Improvisation time

Mars is in Gemini tomorrow, where it will be until next March. When I was learning astrology, I read somewhere that Mars and the moon are really the only 2 planets that can be anywhere in a chart. Mercury and Venus will never be far from the sun, and the planets on the other side of the Kuiper belt don't move very far very fast. One year ago, Mars was in Virgo. One year from now, Mars will be in Virgo. The difference is that a year ago Mars was 9 signs away from where it is now and a year from now Mars will only have made it 3 signs away from where it currently is. That's because the earth is close to Mars and will pass it, and Mars will appear to go retrograde. Generally speaking, Mars does a lap around the zodiac every two years, but as you can tell, it seems like an awfully erratic lap, because it typically stays in a sign for about two months (relative to earth's perspective of it, obviously), but it will be in Gemini for seven.

Mars in your chart is how you like to fight (remember: you have to include the aspects that Mars makes, not just read the sign!): Mars in Gemini loves to argue. Loves it. Even if someone with Mars in Gemini doesn't have a strong argument, they'll keep talking and throwing more points at you so you don't even know where to start with your counterpoints. Fighting aside, Mars in Gemini loves to tinker with things and drive fast. I suspect that people with Mars in Gemini collectively have a much higher than average number of speeding tickets (as well as people with Mars in harsh aspect to Mercury, including the conjunction). You know what Gemini doesn't do, though? Deep dives. Gemini knows a little about a lot of things. It's all over the place, energetically speaking. So during Mars's tenure in Gemini, the energy is not set up for deep focus. It'll be about running around and getting things done, or struggling to do that during the retrograde itself, which is November-January.

I watched a Tik-tok last night of someone who claimed to be partially kidding, saying "Mars will be retrograde in Gemini, I don't want to be around any Geminis until it's over!" and obviously that's insane. First: the actual retrograde degrees are 8 - 25 Gemini, and so if you know a Gemini sun at 2 or 29 degrees Gemini, they probably won't be very impacted by the retrograde energy. Second: people with Taurus and Cancer suns often have planets in Gemini. Are we going to avoid them, too? Why? Worst-case scenario, Geminis are bouncing around excitedly about some random physical or intellectual treasure they just discovered, or (horrors, during the retrograde, they can't find the thing they're looking for). Mars is an energizing planet and it adds heat. So, when it's interacting with your natal energy, you have slightly more energy than normal and you have to comport yourself despite this. It's harder to sleep. It's harder to sit still. It's easier to get annoyed by petty shit. And (this is important): you are more susceptible to illness when Mars is making harsh contact to your sun or moon, including the conjunction. During Mars retrograde, it will be making harsh aspects to planets between 8 and 25 of Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces. It will make *nice* aspects to Libra and Aquarius, the other air signs, by trine, and Aries and Leo by sextile. But just saying "it's in Gemini. Avoid Gemini!" makes no sense. Everyone has Gemini somewhere in their chart, except that particular Tik-toker, apparently, because Gemini's an intellectual air sign about having common sense and they don't have any of that.

Here's what you can expect: conversations will stop and start again. You might stop talking to someone during the retrograde and then start talking again once Mars is forward-moving. There may or may not be feelings involved. You'll think a conversation is over only to find yourself having the same conversation 11 times with various other people. You might find yourself taking more short trips than normal, like you're constantly at the hardware store or post office when that's not normal for you. Last time Mars was retrograde in Gemini I took a specific regional bus line a lot, and the vibe was "why am I *still* on this goddamn bus?" A possible real-life example: you hire a contractor to remodel your kitchen. Halfway through the project he breaks his foot and can't come in for a month or so, and so you make do with your partially-done war-zone-looking kitchen for the time being because you can't find another contractor at your price point, sending you to the hardware store multiple times for quick fixes to things that are mildly bothering you. Then Mars starts moving forward again, contractor's back and better than ever, and you look back on this situation and say to yourself "remember when we basically didn't have a kitchen for 5 months?"

You may find yourself not talking to people you usually talk to and talking more to people you almost never talk to, and then that'll reverse when Mars is normal again. Or you may find yourself in a situation where all you CAN do is talk, because someone you're normally around all the time is called away or is suddenly taking a bunch of short trips somewhere. That was me with the bus example: I had a sick in-law and no car, so I was missing from places I could normally be found, so I had to literally phone it in on Christmas.

What you'll know for sure by the end of Mars's extended stay in Gemini, which is more or less next March, is how comfortable you are with improvising. If there are no turkeys available for Thanksgiving, maybe you switch to spaghetti. The traditionalists of the world will make all kinds of noise, but the flexible among us just shrug and get on with it. This is Gemini energy.

♊️ ,J