by Robert Wilkinson
At 1:43 pm PDT July 20, Mars enters Gemini. What does this mean for all of us?
It means that how we generally “attack the problems of life,” or how we “take the initiative” leaves the Fixed Earth of Taurus and now expresses it through the Mutable Air of Gemini. Having adapted to a “slow and steady” pace in Taurus, the sign of its “exile,” Mars now learns to multi-task in a huge way!
Now that it’s entering Gemini, it begins its approach to a conjunction with Jupiter in Gemini, activating a two year cycle involving those two planets and all they rule. In Aries, Mars initiated activity of itself, continuing that “primal” self-initiative which does its own thing in its own way. Now that it’s in Gemini, it’ll be less focused and more curious and willing to experiment on the many ways to do or approach any given thing.
Mars in Gemini can be a bit hectic, flitting from one thing to another while never really settling into a groove with any of them. This takes the momentum built while Mars was in Aries and Taurus and allows it to diversify into lines of action and inquiry which will serve to help us consolidate the cycle when Mars enters Cancer in September.
Mars now approaches its last conjunction with an outer planet. It’s already set many diverse cycles into motion, as we’ve had Mars conjunct Pluto at 1 Aquarius in February, Mars conjunct Saturn at 15 Pisces in April, Mars conjunct Neptune at 29 Pisces in April, and Mars conjunct Uranus at 27 Taurus on July 15. Each of these set two year cycles of spiritual transformation into motion wherever they fell in our charts.
Mars in Gemini is in its own 3rd house relative to its rulership of Aries, and in its own 8th house relative to its rulership of Scorpio. This offers us clues to its expression.
Gemini is where Mars expands its knowledge and finds ideas it needs to continue to momentum forward. It is where Mars explores information and applies it to see if it works or doesn’t, if it’s relevant or isn’t, and if a give approach is adequate to fulfill the need. It may get a bit scattered in Gemini, as that sign doesn’t have the discipline or fixed determination that is Mars’ nature.
Mars in its own 8th sign is a familiar place for it, allowing it to penetrate into unknown zones while eliminating all which doesn’t serve its focused purpose. In Gemini Mars is adaptable and open to experimenting with all kinds of approaches. As Mars’ nature is Fire and Water, Gemini isn’t a hostile element, as Air feeds Fire. However, the combination of Aries, Gemini, and Scorpio creates a Yod, or Finger of God, showing that the Scorpio side of Mars is both the focus and the place where it needs to “expand through sacrifice.”
Mars’ now gives our Aries and Scorpio sectors a Gemini emphasis. Its entry into Gemini throws the primary focus of activity in the house where we have the first 10 degrees of Gemini from now through August 4. From August 4 through 19, the focus of activity will be in the house where we have the second 10 degrees of Gemini, followed by the focus on 21-30 Gemini from August 19 through September 4, when it enters Cancer
Mars is still moving at a fast pace of around 41 minutes per day while beginning to slow for its coming retrograde in early Leo and the last half of Cancer at the end of this year into 2025. In Gemini it will activate any planets we have in Gemini and the house it’s transiting. If adaptability, curiosity, diversity, and the ability to multi-task are needed to deal with something, Mars in Gemini encourages us to keep an open mind as we “just do it!”
Mars’ Path To How We Got Here and Where We’re Going
We’re now almost at the end of the last Mars’ retrograde cycle which began in January 2023 at 9 Gemini after its retrograde from 26 Gemini between late October and mid-January. It moved forward in Gemini through late March 2023 when it entered Cancer, staying there until it entered Leo at the powerful Fixed T-square in late May. It moved into Virgo mid-July, and into Libra in late August. It entered Scorpio in mid-October, entered Sagittarius in late November, entered Capricorn in early January, and Aquarius in mid-February.
Mars in Sagittarius (December) moved the remains of the “stripping down and purifying” energy of Scorpio up and out, freed of obsolete things and considerations. Mars in Capricorn (January through mid-February) organized the Sag realizations into practical forms of power which in Aquarius can be applied to a greater vision of a greater good for a greater number.
Mars in Aquarius renewed the “visionary organized activity” directly related to the “expansive structures” which began with the Grand Mutation at 1 Aquarius in December 2020, giving new impetus to that 20/200 year energy. It then moved through the deep waters of Pisces from the March Equinox to now, with only Aries, Taurus, and Gemini to go before it completes that cycle and moves into its next retrograde period in early December, 2024!
The Mars Challenge For All Signs
When Mars was in Aries, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aries, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Capricorn. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Libra, and fulfillment to those with Sun or Ascendant in Cancer. (This just happened from April 30 through June 9.)
While Mars was in Taurus, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Taurus, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aquarius. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Scorpio, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Leo. (This just happened between June 8 and now.)
While Mars was in Gemini, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Gemini, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Pisces. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Sagittarius, and fulfillment to those with Sun or Ascendant in Virgo. (This happened between late August 2022 and late March 2023. This cycle will be re-set when Mars is in Gemini between now and September 4.)
While Mars was in Cancer, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Cancer, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aries. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Capricorn, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Libra. (This cycle was re-set and renewed between late March and late May 2023. The next cycle will be re-set between September 4 and November 3, 2024, with Mars re-visiting Cancer retrograde and direct between January 5 and April 16, 2025.)
While Mars was in Leo, it brings new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Leo, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Taurus. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aquarius, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Scorpio. (This cycle was re-set between late May and July 9 2023, and this year Mars will reach 7 Leo before it goes retrograde on December 6.)
While Mars was in Virgo, it brings new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Virgo, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Gemini. It puts the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Pisces, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Sagittarius. This cycle was re-set between July 9 and late August 2023.)
While Mars was in Libra, it brings new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Libra, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Cancer. It put the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aries, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Capricorn. (This cycle was re-set between late August and mid-October 2023 with the next one coming between mid-June and early August 2025.)
While Mars is in Scorpio, it brings new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Scorpio, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Leo. It put the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Taurus, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aquarius. (This cycle was re-set from mid-October and late November 2023.)
While Mars was in Sagittarius, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Sagittarius, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Virgo. It put the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Gemini, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Pisces. (This cycle was re-set between late November 2023 and early January 2024.)
While Mars was in Capricorn, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Capricorn, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Libra. It put the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Cancer, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aries. (This cycle was re-set between early January and mid February 2024.)
While Mars was in Aquarius, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Aquarius, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Scorpio. It put the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Leo, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Taurus. (This cycle was re-set from February 12 through March 22.)
While Mars was in Pisces, it brought new beginnings to those with Sun or Ascendant in Pisces, and new emergent developments to those with Sun or Ascendant in Sagittarius. It put the focus on relationships to those with Sun or Ascendant in Virgo, and fulfillment or public activity to those with Sun or Ascendant in Gemini. (This just re-set between March 22 and April 30, 2024.)
Obviously within these transit spans there are other “phase relationships” between transiting Mars and all the planets in our charts, but to go into all of them would make this article a book. For example, Mars makes aspects to your other planets which are different than aspects to your Sun and Ascendant. All aspects, waxing and waning, fall within “The Whole Cycle” of each planet to every other planets and our Ascendant. You can find out more about the Whole Cycle in my book Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend, linked below, where I explain the various phases in the planetary cycles in terms of the Whole Cycle for various generations.
What We Experience When Mars is in Each Sign
Mars in Aries teaches us how to act on our own initiative, not defer so much to others, and “working half-heartedly is not the way to accomplish much.” Mars in Taurus teaches us to “take pleasure in our work” as we learn to keep it simple and steady despite crosswinds, and Mars in Gemini teaches us adaptability because “there are many ways to get things done.” Mars in Cancer teaches us to “be watchful as we work,” acting with sensitivity, care, and caution.
Mars in Leo teaches us to “work with flair and style,” putting on the show as we accomplish things in inspired ways. This is a time to show our power and style when opportunities present themselves, and see how our command of energy can be expressed in creative ways. Mars in Virgo teaches us “All play and no work make for an ungrounded life.” Mars in Libra teaches us “All work with no socializing makes for an unsustainable life.” Mars in Scorpio teaches us “doing the wrong thing in the wrong way with the wrong people will never make us happy, so do the right thing and be happy!”
Mars in Sagittarius teaches us how to be a “stylish and bold Archer riding our Sacred Arrows to our dream,” as well as “scattered effort leaves us frustrated.” Mars in Capricorn teaches us “Work for the now, work for the future, work for all time.” Mars in Aquarius teaches us “As you strive for greater things, you make manifest a future ideal which will outlive you.” Mars in Pisces teaches us “to witness our common humanity as we struggle for clarity in a murky collective environment.”
Mars Set the Pattern of the New Age in 2020
Mars conjunction with Saturn at 1 Aquarius in March 2020 launched a totally future oriented period of human existence which began to take shape in a new 20 year Aquarian Era with Jupiter’s conjunction with Saturn on that same degree in December 2020. And here it’s important to note that was the last transit of Saturn through Aquarius before we “slip across the edge of the Age” after 2050.
I explained how various Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto transits over the past 3 centuries each strengthened the advent of the Age of Aquarius in the article Uranus Awakened the Age of Aquarius, Neptune Dreamed It Into Collective Consciousness, and Pluto Will Sprout It Into Life, as well as why we are not yet fully into the Age of Aquarius yet, but will be in the third quarter of this century. Of course, living on the cusp of a Great Age means we will be dealing with the dying echoes of the Age of Pisces for some time to come, since many who were born under those dying assumptions will try to perpetuate them as long as they can.
Just remember that the Capricorn cycles set into motion by Mars in March 2020 will have far reaching implications, some of which won’t be completed until 2053! We won’t have another Saturn conjunct Pluto for over 30 years, nor another Jupiter conjunct Pluto until early 2033. These Capricorn cycles will play out until the next transit of the outer planets over the conjunction points as a finish to what just began, and as prelude to the next cycles beginning then. (There will be an exact Sun conjunct Jupiter as both conjunct Pluto in February 2033 at the Angel Point at 15 Aquarius. That promises to be a much happier cycle than the current one!)
Of note is that just after Pluto re-entered Aquarius again in January 2024, we had Mercury conjunct Pluto at 1 Aquarius in early February, followed by Mars and Venus both making conjunctions at that exact degree on Feb 13 and 17 respectively. This are bringing new power to the initial pulse launched at the Grand Mutation in December 2020.
Aspects in Play
We’re now going to experience a renewed Gemini experience in the house(s) where we have that sign in our charts. During Mars’ transit of Gemini it expresses our Gemini tendencies, and is somewhat of a “toolbox ready to be used.”
The main aspects from Mars to the outer planets show Mars now approaches its conjunction with Jupiter, square to Saturn, and sesquisquare to Pluto, activating three points of an “8-Pointed Star Showing the Need for Right Action.” Before then, in early August, it makes a quintile to Neptune, and a few weeks later makes a square to Neptune. By then it’s biseptile Saturn and biquintile Pluto and slowing rapidly. The Sun is sextile Mars the entire month of August.
As I’ve offered before, when Mars is within a degree of forming or separating while making a hard aspect with a planet, slow down and show deliberation and caution in how you use force. Hard aspects to/from Mars always require that we moderate or antidote impulsiveness and impatience.
What Do Mars Oppositions Teach Us?
Mars began a new cycle when it conjuncted the Sun at 26 Scorpio in November 2023, and has passed all its oppositions to the outer planets until its next opposition to Pluto in November 2024. So it’s now opening its cycles with Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto while still closing in its cycle with Jupiter. The last conjunction is the one made with Jupiter in mid-August. After that Mars begins to make and take oppositions beginning in November 2024 through January 2025.
Of course, that also means 2023’s many oppositions from Mars to the outer planets was extremely important. That phase began with Mars at 1 Leo making the first non-Lunar opposition to another planet with its opposition to Pluto in late May. It then made an opposition to Saturn in mid-July, Neptune in late August, with oppositions to Jupiter and Uranus in late October and early November.
Please remember that while they can be tense, those oppositions require us to use different spiritual planetary energies. All oppositions made by Mars externalize various types of wisdom, since the “Tension of Opposites” between the planetary expressions in the signs they’re in entirely determines the spiritual tests to learn and demonstrate.
As I noted in Chapter 2 in my book Saturn: Spiritual Master, Spiritual Friend,
Mars' duality is Grace/Sin. This is the aspect of consciousness that shows whether our responses are manifesting error or truth, maladjustment or beauty. By our Martian function we force things before their time or confront abrasive, aggressive, or hostile energies in ourselves and others, and thus we learn how to sever what must be severed, and further what must be furthered, quickly and directly. (As an aside, the original meaning of “sin” had nothing to do with moral failure. It was an archery term meaning “to miss the mark,” or not hitting the center of a target. I use it here in that sense.)
Mars Links to the Past, Present, and Future
While Mars now initiates a new focus wherever we have Gemini, it activates a new Jupiter cycle while turning a corner on the cycle begun when it conjuncted Saturn earlier this year. In Taurus, we renewed the pulses of conjunctions with Jupiter and Uranus, as well as 2024’s Jupiter/Uranus at 22 Taurus.
This is going to activate our Gemini sectors in a big way, so don’t hesitate. Figure out what you have to do to manage the multiplicity of doors and opportunities which will open, don’t get too spread out, and if you’re a writer, get to work, since you can get a lot done with Mars in Gemini!
Copyright © 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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