Calling All Gemini Risings — Here's What To Know About This Placement + How To Thrive

Your rising sign, also known as your "ascendant," is the zodiac sign that was rising over the eastern horizon the moment you were born. Where your sun sign relates to the position of the sun relative to the astrological year (i.e., you were born during Libra season or Taurus season), your rising sign relates to the position of the sun relative to the time of day. (The sun spends about two hours traveling through each sign every day.)

Your rising sign reveals how you interact with the world, from your appearance to your attitude to the first impressions you make on others. For example, a Scorpio sun with a Gemini rising will likely exhibit Gemini-like traits you wouldn't expect from typical Scorpio energy or will even physically look more like a Gemini.

Your rising sign also determines where your first house of identity falls in your chart (your ascendant is always your first house), which sets the stage for the rest of the houses in your chart.

Gemini is the third sign of the astrological year and is an air sign of mutable modality. Its ruling planet is Mercury, the planet of communication and information, and it is symbolized by the twins, representing Gemini's adaptability and duality.

That duality can give Geminis a reputation for being "two-faced," but no Gemini slander here—all of the mutable signs are flexible by nature, and it is part of what makes them who they are. As intuitive astrologer Lumi Pelinku tells mindbodygreen, Gemini is intellectually driven and wants to take in the world from all points of view, and they have to be very open-minded and versatile to do that.

This is a sign that's all about learning, communicating, exploring, and engaging in the world around them, seeking to use their voice to share all the things they've come to know. They prioritize intellectual stimulation, with a ton of mental energy that never seems to rest—and did we mention they like to talk? Geminis definitely have the gift of gab.

If you're a Gemini rising, that means your first house of identity and self-image is ruled by Gemini, and the planet Mercury is your chart ruler. So, Gemini qualities are likely going to be the qualities people see in you the most—even if your sun sign is something completely different.

As Pelinku tells mindbodygreen, the main thing to understand about Gemini risings is that they're on a path of understanding the world around them. "They're meant to incarnate specifically with an emphasis on absorbing all forms of information," she explains, adding that they are masters of observation without bias.

"They're meant to challenge people—but not in a confrontational kind of sense—they're meant to challenge people to question things on a whim, piquing people's interests or planting a new seed of an idea," she notes.

And in terms of what these people like to do, the better question would be: What don't they like to do? According to Pelinku, Gemini risings are masters of multitasking, doing a number of things at once, likely with 100 tabs open on their computer—and even more figurative "tabs" open in their mind.

Your rising sign can also impact your physical appearance, so when it comes to Gemini risings, they can be spotted through their expressive communication style, along with their face shape, which is typically elongated. They have an animated way of talking, with eyes lighting up, lots of gestures and movement, and overall enthusiasm (or lack thereof) written all over their face.

Of course, getting a full understanding of your own astrological makeup requires your full chart, with Pelinku noting that since Gemini risings are ruled by Mercury, where Mercury lands in their chart will be super important. A Gemini rising with a Capricorn Mercury, for example, will have a very different communication style than a Leo Mercury.

When it comes to love, Gemini risings want to find someone that feels like a learning and adventure partner, according to Pelinku. They'll be sure to place a high importance on open communication, humor, and intellectual conversations, and will have no problem sitting down to talk out a problem.

As Pelinku tells mindbodygreen, "Their ideal person is somebody who could travel the world with them or instill lots of information for them to feel intellectually stimulated," adding that Sagittarius (Gemini's opposite on the zodiac wheel) would be a nice fit.

"Sagittarius will be most complementary for their growth—not to say that they should only look for Sagittarius people—but the qualities of Sagittarius, such as groundedness, teaching, philosophy, and this great sense of pragmatism [...] would be most ideal," she explains.

Along with Sag, Gemini risings will also likely fare well with the other air signs (Libra, Aquarius, or another Gemini), because they share in their intellectual, mental energy. And because Gemini risings' fifth house is typically ruled by Libra, they'll also be attracted to people who are cultured, poetic, well dressed, into the arts, or have other Venusian, Libra-esque qualities.

If you want a friend who's almost always down to link up for an adventure, learn something new, or simply spill some piping hot tea, you might just want to find a Gemini-rising bestie.

For one thing, Pelinku tells mindbodygreen, there's not much this sign will say "no" to, and if you offhandedly mention you want to take a pottery class, for example, your Gemini rising friend will likely be the one to jump on the opportunity. "In the realm of friendships, they're more than likely to explore the craziest stuff with you," she says, adding that they're "so open-minded to try new things, and they get bored very easily," so they'll be happy to entertain your ideas and plans.

Moving on to the workplace, Pelinku tells mindbodygreen that Geminis can go with the flow, and that includes with their job. Depending on the rest of the chart (and specifically their midheaven), she adds, they might be more inclined to certain roles (i.e., a fire-heavy chart might make a Gemini rising want to be in a leadership role).

What really matters to them is feeling seen and heard, being able to express and act on their ideas, and continuing to learn. If they start to get unhappy in their job, they can be even more prone to burnout than some of the other rising signs, with Pelinku noting that it's really important for these people to feel acknowledged and recognized for their insights.

And given that Scorpio rules over their sixth house of service, Gemini risings can be very adept at research and investigation, deep diving into anything that needs closer scrutiny. As aforementioned, they also make great teachers of any kind, reveling in opportunities to share their vast catalog of knowledge with others.

So, now you understand what being a Gemini rising is all about, so how do you thrive with this placement? According to Pelinku, don't think that because intellectual Mercury is your ruler that you're devoid of emotion. Gemini risings can be emotional, she says, so it's important for you to learn not to intellectualize your feelings, and actually, well, feel them.

"Sometimes they look at their emotions as a scientific or logical thing," she explains, noting that learning to understand your emotions can help guide you in the direction of fulfillment. "Their emotions can be their guide. If they start to balance that out, it actually will help them more because they can be so much in their head," Pelinku notes.