LADIES AND GENTLEMEN START YOUR ENGINES ... BUT DO NOT PUT THE PEDAL TO THE MEDAL RATHER JUST EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD !!!

 

MARS, the planet representing the urge to get what you want, sexual drive, initiative, courage, raw energy and desires, completed its RETROGRADE journey for 2024/2025 on Sunday, February 23rd, at 9:00 PM EST ... 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 achieve your goal, and if you are doing what you should be doing to get there ... inside the Mars retrograde, it was time for all of us to adjust our actions and aggressive instincts to ensure that ones intent is accomplished effectively ... 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 had not been resolved in the past may have had the tendency of resurfacing during this period which yielded the awareness that the time had come to develop new strategies and approaches for dealing with issues, anger and learning assertiveness ... Mars takes a retrograde journey for about 9 - 10 weeks out of its 26 month cycle !!!




Mars retrograde could have brought 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 have occurred, as well as the termination of a long term goal as it may have become apparent that the effort was inappropriate for the long term ... also old wounds, hurts and frustrations may have arisen seemingly out of context but usually there was a purpose for this ... during a Mars retrograde it is usually a good idea NOT to undertake any new beginnings per contract or verbally since the energy often isn't there to carry it through ... now sometimes you couldn't just "sit tight" for nearly two and a half months, but there are good reasons, if at all possible, as the waiting may ultimately prove to be a blessing in the long run ... often things begun under a Mars retrograde will begin to run into problems when it stations back into direct motion possibly on Sunday, at some point during the next two years, or even when Mars takes its next retrograde journey January through April 2027 !!!




This Mars retrograde was a dual sign retrograde going from 6 degrees 10 minutes Leo back to 17 degrees Cancer ... if you have had a natal chart done, you can look to where these degrees fall by house and/or houses in order to see if  you had to rethink some kind of action you may have taken or where you might have encountered delays and frustrations and had to shift into a different direction in whatever area of life the house or houses rule where these degrees fell ... if you were born with your natal Sun between 17 degrees Cancer and 6 degrees 10 minutes Leo, at some point Mars crossed back over your natal Sun and, among other things, there could have been a few days when you felt as if someone really unplugged your energy outlet - many of us may have had that feeling off and on during the entire Mars retrograde cycle !!!




If you have any natal planets in the signs of Cancer and Leo within these degrees you probably experienced some kind of energy produced in relation to the planet and the area of life in which house it is placed when Mars backed over that planet ... also Mars may have produced some action if it made an aspect to other planets in your natal chart regardless of sign but still within the same range of degrees ... Many would agree this Mars retrograde became especially challenging and frustrating !!!

Since Mars was last retrograde from October 30th, 2022 through January 12th, 2023, what actions were possibly begun then that now had to be readdressed, readjusted, reworked, or simply had 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 September 4th, 2024 up until the retrograde period ended yesterday as Mars now moves forward over those degrees up until it exits its retrograde zone on May 2nd !!! 

Mars retrograde energy had the potential to produce some unwanted action if it aspected 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 was 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 were 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 began in Leo ... the Sun is the ruling planet of Leo ... as such, the issues that could have arisen during this portion of the retrograde include: the persons main method of personal expression, qualities of leadership and success, the masculine principle, the father, the husband and men in general, health and vitality, authority and bosses, rank, title, high office, progress, dignity, energy, sense of identity and capacity for experience !!!

The Sun naturally rules the 5th house of the horoscope which is considered a house of life whose keyword is identity ... within its domain there could be issues to have arisen which include: children, artistic expression, love affairs, romance, pleasures, amusements, holidays, vacations, games, speculations, hobbies and avocation, your emotional attitude and the love you give, your enterprise, sports, originality and creative outlets, dramatic, literary or artistic ability, publications, politics, the fine arts, social affairs, pregnancy, the education of children, and any groups to which you belong which relate to having fun !!!

On January 6th, Mars returned to the sign of Cancer, a sign that it is already weakened in as it is considered to be in its fall, and the focus shifted ... not to say there weren't any issues running concurrently with the beginning of this retrograde period, but the following were added to the list of potential challenges ... the Moon is the ruling planet of Cancer and it involves the domestic, nurturing urge as well as the emotions ... therefore issues that could have arisen include: the female principle: mother, wife and women in general, instincts, moods, tides, phases, receptivity, fluctuations, feelings, habit patterns, reflex actions, personal interests, desires, needs, magnetism, growth and fertility, the need to touch, impressionability, consciousness, liquids, commodities, sailing, brewing, nursing, tradespeople and the public in general !!!

The Moon naturally rules the 4th house of the horoscope which is considered a house of endings whose keyword is security ... as such, there could have been issues also to arise which include: your home, your parents, the family you came from (your roots so to speak), the home you will establish, your heritage, heredity, ancestry, your psychological roots and private life, property - including houses, real estate and all that is secluded, the closing years of life, the ending of all matters, fame after death, place of burial, the parent who has the greater influence on you as a child, your subjective self, the nurturing parent, and the foundation on which you build your character !!!

In regards to potential health issues, keep in mind for the first 10 days of this retrograde Mercury retrograde was imbedded in it and Mercury is the natural ruler of the 6th house which includes health and thus having increased the potential for health issues in general ... specifically to this Mars retrograde these would be the areas to have been potentially affected by this energy:

Mars: external reproductive organs, head and face

Sun: the heart, upper back, right eye of the male, left eye of the female

Moon: breasts, stomach, digestion, left eye of the male, right eye of the female

ARIES born - this was 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 had been going on in your life especially in regards to what may have transpired in your life since January 12th, 2023 when Mars, being your ruling planet, last stationed back into direct motion !!!

Even though Aries born individuals may have been more sensitive to the reversal of energy, we all may have experienced it or possibly witnessed it somewhere in our lives or others lives, and lights may now begin to come on in our heads as we may discover that perhaps we should either have waited a while longer before taking a particular course of action or possibly realizing we should have never taken that course of action to begin with in certain situations !!!




Mars remains in direct motion until January 10th, 2027 when it begins its next retrograde journey, lasting until April 1st, 2027, which will be a dual sign retrograde period going from 10 degrees 25 minutes Virgo back to 20 degrees 55 minutes Leo ... once again, Mars will exit its retrograde zone on May 2nd !!!

For those of you born between December 7th and February 22nd, you definitely got this Mars retrograde energy somewhere in your astrological birthday chart - known as a solar return - for the whole year ahead ... however, those born on December 6th or February 23rd may or may not have gotten this retrograde energy depending on the time of your solar return for the current year ... to review, 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 practices, financial responsibility, etc. If one concentrates on the issues, solutions can be found and there will be no need to remain in compromising situations."

For those of you born between November 27th and December 14th, you got both the Mercury and Mars retrograde energy in your solar return chart for the year ahead ... those born on November 27th or December 15th may or may not have gotten these two retrograde energies depending on the time of your solar return for 2024 !!!

Below is a "reminder" of what the energy of Mars in Cancer has the potential to produce as it moves forward to finally complete its transit through Cancer before finishing its complete transit through Leo next :

Mars being a fiery planet does not fare too well in a water sign like Cancer as water tends to rain on its parade of initiative as well as aggression which in some cases can be a very good thing and in others cases very detrimental to its course of intended action !!!

Mars in Cancer is said to be in the sign of its "Fall" - that is it's in the sign opposite of Capricorn, where it is Exalted and tends to function even more efficiently than in the sign it naturally rules which is Aries ... so this Mars often has trouble expressing its true nature ... it's "fire" gets "watered" down and that can either produce irritating steam or sensual steamy energy ... it is like staying in someone's home where you do not feel comfortable !!! ... Mars was last in Cancer from March 25th through May 20th, 2023 - anything come to mind from that period in regards to this kind of energy produced when Mars transits Cancer ???

Mars in Cancer can be highly emotional and is pulled between expressing its feelings and holding them in ... there is a great need for emotional security ... one may assert themselves here indirectly, shyly, sensitively or carefully, but this Mars is definitely prone to emotional outbursts ... identity is closely tied to home, family, and feelings ... energy levels seem to rise and fall with ones moods ... if your heart is involved in something, then this energy can truly accomplish anything it sets its mind out to do ... anger is more often expressed through crying rather than screaming and yelling ... one has to be careful with this energy not to give too much to others just to avoid confrontation !!!



Mars in Cancer shows us that to get what we want, we must do so through nurturing ... its fighting or taking flight ... the sex drive is usually very strong here but that can be good or bad depending on how the energy is expressed ... one of the challenges with this energy is to find out what is really making you angry and deal with it ... figure out who or what it is that you genuinely care about also ... ultimately we must learn where the fine line falls between stimulation and outright aggravation !!! ... We now leave behind our minds being set on fire for a thirst of knowledge as well as the desire to move about and that drive becomes turned deeply inward to address our emotions and what we feel we must nurture !!! 

As Cancer is ruled by the Moon, and the Moon naturally rules the 4th house, we may encounter problems with the stomach - there could be a lot of you out there that become the victim of reflux, acid indigestion, heartburn, and frequent upset stomach issues ... also the home, family, the mother or a maternal figure, women in general and the public in general are areas where one could find issues arising if you react too quick without thinking things through ... and of course whichever house or houses the complete degrees of Cancer fall in your natal chart is certainly where you will find this increased "watered down burning" drive to occur !!!

This Martian energy likes close involvements, a secure sex life, and an active home life ... it does not like mild mannered emotions, distress within the family setting, inner doubts and domestic "fires" ... the energy of Mars in Cancer can be expressed in the following ways:


POSITIVE: sensuous, provocative, passionate, sexually subtle, tenacious, protective, bold, hardworking, complex, adaptable, sensitive, healing, intuitive, original, occultist


NEGATIVE: irritable, evasive, too intense, sexually unsure, possessive, defensive, compulsive, neurotic, moody, quarrelsome, confusing, fatalistic, weird, spooky/spooked



Mars is currently the only planet transiting through the sign of  Cancer and that may be enough at the moment considering all of the emotional issues we all are trying to deal with in our lives - especially with an upcoming Venus retrograde that will have the first Mercury retrograde of 2025 completely embedded in it ... Mars will not make its complete transit through Cancer until April 17th/18th, 2025 !!!

CANCER BORN, there exists the potential for you to become restless and/or "fired up" about something or someone during this extended period ... as always be careful not to incinerate, or in this case should I say perhaps be careful not to flood others with your heightened emotional state, the object of your increased drive and desire - and that goes for everyone as well !!!

We all will be experiencing this energy on some level of our lives ... we will be urged to keep the "home fires" brightly lit, but we must be careful not to go overboard and end up  "burning down the house" or "crying yourself a river" !!!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN START YOUR ENGINES ... but somewhat cautiously as Venus will begin its next retrograde journey on Saturday, March 1st at 7:36 PM EST ... be careful not to put the pedal to the metal and start going too far too fast just yet ... perhaps you might want to take some sage advice from Dorothy and her friends and simply "ease on down the road" !!!