Are You A Genius? How Intellectual Each Zodiac Sign Is
Astrology helps boost your brain by showing your most effective learning styles.
weheartit Intelligence isn't just about how many facts you can stuff into your brain, or how much you can remember from 10th grade biology class, or whether or not you can perform insanely complicated math equations without a calculator. There are many different ways to be “smart.”
A genius may have superior academic skills, but we often hear artists and performers referred to as “geniuses” as well. Intelligence measures not only how much one knows, but also their potential to learn and apply new information. Creativity is a sign of genius, too: how well one makes connections between unrelated ideas and comes up with something totally new.
When we think about “genius” and the most intellectual zodiac signs our culture tends to focus on extreme examples: famous physicist Stephen Hawking, Jackson Pollock’s groundbreaking abstract squiggles, or Nicolai Tesla’s brilliant work in... well, everything. We can’t all be famous, though, no matter what your horoscope says, so it’s important to give yourself some credit.
Everyone is smart and talented in their own ways. (Personally, I think my mechanic is a genius when she can tell me within 10 seconds what that funny engine noise means.) So, are there ways we can learn how to be a genius, all based on our zodiac sign?
The Sun Sign
Your astrology chart will show you the details of how and where your personal intelligence and creativity really come through, and it’s not just about your Sun sign. In many cases, when looking at the real details of someone’s personality and horoscopes, the Sun isn't even the most important point in the chart.
When we’re talking about one’s general intelligence, though, it stands out because the Sun represents our conscious, rational mind. The qualities of your Sun sign are set the tone for most of your daily mental processes.
This doesn't mean that any of the zodiac signs are automatically smarter than any others. It does give you an idea of where to start when you’re trying to pinpoint the types of situations in which your thinking style becomes clearest and most efficient.
The Air Sign Influences: Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius
All of the zodiac signs fall under one of four basic elements: Air, Fire, Earth, or Water. The Air element is associated with intelligence, eloquence, education, and the ability to make connections between facts or ideas.
The three Air signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius. Look at your natal chart and see which houses these signs fall in, and how many planets might be found in each. Even if your Sun isn't in an Air sign, a planet or two in any of these will add their specific energy to your style of thinking.
Is your Ascendant one of the Air signs? (That’s your first house, also called your “rising sign”.) If so, then no matter what your Sun sign is, your daily experiences and attitudes are filtered through your intellectual mind first.
What about your Moon? The Moon is associated with the subconscious, dreams, and intuition — not very logical or book-smart. But if your Moon is in an Air sign, even your subconscious mind absorbs information through the intellect first. The knee-jerk reactions that we usually associate with the subconscious impulses are secondary responses for someone with their Moon in an Air sign.
Third, Fifth, and Ninth Houses
The twelve segments of the zodiac chart are called “houses”, and each one is associated with a different aspect of life. The third house governs academia and communications: how we acquire, process, and share information.
The fifth house is the seat of creativity and right-brain thinking. The ninth house describes one’s sense of adventure and curiosity, and rules higher levels of education and self-directed learning and experimenting.
An Air sign on any of these segments is excellent, but any of the other signs will define how you approach “brainstorming” and fine-tune your personal knowledge base.
For example, Capricorn might indicate a dedicated life-long student who does everything very precisely and methodically. Sagittarius would show someone who is always picking up random bits and pieces of information from all fields, and enjoys finding the different and unexpected ways that they fit together.
Where is your Mercury? (And What It Means For Geminis)
Mercury rules Gemini and its qualities are similar: quick-witted, well-spoken, and highly intelligent. Mercury is never found very far from the Sun, which is probably why it’s traditionally associated with the conscious thought processes.
Where is Mercury in your chart? There’s a good chance that it shares your Sun sign, which adds an even more refined intelligence to the Sun’s power of consciousness here. If it’s in another sign, your genius will be seasoned with that sign’s qualities.
For example, a Sagittarius Sun with a Scorpio-Mercury tends to be more reserved, perceptive, and calculating than your typical Sag.
Where is your Jupiter?
Jupiter is the planet of abundance and excessiveness. Wherever it’s found in your chart, it’s like getting a double-dose of the energy from that sign and that house. Is your Jupiter in one of the Air signs, or one of the houses mentioned above? Is it very close to your Sun or Mercury? If so, congratulations — giant, friendly Jupiter is providing a natural boost to your intelligence.
The downside of Jupiter energy (and there aren't many) is that it does tend to make one lazy. Jupiter tempts us to rely on luck rather than work, so if Jupiter is influencing your intellect, you may be one of those geniuses that could rule the world... if you bothered to put any effort into it.
The Ruling Planet of Saturn (And What It Means For Capricorns)
It’s said that when someone called Albert Einstein a genius, he responded: "No, I just have lots of ideas, some of which have been brilliant." Even a true genius doesn’t hit the bull’s-eye every time. We just don’t usually get to hear about all the ideas that flopped.
Capricorn and its ruling planet, Saturn, are associated with patience, perseverance, and long-term success. Their positions in your chart can tell you a lot about how your own genius will eventually manifest itself — if you can stay disciplined and keep trying until you reach success.
Trudi Mentior grew up in Great Falls, Montana, where she spent her formative years wondering just what might be beyond those vast plains, on the other side of those distant mountains. She now lives in Vancouver, Washington, with her husband, three cats, and a loudmouthed hyacinth macaw (who loves to scare the cats).