Jupiter in Gemini: Expanding Our Creativity

Jupiter moves into Gemini on May 30th at 18:34 CDT—which is a Thursday here in the U.S., day of Jupiter, the Guru. Jupiter is the planet of expansion, growth, wisdom, knowledge, the guru or teacher (as well as father in some regard), and is considered the most benefic planet of the nine because he most always gives positive results. Sometimes his results may not seem positive at the outset, but often he provides a silver lining or some protection ultimately in the long run. I like to think of Jupiter as a provider— the planet who offers us support and some sense of ultimate comfort because he gives us awareness and expanded thought. Awareness and personal expansion are powerful tools if used properly.

In the Vedic understanding, Jupiter is like the glue that holds everything together, a binder, a connector, and he relies on akasha (space) to transmit, transform, expand and give his abundant knowledge. He loves ritual, tradition, lineage and the knowledge passed down from generation to generation; as a result, he maintains dharma. He is peaceful, non-violent (ahimsa) and does not use force or violence to overcome his enemies; instead he uses his abilities to transform negatives into positives through his own virtue. There is a story of Jupiter (as Brihaspati) turning all the asuras (demons) into devas (gods). He turned himself into an asura-guru and was able to convert all the bad qualities of the demons into favorable ones. We can use this analogy as bad thoughts (demons) being overcome by good thoughts (devas) to see how Jupiter and his abilities are instrumental in the personal transformation process. This is an essential understanding of his nature and his abilities.

His sattva (purity) is a sustaining force that brings happiness, grace and peace with him. He can also bring wealth and luck wherever he is placed in one’s chart if other indications support this. Wherever Jupiter is, he enhances and supports the other grahas (planets) and the house where he is placed, unless there is harm to him, then he will not be able to fully express his abilities, nor offer his full support. Rahu will ruin Jupiter’s sattvic nature and destroys that which he values most. Jupiter may be able to soften Rahu, but Rahu’s nature taints Jupiter’s benefic, spiritual qualities. Where Jupiter is placed in the birth chart, and whatever influences are effecting Jupiter, will give insight into what an individual values most and what the tendencies for knowledge and growth are.

In Jyotish, we see the Sun as the maha (great) soul  of all, but Jupiter is actually considered the support to the soul, the individual soul (Jivatma), the container that holds the life force of the body and therefor provides the existence of the being. He is our guru (teacher) and guide, the advisor who gives us knowledge and wisdom, growth and expansion, and connects us to our dharma (purpose). He removes darkness, ignorance, and aligns us with the higher realms, the positive tendencies of the mind and he connects us to the divine intelligence which is all pervasive. The extent to which we can perceive this divine existence directly speaks to our relationship with the guru, Jupiter. If he is balanced he brings harmony, if imbalanced we see laziness and lethargy— missed opportunities for life and living.

It takes Jupiter one year generally to transit through each of the signs of the zodiac. He is heavy and Kapha in nature (the elements of earth and water) and thus slow to move (Saturn is the slowest, taking 2.5 years for each of his transits). Jupiter moves into Gemini after being in Taurus for the last year and will stir feelings of big change for each of us as a result. Taurus is an earth sign (Kapha), ruled by Venus (passion, romance, creativity), Gemini, however, is an air sign (Vata), ruled by Mercury (mind, communication, intellect). As an air sign, Gemini is connected to movement, change, communication, connection and mental fluctuations.

There will likely be more movement in all things Jupiter—knowledge, wisdom, counsel, support, wealth, guidance, etc. The good news is that Mercury, who owns Gemini, is neutral to Jupiter. The bad news is that Jupiter is not friends with Mercury and he will be transiting an abode of Mercury. Their natures seem to oppose each other: Mercury as air and Jupiter as earth/water. Mercury is fast and changes quickly, whereas Jupiter is slower and more methodical.

Our challenge over the course of the next year will be to find balance and create harmony between these two energies. There will be a particular need to harmonize the mind and intelligence, knowledge and wisdom, with many changes and fluctuation simultaneously. The mind may turn to doubting, pessimism, negativity, overwhelm, if out of balance. Jupiter can be the stabilizing force that will be available for us in order to find our support, grounding and an increase in awareness and understanding.

Gemini is connected to the number three and naturally rules over third house matters. Courage, bravery, self-initiated actions, effort, siblings, arms, shoulders, hands, bad and foolish thoughts or habits, power, intensity, servants, support, teachings of the guru, short journey’s, death of parent’s, communication, the arts, creating with the hands, hearing, mental confusion, advice, clothing, assistants, friends and stamina are all third house matters. Gemini and its Mercurial nature offer a bit of mischief, a quirky and social expression, a humorous disposition and a strong inclination with speaking, writing and the arts.

Your rising sign will determine the placement of Gemini in your natal chart. The planets influencing Gemini, as well as the location of Mercury in your natal chart, will refine the meanings of third house matters for you and the experience of this Jupiter transit. These details are essential when trying to understand how this transit will affect you and what your personal experience may be. (I offer a some insights for each sign below.)

Another refinement tool that offers insight into how the transit of Jupiter will affect us is through the lens of the nakshatras. It is important for us to be following the movements of Mercury this next year as Jupiter will be intimately connected to him; they will be influencing each other, and finding their dance together as they move through the zodiac. Jupiter will be moving more slowly and will pass through three different nakshatras as he moves through Gemini. Currently Jupiter is in Mrgashirsha, ruled by Soma (divine nectar and also another name for the Moon) and is ruled by the planet Mars. On June 28th, Jupiter moves to Ardra nakshatra—ruled by Rudra, the storm god and also Rahu, the north node shadow planet. Jupiter stays in Ardra until September 1st, when he moves to Punarvasu, ruled by the mother of all goodness, Aditi, and the benefic planet Jupiter.

The game changer this year happens when Jupiter goes retrograde on November 6th. His backward dance will put him back in Ardra, the stormy Rudra nakshatra, on January 16th of 2014. And even though Jupiter goes direct on March 6th, the weeks of moving in reverse will keep him in Ardra until April 24th, 2014. Luckily, he will finish out his Gemini transit in Punarvasu after that before moving to his sign of exaltation, Cancer, on June 18th 2014. Many of us are looking forward to his 2014 transit which offers promises of real expansion on many levels of existence. But that is getting ahead of ourselves! The transit of Jupiter through Ardra nakshatra is likely to be an unpredictable time. Rudra energy stirs things up, brings storms and calamities, has great movement connected with it, and ultimately offers big changes as a result.

For now, we must keep our attention on balancing the mind and the knowledge and wisdom that will be presenting it self. The resources and expansion coming to us will no doubt be preparation for the next Jupiter transit through Cancer—a time that will allow us to maximize this new found awareness.

As an artist, yogi and a business woman, I am looking forward to what this Jupiter/Gemini transit will offer. I am expecting creative expansion for all of us—on a myriad of levels—depending on our set of desires and karmas. For those inclined towards the arts and expressing the creative impulses of nature, Gemini will bring us new momentum, creativity and the ability to communicate in new ways. Simultaneously with this experience of Jupiter in Gemini, we will likely see an enhanced growth capacity, experience more support, and be able to perceive our divine gifts more clearly, as well as have insight into how to maximize our creative expression more fully. Many of us as artists, healers and mystics have incarnated to restore our family dharma and return the lineage to a more intuitive, conscious way of life. This Jupiter transit will help those of us here to expand creatively and intuitively in preparation for increasing our ability to offer our services and support to others in the next phase of activation.

For all of us, these words are key: maximize creative expression.

What does that mean for you? How will you maximize and express your creativity more fully? What channels will be more open in order to support and encourage growth, change, creative fluidity and greater creative harmony? This will be a cycle of sharpening our tools, enhancing the tools already in our tool kit, and gaining new knowledge in order to utilize these tools properly.

Look for art to be more spiritual and knowledge to be connected to the arts. This will be a big year for areas of study like expressive art therapy and body-centered approaches to the expressive arts. Intersections of knowledge and psychology that involve creativity, artistry, communication, the hands and so on will become more prevalent. Exciting for those of us already working within this field and wanting others to catch on to the abundant growth, healing and awareness it can offer.

Though each unique chart will indicate specific experiences for the individual, I offer a few tendencies for each rising sign here to give you an idea of how the upcoming transit may effect you. For deeper insights and specific questions, please contact me for a session. And of course, follow my daily Moon Mind posts + articles and updates for ongoing insights and understandings.

Aries: Jupiter will be transiting your 3rd house. Effort, courage, creativity and artistry will be enhanced. Jupiter’s drishti will offer expansion through relationships, “others,” business, friendships, gains, and spiritual knowledge, dharma, father and guru.

Taurus: Jupiter will be transiting your 2nd house and will highlight issues of support, security, wealth, early childhood experiences and close family, as well as throat, voice and singing. By drishti, Jupiter will impact issues of healing and health, especially in regard to digestion, the unknown and mystical realms, enemies, servants, pets, death, debt, loss, career, offering of dharma.

Gemini: Jupiter will be transiting your 1st house giving expansion in self, inner knowledge and support as well as increased creativity and wisdom. By dristhi he will give activate experiences with education and higher knowledge, purva punya (past life credit), children, passion, relationships, “others,” teachers, gurus and guides as well as dharma and father.

Cancer: Jupiter will be transiting your 12th house of loss, endings, renunciation, moksha, liberation, foreign travels. His drishti will enliven experiences with healing, enemies, servants, pets, bad habits, digestion, mother, land, emotions, home, debt, the unknown, death, occult and mystical experiences.

Leo: Jupiter will be transiting your 11th house of gains, friendships, accomplishments, income. By drishti, Jupiter will activate creativity, artistry, working with hands, personal power and bravery, higher learning, romance, children, relationships, 2nd chakra issues, purva punya (past life credits) and navigating experiences with “others.”

Virgo: Jupiter will be transiting your 10th house of career, offerings, occupation, biological father. By drishti, Jupiter will impact issues with comfort, support, wealth, early childhood experiences, voice, throat, healing and digestion, enemies, bad habits, servants, pets, as well as mother, emotions, land, home and heart.

Libra: Jupiter will be transiting your 9th house of guru, teacher, dharma, higher knowledge and male/father figures. Through drishti, Jupiter will impact your artistry, creativity, hands, courage and self-action, self-growth, higher education, passion, purva punya (past life credit) and children.

Scorpio: Jupiter will be transiting your 8th house. Knowledge of the unknown, mystical and occult knowledge as well as the portal to the past will be activated as well as issues with debt, loss and vulnerability. By drishti, Jupiter will impact issues with comfort, support, early childhood, voice, throat, home, mother, moksha, emotions, liberation, foreign travel, renunciation and endings.

Sagittarius: Jupiter will be transiting your 7th house of “other” as well as relationships and spouse. By drishti, he will expand self-awareness, knowledge, offer gains, friendships, creativity, courage and personal effort. Working with hands will be highly activated as well as 2nd chakra matters.

Capricorn: Jupiter will be transiting your 6th house of healing, enemies, bad habits, pets, servants and digestion. By drishti he will enliven issues with endings, loss, renunciation, moksha and liberation, support, voice, throat, early childhood experiences, wealth, career and occupation as well as foreign travel.

Aquarius: Jupiter will be transiting your 5th house of higher learning, children and passion as well as purva punya (past life credit). By drishti, Jupiter will activate knowledge of the self, wisdom, gains, friendships, wealth, guru, teacher, dharma, father, intelligence.

Pisces: Jupiter will be transiting your 4th house of mother, earth, emotions, moksha, land, home and heart. By his drishti, Jupiter will impact issues of liberation, renunciation, endings, loss, foreign lands, the unknown, mystical and occult subjects, past lives and past experiences, death, debt, vulnerability.

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Ed: Brianna Bemel