According to Safron Rossi, astrologer and mythologist at Pacifica Graduate Institute, the psychologists James Hillman and Carl Jung were fascinated with the tension of opposites and the unions of ‘the same’. Astrologically, this equates to zodiacal signs in opposition to each other. This duality provides essential information about the qualities you need to bring into balance in your life. 

At first, this seems an impossible task; after all opposites are, well, opposites, right? Do not underestimate the tension inherent in confronting that which we are not (i.e. the ‘other’). Keep in mind that the zodiac signs that play a prominent part in your charts format your perceptions of life. Yet another person will see things differently than do you. Can you both be right? 

The short answer is yes. It is your job to constructively engage with this tension. When you do, you will have taken your first step toward psychological wholeness. This is because the themes inherent in the opposites of polarity not only highlight your blind spots but also offer hidden gifts.

For example, my Moon, representing how I nourish self and soul, is in Gemini. My Jupiter, representing my view of how I fit into the  bigger picture, is also in that zodiac sign. Because Gemini is ruled by Hermes, the winged messenger god, themes of connection and movement are key to my place in the world. Messengers make connections by moving messages. Messages are composed of thoughts, words, and ideas. Through moving thoughts, words, and ideas, messengers connect with people in ways that allow ‘the next move to be made’. 

In Gemini, these connections are oft accomplished through the telling of stories, stories that give shape to personal experience in ways that benefit self and others. Archetypal themes for Gemini include duality and opposition. Yet making connections between that which would appear to share little like sale and pepper or hot and cold was never going to be easy.

Thank goodness Hermes is a trickster god. A trickster is a character in a story who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherwise disobey normal rules and defy conventional behaviour.

Thus by his nature, Hermes cannot be as concerned with actual facts as he is with uncovering essential truths, truths, which will reveal themselves though symbols. With my Gemini energy, it’s my job to reveal these essential truths through telling stories laden with symbols.

Gemini may be excellent at collecting and moving thoughts, words, and ideas (i.e. making connections), but not so great at making sense of it all. This is where Sagittarius, the archetypal philosopher, comes in. Hermes is an indiscriminate messenger: he cares only that the connection is made and the message delivered. By contrast, Sagittarius, ruled by Zeus, the King of the Olympians, is tasked with bringing order to the cosmos.

Unfortunately I have no planets in Sagittarius. 

But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate what that energy can bring to the proverbial table. It is for this reason that (in true Gemini fashion), I’m addicted to taking philosophy courses. Within a few days, I’ll be starting yet another, Philosophy and Poetry, compliments of the University of Oxford. The course programme promises ‘an exciting journey in a search of a hidden and deeper affinities between philosophy and poetry with the aim of broadening our understanding of their unique aims but also of their interconnectedness.’ 

If like me, you’re interested in how poetry (and fiction) can contribute to bringing order to the cosmos, stay tuned!