MARS - the planet representing the urge to get what you want, sexual drive, initiative, courage, raw energy and desires, enthusiasm, being dynamic, generosity, aggression, being heroic, being self-reliant, boldness, being fearless, being adventuresome - began its RETROGRADE journey for 2020 today, September 9th, at 6:22 PM EDT ... many of you may have already felt or witnessed some manifestation of this retrograde energy once Mars entered its shadow point back on July 25th !!!
Mars makes a retrograde journey for about 9 - 10 weeks out of its 26 month cycle ... Mars was last retrograde from June 26th through August 27th, 2018 going from 9 degrees 13 minutes Aquarius back to 28 degrees 37 minutes Capricorn ... anything come to mind from that period in your life especially in the area of life by the house or houses in your natal chart the retrograde occurred ???
This 26th month cycle becomes significant as we are used to Mars energy moving forward since it takes about two years to return to its natal position in ones birth chart and thus spends about two months in each sign ... the direct and retrograde stationing movement of Mars occurs most frequently in Cancer, Leo and Virgo, and least frequently in Sagittarius and Aquarius due to its eccentric orbit around the Sun ... Mars could be considered a "double twin" of the Earth as it tilts on its axis in almost the same way as the Earth, but Mars has 4 six month seasons instead of 4 three month seasons like we have here on Earth ... the Earth orbits the Sun in 1 year and Mars in 2 years thus the Earth finally catches up with Mars roughly every 2 years and 2 months = 26 month cycle !!!
Mars is all about being energetic, active, impulsive, assertive, courageous, expressive, independent, forceful, venturesome, possessive, practical and definitive ... now adding Aries into the mixture, which is the sign Mars naturally rules, you are stirring up a potential universal "Red Bull" energy drink, so to speak, blending in an additional dose of self- assertion, initiative, leadership, force of the will, freedom seeking, intensity, being resourceful and offensive power ... no wonder this placement can get a bad reputation if the energy is abused and it is easy to do when Mars is in direct motion !!!
Now along comes a Mars retrograde and the brakes get slammed on in a manner of speaking ... the universe pulls the plug on all of the energy in play ... and so what happens ??? ... there is a loss of energy which includes physical energy as we may feel somewhat more sluggish, that the energy required to work on goals or actions already being undertaken is suddenly gone, there is a loss of results we are trying to achieve by putting forth effort ... it seems like someone pushed a button and put everything on hold ... it may also seem like life has shifted into slow motion ... during this period we often need more rest and in some cases more sleep ... we may feel like we are in limbo or suspended in mid-air going nowhere ... try to avoid stress as dealing with it won't be very successful ... and certainly one of the major factors during a Mars retrograde is having to learn to be patient as those who are usually normally rigid, stubborn and love to be controlling are going to end up getting into trouble and fast !!!
The purpose of a Mars retrograde ultimately is to evaluate what it is that motivates you and for you to determine if you are on the correct path to achieving your goals, and if you are doing what you should be doing to get there ... inside a Mars retrograde, it is time for all of us to adjust our actions and aggressive instincts to ensure that ones intent is accomplished in a positive manner... this often includes going back over previous actions and having to redo them or let them go in order to move forward ... also, old resentments and personal issues that haven't been resolved in the past have a tendency of resurfacing during this period yielding the awareness that the time has come to develop new strategies and approaches for dealing with issues, personal anger and whether or not we express it in a healthy manner, and to learn positive assertiveness ... sometimes we prefer to drop back and let others take the lead for awhile even though it is a good bet that we will not be satisfied in the end with that course of action ... also it is possible that a male figure from ones past may come back around that one may need to settle some form of unfinished business with !!!
Frequently Mars retrogrades will bring issues of frustration or hostility to the surface we have deliberately suppressed due to their disruptive qualities which can cause forward movement in our lives to be temporarily delayed ... sudden reversals of interest and drive may occur, as well as the termination of a long term goal as it may become apparent that the effort exerted is inappropriate or non productive ... also old wounds, hurts and frustrations may arise seemingly out of context but usually there is a purpose for this !!!
During a Mars retrograde it is usually a good idea NOT to undertake any major new beginnings especially per contract or verbally since the energy often isn't there to carry it through ... obviously sometimes you can't just "sit tight" for nearly two and a half months, but there are good reasons, if at all possible, to hold off as the waiting may ultimately prove to be a blessing in the long run ... often things begun under a Mars retrograde may begin to run into problems when it stations back into direct motion - that being November 13th, at some point during the next two years, as a result of another personal planets' - in this case being Mercury and Venus - retrograde energy, or perhaps when Mars takes its next retrograde journey which will be November 2022 through January 2023 !!!
It is NOT a good idea to being a major new romantic involvement, even though Venus is currently transiting through the sign of Leo bestowing the urge for a good old fashioned romance to begin, as it could prove to be constantly challenging, fall apart rather quickly or have major issues arise during the next Mars retrograde which will bring it to an end once and for all if things were rocky from the beginning ... and should you get married during this period, you might want to have someone mark the time when you are pronounced husband and wife, partner and partner, etc., and then find a reputable astrologer to run an event chart for that time in order to see in which house, and therefore which area of life, this backwards energy may affect and challenge the relationship !!!
This Mars retrograde is most likely to be extremely challenging as it occurs completely in the sign of Aries, the sign it naturally rules, going from 28 degrees 9 minutes back to 15 degrees 14 minutes Aries ... if you've had a natal chart done, you can look to which house or houses where these degrees fall and get an idea of where, in your life, you might be rethinking some kind of action you have taken or where you might encounter delays or even shifts into a different direction ... important to note that Mars has been in the sign of Aries since June 27th as normally a Mars transit through a sign is usually about 6 weeks !!!
Mars retrograde energy has the potential to produce some unwanted action if it aspects other planets in your natal chart regardless of sign but still within the same range of degrees ... as with Mercury retrograde periods, sometimes those born with Mars retrograde will find this period more productive since they are already comfortable and have a better understanding of this backwards energy ... in a natal chart, those born with Mars retrograde are said to have actions in the current life that are recreations of the past to deal with, they probably abused the principles of aggression and personal initiative, and they are frequently in competition with themselves !!!
Mars is the ruling planet of Aries which is the natural ruling sign on the 1st house, or Ascendant, which is considered a house of Life ... its keyword is identity ... the 1st house represents your personality, your natural disposition and tendencies, your individuality and the way you express yourself, how people see you and the way you want others to see you, the way you "package" and "market" yourself, your reputation, your physical body, your health, early childhood years, your approach to life, your worldly outlook, your appearance and the beginnings of all enterprises you undertake ... so there is the potential for issues to arise in these areas especially if some of the actions were taken during the last Mars retrograde or during the current Mars retrograde !!!
Mars represents your animal nature, desires, sexual energies, assertiveness, force, power, construction, work, strife, competition, surgery and operations, weapons, war, accidents, inflammations, wounds, cuts, burns, scalds, violence, tools, iron and steel, actions that are sudden, self-assertive and disruptive actions, and energy that can be used destructively and angrily or with courage and strength ... all of these areas are vulnerable to issues during the entire retrograde period as it is Mars which is in retrograde !!! ... In regards to health, the areas especially subject to issues during the entire retrograde are the head and face !!!
This Mars retrograde period could end up being even more intense and challenging once Mercury begins its next retrograde period on October 13th which lasts until November 3rd and therefore will be completely embedded within this Mars retrograde ... the first part of the Mercury retrograde, until October 27th, will occur in the sign of Scorpio ... Mars is considered the ancient ruler of Scorpio as Pluto was not discovered until 1930 ... so the period between October 27th through November 3rd could potentially prove to be even more challenging !!!
Since Mars was last retrograde from June 26th through August 27, 2018, the question now becomes what actions were possibly begun that now must be readdressed, readjusted, reworked, or simply have run their course, ran out of "steam" and come to a necessary ending needing to be released, or concluded but not by our choice, in order to promote further personal and spiritual growth ??? ... and undoubtedly you may be readdressing some of these issues, including the issues encountered from July 25th up until the retrograde period began as Mars backs over those degrees and then moves over them again once Mars stations direct, up until it exits its retrograde zone on January 2, 2021 !!!
For those of you born between September 10th and November 12th, you will get this Mars retrograde energy somewhere in your astrological birthday chart - known as a solar return - for the whole year ahead ... however, those born on September 9th and November 13th may or may not get this retrograde energy depending on the time of your solar return for the current year ... therefore some Virgo born, all Libra born and some Scorpio born will definitely get the Mars retrograde energy in their solar return chart this year !!! ... below is what noted astrologer Mary Fortier Shea has to say about having Mars retrograde in the birthday chart - also known as the Solar Return:
Mars makes a retrograde journey for about 9 - 10 weeks out of its 26 month cycle ... Mars was last retrograde from June 26th through August 27th, 2018 going from 9 degrees 13 minutes Aquarius back to 28 degrees 37 minutes Capricorn ... anything come to mind from that period in your life especially in the area of life by the house or houses in your natal chart the retrograde occurred ???
This 26th month cycle becomes significant as we are used to Mars energy moving forward since it takes about two years to return to its natal position in ones birth chart and thus spends about two months in each sign ... the direct and retrograde stationing movement of Mars occurs most frequently in Cancer, Leo and Virgo, and least frequently in Sagittarius and Aquarius due to its eccentric orbit around the Sun ... Mars could be considered a "double twin" of the Earth as it tilts on its axis in almost the same way as the Earth, but Mars has 4 six month seasons instead of 4 three month seasons like we have here on Earth ... the Earth orbits the Sun in 1 year and Mars in 2 years thus the Earth finally catches up with Mars roughly every 2 years and 2 months = 26 month cycle !!!
Mars is all about being energetic, active, impulsive, assertive, courageous, expressive, independent, forceful, venturesome, possessive, practical and definitive ... now adding Aries into the mixture, which is the sign Mars naturally rules, you are stirring up a potential universal "Red Bull" energy drink, so to speak, blending in an additional dose of self- assertion, initiative, leadership, force of the will, freedom seeking, intensity, being resourceful and offensive power ... no wonder this placement can get a bad reputation if the energy is abused and it is easy to do when Mars is in direct motion !!!
Now along comes a Mars retrograde and the brakes get slammed on in a manner of speaking ... the universe pulls the plug on all of the energy in play ... and so what happens ??? ... there is a loss of energy which includes physical energy as we may feel somewhat more sluggish, that the energy required to work on goals or actions already being undertaken is suddenly gone, there is a loss of results we are trying to achieve by putting forth effort ... it seems like someone pushed a button and put everything on hold ... it may also seem like life has shifted into slow motion ... during this period we often need more rest and in some cases more sleep ... we may feel like we are in limbo or suspended in mid-air going nowhere ... try to avoid stress as dealing with it won't be very successful ... and certainly one of the major factors during a Mars retrograde is having to learn to be patient as those who are usually normally rigid, stubborn and love to be controlling are going to end up getting into trouble and fast !!!
The purpose of a Mars retrograde ultimately is to evaluate what it is that motivates you and for you to determine if you are on the correct path to achieving your goals, and if you are doing what you should be doing to get there ... inside a Mars retrograde, it is time for all of us to adjust our actions and aggressive instincts to ensure that ones intent is accomplished in a positive manner... this often includes going back over previous actions and having to redo them or let them go in order to move forward ... also, old resentments and personal issues that haven't been resolved in the past have a tendency of resurfacing during this period yielding the awareness that the time has come to develop new strategies and approaches for dealing with issues, personal anger and whether or not we express it in a healthy manner, and to learn positive assertiveness ... sometimes we prefer to drop back and let others take the lead for awhile even though it is a good bet that we will not be satisfied in the end with that course of action ... also it is possible that a male figure from ones past may come back around that one may need to settle some form of unfinished business with !!!
Frequently Mars retrogrades will bring issues of frustration or hostility to the surface we have deliberately suppressed due to their disruptive qualities which can cause forward movement in our lives to be temporarily delayed ... sudden reversals of interest and drive may occur, as well as the termination of a long term goal as it may become apparent that the effort exerted is inappropriate or non productive ... also old wounds, hurts and frustrations may arise seemingly out of context but usually there is a purpose for this !!!
During a Mars retrograde it is usually a good idea NOT to undertake any major new beginnings especially per contract or verbally since the energy often isn't there to carry it through ... obviously sometimes you can't just "sit tight" for nearly two and a half months, but there are good reasons, if at all possible, to hold off as the waiting may ultimately prove to be a blessing in the long run ... often things begun under a Mars retrograde may begin to run into problems when it stations back into direct motion - that being November 13th, at some point during the next two years, as a result of another personal planets' - in this case being Mercury and Venus - retrograde energy, or perhaps when Mars takes its next retrograde journey which will be November 2022 through January 2023 !!!
It is NOT a good idea to being a major new romantic involvement, even though Venus is currently transiting through the sign of Leo bestowing the urge for a good old fashioned romance to begin, as it could prove to be constantly challenging, fall apart rather quickly or have major issues arise during the next Mars retrograde which will bring it to an end once and for all if things were rocky from the beginning ... and should you get married during this period, you might want to have someone mark the time when you are pronounced husband and wife, partner and partner, etc., and then find a reputable astrologer to run an event chart for that time in order to see in which house, and therefore which area of life, this backwards energy may affect and challenge the relationship !!!
This Mars retrograde is most likely to be extremely challenging as it occurs completely in the sign of Aries, the sign it naturally rules, going from 28 degrees 9 minutes back to 15 degrees 14 minutes Aries ... if you've had a natal chart done, you can look to which house or houses where these degrees fall and get an idea of where, in your life, you might be rethinking some kind of action you have taken or where you might encounter delays or even shifts into a different direction ... important to note that Mars has been in the sign of Aries since June 27th as normally a Mars transit through a sign is usually about 6 weeks !!!
Mars retrograde energy has the potential to produce some unwanted action if it aspects other planets in your natal chart regardless of sign but still within the same range of degrees ... as with Mercury retrograde periods, sometimes those born with Mars retrograde will find this period more productive since they are already comfortable and have a better understanding of this backwards energy ... in a natal chart, those born with Mars retrograde are said to have actions in the current life that are recreations of the past to deal with, they probably abused the principles of aggression and personal initiative, and they are frequently in competition with themselves !!!
Mars is the ruling planet of Aries which is the natural ruling sign on the 1st house, or Ascendant, which is considered a house of Life ... its keyword is identity ... the 1st house represents your personality, your natural disposition and tendencies, your individuality and the way you express yourself, how people see you and the way you want others to see you, the way you "package" and "market" yourself, your reputation, your physical body, your health, early childhood years, your approach to life, your worldly outlook, your appearance and the beginnings of all enterprises you undertake ... so there is the potential for issues to arise in these areas especially if some of the actions were taken during the last Mars retrograde or during the current Mars retrograde !!!
Mars represents your animal nature, desires, sexual energies, assertiveness, force, power, construction, work, strife, competition, surgery and operations, weapons, war, accidents, inflammations, wounds, cuts, burns, scalds, violence, tools, iron and steel, actions that are sudden, self-assertive and disruptive actions, and energy that can be used destructively and angrily or with courage and strength ... all of these areas are vulnerable to issues during the entire retrograde period as it is Mars which is in retrograde !!! ... In regards to health, the areas especially subject to issues during the entire retrograde are the head and face !!!
This Mars retrograde period could end up being even more intense and challenging once Mercury begins its next retrograde period on October 13th which lasts until November 3rd and therefore will be completely embedded within this Mars retrograde ... the first part of the Mercury retrograde, until October 27th, will occur in the sign of Scorpio ... Mars is considered the ancient ruler of Scorpio as Pluto was not discovered until 1930 ... so the period between October 27th through November 3rd could potentially prove to be even more challenging !!!
Since Mars was last retrograde from June 26th through August 27, 2018, the question now becomes what actions were possibly begun that now must be readdressed, readjusted, reworked, or simply have run their course, ran out of "steam" and come to a necessary ending needing to be released, or concluded but not by our choice, in order to promote further personal and spiritual growth ??? ... and undoubtedly you may be readdressing some of these issues, including the issues encountered from July 25th up until the retrograde period began as Mars backs over those degrees and then moves over them again once Mars stations direct, up until it exits its retrograde zone on January 2, 2021 !!!
For those of you born between September 10th and November 12th, you will get this Mars retrograde energy somewhere in your astrological birthday chart - known as a solar return - for the whole year ahead ... however, those born on September 9th and November 13th may or may not get this retrograde energy depending on the time of your solar return for the current year ... therefore some Virgo born, all Libra born and some Scorpio born will definitely get the Mars retrograde energy in their solar return chart this year !!! ... below is what noted astrologer Mary Fortier Shea has to say about having Mars retrograde in the birthday chart - also known as the Solar Return:
"When Mars is retrograde in the solar return chart, the individual must work with the process of self-motivation. This is a good time to work on a long-term project, especially one involving the need to repeatedly push yourself toward achievement. You are the motivating force. No one else can get you to move. It is very unlikely that you will be motivated by others since personal goals will seem more important than the conflicting goals of others. If you cannot motivate yourself or direct your energy in a useful manner, you will feel listless and tired. This is an extremely useful retro gradation for those who are goal-oriented; unfortunately, it can be a very counterproductive placement for those who are not.
The way you choose to handle anger is symbolized by Mars retrograde. Usually, there is a desire to avoid confrontation and conflict. You may be unable or unwilling to express anger outwardly. Furthermore, you might find it difficult to be openly aggressive or even assertive given the situations you are involved with. If this is so, you could resort to passive-aggressive behavior or manipulation if it seems impossible to deal with a present situation on a rational level. For example, if you are taking care of a cantankerous and senile relative, confrontation and rational discussion will not improve your relationship, but refusing to engage in conflicts and stressing the humor of the situation may. You can manipulate your way around the old coot with love and understanding in your heart. Having Mars retrograde in a solar return chart signals the need to reassess the appropriateness of anger and conflict in certain situations where it may actually be totally useless. It is not the answer to all situations and you can learn to use other tactics.
If you are involved in difficult circumstances, you may not defend yourself against the criticism of others. And in fact, you could see yourself as responsible to some extent for the situations you are involved in. This is a time when you are more apt to get in touch with the role you, yourself, play in creating stress. You could blame yourself and be very self-critical of your own behavior. Positively, we can look upon this year as a time when you are more apt to see self-defeating situations and take corrective action. It is fairly common to realize the existence of at least one self-defeating situation or personality pattern during the year.
Mars retrograde, at its worst manifestation, can have a self-destructive interpretation. It is possible that you will place yourself (through your own doing) in a situation that causes you difficulty or pain. You will have the ability to withdraw from the situation, but might choose to remain throughout the solar return year. This may sound like a horrible manifestation, but it is not necessarily so ... The house placement of Mars will relate to the self-defeating or self-destructive attitudes and may symbolize this negative behavior in relationships, career practises, financial responsibility, etc. If one concentrates on the issues, solutions can be found and there will be no need to remain in compromising situations."
ARIES BORN - this is your period to slow down and in some cases stop - WHICH YOU DO NOT LIKE TO DO AT ALL !!! - in order to review and rethink what has and what is going on in your life especially in regards to what has transpired in your life since August 27th, 2018 when Mars, being your ruling planet, last stationed back into direct motion ... Even though Aries born individuals as well a Libra born individuals, as this is the sign opposite to your natal sun placement, may be more sensitive to this reversal of energy, we will all experience it or surely witness it somewhere in our lives, and lights may begin to come on in our heads as we discover that perhaps we should have either waited a while longer before taking action or possibly never have taken a particular course of action to begin with in certain situations even before Mars resumes direct motion !!!
Of course life cannot come to a screeching halt, even though it may seem in many aspects it has with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this is where it would be extremely wise to move forward, or try to, with enhanced caution and consideration ... speaking of COVID -19, it may make some wonder if the shelter in place and quarantine have been any less challenging had we been in a Mars retrograde back then AND/OR will there be some kind of shelter in place and quarantine put in place during this period ???
Mars remains retrograde until November 13th ... again, this Mars retrograde period could end up being even more intense and challenging once Mercury begins its next retrograde period as it will be completely embedded in the Mars retrograde !!! ... in addition, many may feel along the way that there is something making them restless, edgy frustrated and irritable and they are simply not able to pin down the cause - this is usually the case when Mars transits ones natal 12th house ... of the three personal planets - Mercury, Venus and Mars - that take retrograde journeys, it is said that Mars retrograde can produce greater havoc and widespread unexpected change of all three personal planets ... and in particular the times around Mars stationing retrograde and then stationing back into direct motion there is the potential for an increase in aggression, violence, accidents and fires !!!
As it is said that in a Venus retrograde we often become somewhat less sociable and frequently forget our manners, during a Mars retrograde we may become somewhat less "warlike" and our energy can repeatedly hit a lull ... over the course of this 66 day period as energy rises and seems to fall just as quickly, we may become all too personally and frequently associated with that famous saying -
MY GET UP AND GO GOT UP AND WENT !!!
The way you choose to handle anger is symbolized by Mars retrograde. Usually, there is a desire to avoid confrontation and conflict. You may be unable or unwilling to express anger outwardly. Furthermore, you might find it difficult to be openly aggressive or even assertive given the situations you are involved with. If this is so, you could resort to passive-aggressive behavior or manipulation if it seems impossible to deal with a present situation on a rational level. For example, if you are taking care of a cantankerous and senile relative, confrontation and rational discussion will not improve your relationship, but refusing to engage in conflicts and stressing the humor of the situation may. You can manipulate your way around the old coot with love and understanding in your heart. Having Mars retrograde in a solar return chart signals the need to reassess the appropriateness of anger and conflict in certain situations where it may actually be totally useless. It is not the answer to all situations and you can learn to use other tactics.
If you are involved in difficult circumstances, you may not defend yourself against the criticism of others. And in fact, you could see yourself as responsible to some extent for the situations you are involved in. This is a time when you are more apt to get in touch with the role you, yourself, play in creating stress. You could blame yourself and be very self-critical of your own behavior. Positively, we can look upon this year as a time when you are more apt to see self-defeating situations and take corrective action. It is fairly common to realize the existence of at least one self-defeating situation or personality pattern during the year.
Mars retrograde, at its worst manifestation, can have a self-destructive interpretation. It is possible that you will place yourself (through your own doing) in a situation that causes you difficulty or pain. You will have the ability to withdraw from the situation, but might choose to remain throughout the solar return year. This may sound like a horrible manifestation, but it is not necessarily so ... The house placement of Mars will relate to the self-defeating or self-destructive attitudes and may symbolize this negative behavior in relationships, career practises, financial responsibility, etc. If one concentrates on the issues, solutions can be found and there will be no need to remain in compromising situations."
ARIES BORN - this is your period to slow down and in some cases stop - WHICH YOU DO NOT LIKE TO DO AT ALL !!! - in order to review and rethink what has and what is going on in your life especially in regards to what has transpired in your life since August 27th, 2018 when Mars, being your ruling planet, last stationed back into direct motion ... Even though Aries born individuals as well a Libra born individuals, as this is the sign opposite to your natal sun placement, may be more sensitive to this reversal of energy, we will all experience it or surely witness it somewhere in our lives, and lights may begin to come on in our heads as we discover that perhaps we should have either waited a while longer before taking action or possibly never have taken a particular course of action to begin with in certain situations even before Mars resumes direct motion !!!
Of course life cannot come to a screeching halt, even though it may seem in many aspects it has with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but this is where it would be extremely wise to move forward, or try to, with enhanced caution and consideration ... speaking of COVID -19, it may make some wonder if the shelter in place and quarantine have been any less challenging had we been in a Mars retrograde back then AND/OR will there be some kind of shelter in place and quarantine put in place during this period ???
Mars remains retrograde until November 13th ... again, this Mars retrograde period could end up being even more intense and challenging once Mercury begins its next retrograde period as it will be completely embedded in the Mars retrograde !!! ... in addition, many may feel along the way that there is something making them restless, edgy frustrated and irritable and they are simply not able to pin down the cause - this is usually the case when Mars transits ones natal 12th house ... of the three personal planets - Mercury, Venus and Mars - that take retrograde journeys, it is said that Mars retrograde can produce greater havoc and widespread unexpected change of all three personal planets ... and in particular the times around Mars stationing retrograde and then stationing back into direct motion there is the potential for an increase in aggression, violence, accidents and fires !!!
As it is said that in a Venus retrograde we often become somewhat less sociable and frequently forget our manners, during a Mars retrograde we may become somewhat less "warlike" and our energy can repeatedly hit a lull ... over the course of this 66 day period as energy rises and seems to fall just as quickly, we may become all too personally and frequently associated with that famous saying -
MY GET UP AND GO GOT UP AND WENT !!!
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