The 2022-2023 Mars Retrograde Cycle
On August 20, 2022, Mars will enter Gemini and because the “god of war” will go retrograde on 10/30/22 Mars will remain in Gemini for seven months! Mars goes retrograde about every 26 months for 58-81 days. When Mars “goes retrograde” it will look like Mars has changed direction but it’s an illusion, caused by the ways that Earth and Mars orbit the Sun. During the Mars retrograde Earth comes up from behind Mars. While we pass Mars it will look to us as though Mars is moving up and down.
The Mars Retrograde Cycle: Re-examining and Reflexing on Actions and Consequences
Ingress: 8/20/22 Mars enters Gemini
Pre-Shadow starts on 9/3/22 this is the degree (8’ Gemini)
10/30/22 Mars stations to Retrograde
11/19/22 Mars in Gemini retrograde at 22’ degrees will square Neptune transiting in her own sign of Pisces.
11/28/22 Mars in Gemini retrograde at 19’ degrees will trine Saturn in his own sign of Aquarius.
Full Moon 12/7/22 Mars will be at 16’ Gemini conjunct the Moon and opposite Sun at 16 degrees Sagittarius. Evening Star – Maximum Brightness
1/12/23 Mars stations direct at 8’ degrees Gemini
3/15/23 Mars leaves the post-retrograde shadow at 25’ degrees Gemini.
3/25/23 Mars enters Cancer (finally!)
Mars rules physical activities, life force, sexual energy, and a competitive and ambitious drive to get our basic needs met and get what we want. A healthy Mars is confident, ambitious, assertive, and strong-willed.
The Mars retrograde of 2022 – 2023 will spend its retrograde cycle in Gemini. Mars in Gemini is known for lively conversation, quick-witted, and hyperactive Mars can use words to wound and defend. Gemini dreads boredom and often is juggling multiple plans, projects, perspectives, and goals.
When Mars goes retrograde we can feel deflated, indecisive, and lack motivation. Mars’s retrograde energy becomes internalized, introspective, and hesitant to react. The internalized anger and stress can acerbate health issues at this time.
We can expect plans or projects to stall or move slower than planned. There can be accidents due to impulsive behavior, disagreements, and aggressive confrontations that are more likely during the Mars retrograde.
Sometimes delays, setbacks, and frustrations during the Mars retrograde helps us discover issues that need to be addressed and behaviors that need to be changed. The Mars retrograde can force us to examine Mars’s issues relating to anger, sexuality, and ambition. If you have been overworking, trying to cope with stress, or are experiencing health struggles the Mars retrograde can force you to slow down and use the Mars retrograde cycle time to reconsider how you have been managing your life.
The Mars retrograde is an excellent time to reexamine what has been working and not working in our lives. We can use the retrograde to reinforce and strengthen the routines that support our goals. We can review and hopefully gain understanding regarding our anger issues, impulses, desires, and ambitions.
If we decide to make changes it is best to wait to take necessary corrective measures when Mars goes direct.
The retrograde is a good time to review your goals and the methods you have been deploying to meet your goals. But, make adjustments, work out the details, and take corrective action to implement changes after Mars has gone direct.
During Mars retrograde DO NOT buy or DIY relating to anything mechanical! Do not force things! At this time initiating or being impulsive will not help and can have serious consequences.
The Mars retrograde is a good time to:
- Review how you handle anger, conflicts, competition, sexual relationships, self-defense, and passive/aggressive issues.
- Recalibrate, slow down, and redefine your relationship to Mars issues. Listen to your intuition, go with your instincts.
- What about your life is no longer serving a purpose? What is essential and what do you need to let go of? Expand your perspective, be flexible, and accept changes.