mars

To understand Mars, we want to begin to understand the principles that Mars operates by. (Yes, we could memorize a lot of details, but then we would miss a lot of how things go together in a chart.)

1. Mars is a Tamasic energy. Mars wants to remove problems.
2. Mars indicates our instinctual intelligence. When we say “I have a gut feeling about this” we’re talking about Mars.
3. Mars likes to act quickly—Mars wants to get things done! Besides, gut feelings are often things of the moment—if we don’t act quickly, it will be too late.
4. Like his symbol the ram, Mars runs at things with his head down. So he doesn’t always see how circumstances are changing. So he makes mistakes.
5. Mars likes novelty. He wants to get something done and move on to the next thing.
6. Mars is a loner. He comes down from the mountain, gets something done, and then goes back up the mountain. Mars isn’t very good at “working and playing well with others.”
7. All of the above qualities express the rough nature of Mars. But Mars does what he does because he wants to defend principles. In the cabinet of the planets, the Sun, the King, determines what the agenda is and then Mars is the general who goes out and removes the obstacles to that agenda. MARS DEFENDS PRINCIPLES. When a person has high principles, Mars has something worthwhile to go “out there” for. Mars is very courageous, and will go to the field of battle, even if the odds seem to be against the native.
8. But if a person doesn’t have high principles, Mars degrades into a rude brawler who looks for a fight and/or a conquest, either an athletic conquest or a sensual one. Or both.

Ok, now that we understand these things about Mars we can look at your question. (Of course, there are many things we can add to the list above, but our list of basics will still be true.)

1. As has already been pointed out, Mars is malefic for Gemini ascendants. This makes sense, because Mercury, the ruling planet of Gemini, represents our highest intellectual intelligence. Mercury likes to look at all sides of a question, and share what he understands. Mars doesn’t want to take the time for that, and he doesn’t want to collaborate or share either. So we can see why Mars and Mercury don’t get along that well!
2. But if the native has high principles, Mars will have enough to do in removing the obstacles to the native’s high agenda. If we could see where the Sun and Jupiter are in this chart, that would help. If we knew where Venus was in the chart, we would get an idea of the balancing influence available for Mars’ rough-and-ready instincts.
3. If the native doesn’t have high principles, Mars in the first house for a Gemini ascendant will be a challenge. Argumentative, too much pitta (fire) in the body, too highly competitive, prone to infidelity, and prone to wasting time with meaningless games.
4. Mars is fiery, and Gemini is an air sign. If high principles direct the use of Mar’s heat, this can make for a strong, athletic native with a good balance of the “head” and the “belly” intelligence. But if principles are lacking, the airy activity of Gemini spreads Mar’s fire until it rages out of control.