Camp Thirlby’s Guide to Owning Your Duality this Gemini Season
Exclusive illustration ℅ Annika Bjerke
As the sun shifted on May 19, we transitioned from earthbound Taurus to airy Gemini, and I, for one, am relieved to feel a bit flighty.
Gemini slander is perhaps the most ubiquitous of all astrological criticism. Symbolized by twins, Gemini’s have a bad wrap for being two-faced. In truth, Geminis, like their fellow mutable signs Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces, are highly adaptable and able to find their place in almost any situation. And yeah, their opinions may seem to change like the tides, but it’s only because their insatiable curiosity allows them to constantly see things from new perspectives, and playing devil’s advocate is their favorite sport.
More than any other sign, Gemini is playful. They possess a childlike ability to explore for exploration’s sake, without tying themselves down by taking anything too seriously. This is their superpower: the ability to approach life as a series of games to play and challenges to face, often without taking their losses personally. I think we could all use a bit more of the lightness in these difficult and *ahem* unprecedented times.
So, without further ado, here’s Camp Thirlby’s guide to owning your duality this Gemini season.
School and Work
Like the other air signs, Libra and Aquarius, Gemini is driven by intellect and curiosity. This makes this a great time to explore new interests and ideas, whether at work or in your independent studies over the course of the summer. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the idea of knowledge as a means to impress or compete, but enjoy the pursuit of knowledge for knowledge’s sake.
With the combination of adaptable mutable energy and curious air energy, allow yourself to tune in to those you interact with in school or work environments and see what you have to learn from them. Don’t be embarrassed to ask questions or admit that there are things you didn’t already know, but allow yourself to seek and absorb as much new information now to carry you forward into the coming year.
Relationships
I sometimes joke that it’s impossible to be best friends with a Gemini because their flighty nature and ability to fit in anywhere means they’re more likely to spend equal time with every person at a function than to stick to a single person’s side — that’s what makes them so fun to be around. While current world conditions may make it difficult to socialize and meet new people, take a cue from sociable Gemini to catch up with people outside your immediate circle. Mercury-ruled Gemini has a knack for all things related to communication, making them natural joke-tellers. Carve out time to share giggles with your pals, even if it’s just over Zoom.
Mercury-rule doesn’t just help joke-telling, but aids in romantic communication as well. This is a good time to shower your partner in flowering words of adoration, whether that’s in person, over the phone, or through a letter. This season also bodes well for flirting, whether you’re acting playfully with your current partner, working up the nerves to reach out to your quarantine crush, or making your rounds on the dating apps. Whatever way, remember the importance of clear and open communication and keeping fun a priority.
Free Time
Devote your free time this season to exploration in whatever means possible. While their opposite sign Sagitarrius is associated with long-distance travel, Gemini is associated with more short-term trips. Consider going on a day trip with your roommates or family to a state park or other outdoor location, if it is safe to do so in your area. If physical exploration is still out of the question, try intellectual exploration instead. Try ordering books from your local bookstore; some small bookstores are even providing mystery boxes to add a layer of adventure. Or, harvest the Gemini knack for knowing-it-all and set up a PowerPoint party with your friends over Zoom where you can take turns teaching each other about the weird subject you know way too much about.
Self
Use this season to prioritize communication with yourself, as well as with others. Carve out time to journal at least a few times a week and let the words flow freely and without judgment. You might be surprised what your inner self has been keeping from you once you give it a minute to pipe up. After writing, come back a few days later to reflect on what you’ve recorded. What themes are reoccurring? What stimuli are consistently affecting you positively and which are affecting you negatively? Do what you can to actively pursue the former and cut off or readjust the later in whatever ways you can.
This is also an optimal time to assess your firmly held beliefs and biases. Are there areas where you are being close-minded and unwillingly to pursue or accept information that contradicts your viewpoint? If so, challenge yourself to get out of your intellectual comfort zone and explore new perspectives. Even if your previous understanding remains unchanged, understanding where others are coming from will make your own opinions more well rounded.
About the Author
Victoria Middleton (she/her) is a third year student at The George Washington University studying journalism and mass communication with a minor in women’s, gender and sexuality studies. She discovered her love for writing as a little girl, typing fairytale stories on her parents old Dell and printing them out before taping them into glitter-glue-encrusted cardboard covers. These days, she thinks honest and fully developed stories about women are even better than fairy tales. When she’s not scheming against the male hegemony of the media industry, she can be found thrifting, watching cult films and TV and badly dancing to good music. She has been known to get overly excited about intersectional feminism, astrology and David Lynch.
