Jupiter in Gemini: Expanding unexpected horizons

This composite includes the four largest moons of Jupiter which are known as the Galilean satellites. The Galilean satellites were first seen by the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610. Shown from left to right in order of increasing distance from Jupiter, Io is closest, followed by Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Photo: NASA
This composite includes the four largest moons of Jupiter which are known as the Galilean satellites. The Galilean satellites were first seen by the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610. Shown from left to right in order of increasing distance from Jupiter, Io is closest, followed by Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Photo: NASA

Yesterday we mentioned that Jupiter changed signs. It will be in Gemini for the next year. Some of you know that Jupiter is said to be ‘in detriment’ in its new placement in Gemini. This is a reference to ancient astrology. It sounds like it might be a problem, but is it really? We’ve done some research into the question.

David Arner, Eric’s astrology teacher, said that, “Anything in detriment just makes it more interesting. Being in detriment in Gemini means that Jupiter is being filtered through a lens opposite one of its own signs (Sagittarius, where it thrives). Often what’s bad for the planet is good for the person with the placement.”

Jupiter and one of its big moons, Io.

He continued, “If Jupiter is about expanding one’s horizons, with it in detriment it’s going to expand the horizons in unexpected ways. You get everything that’s not in accordance with the norm. Jupiter is still itself; it just does things in ways that are more interesting because it doesn’t have the kind of reinforcement that it would get in its home sign. As a result, a planet in detriment needs to be more creative. And that is what makes it interesting.”

Here is a worldly example. Let’s say you choose a new apartment with a quirky layout because it’s a ‘fun design challenge’. That in turn causes you to make bolder-than-usual decorating choices, and suddenly you find yourself diving into a new artistic hobby or hosting frequent dinner parties.

Or even more organically, it’s like how some herbs actually achieve greater potency form having to grow in less-than-ideal soil. The extra push it takes just to live gets transmuted into an intensified expression of other desirable qualities. You could also say Jupiter brings something exotic to the neighborhood.

The thing about Jupiter in Gemini, though, is that this creative push and extra effort is not usually highly focused. It tends to be diffuse. Left to its own devices, this can keep Jupiter’s energy to rather superficial use. With a little awareness and conscious effort (or mitigating aspects from other planets in a natal chart), the need to direct one’s energy in several directions can be turned to an advantage.

Take, for instance, the chart of Charles Dickens, whom we profiled this winter. Dickens has Jupiter in Gemini high up in his chart. He was far from a dilettante or an intellectual snob; rather, he was a prolific writer and speaks in common language of common struggles – tales many still love to read. You cannot say it’s a detriment in his case. Dickens opens up a whole world to the world in great detail. In Sagittarius it would not have worked; he would have held too many judgments and not given enough attention to detail.

Dale O’Brien describes that dynamic this way: “Jupiter, (equivalent to the Greek god Zeus), was/is Lord of the Heavens, and is most happy higher up, in wide open space, where ‘The Big Picture’ is clear as day. … When Jupiter is in Sagittarius, Jupiter only has to answer to, and take into account, himself.”

He continues, “Fire sign Sagittarius indicates upward (vertical) mobility (fire’s flame always goes up). Air sign Gemini indicates horizontal mobility, as the breezy winds of air blow every which way. When Jupiter is in Gemini, Jupiter has to answer to and take into account the ever-changing input of Mercury.”

Mercury’s swift travels grant mobility; Gemini’s twin symbol indicates duality. Then Jupiter comes along, expanding everything, and two sides to the coin are simultaneously not quite enough and not really at odds with each other. Eric has noted that, “basically the overall theme of Jupiter in Gemini is not duplicity or dualism or duality — it’s multiplicity and diversity. Jupiter has 66 satellites.”

We can take a cue from this factual, physical reality of Jupiter and understand that to have 66 satellites, Jupiter’s influence (gravity) must be working on all those bodies all at once – if not equally, then in proportion to each satellite’s mass. Consider how you might do this in your own life: you may not be able to dabble in everything to the same degree, but as long as each endeavor gets your attention relative to its importance in your life, you may find yourself at the center of your own little solar system, humming along.

As for the two sides of the coin not being at odds, Alice A. Bailey in Esoteric Astrology writes that in a natal chart, Jupiter in a Gemini ascendant indicates the ability to “attain the conscious integration of soul and spirit.”

That is, Jupiter actually helps to resolve the duality of that sign. It’s a level of integration that may be a little trickier to grasp, but you get the basic point: unification and multiplicity are two ways to work with the seeming challenge of duality — and we’ll be exploring these ideas and a few others concerning this transit in the coming days and weeks.

19 thoughts on “Jupiter in Gemini: Expanding unexpected horizons”

  1. The midpoints between Pluto and Saturn right now are 0 Sagittarius and Gemini. I was wondering how Jupiter would express that combined energy and then lo and behold, tonight the fellow subbing for Rachel Maddow led with a story about all the water main breaks in big cities that have been happening recently, causing delayed traffic among the many problems such 40 to 80 year old crumbling water pipes can cause.

    Well now, you got your Saturn structures and you got Pluto breaking down structures and you got Jupiter at the Pluto-Saturn midpoint of 0 Gemini making a TV news story about the myriad (Gemini) water main breaks, and then the substitute for Rachel is telling us the big picture (Jupiter). . the how and the why this is happening and the solution to fixing it and why, politically, it ain’t happening.

    But what about the water itself? Yeah, that would be Chiron in Pisces sextile Pluto in Cap. doing his thing about repeating and repeating until people become conscious of what they need to be conscious of. A “wound” in the water delivery system if you will. Then there is Neptune working his way back to 0 Pisces to square that 0 Gemini degree where Jupiter is now, who provides us the big picture in lots of individual pieces; puzzle like. It is also the degree where the Solar Eclipse was on May 20; at 0 Gemini while Pallas Athene (the strategist and planner) was sextile at 0 Aries (or the famous Aries Point where the personal is political), where new beginnings start. But the Sun which provides the symbol of our conscious awareness was temporarily blocked; hidden by the Moon, the symbol for our feelings and habits and needs. But there was also Mars; in Virgo and direct now, and opposing Chiron and Neptune, but forming a grand earth trine (as in ‘where the pipes are buried’) with Vesta (investing) in Taurus ($$$) and Pluto (disintegrating) in Cap (structures). Mars in Virgo was giving specific details of tonight’s news story as he opposed the water wound Chiron while trining the investment wherewithal Vesta and the crumbling infrastructure of water delivery, Pluto in Cap.

    Jupiter will move on from 0 Gemini but the Solar Eclipse degree of 0 Gemini will linger for a while as eclipses always do. Pluto and Saturn will also move their midpoints as the days move on. Still though, keep in mind that by this December Pluto and Saturn will be sextile after Saturn moves into Scorpio, a water sign all about hiding things. By that time Jupiter will be retro in Gemini and will form a Yod aspect with the sextiling Saturn and Pluto. Opposite Jupiter, during Christmas week is Venus (what we love) in Sagittarius, and she’s opposite the pointy end of the yod. Neptune will be at 0 Pisces too and square the Solar Eclipse degree (still active I’m sure) of 0 Gemini. On Christmas Day, the Moon will conjunct it. On the day after Christmas the Sun will square Uranus. Surprise!

    What a terrible time to be without running water.
    be

  2. I got to thinking back to Jupiter’s last visit to Gemini. I had just recovered use of my left leg after two years of surgery, p.t., and complications, inability to walk, etc. On July 3, 2000, the week I think Jupiter ingressed Gemini, a car came around a corner from behind me and hit me on my bicycle. Less than a month later, on a vacation to Alaska, my hubby and I bought a house in Alaska on impulse, which lead to moving there in 2004. We came out ok and had the experience of living in ALaska 6 years but I’m just relieved to have survived it all and to now be in Colorado, a place I love! So looking back at the last Jupiter in Gemini, gives me pause!
    Chief, sounds like Jupiter took you for a ride in 2000 as well! It should be an interesting year with all the other added aspects!

  3. I am happy to note that I have had regular repetition of the number 66 in my life for sometime. From here forward I will embrace that as Jupiter-ian.

    And lovely this; “in detriment it’s going to expand the horizons in unexpected ways” – with so very much unexpected going on in every direction, I am finding that past 12 years of eye-of-the-storm experience is now allowing me to hold space for goals while allowing space for alternative ways to get there/manifestations – and not be shocked or swayed when things don’t go “as planned”.

    And if this be true, this idea of the more interesting the room, the more creative the parties or the more difficult the rocky soil, the more delictible the determined plant — then wow oh wow, I must be one heckuvan interesting person!

    lol! xo Thank you for an enlightening and helpful piece.

  4. Personal notes on Jupiter in Gemini:

    I have Venus at 1.51; Sun at 8.21; Mercury at 22+; and Midheaven at 24+ of Gemini. Last time Jupiter pulled through (2000-2001) I divorced my daughter’s mom and got involved in a new relationship; and left a long time professional relationship and began working on my own. In both situations I had to give up something in order for a new a better reality to emerge into my life. Change for the better but not without consequence, I knew they were coming peripherally, if I were more clear in myself I would have seen the changes more clearly. I get to see what I’ve learned since then.

    Now Jupiter is back and my gut feeling is that new adventures await! Having Venus dancing through Gemini makes this time even more interesting, of course.

  5. Thank you, Planet Waves Daily Astrology for a sublime and subtile jewel of a piece with fascinating quotes from great astrologers. Form and function once again demonstrated in a revealing manner.

  6. HS, thank you just listened to the Jupiter sounds.  So Meditative, relaxing. Amazing!  I had no idea.  To me it sounded so similar to underwater whale sounds.  And now, in writting this -instantly here it just came to mind a dream i had, many years ago, of flying whales in the sky.   It was one of the most impressionable, beautiful impacting image dreams I had ever had.  Hey through this, thanks for lifting up for me. 

    PS

  7. Eric, loved this analogy…”organically, it’s like how some herbs actually achieve greater potency form having to grow in less-than-ideal soil. The extra push it takes just to live gets transmuted into an intensified expression of other desirable qualities.”.  

    My business is in the wine industry, and as such the study of Viticulture.   When a vine is a bit stressed or in various microclimates it is often regarded as producing the most complex and concentrated fruit.

    Open and looking forward to experiencing the unexpected, interesting horizons this influence in ‘detriment’ will bring!   

    Please know, continuing to appreciate your insightful words and heads up.

    HS, thank you just listened to the Jupiter sounds.  So Meditative, relaxing i closed my eyes. Amazing!  I had no idea.  To me it sounded so similar to underwater whale sounds.  And now, in writting this -instantly here it just came to mind a dream i had, many years ago, of flying whales in the sky.   It was one of the most impressionable, beautiful impacting image dreams I had ever had.  Hey through this, thanks for lifting up for me. 

    PS

  8. Eric, loved this analogy…”organically, it’s like how some herbs actually achieve greater potency form having to grow in less-than-ideal soil. The extra push it takes just to live gets transmuted into an intensified expression of other desirable qualities.”.  

    My business is in the wine industry, and as such the study of Viticulture.   When a vine is a bit stressed or in various microclimates it is often regarded as producing the most complex and concentrated fruit.

    Open and looking forward to experiencing the unexpected, interesting horizons this influence in ‘detriment’ will bring!   

    Please know, continuing to appreciate your insightful words and heads up.

  9. and lastly, my favourite Jupiter sound of all time:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyZ4dW2cxNg

    I first heard this when Jupiter was in Pisces (2010). Everything became alive in a way I will never forget. Every ripple of the lake surface vibrated this cosmic energy.

    Thanks for allowing me to share these here PW! Enjoy!

  10. As a Gemini, interesting that in the past week I’ve been drawn to the (Jungian) image of a cross with an yin/yang symbol in the middle. In my meditation the vertical and horizontal lines are converging within me. Thanks for the insights!

  11. My first question was, “what is the difference between a moon and a satellite?” which got me searching this morning. Then I wondered, why do we call our moon, the Moon, yet we name other moons specifically? As curious humans, we seemingly want order, to compartmentalize information, so why not the moon? Or is this just lunacy?

    Hail Jupiter! and its 66 satellites. The ultimate energy “juggler”? If only…I trip over my own two feet.

Leave a Comment