Mars Retrograde in Gemini 2022

When you hear the word “retrograde” in pop culture, you probably think of Mercury. That’s because Mercury retrogrades more frequently than any other planet (though for shorter periods of time). All planets actually retrograde - with the luminaries, the Sun and the Moon - being the only celestial bodies that never do.

Not all retrogrades are created equal though, for lots of different reasons. Perhaps most importantly, the “outer planets” or anything past Jupiter, tend to impact us more collectively, while the inner planets (Moon, Mercury, Venus, and Mars) deal with things closer to home.

You can expect a Mars retrograde period to feel more personal than say a Pluto or Uranus retrograde, for example. But it also has to deal with your personal birth chart and the other current transits you’re experiencing.

That said, all retrogrades have to do with a shift in consciousness, which usually involves a shift in perspective. Mercury retrogrades highlight Mercurial themes like technology, information, and communication, while Mars retrogrades center around Martian themes like anger, instinct, initiation, and leadership.

As for this Mars Retrograde specifically, here’s some overview information you need to know:

Mars Retrograde in Gemini 2022 Overview

• Dates: October 30th, 2022-January 12th, 2023

• Sign: Gemini

• Degrees: 8°- 25°

• Most influenced: People with personal planets between 8-25 degrees of the mutable signs (Gemini, Sagittarius, Pisces, and Virgo) are likely to feel this transit most directly
• Themes: Fighting words, Miscommunications, Scattered energy, Brain fog

Because this Mars retrograde is in Gemini, a Mercury ruled sign, it has a slight flavor of a Mercury retrograde. Expect to receive more than one email that was sent too soon, and more than one person publicly putting their foot in their mouth over the coming months.

The old adage “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” comes to mind. People will be busy reviewing how wounding words can actually be…and we might see many people saying things they later regret…or that don’t sound anything like who we know them to be.

Gemini is a dual sign full of trickster energy- and Mars moves fast. The best way to navigate this astrological setup is to fight the urge to be everywhere at once. It’s going to be a slippery slope when it comes to connecting with new people in a direct way, and what once felt like charming social engagements could easily become charged with hostility.

GROUNDING will be an especially important practice for this period, regardless of your astrological makeup. But especially if you have a lot of fire or air in your chart, misfires will be more likely if you don’t prioritize slowing down and resting when you’re tired (which is likely to be often!).

Especially because the beginning of this period also coincides with eclipse season…flexibility is necessary. There will be surprising shifts and new projects of any kind are best suited for a launch in 2023 when Mars returns to its regular wattage. 

Tarot Spread for Mars Retrograde in Gemini

Here at Ritual, we’re all for taking your spirituality into your own hands, and Mars is the definition of self-directed. That said, this Tarot Spread is a mere suggestion! We find it helpful to pull a spread before big retrogrades like this, to help us understand astrology on a deeper, more personal level.

Each planet is ruled by a number in numerology, and Mars is associated with 9. For that reason, we’ve designed a spread with 3 rows of 3, but again, feel free to lay out your own cards however it feels best!

Supportive Talismans for Mars Retrograde in Gemini 

Mars is a planet that taps into our animal instincts and what better way to honor that energy than with an animal card deck? The beloved Animal Spirit deck by Kim Krans is newly available in this tin version…and we LOVE it. Especially for how quick both Mars and Gemini operate- best to have a deck that can be with you on the go!

Mars is s-h-a-r-p and so are these cuffs! We love the idea of dressing to honor the planets and if Mars was going to be made into jewelry…these wouldn’t be far off. 

The willpower crystal pack will not only help you protect your sacred energy at this time, but help to channel and direct it where it will serve you best. As we mentioned, Gemini is a trickster energy which could veer you off course during this fickle time. These crystals will work together to protect you and promote clarity despite the likely chaos. We also recommend working with this set in pairs during this specific retrograde, to honor the energy of dualistic Gemini.

Retrograde periods are almost always about slowing down and almost never about rushing ahead- especially in a sign like Mars. Our “get out and go energy” is going to be sidelined, so it’s a great time to relax and get really thoughtful about what you’ve been charging towards and why.

This candle is the perfect representation of Mars in Gemini energy - Mars is the flame, and Gemini is the yin yang symbol! If you’re setting up an altar to honor Mars retrograde, a dualistic candle like this one would be a great talisman.