The Mercury Signs: Gemini and Virgo
Modern astrologers deal with a sky full of objects. There are planets, planetoids, asteroids and moons galore; so many that we can’t even name them all. Ancient astrologers, on the other hand, only had what they could see with the naked eye. They had the Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. Therefore, when they were assigning rulerships to the twelve signs of the zodiac, the planets had to do double duty. That’s how it came about the Mercury rules both the Air sign Gemini and the Earth sign Virgo.
The difference between Mercury ruled Gemini and Mercury ruled Virgo provides us with an interesting example of how the same astrological symbol can function differently in different circumstances. Mercury rules communication and problem-solving, and we can see these qualities in both Gemini and Virgo people. However, each sign has a different way of expressing these traits.
Communication often takes the foremost place with Gemini. Gemini people are great talkers, and not just because they like to hear the sound of their own voices. Gemini talk is about persuasion. It’s about understanding. It’s about getting to know how things and people work. Gemini folks tend to see the world as a flow of information, and they excel at riding the crests and ebbs of that ever-changing flow.
For Virgo, communication is more about facilitating. What they have to say is less important than getting the information to places where it can be put to use. Virgos can be original thinkers, but they don't get caught up in their own cleverness. Instead, they gauge the value of their ideas, and the ideas of other people, by how well they work in the real world.
Problem-solving is the primary Mercury function for Virgos. Virgo people are never more content than when they’re untangling a messy situation, usually one caused by someone who is not as practical and detail conscious as they are. You won’t find many Virgos who will admit this, of course, and most will have something caustic to say about why it’s always them who get called upon the sort out these disasters. But it is in these moments that Virgos really shine.
Geminis also excel at problem-solving. The difference is that Geminis tend to be a little cocky about their problem-solving abilities. They are more apt to brag and promote their intellectual superiority. Virgos let their work do the talking. Also, Gemini people are attracted to puzzles and brain-teasers of all sorts, while Virgos rarely waste their energy on any problem-solving that doesn’t have a practical outcome.
There are other similarities and contrasts. Both signs are curious, but Gemini’s curiosity ranges far and wide, while Virgo’s stays close to earthly concerns. Both signs get nervous when their intellects aren’t actively engages. Gemini exhibits this nervousness through pointless yakking about anything and everything. Virgo pours that nervous energy into whiney complaints and criticism of everyone and everything that isn’t Virgo-like. But I think you get the point. Though Gemini and Virgo share the same symbolic root (Mercury) they take that energy in entirely different directions.
What are your thoughts about Mercury and these two signs? Do the Geminis out there ever feel a kinship with the Virgos, and vice versa? We always look forward to your comments.
