We’ve been living with Mars retrograde in Gemini since October 31st, so the time seems right to ask, “How is it for you?” Before you answer, bear in mind that this is a long retrograde period. Mars has been in Gemini since August 21st 2022 and will leave on March 25th 2023 – and the retrograde period will not close until January 13th next year. I wrote about Mars in Gemini back in August to give you the big picture – but retrogrades deserve a post of their own – and here it is.
What’s been happening so far into this Mars retrograde in Gemini cycle? Well, I have bought a red sports car. And it’s a car I don’t even want. Before you think I’ve gone crazy, let me explain (and you may still think I’m crazy, but here goes…) My step-son had a red sports car. Then he lost his job, had rent to pay and needed to sell it quickly. He advertised it, but as times are hard at the moment, he had no luck. So, as his fairy step-mother, I decided to help him out…
It’s a story that simply screams out, “Mars retrograde in Gemini!”, as you’re about to discover. With Mars retrograde in Gemini, action becomes ‘re-action’ and it affects our thoughts, words, perceptions, mobility – and that includes modes of transport. An old, red sports car is the perfect vehicle for Mars retrograde in reactive mode. And here’s why. Sometimes we take actions and do things we don’t really want to do. But we do them anyway. That’s Mars retrograde in Gemini. Or we take action, but we’re not convinced that we’re doing the right thing.
It goes like this. “I’m getting a red sports car”. That’s Mars in Gemini direct. Contrast it with, “Okay, I’ll buy your red sports car – which I don’t really want or need and I’m sure it will be a liability…” The last part of that sentence remains unspoken of course. Mars retrograde in Gemini is a focused energy, but there may be an element of frustration, reluctance or mental anguish. Next time this transit comes around, I’ll take a vow of silence.
Mars Retrograde in Gemini: How Will It Affect You?
That’s my own personal experience of the past couple of weeks, but how will the Mars in Gemini retrograde affect you? If, like me, Mars is retrograde in an angular house (1,4,7 & 10) the you may have noticed this Mars retrograde with some immediacy – particularly if it’s happening in the first house – though the other angular houses are not immune. The most important and tangible parts of real-life happen on the angles of your natal chart.
Arguments and ill-feeling can affect family, personal and work relationships. If your parents, significant other – or your boss – is snippier than usual, then Mars retrograde in Gemini is coming at you through the medium of those relationships. Rather than you expressing Mars aggression, it becomes something you have to deal with. You may learn more about your own assertiveness and ability to defend yourself by keeping quiet rather than giving vent to your feelings. Or you may simply feel bullied into submission.
One possibility is that you may have to deal with something accidental – or even with an accident. Again, it may not be something that happens to you directly, but it could be that you bear some responsibility. You may have to take responsibility – either for your own actions or for the wellbeing of the person affected by an accident. Again, it’s a test of your own capacity for leadership and resilience. With Mars retrograde in Gemini, there may be a mobility or transportation issue.
The dynamics of Mars retrograde expressing in Gemini have some similarities with Pluto in that sign. None of us around today will have experienced that placement, but Mars retrograde tends to go inward rather than having the externalised explosiveness it has when direct. Mars retrograde in Gemini will, therefore, tend to think aggressively rather that externalise those thoughts. If someone or something annoys you, you may keep it to yourself. Rumination may – or may not – be a good thing.
That may be especially true if Mars retrograde in Gemini affects you via a succedent house (houses 2, 5, 8 & 11). Mars retrograde in Gemini here may see you having to deal with actions that challenge your value system, your material well-being, your confidence or your sense of belonging in a social sense. Misplaced or careless words – from supposed friends or acquaintances – or information received from people who have leverage over you – may make you feel angry or undermined at this time.
You may even suffer from mental or emotional burn out – especially if this retrograde impacts you via a cadent house (houses 3, 6, 9 or 12) This is, potentially, a high stress placement because raging thoughts are more likely to be internalised than outwardly expressed. Something that is said to you, or something you have heard or thought about, may trigger that kind of response. Of course, whatever – or whoever – triggers you, may do so unintentionally. However, your responses are telling you that you need to listen when Mars is retrograde in Gemini – it’s a message from the universe after all.
Mars Retrograde in Gemini: The Message
So what is the message? I’m going to resume the story of the red car. I have felt conflicted about purchasing the car because I don’t really want or need it, but I wanted to help my stepson out of a tight spot. But there’s something else going on here too, way beneath the surface. Mars retrograde in Gemini – or any other sign for that matter – gets you to listen to things you may not want to hear – and for that I need to look at another vehicle related story.
A few years ago I sold my own car and for the first time in years I ceased to be a vehicle owner. Of course, I share a car with my husband but I don’t have my own – and I really loved that car. It was small, sporty and fast, bad for my driving license but great for my ego. As an astrologer of a certain age it was perhaps not the ideal vehicle, but it was invigorating to drive – a real Mars in Gemini machine. And my husband has always felt bad about me selling it, because he knows how much I loved it – and the sale was his idea.
So what is Mars retrograde in Gemini – and the tale of the red car – telling me personally? It’s not really about my relationship with various members of the internal combustion engine family, but it is about recognising and re-asserting myself and my own independence – and I don’t actually need a car to do that. And that’s what this Mars retrograde in Gemini is telling all of you. It’s about re-focusing on how you articulate and express your own personal power.
It’s about thinking hard about how you can activate your drive, communicate your competence and make contact with your inner strength. Wherever Mars retrograde in Gemini falls in your natal chart is the place where you need to assert yourself more, become heard and make your thoughts and feelings known. You also need to make the connection between your actions and their consequences – or even your inactions or passivity. If you’ve been directing your energy in the wrong direction, you need to stop and think about that. Now.
Mars Retrograde in Gemini: The Postscript
It’s been a few days since I first drafted this article, and the red car is still not on my drive. To cut a long story short, it’s due to a few personal reasons involving a lot of cross words, family arguments (not involving me thank goodness), the consequences of actions, accidents, bad behaviour – in other words, a whole host of Mars retrograde in Gemini reasons – many of which may also be playing out in a family near you.
Mars retrograde in Gemini will turn direct on January 13th, so I hope that will enable us to put our boundaries in place, say what needs to be said and move on. Mars can be a messy and destructive planet, but when it’s retrograde in Gemini, the message is that you need to get active with some joined-up thinking and if it’s your own mess you’ve been avoiding dealing with, you need to start thinking about clearing up. Mars direct will give you all the energy you need to be able to do just that.
Mars retrograde in Gemini is giving you a great opportunity for a re-set. Get your head in the right place in 2023. And stay away from red sports cars.
Subscribe Now
© Sara Shipman 2022
3 thoughts on “Mars Retrograde in Gemini: Driving in Reverse Gear”