Other Gemini traits include: adaptability, ingenuity and cleverness. They are a mental sign and therefore logical, even brilliant at times, possessing a great deal of charm. However, it is important to remember that the symbol for this sign is twins, and that not all twins are alike. There are broad distinctions within the Gemini character. In contrast to the shining one described above is the shadow twin. On the turn of a moment, Gemini can become cynical, biting, moody and quickly angered. Inseparable as two sides of a coin, those born in this sign can be dazzling and irresistible or inconstant and irrational.

Geminis probably make better friends than they do lovers. They are entertaining companions and are more intrigued by the idea of love than the actual day to day involvement. Remember, what intrigues a Gemini is the unknown. Once something is familiar as an old pair of socks, the interest wears thin and the need for new worlds to investigate grows strong again. Geminis are fickle. This is not intentional, it is their basic nature to be so. Life seems too short a span to get very serious about anything for a Gemini. So, in love as in life, intensity of feeling is always fleeting. It is, while it is!

Physically, Geminis have a youthful demeanor, sometimes childlike. Gemini rules the arms, shoulders, hands, lungs and nervous system. They generally have a sensitive nervous system, and don't fare well under too much stress. As Gemini considers danger about as seriously as they consider the rest of life, there is a need to restrain a sense of heroic invincibility.


Origins in Mythology

The constellation of Gemini has been seen as twin figures by cultures throughout the world, back into prehistory. The 'Two Stars', referring to its very bright suns, which the Greeks recognized as Castor and Polydeuces, were named for the younger and elder forms of the god Horus by the Egyptians. To the Romans they were Hercules and Apollo. Often perceived as twin boys, the lore sustains that they were placed in the night sky by Jove to honor and exemplify the fidelity of their brotherly love. In other instances they were seen as a sister and brother or two angels, then within later Christian traditions, as Adam and Eve.

Stories of hero twins are also related throughout the world. For the Greeks their was Castor and Polydeuces, also known as the Dioscuri, or Heavenly Twins. They were the children of Zeus and Leda, queen of Sparta (yes...you may call them: 'sons of the swan.'), thus also the brothers to the infamous Helen, late of Troy. The exploits of these twins are many, and all heroic. In their youth they sailed with Jason to retrieve the Golden Fleece. To the Romans, who knew them as Castor and Pollux, the twins were invoked on the field of battle to assure victory. For centuries beyond they were held as guardians to sailors on extended or risky voyages.

So Leda's twins, bright-shining, at their beck
Oft have delivered stricken barks from wreck.
—Horace


Gemini Emotions

Geminis sometimes have a hard time knowing what they feel, and an even harder time talking about it. The Gemini partner is usually knowledgeable, sparkling and witty about any subject under the Sun except her own emotions. A Gemini in love can be poetic and eloquent, and no sign writes better love letters. In fact, for a Gemini, letters, e-mails, faxes, long-distance phone conversations and SMS messages are often preferable to direct face-to-face confrontation when it comes to talking about the really personal stuff.

Probe a Gemini about more complex feelings, and you'll get silence at best and untruths at worst. It's not that she's deliberately lying to you. It's that she usually just doesn't know why she just said what she did, or acted as she did. Lots of Geminis are terrified of emotional complexities and emotional depths. Yet Gemini needs a companion who can swim in the waters she fears so much. She longs for a safe and emotionally secure relationship so that she can feel a little less fragmented and a little better grounded in life. The trick is to be able to provide that intuitive understanding and acceptance without becoming emotionally invasive.

Possessiveness is definitely not on, so if you're into jealous scenes and accusations, choose another sign. When Geminis feel trapped and unhappy, they'll usually keep quiet and let you do all the blaming if the relationship ends badly. The Gemini partner isn't usually either spiteful or vindictive. But one too many failed relationships with a possessive, mistrustful partner can erode a Gemini's confidence in her own reliability, which is never that great to begin with.

All too often, Gemini is drawn to someone who offers parenting rather than real communication and understanding. It's their own fault, of course, because they think that's what they want - especially if they've been having a hard time lately.

Because this is essentially a refined, cerebral sign, many Geminis secretly feel horribly vulnerable in the face of life's tougher, uglier challenges, and they seek the safety of a devoted, stable mate. That's fine, and you may need to provide lots of common sense and patience to help your Gemini partner focus her considerable talents and produce something solid and lasting. But offering stability isn't the same as playing mother.

The Gemini partner may be childlike at times, but she hates being patronised or controlled. Lots of Geminis learn early, the hard way, that all the security in the world can't compensate for the loss of mental and emotional freedom. The Gemini partner can be the most interesting, stimulating, delightful companion in the world, provided there's good, open, free communication. A narrow-minded or uninterested companion is anathema to Gemini. The more interested and interesting you are, the happier your Gemini partner will be. Discussing the latest play or novel is vastly preferable to discussing the shortcomings of your bank manager, or whether or not the electricity bill has been paid.

Geminis usually have a high code of ethics in relationship. Although they dislike being probed, most of the time they'll be honest about their answer - especially if you haven't asked the question. But they will take the path of deviousness when they feel there isn't any other way, and they're most likely to feel like that if you subject them to a constant barrage of emotional demands. Emotional "double messages" and manipulative tactics bewilder and infuriate them.

Although Gemini can be incredibly adroit on the intellectual level, their reliance on logic makes it hard for them to understand ambiguity and ambivalence of feeling, and the time- honoured tactic of the "pregnant silence" just makes them feel threatened and resentful.

Some Geminis will always remain childlike, in the best and worst sense of the word. Gilded and charming, delightful yet insubstantial, they dip their toes into the waters of love and vanish abruptly if the water gets too warm. If you get involved with this more extreme type of Gemini, have fun, but don't start planning the future.

Even an introspective Gemini needs lots of breathing space. Commitment can take a long time, because Geminis need to know that the trap isn't going to snap shut on them. If you're a strongly emotional type, make very sure that you've got a life of your own, so that you don't expect your Gemini partner to fulfil all your emotional needs. And if you've found one of those Geminis with some real self-understanding, then you're lucky indeed.

Although Gemini will always be elusive, challenging, and reluctant to engage in dramatic emotional scenes, she'll meet you halfway. Then Gemini can wave that magic wand, take flight with you, and show you those distant mountain heights where the air is clear.


Renowned Geminis:

Ben Jonson (June 11, 1572) - English Poet, Playwright: The Alchemist
Marquis de Sade (June 2, 1740) - Scandalous French Author: Les Crimes de l'amour
Thomas Moore (May 28, 1779) - Irish Poet: Irish Melodies
Aleksandr Pushkin (June 6, 1799) - Russian Poet: Eugene Onegin
Diego Rodr?guez de Silva y Vel?zquez (June 6, 1599) - Spanish Baroque Painter
Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 23, 1803) - American Essayist, Poet: Society & Solitude
Harriet Beecher Stowe (June 14, 1811) - American Author: Uncle Tom's Cabin
Richard Wagner (May 22, 1813) - German Composer
Queen Victoria (May 24, 1819) - English Monarch
Walt Whitman (May 31, 1819) - American Poet: Leaves of Grass
Jean D. Gustave Courbet (June10, 1819) - French Realist Painter
Thomas Hardy (June 2, 1840) - English Poet, Novelist: Tess of the D'Urbervilles
Mary Cassatt (May 22, 1844) - American Impressionist Painter
Eugene Henri Paul Gaugin (June 7, 1848) - French Post-Impressionist Painter
Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle (May 22, 1859) - English Novelist: Sherlock Holmes
William Butler Yeats (June 13, 1865) - Irish Writer, Poet
Thomas Mann (June 6, 1875) - German Novelist: Death in Venice
Douglas Fairbanks Sr. (May 23, 1883) - American Film Actor
Dorothy Sayers (June 13, 1893) - English Mystery Author: Murder Must Advertise
Immanuel Velikovsky (June 10, 1895) - Russian Psychologist, Author: Worlds in Collision
Federico Garc?a Lorca (June 5, 1899) - Spanish Poet, Playwright: Canciones, Yerma
Bob Hope (May 29, 1904) - American Stage & Film Comedian
Ian Fleming (May 28, 1908) - English Author: The James Bond Series
Saul Bellow (June 10, 1915) - American Nobel Author: Humboldt's Gift
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917) - President of the United States
Judy Garland (June 10, 1922) - American Singer, Actress
Henry Kissinger (May 27, 1923) - Political Analyst, US Secretary of State
Tony Curtis (June 3, 1925) - American Film Actor
Marilyn Monroe (June 1, 1926) - American Film Actress
Allen Ginsberg (June 3, 1926) - American Beat Poet: Howl, Empty Mirror
Maurice Sendak (June 10, 1928) - American Children's' Author
Anne Frank (June 12, 1929) - German Child Diarist
Clint Eastwood (May 30, 1930) - American Film Actor, Director
Fernando Henrique Cardoso (June 18, 1931) - President of Brazil
Athol Fugard (June 11, 1932) - South African Actor, Stage Director, Playwright: Blood Knot, Master Harold and the Boys
Alexei Leonov (May 30, 1934) - Russian Cosmonaut, First person to walk in space
Sir Ian McKellen (May 25, 1939) - English Actor: Gods and Monsters, Lord of the Rings
Tom Jones (June 7, 1940) - Welsh Singer, Performer
Bob Dylan (May 24, 1941) - American Singer, Songwriter
Nikki Giovanni (June 7, 1943) - American Poet: Ego-Trippin'
Helena Bonham Carter (May 26, 1966) - English Actress
Angelina Jolie (June 4, 1975) - American Actress

"Castor and Pollux were the offspring of Leda and the Swan, under which disguise Jupiter had concealed himself. Leda gave birth to an egg from which sprang the twins. Helen, so famous afterwards as the cause of the Trojan war, was their sister."
—Thomas Bulfinch, Stories of Gods & Heroes