Mercury in Gemini ☿ May 21 - June 4

May 21 - June 4, 2019

Mercury: patron of travel, communication and the human mind; orator, poet, soothsayer, healer, lucky star and underworld guide. With magical caduceus in hand, Mercury led freshly discorporated souls from the lower to the upper worlds.

Mercury governs mental processing; it is his influence which determines our perception and style of communication. When Mercury joins the sun in the same constellation, the mind (Mercury) aligns with outward manifestation (sun). Taking this into account, this entire transit is going to be fabulous as the sun will also be in Gemini for the duration. In fact, Mercury and the sun enter Gemini together on May 21. This first day will be one of the best (if not the best) of the entire transit. A good day to write, call your siblings, make music, practice pranayama and/or go on a short trip.

Mercury is ruler of Gemini (and Virgo), so this is a very auspicious placement. Here we get to experience mercurial essence in its most quintessential form. Gemini season is arguably the busiest time of the year. It’s time to move, travel, think, create, communicate, network, write, sing. Good luck finding time to relax and meditate!

This is a very short transit, just two weeks. In July, Mercury will turn retrograde and therefore turn us upside down. Mercury in Gemini is the antithesis of Mercury Retrograde: everything and everyone operates with efficiency. Mercury’s tiny size and speed are perfectly reflected in the qualities of Gemini. Twins, according to mythic archetype, are small, wiry, spritely and always on the go. To the untrained eye, Gemini appears cool and collected. Yet hiding just under the surface, a bundle of nervous energy vibrates. The Gemini soul is an unedited manuscript, a hurried scrawl.

Gemini is the zodiac’s witty wordsmith and gypsy musician. And yet, despite his motormouth, Gemini is solemnly private, soul cloaked in secrecy. And though he is a talented seer, Gemini’s insights are often distorted by his circular mind. Gemini types openly admit that they can’t/won’t stay in relationships, jobs or physical locations for long. Infatuated with mystery, they become instantly intrigued by (addicted to) new people or ideas, and then, just as quickly, drop these obsessions with stupefying frigidity. The twins cast powerful spells, keeping truth and (true) self well guarded. Here we see a flicker of the twins’ notorious aloofness. One twin wants to love and be loved; the other can’t wait to fly away and never come back. Gemini routinely leaves his comfort zone to slake an undying thirst for what is real and extreme and intoxicating. Then, paradoxically, he returns to his tight concentricity to be rocked and lulled by a familiar revolution.

Twins represent duality in all forms: male and female, light and dark, day and night, life and death, sun and moon. In East Asia, these are called yin and yang. Hunahpu and Xbalanque are the twins from the K’iche’ text Popul Vuh, the creation story of the Mayan people. At the end of the Popul Vuh, the twins surface from deep within the earth, climb straight into the sky and become the sun and moon, heralding an era of peace and security. May this transit similarly elevate you. Prepare for late nights filled with long conversation and wild gesticulation!

About a week into the transit on May 29, Mercury squares Neptune in Pisces. The most important thing is to keep expectations realistic. Whenever Neptune is aspected in a square or opposition, the way we thought or hoped something might unfold is countered by how it actually does. One day later on May 30, we have a similar conundrum: Mercury opposes Jupiter Retrograde in Sagittarius. This is a clumsy influence. We will not only be more accident prone, but also emotionally touchy. When Jupiter is aspected in a challenging square or opposition, we tend to feel discouraged.

Mercury enters Cancer one day after the new moon. The next Mercury Retrograde will revisit some of the upcoming lessons from Mercury in Cancer.

In meditation, focus on the throat chakra. Wear blue tones. Give special attention to your arms, hands and shoulders. Still the mind with chanting and Gemini Yoga. If you were born with Mercury in Gemini, these two weeks are your Mercury Return. To find your personal Mercury sign, click here.

Mantra: I am calm