Gemini- Body, Mind and Spirit

Gemini, the third sign of the zodiac, rules over the shoulders, arms, hands, lungs and the nervous system. This is the sign of duality, symbolized by the Twins– thus it is associated with things that come in pairs. 

The Gemini spirit is curious, restless and intellectual. Their appearance is youthful, and remains so throughout their life, being easily engaged and enthralled by new experiences. The never-ending desire to learn, share ideas and communicate with people helps them stay aware of their environment, and constantly look at things through fresh eyes. This steady diet of novel experience brings joy and an inner motion that keeps them limber and fresh.

The vital force of life flows strongly through them, but naturally disperses in many different directions at once. For this reason, the mental and physical energy levels can rapidly fluctuate. Energy can remain trapped in the mind, causing nervous tension and amnesia when it comes to the body– meaning it won’t receive proper care and attention. Engaging the senses, and occasionally veering away from anything too cerebral or logical helps soothe the nerves.

Being a mutable, yang, air sign greatly affects the Gemini personality. Mutable in astrological terms means a sign that occurs at the end of a season, when the birth of a new one is imminent. It is a time of fluctuation and change. Mutable signs demonstrate the ability to adapt with ease. Air signs represent the intellect, thoughts and the mind. Yang is masculine, and exerts its will on the environment. It is hot, active and aggressive.

The Twins, the archetypal symbol of Gemini, embody duality, and thus need opposition in order to function. They exist to recognize and reconcile opposing forces. The Twins must simultaneously learn to hold one force in the palm of their hand, and the opposite force in the other. As their agile minds develop the capability of contending with contradictory tendencies, they must then also acknowledge, and syncretize, the logical inconsistencies brought about because of this process.

Thus, the way the mind operates for the Twins leaves it prone to fragmentation. Attention flows in many directions at once, scattering thoughts and energy. At times it is necessary to consolidate facts and experiences into a manageable, unified whole. This is no easy task that Gemini is called upon to do in this incarnation. One of the great talents of the Twins is to bear the contradictions within the human psyche and the polarities inherent in this physical plane of reality.  

Is it any wonder then that the Twins produce large amounts of nervous energy at times? Very aptly, this sign also governs part of the nervous system. There are two main parts of the nervous system: the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The brain and spinal cord are the components of the CNS and fall under the rulership of Sagittarius. 

The PNS is under the rulership of the planet Mercury and the sign of Gemini. Mercury is the ruling planet of Gemini (as well of Virgo). The PNS is composed of a prolific amount of nerves that start at the spinal cord and expand outwards to the furthest reaches of the body. The nerves wander throughout the entirety of the body, creating a vast network from the top of the head to the very end of the fingers and toes. There are 43 pairs of nerves, 12 cranial and 31 spinal ones. How fitting, as Gemini rules over pairs of things!

The PNS is further divided into two more subsystems. The autonomic system governs functions which are not under our conscious control, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and the secretion of hormones. 

The somatic nervous system governs functions that are under our conscious control. This is the specific part Gemini reigns over, controlling the voluntary movement of muscles. This is what gives us freedom to move and animate our bodies at will. 

This system is responsible for receiving information from the environment via the sense organs. Information taken in through touch, taste, smell or hearing, is then relayed to the brain. Outside stimuli are forms of intelligence needing interpretation and computation by the brain (The CNS rules over the eyes). 

Taurus, the second sign of the zodiac, and the one preceding Gemini, rules over the five senses. However being a feminine earth sign, Taurus the Bull operates very differently than the Twins. The Bull delights in sensual experience, letting her subjective experience of them determine her values. Gemini however, has other uses for the sense organs. Moving beyond the sensual experience, he puts them to work transmitting information from the outside world to the brain, where it can then be processed on an intellectual level. The sense organs become tools for gathering and taking in stimulus from the outside world with the primary aim of making sense of it all.

The Roman god Mercury behaves much like the autonomic nervous system. As his role of psychopomp dictates, he frequently escorts the souls of the newly dead to the Underworld. He has free reign to come and go from the land of the living to the land of the dead, delivering souls for the god Pluto. The Underworld is like the brain– only animated when outside stimuli comes in. In Hades, land of the dead, nothing can be created so it must wait for Mercury to deliver fresh souls.

The winged-footed god, noted for his speed and agility, also dispatches messages for the gods, and acts as a mediator between gods and mortals. Being a critical bridge between humans and gods, Mercury helps settle disputes and resolve conflicts between the two. Like the PNS, with its nerves reaching to the furthest corners of the body, Mercury also travels pathways which lead him to places where only he, with his unique talents, is able to be of service.

Mercury carries a magic wand, the caduceus, which aids in conflict resolution and dispensing justice. This is his symbol and it conveys that he is a divine messenger, guide, ambassador, negotiator, and diplomat. The wand has a pair of snakes intertwining around it, with the open wings of an eagle spanning the top. The snakes represent the spine, while the wings symbolize the spinal cord expanding from its base to the brain. This symbolizes his ability to exercise rational thought. He accepts all input without bias to reach a fair, logical conclusion.

Gemini rules over the respiratory system, with an emphasis on the lungs. This sign is especially sensitive to this organ, so extra care may be needed to ensure they work well. To become more aware of them, become more familiar with their exact location. There are two separate lungs, roughly cone-shaped, forming a pair– another nod to Gemini.

With one on each side of the body, they start at the bottom of the trachea (windpipe) and rise surprisingly high. The apex, the blunt uppermost portion of the lungs, extends to a point above the first rib, about an inch past the clavicle bone (collar bone). 

It is interesting to note that breathing can flip from autonomic to voluntary control. Respiration can easily be brought under conscious power. This again speaks to the special status of Mercury– the only god allowed access to tightly controlled, forbidden places. He fluidly moves from one domain to the other, exerting his will in each.

The heartbeat, blood pressure and many other processes are regulated by the autonomic nervous system. These vital functions happen without our conscious control. However, if one knows how to communicate like Mercury and gain access to these realms, one can alter some of them at will. 

There is one simple way to access Mercurial powers in this regard. To help lower your heart rate, stop all activity and sit comfortably. All you have to do is place your hands over your heart, breathe deeply and slowly for a few minutes, concentrating on the sound of your breathe as it softly susurrates. Often the heart rate, and possibly blood pressure, respond in kind by slowing down to synchronize with the pace of the breath. The effect is best achieved with eyes closed, as this helps to further consolidate energy. 

Mercury involves himself with many aspects of movement and athleticism. He is the god of travelers, merchants and athletes. He keeps things in motion, which requires dexterity, strength and coordination. He presides over sports competitions, keeping the body moving. He also presides over commerce, keeping goods and services flowing.

Gemini is very active, constantly in motion and multi-tasking, much like a juggler with nine balls in the air. Being kinetic in nature, the key to staying alert, supple and young at heart is movement. Engage the mind with new ideas, the body with acrobatics, and you’ll create a pristine, graceful spirit that soars.