About every two years, Mars goes retrograde, and it’s that time again. Mars, the warrior planet of passion, action, and ambition, stations retrograde in Gemini, the sign of communication and mental activity. Think of Mars in Gemini as a litigator or someone who uses words with force.

Mars will stay in Gemini for quite a while - until March 2023. This means the influence of Mars will be stronger than usual, and all Mars-related themes will be prominent for us in our personal lives. We’ll see evidence of that Mars energy in world events as well. 

Mars Themes We’ll see: 

Mars is the planet that rules our passion - our sex drives. Along with Venus, it’s one of our relationship planets. When Mars retrograde, we see the influence in our love lives, specifically in our sex lives. During Mars retrograde, our sexual drives change. They can either decrease or shift slightly, so what turns you on changes. Regardless of how it plays out, intimacy in relationships could require more of a conscious effort on your part. You have to find ways to connect outside of the bedroom as well.  

Put your boxing gloves away, as arguing and fighting could be more unproductive or, worse, create a lasting rift in a relationship. Others can more easily trigger us during Mars retrograde, and we are more sensitive to others’ words and actions. 

Avoid petty arguments or social media rants. We could see more of them, and during Mars retrograde, we tend to hold onto our opinions and positions. This can make conflicts extra frustrating. 

Mars can be frustrating. Find healthy outlets for stress to avoid a buildup of energy. 

You may lack momentum for things you normally love. Where’s the passion? 

Ambition is a Mars theme as well. It motivates us to strive for our goals and achieve them. It spurs our competitive drives. During Mars retrograde, we can question what we’re striving for and even have a crisis of faith. It’s not a time to give up. It’s time to keep going strong in the pursuit of your goals. 

Because Mars is retrograde all through the campaign and election process, we are going to see sparks fly. 

• More conflicts and opposition

• Division in our country

• It’s important for us to find ways to come together - to relate with one another on social media and in our personal relationships.

• Debates could be unproductive - we could see arguing without real solutions. We could also see setbacks with these, like COVID-related delays or quick changes.  

During Mars retrograde, we could see more awareness about the problems with law enforcement and racial disparity within our criminal justice system. Though we may not find solutions to these challenges during Mars retrograde, we will be placing these matters in the spotlight as more truth emerges. We will especially see this on September 29, when Mars squares Saturn, the law enforcement and policing planet. 

We could see solid evidence of corruption. 

These are times of big structural changes in all areas of the government, and Mars retrograde helps us bring some of our societal concerns to a turning point.  

Mars Retrograde:

Mars isn’t happy when he’s going retrograde. Using the analogy of the sports player, imagine he’s playing in his team’s town, but he’s sitting on the bench with a penalty. Can you imagine he’d be frustrated? Feel stuck? Be pissed? We might see some of the more shadow sides of Mars, which include bickering, power struggles in relationships, big egos, displays of arrogance, “me first” attitudes, depression, difficulties establishing or maintaining boundaries, and feeling like a victim of circumstances. T

How to Make the Most of This Time? 

Any retrograde cycle gives us a chance to rethink past decisions, revisit past relationships, and gain clarity about our lives. Retrograde cycles allow us to slow down, do some clearing, and then move forward in a more balanced, focused way on the other side. 

• Look to Venus for answers. Venus is the counterpoint to Mars. She’s the relationship planet and emphasizes beauty, grace, love, relating and finding common ground, experiencing pleasure, and conversing about differences. These are the antidotes to Mars retrograde. 

• Have faith in yourself, despite any lack of motivation or drive. Keep going, without giving up.

• Avoid making major decisions to leave a relationship or jump head-first into one. Move slowly when it comes to love. 

• Talk through differences with your partner in open, honest conversations. You can have a real breakthrough in your love life during this time if you’re willing to explore the root causes of some of your challenges. 

• Practice radical self-care. 

• Get involved in your community or do some volunteer work. It helps to think about others when things feel stressful in your personal life. Giving back will motivate you and help you feel connected with others.

• Spread peace everywhere you go. Mediate conflicts, especially any inner conflicts you might have.