gemini season: curiosity as a way of life
gemini season begins on Tuesday, May 20th
Welcome to the third installment in a series honoring the astrological seasons of the year, this time to celebrate all things Gemini! We’re entering a season where thoughts, ideas, and words are king and where experimentation is more valuable than mastery. Gemini season brings a light, airy energy that supports testing the waters, trying new things, and not putting all of your eggs in one basket.
Keep reading for an overview of Gemini energy & themes, the Major Arcana card associated with Gemini, suggested activities & rituals for this season, and more. ♊︎
the complexities of gemini energy
Gemini energy is multi-faceted, dynamic, and effervescent. You know that friend who always has a book or podcast to recommend, exciting news to convey or a fresh meme to share, and a calendar full of diverse social commitments and activities? I’m willing to bet that they’ve got some Gemini in their chart! Ruled by fast-moving Mercury, Geminis are known for being quick-witted and plugged in (aka staying on top of the latest updates and trends), as well as seamlessly juggling a vast array of interests and hobbies. They’re not afraid to try *all the things*, bounce between social groups, or keep a million tabs open (both on their laptops and in their minds.) Never defined by just one thing, Geminis have layers and layers to peel back. Gemini season, then, is the perfect time to honor the many different things that come together to make you who you are.
Gemini is an air sign (along with Libra & Aquarius), which means that it’s associated with all things related to the mind, communication, and media: thoughts, ideas, insight, imagination, brainstorming, expression, using your voice, reading & writing, social interaction, community, and the news & media content (and hot gossip, too!) The spark of a new thought, the sharing of ideas, and the spread of information are all major air sign themes. Gemini is also a mutable sign (along with Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces), which gives it a flexible, fluid, and changeable quality — mutable signs are all about going with the flow and being open to making pivots as needed. Its Mercury rulership makes it easy to see why Gemini is the sign of communication & the mind, as the messenger planet rules over these themes.
gemini & the art of experimentation
Geminis tend to get a lot of unfair (and very undeserved) shade in pop astrology: folks love to hate on the sign of the twins, calling out Geminis as being two-faced, flaky, and commitment-phobic. But I’d like to challenge the notion that Geminis don’t know what they want, and suggest instead that they’re simply experts at trying new things, exploring all of their passions, and juggling diverse interests. Truth be told, I envy a Gemini’s ability to take the whisper of new idea seriously — while the rest of us are sitting at home musing about how cool it would be to learn a new skill or try a new activity, there’s a Gemini out there somewhere already doing it!
Gemini knows that there’s no shame in trying things out: the end goal isn’t always to find your deepest calling or commit to a longterm agenda, but simply to have a new experience. Gemini season brings with it a breath of fresh air that encourages play and experimentation, which can feel especially freeing after the steadfastness of Taurus season. This season says go forth and explore! Be a student of life! Change course every time the mood strikes! It’s a lesson that many of could benefit from, especially when we’re so often encouraged to pick a lane and stay in it. Gemini season invites us to expand our ideas of what’s possible and to resist boxing ourselves in.
mercurian magic: it all begins in the mind
Ruled by the swiftly-moving messenger planet Mercury, Gemini knows that thoughts, ideas, and words matter. Everything you see around you once began with the spark of an idea or a hit of insight — one that was taken seriously enough to act upon. This season reminds us that our brains hold within them so much power, and that the way we think about things and communicate our ideas to others is what makes each and every one of us unique. Gemini season assures us that what each of us has to offer is valuable, because no two people can look at things in exactly the same way. If you’ve ever hesitated to share your art or your voice with the world because there are other people out there already doing it, Gemini season asks you to acknowledge the fact that no one else can do things quite like you can. Your mind is your magic, and only you can bring things to life through your own one-of-a-kind lens.
This Gemini season, try letting your imagination run wild and taking your ideas seriously. Not every thought that passes through is meant to be entertained, but often, we’re too quick to squash a brilliant idea because it seems unworthy or unrealistic. Gemini energy wants us to get inspired, dream freely, and celebrate our big, beautiful brains.
gemini in the tarot: The Lovers & everything as a mirror
The Major Arcana card associated with Gemini is The Lovers, an archetype that I think is often misunderstood or oversimplified. I’d like to take a moment to shout out Lindsay Mack for reframing this card (I’m currently taking one of Lindsay’s incredible courses, which I can’t recommend enough.) Just like Gemini energy, The Lovers is a card that’s more complex than it appears on the surface, but one that has so much support to offer once you really dig in.
While The Lovers card might look (and sound) like it’s about a romantic relationship or partner, at its core, it speaks to parts of ourselves: especially those parts that we find tough to love. It asks us to become our own most tender and caring lover — to separate ourselves from our inner narrative and attempt to see ourselves through the lens that we’d use to view someone we love and respect. While the figures depicted on the Lovers card in the Rider-Waite-Smith deck are often seen as two individuals who form a pair, what if we viewed them as two parts of the self: one being vulnerable enough to show up fully and wholly, and the other gazing upon them lovingly, with complete acceptance and awe?
To take it a step further — and again, I’d like to credit Lindsay Mack for opening my eyes to this interpretation — what if we allowed ourselves to believe that the beauty and worthiness that we’re able to see in the people, places, and things around us also exists within us? The Lovers teaches us that everything is a mirror, and asks us to consider why we’re so quick to admire, praise, and fall in love with traits that we see in others, but can’t recognize in ourselves. If you tend to put people up on a pedestal (as many of us do from time to time) or think things like, “I’d be worthy if I just had what this person has,” you might benefit from a little Lovers energy. The value that you see in someone else may feel like it’s tied to external things like their accomplishments, status, or lifestyle, but The Lovers begs to differ: it reminds us that we can turn the same admiration, respect, and love that we send out to others towards ourselves whenever we choose.
bringing it all together: gemini season actions, tools, and reflections
For the next month, we’ll be guided by an energy that’s flexible, experimental, curious, and social: so how can we best work with this season?
We can say yes to anything and everything that calls to us, even if it only holds our interest temporarily. We can finally give our attention to those activities that we’ve had on the back burner to try out “someday.” We can identify where we might be holding ourselves back from trying new things, and remember that everything’s an experiment. We can prioritize curiosity and let ourselves be led down the rabbit hole of research, discovery, and learning, just for fun. We can sign up for all of the classes, workshops, and events that pique our interest. We can make plans with friends, schedule brainstorming sessions, or co-work with peers to feed our social needs. We can allow ourselves to pivot without shame, walking away from anything that’s no longer fun or fulfilling. We can embrace the idea that changing our minds isn’t something to be frowned upon, and free ourselves from the belief that everything we start needs to be seen through to the end.
Gemini season is the perfect time to start that book you’ve had on your TBR list (wanna ditch it halfway through and read something else instead? go for it!), catch up on the latest podcast episodes, or revisit your zine collection. It’s a great time to start journaling, knowing that you don’t have to write anything life-changing (and that you can take a break or walk away from the practice whenever you want.) It’s a supportive season for rekindling friendships or putting yourself out there to meet new people in your community. Above all, it’s a time to experiment, experiment, experiment: try on new personas, roles, and titles, and know that it’s ok if they don’t stick!
Here are some tools that you may want to work with during Gemini season — you can add them to your altar if you have one, or simply incorporate them into your life over the next month in whatever ways feel appropriate to you:
Crystals like dalmatian jasper (for curiosity & playfulness) and sodalite (for communication & creativity)
Colors like blue (for clear communication & speaking your truth) and orange (for adventure & newness)
Journals & writing utensils for when inspiration strikes
Some other activities that you may want to consider during Gemini season:
Start a Substack, chronicle a journey on social media, or write to a penpal: Embrace Gemini season’s emphasis on communication and social interaction by combining the two: share your writing, photos, or ideas & life updates with the public or with trusted friends! Gemini season is the perfect time to put yourself out there with no agenda other than to connect with others, share your thoughts, and to have fun doing it.
Schedule a movie marathon or a book club meetup: Since Gemini is the sign that rules over media, what better way to connect with others than over a shared appreciation for film or the written word? Set a date to binge a few movies (maybe a horror movie appreciation night, or a ‘90s cult classics marathon?) or to discuss a current read. Ask attendees to come with some new recommendations to share, too!
Brainstorm with abandon: Gemini is all about the mind, and you may notice that your brain feels extra flooded with ideas & inspiration this season. Rather than letting them fade into the background — or feeling like you need to act on every single thought that comes your way — get into the practice of documenting your ideas and dreams as they appear, without feeling the need to edit or turn them into actionable tasks. Have a brilliant idea for something you’d like to launch in the future? Document it as haphazardly and messily as you’d like, knowing that you can figure out the logistics later. Struck with inspiration for some new work you’d like to make? Commit it all to paper (or your Notes app, or a voice memo) and return to it later when you’re more prepared to flesh it out.
key gemini season dates
🌸 May 20th: first day of Gemini season
🌑 May 26th: new moon in Gemini
🌕 June 11th : full moon in Sagittarius
📅 June 19th: last full day of Gemini season
gemini cheat sheet
📅 Dates: May 20th - June 20th
👯 Symbol: the twins
💨 Element: air
🌀 Modality: mutable
🪐 Ruling planet: Mercury
🃏 Major Arcana card: The Lovers
💃 Qualities: experimental, curious, exploratory, playful, quick-witted, communicative, social, effervescent, flexible, adaptable, chameleon-like