This article originally appeared on Yoga Journal
Mars in Gemini is always an interesting time. When the planet of intellectual curiosity comes under the influence of an ever-in-motion air sign, our thoughts, ideas, and even the information we take in tend to be in a state of constant flux.
Although Mars usually takes about six weeks to travel through each zodiac sign, it will linger in Gemini for more than seven months. Part of the benefit of astrology is it allows you to understand the current astrological climate and enables you to enlist whatever tools you need so you can more easily adapt and align with the changes rather than struggle against them. During the Mars in Gemini transit--which began on August 20, 2022, and lasts until March 25, 2023--it is essential to learn how to sort through your thoughts rather than fall victim to an excess of thinking.
Mars' nature, in yoga terms, is that of rajas. Rajas is energy. It is passion, creativity, and change. It is also overstimulation, irritation, and restlessness. When this rajasic force is introduced to the sign that rules our thoughts, it can set up an environment that quickly turns into a whirlwind, taking us out of our bodies and into our minds, much to our own detriment.
Your thoughts are not meant to rule your life. When you understand the rather chaotic influence of Mars on your psyche, you can stay connected to your primal awareness of what’s happening in the moment rather than allowing an influx of information to take you away from that. It's been less than 100 years in the expanse of human history since we've been constantly flooded with data instead of focusing on our daily connection to the natural world. Yet nature sits and waits for us to be still, listen to it, and converse with it.
As Mars moves forward in the sign of Gemini until end end of October, consciously cultivate your relationship with curiosity. Pay attention to what is happening for you and remain aware of where you place your energy. Ask yourself, is this the best use of my thoughts? My emotions? My time?
When Mars in Gemini enters retrograde on October 30, 2022, it literally retraces its steps. We are invited to do the same.
Gemini asks us to be inquisitive and reassess what we accept as truth. Being able to acknowledge and own the opinions you carry keeps you centered and in control of them as opposed to finding yourself in a state of constant opposition to others’ ideas without a sense of what you actually do support.
Also, reconsider these questions you asked yourself around your energy before Mars retrograde. The invitation is to get clear on whether your effort is blazing a trail to an end goal or simply leaving you feeling burned out from moving in so many directions. Mars will remain in retrograde until January 13, 2023.
Mars has a furiously assertive nature to it and Gemini rules over the back-and-forth motion of information. In order to not allow this transit to take us into mental overdrive in a way that leaves you with your head spinning and your thoughts looping, you’ll want to seek out tools to counteract overthinking.
The preferred method for moderating your experience of Mars in Gemini is pranayama. Mars is the planet of stimulation. Gemini rules the lungs. Pranayama, or breathwork, is a powerful method to modulate your energy. When we direct it toward building lung health, it's a way to work with the cosmic forces instead of feeling victim to it. Sitali pranayama is a practice that can bring a soothing coolness to counter Mars’ heat. This is a practice you can turn to throughout the extended stay of Mars in Gemini.
Give yourself space for a daily writing practice. Brain dumps are when you select a topic and release all the information that you have available to you from your brain to your pen to the paper. When we consciously transfer this information, it gives a sense of relief and spaciousness that was not present prior to the practice. This is ideally done with an actual writing utensil rather than a tech device to bring more mindful awareness to the process.
Another way to use the pen as your tool during this transit is committing to everyday journal entries. Often when people start daily writing practices, they face the question, “Do I have anything to say?” However, your journal entries do not need to look a certain way. What matters most is the consistent effort. This is where you will find access to what you need to learn about yourself and process things from a reflective and responsive orientation rather than from a reactive place.
On days when you don't know what to write, simply list some things that make you feel grateful. Keep it simple. Your loved ones. Your home. Your breath. You can also simply acknowledge yourself for sitting and staying with your practice by stating, "I am writing because this is where I told myself my energy should go." Over time, it will get easier and easier to write with more fluidity.
Stay mindful that the way in which you have labeled reality is not necessarily the true reality. According to Ayurveda, the mind is differentiated into four parts: Manas, Chitta, Ahamkara, and Buddhi. Manas is the part of the mind that processes information and sensory experience, such as when you went through then mimicking phase during childhood that is so vital to your developmental process. But what about the things you’ve learned that were not accurate or helpful?
Gemini tends to label experiences as it represents mental organization. This labeling process is how we organize our thoughts and memories. Mars in Gemini is asking you to address what memories inform your opinion that do not serve you and have been found to be misinformation, whether in recent news or a belief that has been instilled in you since childhood. Start a misinformation section in a journal. Notice how much information you will cut ties with during Mars in Gemini. When you can observe where your opinion does not match reality, you can step into a different truth.
During the Mars in Gemini transit, there is a tremendous amount of energy available for learning. The Gemini process is not just about gathering information. It is also about the synthesis of it through discussion. The desire to learn and share information with others will be highlighted for many of us during this time.
We often feel fear around sharing our opinions because we worry we'll be persecuted for it. There's a way to communicate your opinion while acknowledging that you are in the process of understanding something and that your understanding is ever-changing. Then sharing becomes less burdened.
Cameron Allen began his path to understanding mind-body awareness with a degree in health and sports science and psychology. Beyond the colonized education system, he began seeking understanding through direct experience with nature, Astrology, herbalism, rootwork, yoga, and other indigenous technologies. Cameron is a herbalist, astrologer, and writer. Cameron is a student of life and continues to deepen his studies of ancient wisdom and apply it to modern life.
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