Robert Fludd, The Sun Breathing Life into the Cosmos, 1626
MARS IN GEMINI 2021
4 March – 24 April 2021 AEDT
Today Mars enters Gemini, after an elongated transit of Taurus; the sign of Mars detriment. Mars entered Taurus, at the moment “That Bull Guy” image; symbolic to the Capital Hill riots was blazoned across the world media. Having this transit line up with such a striking image after such an epic retrograde phase in 2020, was something that only emphasised the potential trickiness of this Mars in Taurus phase, we are now exiting. Longer than usual, it’s been a tough slog from early January until now. Things have been slower than usual to get up and running along with a resistance to big energetic pushes, or things just required way more motivation than usual. Slow and steady took over from big pushes, which essentially impeded Mars ability to do anything really constructive, as Mars likes fast rigorous action.
Today with Mars shifting into Gemini, Mars is in a much better space to be able to use his skills and dynamism. Gemini is a much more dynamic and changeable sign in comparison to the fixed earth of Taurus. Gemini is naturally more aligned to Mars nature and curiosities. This stimulation of Mars allows for more momentum, traction and progress after a tedious transit of Taurus and retrograde phase in 2020. In short, Mars in Gemini will give strength and vigour to the mind.
Also, at the time of this ingress of Mars into Gemini, Mercury will be conjoining Jupiter for its final conjunction to Mercury in Aquarius. The Ruler of this Mars transit is blessed with the final integration of this three-hit conjunction of Mercury / Jupiter. Having Mercury / Jupiter meet for the third time, allows for information, a way forward, a new plan, new optimism or a new path forwards after a difficult or confusing January / February 2021.
Having Mercury leave the final stages of its retrograde, along with its connection with Jupiter is extremely helpful and positive for Mars as he enters Gemini. Finally after 12 months we have a Mars making for more positive aspects to Saturn in-particular, allowing for more supportive Mars. Something that has been missing over the last 12 months, as the wrecking ball of Covid 19 began to hit our lives.
Today marks, what potentially we were seeking when we started 2021, by offering us a clearer path forwards, providing the energy and motivation after a difficult and frustrating first two months of the Year. Today we begin to see a more positive Mars influence, which has been missing from our lives over the past 12 months, as Mars begins to set a new pace and a new tone, which is now informed and guided by Jupiter’s influence on Mercury. Today Mars, gets some of his spunk and swagger back. xx
Today Mars the red planet, stations direct after three months of retrogradation in Aries the sign it rules, and this is great news!
Mars, retrogrades every two years and it’s a planet that isn’t particularly fond of doing so either. Retrogrades slow down and imbed Mars, a planet whose primary significations are about motion, fast pace and action. When retrograde this pace and action slows down, it causes frustration and friction due to the lack of momentum. Such frustrations can turn inward as the environment around you slows down. Mars is powerful in Aries, due to its rulership; this coupled with the fact that mars also retrogrades least in Aries out of all of the zodiacal signs, had made the last three months particularly stressful.
Mars turned retrograde September 10thand it’s at this time reflections or struggles became more apparent or deepened. Perhaps there were other things agitating situations that you weren’t previously aware of.
Re looking at your personal power, strength or what rouses anger could have been areas for redress. Depending on where this is occurring in your personal chart. Anyone with personal planets in Aries, Libra, Cancer and Capricorn, would have been more heavily impacted by this Mars Retrograde. Collectively Mars putting strain on Saturn, Jupiter and Pluto in late Capricorn has definitely created an element of tension, that has continued to simmer over the second half of 2020. Things have been on the verge and felt like they were going to get lit and exploding at any moment. Keeping a coolness around all the heat anger around us, has definitely been a way of life and a state of being, since Mars entered Aries on June 29th.
Mars turning direct today, does make things more erratic than usual, but the good news is, we are moving to a place where we can finally gain some traction and get things moving again with a more assured sense of what direction we wish to direct our energy. The other benefit of this movement forwards of Mars, is being able to mould our tools in a sharper and more effective fashion. Mars finally leaves Aries after 6 months (instead of the usual two months) in early January, and it is at that time, we will feel the heat turned down just a little, as we move away from the tectonic shifts of 2020’s astrology, with more tools and aids at our disposal.
Today Mars stands stationary in the sky, by tomorrow Mars makes his move to retrieve something that can’t be left behind, retrieve something that must be changed, altered or modified through his intense heat and pressure. Something must be re-sculpted and how this looks will be different and personal for each and every-one of us. The Mars retrograde is finally upon us.
Mars will be hitting on the iron metal, stoking the fires, burning hot and bright in ways we aren’t especially used too. Strong desires and urges to completely change or modify things that are seeded in anger, frustration, fury or tiredness become obvious and in dire need of modification. The focus shifts to making constructive uses for our tools and learning how to master the tools we do have with more vigour, will and strength.
Mastery comes from learning from past mistakes and learning how to hold tools that have the potential for danger or harm, whist modifying and sculpting for constructive uses. Looking at what is really causing harm or damage, strongly underlays this Mars retrograde period, allowing you to use your tools more wisely.
Mars will be going back and reclaiming many things on many levels, but in-particular finishing off what was triggered from mid-February – March. Mars will be squaring and making contact with the things he ignited then when he transited Capricorn, a sign he has a firm footing in, thanks to his exaltation in Capricorn.
Mars retrogrades occur every two years and Mars retrograding in his ruling sign of Aries is especially rare. 1988 and 1941 were the last instances this astrological transit occurred in Aries.
The question now is, what is currently being re-sculpted or sharpened through the fire and fumes? What is having the rust removed from and asking for a full refurbishment? Where do hostilities lay? Where does your anger sit? What Weapons have become blunt? What tools are outdated? Where is a lack of energy or vitality sit within you? What is the source of any and all burn out?
Answers to these questions is where the steam of this Mars Retrograde is coming from and we have from now until November to work on our skills as craftspeople to mould and reshape whilst looking at our relationship with Mars, his dynamics and various manifestations.
For a sign by sign breakdown, look to the Marathon of Bravery link below.
28th June 2020, Mars moves into Aries, a sign that it rules; for just over 6 months, rather than the usual 8 weeks. That’s an extra 16 weeks of Mars, an active, hot-headed, volatile, aggressive, and sword welding planet, in a sign that it’s super charged in, fun times.
Mars’ elongated transit of Aries is due to his retrograde in September to November 2020. The Mars Retrograde is the trickiest, out of all the planetary retrograde phases. Retrograde Mars is volatile and unpredictable, more so than any of the other planets. The other planets have a more predictable and regular retrograde cycle, not so in Mars’ case. Mars when Retrograde is notorious for its tendency towards extremes and a willingness to engage in hostilities. In most cases it tends to backfire, due to Mars when retrograde, acting in an extremely erratic nature being unpredictable, mis-directed and mis-guided. Aggressive or hostile acts during this time, generally tend to be the undoing of a person or situation. When active and fast-moving planets, like Mars; are forced to slowdown and move in motions and speeds they don’t like or are not used to, they create problems and manifest in unpredictable or unique ways or manners. Mars Retrograde if worked correctly, can give an opportunity to redefine, the rules of engagement, but to what purpose, is important, and it’s still very risky business, especially since it’s so strong in Aries.
The last time Mars was retrograde in Aries was September to November 1941, which was during WWII. During this 1941 Mars Retrograde Period, the decree that all Jewish people in Germany were to wear the Gold Star of David on their clothing and to not have contact with Non-Jewish People was signed and in-acted. The Polish Concentration camp Majdanek opened. The Siege of Leningrad began, which lasted 900 days, with the aggressor eventually defeated. In India, Mahatma Ghandi, urged his followers to begin a passive resistance against British rule in India. (a new technique of resistance, from a person who themselves, had an exceptionally strong Mars). 1941 saw no shortage of very key events, in human history occurring during this Aries retrograde. Addressing or creating extreme violence, repression and hostility, towards innocent and persecuted people, was a strong theme. As intense as these examples are, this was the last historical recording of such a retrograde in Aries. Mars also went partially Retrograde in Aries in 1988, it was slightly tempered with its retrograde back into Pisces. 2020 is the first time we have had a full Mars Retrograde in Aries since 1941.
What makes the 2020 transit of Mars in Aries, especially volatile and hostile, is the continuous aspects, that Mars will make to Jupiter, Saturn and Pluto in Capricorn. Jupiter is weak in Capricorn, so bringing any big vision plans or positive humanitarian focused values; struggles for any influence at this time. Jupiter’s optimism has been dimmed. Saturn and Pluto are coming back online, with Saturn moving back into Capricorn in the first week of July, re-activates the Saturn Pluto vibe and events of its exact conjunction in early January 2020. We saw what a strong Mars can do, when it crossed Saturn and Pluto in February – March 2020, in Capricorn. Things quickly began to spiral out of control at this time. Now were moving into a time where Mars will again be in a strong position to continually activating this, from July – January 2021, rather than merging with this energy, it will be activating it from a more aggressive square angle.
If you have Mars retrograde IN your birth-chart, this is your time to shine. People who have it in their natal chart, tend to get activated and achieve a lot of positive things, during the retrograde time period. This is due to their natal placement being unlocked and ignited. They finally get to harness the energy they have nataly, that is usually hidden, repressed or locked away. Mars retrograde nativities tend to avoid conflict, but when the sky mirrors their natal placement, they finally get to express their strength and might. It’s almost like they build towards each retrograde cycle, to accomplish the next phases.
Things to keep in mind during this upcoming Mars in Aries Period. Watch the burning of the midnight oil and running yourself down. Overextending yourself at this time is a real possibility. This will be a marathon, not a sprint. Making up for any lost time or ground from early 2020, will be ill advised in this next 6 months, things are very much still influx for the rest of 2020. Curve balls will come, so be ready.
Mars is energetic, active and loves to assert this strength via brute force. Saturn, which Mars meets and is also strong in its rulership of Capricorn. Saturn likes to keep a routine, make long term plans and working towards them. Mars is spontaneous energy and exertion, Saturn is calculated, cautious and conservative with its energies. Saturn also likes fiscal responsibility and doing the admin. Mars, is too busy making things happen, bulldozing large areas and thinks about the consequences after. This will be the constant push and pull over the next 6 months. Making sure you keep these two squaring energies in check is very really important for the next 6 months. Saturn’s influence during this time, does however have the upper hand.
Over extending or gambling on an offer or bet, will most likely see you come off second best. Do expect some out of the blue surprises, or any hostilities that do pop up, register and keep a track of it. There could be something more to it. Don’t shy away from or ignore gut instincts. We are getting into some pretty gnarly terrain and staying on guard, without being overly defensive or hostile is extremely helpful. Managing how you exert and replenish your energy is vital. The next 6 months is some of the trickiest terrain we have had to navigate in decades. Keeping all this in mind as we enter the next 6 months will be really helpful as we enter the next phase of 2020.
MARS THORUGH THE SIGNS
ARIES / ARIES RISING
Having your ruler activate your house of vitality, being seen and how you present, might be a double-edged sword. Being aware of not burning out and watching your health and energy will be of great assistance over the next 6 months. Be conscious of how you do and say things, making sure you aren’t seen or interpreted, in an overly aggressive or hostile way, especially when things get a bit heated or stressful. Mars being so visible, may put any anger or frustrations on show, in ways you may not be aware of. Monitor it. How you manage your health and conduct yourself, is of great importance over the next 6 months, as the triggers and frustrations will be there. Don’t take the bait. Conservative approaches, will have the upper hand.
TAURUS / TAURUS RISING
Mars spending so much time in your subconscious, and private realms may see under the surface agitation. Sleep disruptions, maybe a thing, as well as an increase in frustrations, of things you thought you have forgotten about or want to avoid dealing with. Knowing that your subconscious will be activated and churred up over such a long-time frame will be helpful, as you learn to untangle the fuse. You may feel irritable and frustrated, that things or angers you tried to supress, pop back up. But using the determination and energy of a hot Mars to cut through the tangled cords, will be of great assistance. Mars has a severing effect and getting rid of old cords and things that hold you back, might be greatly assisted at this time, but it will unfold over a longer than wanted time frame.
GEMINI / GEMINI RISING
Mars will give a blast of enthusiasm and great momentum to groups, communities and shared activities. Having so much energy in a such a social area of your chart, means this area will be extremely active and energized. You will have lots of reserves to pull from, but it’s easy to burn through it all when your running on adrenaline. Watch you don’t over commitment or bite off more than you can chew. Keep an eye out for hostilities or aggressive behaviour from community and groups. Don’t get dragged into them, as they will pop up. Remember this is a marathon not a sprint. Longer time frames will allow for more success overall, there might be a strong drive to do it all at once. Tempering and thought out action is a lot more productive long term, than running yourself into the ground, because you found a new well of energy to tap into. Boundaries will be important when dealing with community, groups or networking activities.
CANCER / CANCER RISING
Having Mars make its home in your Career, Ambitions and Reputation sector, will make for a hot and active 6 months. Mars in Aries has its advantages but making sure you wield his energy at appropriate times is the key here. Being engaging, active, energetic and enthusiastic around Career and Reputation is important. You are worth it, and you are an asset for any team. But being cool, cautious and calculated (Saturn like) will help balance all this Mars energy, which can be exhausting in itself. Solid friends and one on one relationships will help anchor you as you traverse the next 6 months. Mars will be hot and fiery, stoking passions and maybe resentments. Be mindful of the rays you hurl around any career or reputations that relate to your career. Mars in the 10thcan be difficult but keeping the right checks and balances as well as keeping a positive active role in what battles you want to forge on the Career front are important. Just make sure you aren’t dragged into the wrong battles or the wrong side of opinions. Use Mars to help drive your ambition, without taking anyone else down or out, in pursuit of your ambitions.
LEO / LEO RISING
Mars will spend 6 months burning though your beliefs and Philosophy sector of your chart. Now you have a real chance to get rid of any self-limiting beliefs of things you didn’t think you could do. Mars is set to challenge, your belief systems, allowing them to be re-formed or moulded into a way that allows you to become more aligned with such an abundance of Mars energy. There may be challenges or glitches along the way but proving your own strength and abilities to yourself is one manifestation of this energy. Also powering through any research, study, education, books or publishing would be a positive use of Mars in Aries for so long. Just make sure that you don’t become the hostile one and being overly aggressive in challenging such beliefs in others. Not really the most positive use of this energy, but a possible manifestation.
VIRGO / VIRGO RISING
Mars will be spending 6 months in your area of shared resources and external money sources. Everything needs to be done by the book, with the potential for the odd miscellaneous expense to pop up. Managing outgoings and keeping on top of the admin is of great importance right now. Mars might feel like you are wanting to push forwards with external financial investments. Do your homework, don’t rush in. There are many other unseen variables at work. Mars might make you feel a sense of urgency and momentum around debt and resource. Keeping a conservative view, doing the groundwork as well as not hedging bets on gambles or high-risk ventures right now are good things, to keep in the forefront of your mind for the rest of 2020.
LIBRA / LIBRA RISING
It will be challenging having Mars activating your one on one relationships for 6 months, but don’t let the agitation break your cool. Mars is quick, swift, fastmoving and energetic. You may find yourself surrounded by these kinds of people for the next 6 months. Do beware, low vibe Mars people may also crop up. Hostile, Angry, and Short Tempered, manage your relationship to these people accordingly and make sure you check yourself in these roles as the rest of the year progresses. Keeping a cool head and a good check on your one on one relations keeps you in good stead. Expect challenges, but be the cool detached one in the relationship, no matter how difficult it might be at the time.
SCORPIO / SCORPIO RISING
Having Mars sitting in the house of its joy, as well as being your ruler means you probably have some of the best pickings from this challenging 6 months. Mars rev’s up your day to day & health routines. A great time to smash through the to do list, as well as get physically active and work that body. Just be very mindful of burn out or going to hard. We are in quite an active time, so you might not need to do as much as you initially expect to get good results. Looking after yourself health-wise is essential, and don’t make the to list, do big, to be successful over the next 6 months. It’s all about bite size portions, and not over committing, though over estimation of energy sources.
SAGITTARIUS / SAGITTARIUS RISING
Mars gives good momentum for you over the next 6 months, to pursue and engage with things that bring great joy or creative outlets to you. Making sure the fast momentum and energizing doesn’t get overtaken by frustration or burn out by over committing to such projects. Deadlines and timeframes may need to be longer than usual. There is a lot going on, so make sure you don’t bite off more than you can chew. Just because you love doing it, doesn’t mean you should forget about other commitments over this time frame. Balancing what you love doing and find creatively rewarding, along with the daily grind is key to keeping in balance for the next 6 months. It will do wonders for you overall.
CAPRICORN / CAPRICORN RISING
Mars spending so long in your home and family sector, will be something that needs to be managed and monitored. Mars going through the base of your chart, which also includes your ancestors stirs and agitates the depths. With Saturn in Capricorn in your 1st house, trying to establish boundaries and authority around “Who you are” and “What your identify as/with” vs Mars in your home sector, agitating and stirring up the waters of where you come from and how these things sit together, will be a tricky balancing act. The retrograde, may have you feeling like you’re challenged or moving backwards. Make sure you check your aggression and hostility towards family as you work through all this will be important. Mars in Aries is a pretty big trigger, and with it spending so long in such a sensitive and personal place in your chart, will need management. Making good with it, and using its power wisely is of the upmost importance right now.
AQUARIUS / AQUARIUS RISING
Having a strong Mars, in your local neighbourhood and resource sector, will see hot flashes or little micro aggressions pop up in your local neighbourhood, as you go about your routines. Mars also activates your relationships with siblings. Beware of these flashpoints. Not all aggressions, frustration or challenges need to be brought into. There is a lot going on for the rest of 2020, working out if what pops up in these areas is really worth putting your energy into will be part of the process. Upshot? Getting out and engaging and being active in your local community through sports or exercising in your neighbourhood, is a positive use, of all this physically strong and mobile energy. It may help take the stress off as we make our way through 2020. Be extra cautious when driving over the next 6 months, anything with strong fire power in your day to day neighbourhood should be treated with care, as its all on high rev for 6 months.
PISCES / PISCES RISING
Mars spending 6 months in your Money house, will be challenging. Watching how you spend, manage, invest or earn your money will be where Mars edges his sword from now to January 2021. Mars in your money house, may see more out goings as things you don’t expect pop up, with those annoying one off’s. Expect some unexpected expenditure, keep this in mind so you can monitor the essential and non-essential spending, before these things pop up. However, leaning into a strong Saturn in Capricorn, will be of great assistance. Use your networks or community to help establish strong structures around Money, and how you earn it. Mars maybe pushing you to get out there and earn it. Using your solid network of friends and connections, is how you end up doing it.
Mars moves into Aquarius today, moving away from the sign and degree of his Exaltation, where he wields his strength with great force and valour. Mars always ignites, inflames or aggravates all that he touches, and his recent transit of Capricorn especially highlights this.
Moving through Capricorn making aspects to Pluto (Profound Evolution and Change), Jupiter (expansion and optimism) & The Nodes, any triggers weren’t light on impact. Jupiter this time around, hasn’t helped, with no ability to pull down the malefic nature of it all, due to it being in such a downtrodden and Ill effective position. The Nodes, also present on this axis, just doubles down on the magnitude and gravitas of it all. Mars in Capricorn during 2020 has showed just how fast moving and troublesome, he can really be.
When Mars moves into Aquarius, is a mixed blessing. He is finally moving away from a heavy concentration of confronting energy in Capricorn, which is goes about the cold and clinical ways of doing its business. Mars moving away from this hot mess in Capricorn, is good. But it has 2 last showdowns to complete, and perhaps one of the most powerful.
31stMarch is when the 2 malefic finally meet. Mars conjoining Saturn in Aquarius at 0 degrees. Mars has been chasing down Saturn to make the conjunction since his entry into Capricorn. Mars is quick volatility, Saturn is slower, but fear inducing and consequential. I personally prefer my Conquences to not be delivers at pace, but this is how this duo rolls. It’s a volatile combo who can easily manifest in ways that are challenging individually and collectively.
In 2020 Mars and Saturn are connected to each other for 12 weeks instead of the usual 6 weeks. We are currently at the halfway point. Mars moving into Aquarius will in some ways bring down the high intensity a notch, seeing its fricative nature being applied in a different yet still challenging way, until mid-May.
As these 2 planets separate by 7th April, this is when Mars Squares Uranus hot on the heels of its Saturn conjunction. This adds a very unpredictive and reactionary quality to early April. It is not until Mars enters Pisces mid-May, that we will begin to see an easing of the intense pressure and speed to which these once in a lifetime events that are unfolding. Will it all be over then, no, but we will be able to begin to process the gravity or gravitas of our current situation, with less volatility and fear. Individually and collectively.
As Mars enters Aquarius, Mercury also clears its retrograde shadow. Moving from its incredibly murky and haze ridden retrograde, will help. Beginning to detangle some of the events that have happened at great speed since mid-February. Finally discovering what lays beneath the ashes. Beginning to understand the position we find ourselves…
Luminary Astrology 