Mercury in Gemini: Witty, Wordy and Wondering

Chatting with my then partner at dinner, I was describing how incredibly well my inspirational college tutor was doing after her brutal foot surgery before he casually chimed in; “Yeah, like Himalayan cockroaches. They’re resistant to radiation, have legs like steel, and can survive without food or water for ten days straight. They’re amazing!”. I wasn’t shocked. Living with him for about a decade, his random facts, jokes, and pranks would entertain and endear some, and scare others away!

We’d both grown accustomed to what we called people’s ‘what the hell?!’ faces that would be pulled when he’d volunteer some off-beat information or made an off-the-wall joke. He had Mercury in Gemini and he just couldn’t bear to live without humor. He also couldn’t stand people who didn’t have a good sense of it. Humor and laughter were a massive part of his existence, and honestly, I think without it, he wouldn’t have been able to get through his life—the first half of which was tough.

I think that if you’ve got a lot of Gemini in your chart, or a significant placement like this one, you need to have a laugh a day. Or else, for the more sober and discerning Geminian types, there should be plenty of mental stimulation. Both types should ideally learn something — possibly anything — new, and have some fun, each and every day.

Since Mercury co-rules this sign, its influence becomes magnified here. And since Gemini’s forever mantra is ‘variety is the spice of life’, these natives tend to think, and talk, about a lot of different things. Many times, you’ll find that they’re still curious about the world around them, no matter their age. Most subjects interest them, and over time, they gather a great deal of knowledge on many different subjects. They often enjoy discussing things that interest them, especially with equally curious and intellectual people.

I think they often feel compelled to share their knowledge. I’d frequently refer to my ex as a walking encyclopaedia as he just knew so much stuff. A friend of mine with a Gemini stellium on his chart has more hobbies than three people could have in a lifetime. He loves chatting about his latest one with anyone who he thinks will be receptive to it. Lately, his curious nature has lead him to explore hypnosis which is a far cry from his day job as a plumber. And that’s the thing about those with this placement — their interests range very far and wide.

Quick, Quirky Communication

In all my years of observing people, I’ve noticed that you never quite know where the conversation will go with them. You could start chatting about what you had for lunch and a few minutes later, you’re discussing the mountains of Arizona. Of course this happens generally, no matter what someone’s chart looks like, but with these natives, it tends to happen more often — and more abruptly. Sometimes, so abruptly, that you wonder how the two subjects could possibly be related, how you got there, and how you’ll get out! But fear not, because this is part of their unique charm. And it means that there’s rarely a dull moment when you’re interacting with them.

My good friend of mine with this placement, a fine art restorer, often goes off on interesting tangents when we’re chatting. Recently, we were talking about her upcoming vacation in Europe but just a few minutes in and the conversation switched to carol singing. It was July. To most people, there appears to be a real disconnect between the subjects but I don’t think these natives see it that way at all. In all their glorious wisdom, the dots connect perfectly in their minds. And why not?

Talking very quickly is also characteristic of this placement. Their minds work fast and they often have lot of different ideas at once. A friend of my mom’s, a semi-retired electrician in his 80s, is a Taurus with this placement. He talks at great speed and loves sharing fond memories of his youth. After coming round to fix some light or another, he often ends up staying so late talking about various things that he ends up having dinner with her. He’ll show her lots of photos on his phone of what he used to look like, and what it was like being a teddy boy in East London back in the rock and roll 50s. It’s fascinating.

Restlessness can arise as with any strong Gemini or Virgo placement. Mercurial energy is a little nervy as it is, and when it’s in a sign of rulership, that normally increases its influence unless there are contra-indicators present in the chart. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing; if they can’t sit still for too long, or remain focused for prolonged periods of time, they may end up later in life with more lived experiences and more general knowledge than the next person. Remember when I said that variety is the spice of life? Well, part of that means satisfying their appetite for learning.

Since Gemini is quick, as is Mercury, this combination often creates quick thinking. They tend to generate a great number of ideas during conversations, while day dreaming, or even while carrying out simple tasks like picking up the kids from school, vacuuming or buying groceries.

There’s often an air of comedy in the things they say — sometimes even when they don’t mean to be funny. Sometimes the things they say just have a way of coming across as comedic. But, a lot of the time, they do mean to have a laugh. They do mean to say funny, or even hilarious, things for their own entertainment and for others. Being a highly sociable sign, they do like to gossip. Perhaps not as much as Cancer, but they do. Depending on what else lies in the chart, this may be harmless gossip, or even complimentary, or it may be more on the mean side.

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