Air is the third of the elements in the series, it is ubiquitous… we depend on its existence and yet we can do nothing more than observe the secondary expression of it as evidence of its presence. All we have are words… to convey the essence of Air, the idea. What is being expressed in words is essentially intangible, ethereal, fleeting, abstract and precise; it is thought.
Ancient texts remind us that ‘In the beginning was the word…’, which is necessarily propelled by air, vibrating the tissue of the larynx. Before the formation of words was the idea… Air might be equated to ‘before the beginning.’
Air as breath, In-spirit-us, Inspiration and our direct communion with Spirit. Birds are commonly associated with Air, their feathers represent the effect of air and its possibilities, they are masters of the invisible realm and invite our imaginations to soar to the heights. Air IS the space between…
Gemini, Libra and Aquarius – Ideas, Connection and Abstraction
GEMINI (the first air sign), is synonymous with communication.
Ruled by Mercury, the God of Communication, Gemini possesses a multiplicity of gifts. Trickster and truth teller, mover between all the worlds, Gemini is a traveller and story teller, gathering, as a magpie, every idea without prejudice or loyalty, and then putting it down again! Following on from Taurus, the earthy representative of WHAT IS, Gemini introduces the possibility of WHAT IS AND WHAT IS NOT. The glyph is comprised of two parallel lines, joined at the top and the bottom and destined never to meet.
Associated with The Twins, this is the first symbol to introduce duality into consciousness, Shadow and Light. The constant exchange of ideas and perspective happens at lightening speed and as the two pillars cannot meet (they are fixed on parallel paths) in fact, ultimately Mercury’s realm is ‘the Space Between’. If we consider the anatomy of the brain with it’s left and right hemispheres, it is as if there is no bridge between the parts and so the messenger, Gemini, is dispatched to make the link.
Chatty, articulate, restless, impulsive, playful, intelligent, entertaining and charming Gemini is the ultimate social butterfly. Gemini is keen to explore and is a perennial gatherer of ideas, people, and experiences without the need to cling to any of them. They are orators of great persuasive power, politicians in every sense of the word!
Provocative, deceitful, mischievous and conniving ‘the game is the thing’ and so they are not to be depended upon. Seldom malicious there is a curious neutrality to Gemini.
A characteristic that is often overlooked with this fast-paced character is the silence. In contrast to the witty public persona, Gemini also has the capacity and, indeed, need to retreat to an inner world of silent contemplation and reception.
LIBRA
Following the discerning endeavours of Mercury in earthy Virgo, Libra develops the ‘idea’ and ‘exchange’ of Gemini’s communication to the contemplation of opposites and thus, the pursuit of balance. The wheat has been sorted from the chaff and divided, Libra now steps in to weigh the merits of each, one from the other. Just as the glyph for Gemini represents the eternal non-union of opposites, Libra is charged with the task of RELATING them to one another and the symbol for Libra turns the pillars of Gemini on their side conjuring a horizontal expression of exchange.
Venus as the ruler of Libra invites a different quality of expression than we saw in Taurus. She is now in her guise of relationship, mediating, managing, adjusting, tuning and refining any imbalance perceived in view of the duality revealed by Gemini, the first Air sign. She is the ‘voice’ of reason.
Libra also marks the first opposition of the zodiac, as it is placed directly across from Aries. The age old love tussle between action and relating, will and harmony is the hallmark of the Aries/Libra axis. It is the Equinox point, a time of balancing opposites. It is easy to mistake Libra’s dedication to bi-partisanship for indecisiveness. However, Libra is every bit as active as Aries insofar as she is constantly adjusting, refining and fine-tuning the dynamics of balance.
Pleasing, beautiful, gracious, balanced, refined and discriminating. Libra’s iteration of discrimination is not about discarding or rejecting (based on utility, as with Virgo) but seeking the counterpoint that contributes to representation of ‘the Whole’.
Argumentative and oppositional Libra can sometimes be seen to be contrarian though far from the desire to sow discord, Libra is passionate about BOTH sides being fairly represented. The symbol of The Scales is the only inanimate symbol in the zodiac which indicates the abstract, airy and dispassionate quality of Justice. FAIRNESS and reason are the by-words for Libra and she’ll fight to the death for it.
AQUARIUS
Aquarius is the final chapter in the story of Air. If Gemini is what went ‘before’, Libra is how to relate to what is ‘now’, then Aquarius is undoubtedly ushering in the future. It follows the ultimate realisation of earth (Capricorn) and tips us into ‘what is next?!’
Capricorn and Aquarius are both ruled by Saturn, but with a twist… Aquarius enjoys dual rulership including Uranus. If Saturn (in Capricorn) is about rules, boundaries, material evidence and authority imposed from above and without, Aquarius takes it to the next level by internalising the authority, emerging as an inner-orientation based upon principles and concepts rather than physical structures, tradition or force. Uranus, as a planet has a very eccentric elliptic, the irregularity of this path is a perfect allegory for the nature of Aquarius.
Distant, cool, dispassionate and seemingly at a remove from the drama of human existence (disconnected?), Aquarius can be inscrutable, sometimes cruel. Alien, Other, different and unpredictable there is a sense of rogue boundlessness to the sign of the Water Bearer. The symbol is sometimes misunderstood to signify that Aquarius is a water sign, in fact, the wave like symbol represents radio waves or frequency underscoring its capacity for instantaneous transmission. Air creates no impediment to movement and thoughts occur at lightening speed.
Aquarius has an innate ability to see the BIG PICTURE, unclouded by emotions, material concerns and passions. This perspective invites us to enlarge our perspective and to move into a kind of timeless space. Uranus, the ruling planet, is also known as the Great Awakener, and so with sudden flashes of insight and awareness, direct knowing is afforded, lending the label of Genius to the Water bearer. The all-inclusive nature of Aquarius extends to all that is, humanity and all of creation and the most treasured value is FREEDOM. The concept of what is possible and thinking beyond what is known, the development of technology and space exploration are very much within the scope of Aquarius’ purview.
Air, the invisible link… free and unimpeded, unformed and abstract, ever present.
COMMUNITY NOTES! In keeping with the theme of The Space In Between, my friend and colleague is hosting a Summer Solstice Day Retreat
Honouring and celebrating the magic of Summer Solstice 2025 with Emma Kerr (Somatic movement), Lisa Sibley (Breathwork) and Marlow Purves (Astrology)
A day of Meditation, intention, ritual and deep relaxation with a Sound Bath to conclude.
Refreshments and lunch are included, all the be shared in the beautiful Anstey hall, Trumpington, Cambridge. Hope to see you there!!
https://spiritandsoulwellness.as.me/schedule/4ac86a14/?appointmentTypelds%5B%5D=78463248
marlowpurves.net 