My planets don't play nice.

Receptions:

For example, she wondered, if Mars is in Leo, which way does the attraction go, and who is helping whom? Does the Sun, being the ruler of Leo, see Mars in Leo and say “hey, he reminds me of me!”, or does Mars, being in the Sun’s sign, say “I want to be just like Sun!”?

The answer is that when Mars is in Sun’s sign, it is ruled by the Sun; therefore, Mars in Leo loves the Sun and wants to help it. It’s not that Mars wants to be like the Sun; but Mars in Leo is most interested in whatever the Sun represents in that chart.

Just because Mars is in the Sun’s sign doesn’t mean the Sun automatically reciprocates Mars’ interest, though, or reciprocates it to the same degree. To learn who the Sun likes, look at the sign it is in. Right now, for instance, the Sun is in Gemini, in a degree where Mars has dignity by face. Face is the very least of dignities, only very slightly positive. It tells us that Sun likes Mars just a little bit, not with any grand passion or anything, but could be persuaded to do something nice for Mars if it isn’t busy doing something else.

If the Sun were in a part of Gemini where Mars has no dignity nor debility, then Sun would neither like nor dislike Mars. It would be indifferent to whatever Mars wants, however much Mars in Leo might adore it. (Mars, meet Morrissey: “The more you ignore me, the closer I get.”)

But let’s imagine that Sun is in a sign like Taurus, where Mars is in its detriment. Now there’s a difficult dynamic! Mars in Leo adores the Sun; Sun in Taurus hates Mars and brings him harm.