Signs: Mutable Cross—Gemini

I recognise my other self and, in the waning of that self, I grow and glow

Experience as a mirror of relation to the self: fluidity leading to polarity

Gemini: esoteric meaning

Gemini holds a special place in the esoteric scheme as a sign expressing Ray Two, as does the Sun of our solar system, because it has a connection with all other pairs of signs (see EA 348).

When astrologers understand the true significance of the constellation Gemini, the Twins, and the dual forces which pour through this sign (the “forces in conflict” as they are sometimes called or “the quarrelling brothers”) and beat upon our planetary life, then the true method of resolving the dualities will be known. (EA 55-56)

In the bigger picture, Gemini and Sagittarius function as a crucial infuence in the development of humanity:

The cosmic line of force from Gemini to Sagittarius and the reverse is subjectively and esoterically related to our Earth, thus guaranteeing its soul development, the unfoldment of form as an expression of that soul, and leading our sorrowful humanity … to the very gate of initiation in Capricorn. (EA 356)

Gemini as Sun and Rising sign

The steady pull between the pairs of opposites … initiates the struggle … between soul and personality (EA 358, 360) symbolised by Mercury in Gemini, and runs counter to the unifying synthesis of opposites embodied by Jupiter (which is therefore in Detriment in Gemini). Via Mercury, an individual with a Gemini Sun is aided to attain the synthesis of soul and form (EA 175), whereas the second ray sympathies of Jupiter as they feed into Gemini as a rising sign, can indicate:

…the initiate and the rapidly attained “dualism in synthesis” of soul and spirit. […] through the activity of Jupiter, the [individual with Gemini rising] is enabled to attain the conscious integration of soul and spirit. (EA 175)

More details to follow.

Gemini: rulers

• Orthodox: Mercury
• Esoteric: Venus
• Hierarchical: Earth

Orthodox: Mercury ⇧

In a peculiar way… Mercury increases in the Gemini subject the latent sense of duality in its various stages and also the sense of distinction, leading to that mental agility and that fluidity of mind which is one of the major assets as well as one of the major difficulties of this sign. This agility has, however, to be rightly understood and handled. When there is facility of mental approach in any direction and in connection with the many opposites in manifestation, you have the emergence of the divine Messenger in his true character, able to comprehend extremes and to relate them divinely to each other. (EA 354)

there is the will-to-be in form and the will-to-be free from form, but all these aspects of will are achieved through conflict and interplay of which energy both Gemini and Mercury are the eternal symbols. (EA 359)

The effectiveness of Mercury is also enhanced in its interpretive aspect because the Gemini person can always find points of contact with people on nearly every ray. (EA 364)

Esoteric: Venus ⇧

The role of Venus in the emergence of humanity from the animal kingdom is a major theme in the esoteric philosophy. The term “Individualisation” is used for this process, and the entire role of the connection between Earth and Venus is a crucial part of understanding this.

The fact that Gemini is the third sign and embodies what is called “a third potency” enabled it to reach, with its force, the third kingdom and produce that reaction which resulted in the individualising or the humanising of its higher forms of life. (EA 355)

The above describes—in the occult philosophy—the emergence of humanity (4th kingdom) from the animal (3rd kingdom), and the mythology of Venus and Capricorn.

Hierarchical: Earth ⇧

This rulership touches on the larger global purpose behind individual development. The collective evolution of humanity is intimately connected with the Earth becoming a sacred planet, in other words, the evolution of Earth itself beyond individual planetary existence towards connection with Venus as the Earth’s “higher self” or alter ego. This process is held to involve the agency of humanity as an integrated global centre, which obviously cannot occur until inter-human conflict has faded out under the power of a collective and conscious sense of responsibility. At that distant point, humanity will also be evolving into the fifth kingdom, a process which—with the Earth gradually becoming a sacred planet—will produce definite changes in the solar system(EA 130) at the end of a great zodiacal age. For more about this process, see the Leo-Virgo-Pisces triangle. There is a quotation from the Old Commentary that encapsulates this:

When the dual forces of the cosmic brothers (Gemini) become the energy of the one who rides towards the light (Sagittarius) then the fourth becomes the fifth. Humanity, the link, becomes the Hierarchy, the bestower of all good… (EA 356)

Global intercommunication is enabling humanity to undergo a reorientation in which worldwide inequalities, conflicts and harmonies are brought into the light of global awareness. Just as with individual development, tensions on a global scale are caused by this expansion of consciousness, including ideological culture- and info-wars, online polarisation, worlwide population shifts, environmental crises and conflict between and within nations (or modern versions of what was once feudal loyalty and has become patriotic nationalism—effectively “warring siblings”).

Humanity as a whole is ruled by Ray 4, which began a new cycle in 2025 (Esotric Psychology I, 25-6) so this initial level of conflict, although no surprise, is not necessarily problematic. In order to resolve conflicts, they must first be brought to the fore and made explicit. A “peace” where only one side “wins” is no solution; what is required for harmony is for the elements in conflict to reach a resolution in which neither is the “winner”, and in which extremes become too brittle to survive. Hence the irresolution of many current issues… this is a painful global growth process that involves humanity en-masse—i.e. everyone on the planet.

When astrologers understand the true significance of the constellation Gemini… and the dual forces which pour through this sign (the “forces in conflict” as they are sometimes called or “the quarrelling brothers”) and beat upon our planetary life, then the true method of resolving the dualities will be known. (EA 55-56)

Earth’s rulership in Gemini therefore symbolises its role as the “waning sibling” (personality) to Venus (soul) (EA 361). This is all on the inner levels, of course, so notions of “Venusians” are as sci-fi as they always have been although—from the 1950s onward—parts of the UFO community interpreted some esoteric Theosophical teachings literally; an issue that persists to this day. During these huge evolutionary changes, Gemini therefore plays a central role in the “freedom of the two” mentioned above, forming as it does a triangle with every other pair of signs (except Sagittarius) so that oppositions become complemetaries.

Also see the Triangles of Mercury’s rulerships which are each grounded on Earth.

Decanates

See the notes about the inconsistency of decanates in Esoteric Astrology. For comparison, Stephen Pugh’s decanate rulers are listed, alongside current orthodox rulers and those given in the book.

Esoteric/developmental: conscious development (annual signs from Aries via Taurus to Pisces)

0-9°: Sun A: Gemini, bringing the influence of Ray 2 throughout the zodiac: synthesis of soul and form, later integration of spirit and soul (EA 365); the Sun and Mercury are seen as merged at later stages

10-19°: Mars E: Libra, echoes connection with the Aries, as well as and hierarchical ruler of complementary sign Sagittarius

20-29°: Jupiter F: Aquarius, Jupiter as the esoteric ruler of Aquarius, encouraging synthesis and the “fusion of heart and mind” (EA 139)

Exoteric/experiential: humanity in general (precession from Aries via Pisces to Taurus)

29-20°: Saturn G: Aquarius, an opportunity to bring about the “reversal of the wheel” after periods of life experience, and enter into conscious development

19-10°: Venus D: Libra, “relates certain pairs of opposites” (EA 356), highlights “the conflict between desire and spiritual will” anchored in the “planetary astral plane” (EA 361), with the scientific mind of Ray 5

9-0°: Mercury C: Gemini, instability and fluid versatility, later an analytical understanding of social situations

• Orthodox: Mercury, Venus, Saturn/Uranus (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius)
• EAst e/o: Sun, Mars, Jupiter / Saturn, Venus, Mercury
• Pugh e/o: Saturn, Venus, Mercury / Mercury, Venus, Saturn (swapped?)

In considering the decanates of Gemini, it is important to note that “Gemini and its inherent second ray influence… control every one of the pairs of opposites” (EA 346), and that this affects the roles of its decanates. The esoteric decanates as given seem reversed, as Mercury and the Sun are seen as merged at later stages of development, and Jupiter is the esoteric ruler of Aquarius, so would rule the final esoteric decanate.

Esoteric

“Jupiter, Mars and the Sun” are given as “the esoteric rulers of the [decanates] upon the wheel of discipleship”. However, examining these decanates via the air signs: Jupiter echoes the importance of Gemini to the influence of Ray 2 as well as being the esoteric ruler of the final Aquarius decanate, Mars relates to the Libra decanate through its complementary sign Aries, but is also the hierarchical ruler of Gemini’s complementary Sagittarius, and the Sun would seem to be merged with Mercury (as in the first decanate of Virgo)—so these are not the “esoteric rulers of the sign upon the wheel of discipleship”, as stated in Esoteric Astrology.

Exoteric

“Mercury, Venus and Saturn… govern the wheel of ordinary life”—these would be reversed for backwards progression around the zodiac, with Saturn on Ray 3 echoing the ray of the Earth as Hierarchical ruler, giving Earth or Saturn (Ray 3 being the “field of experience”), Venus and Mercury, reflecting the esoteric rulerships with “Saturn offering at a certain fairly advanced stage the opposition needed to bring about a basic revolution”—in other words, the “reversal of the wheel” back to the forward progression through the signs. Mercury: “fluid versatility; in the later … stages … an equally fluid but analytical understanding of [people] and of circumstances”. (EA 367)

In connection with the decanates and their rulers, it is interesting to find that Sepharial and Alan Leo give entirely different ruling planets, and yet both are right. Uniquely for him, Sepharial gives the three planets of Jupiter, Mars and the Sun, and thus indicates those which are the esoteric rulers of the sign upon the wheel of discipleship. Usually his choice is exoteric and not esoteric. Leo, in this case, gives Mercury, Venus and Saturn, and these three govern the wheel of ordinary life. Between them, they cover the wheel as it turns in both directions. …note how two … governing planets of the decanates in the case of the ordinary wheel serve to enhance the planetary rulers of the sign, Gemini with Saturn offering at a certain fairly advanced stage the opposition needed to bring about a basic revolution. Note this phrasing. (EA 369)

Esoteric Astrology: 369