MARS MOVEMENTS•••
Mars Retrograde at 28° Aries
Author James O’Dea offered that “the universe has hidden a secret in you… it is your job to reveal it.”
Of course, astrologers can help you with this *wink*
As Mars moves retrograde through Aries until mid-November, squaring back at all the heavyweights in Capricorn, and causing major upheaval, obstacle, delay, or stagnation in its seemingly spiraling wake—either way, overall frustrated combustion—allow me to suggest as delicately and carefully as is possible…
Something is being revealed to you.
Mars stationed retrograde at 28° Aries this last week and will station direct, in November, through the fifteenth degree of Aries, suggesting that, as astrologer Dane Rudhyar offered, “great hopes and excited expectations cannot be sustained… the issue is how to handle this situation—in one form or another, it is an often recurring situation in the life of an individual person—the manner in which it is met determines the individual’s future possibilities of development and achievement.”
Being emphasized, then, is the need to be “obsessed by potentiality”… and that “a sense of responsibility for what one’s actions will produce… can expect significant results.”
Ultimately, through this retrograded phase, you are celestially responsible toward the “act of self-realization and may, ever so relatively, find oneself “clothed in light” for an instant… in however small a degree, every individual may be confronted with the potentiality of a fulfilling desire.”
Something is being revealed to you.
But, like a diamond, enduring such extreme temperatures and unrelenting pressures—you will be given sparkle and clarity through arduous efforts.
❝When you embark on an experience into unknown terrain you are on an adventure, ready for anything. You may lose all your stuff. You may get hit on the head. You may wake up in a daze & wonder what happened. If you have inner pluck you’ll figure out your next move & get going. You won’t feel sorry for yourself. You may meet a fabulous person who takes you in, feeds you, & encourages you. These things don’t just happen in the movies. Adventurous types live to tell such tales.❞
——Genevieve Vierling
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Where is Mars in your chart?—this would be an extremely clarifying thing to know now, as the house through which Mars is retrograde would be activating an inner light toward revealing «how» these energies are causing havoc for you—havoc which is reminding you of your secret.
The havoc which will lead you to your potential.
❝The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.❞
——Pema Chödrön
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Mars through the houses—
•If Mars is moving through your first house, you are likely challenging yourself—or being challenged—to look at yourself more critically, and it’s doubly likely that you’re needing to explore the changes which only you alone need to make in order for something vital to change in your favor, and this is a huge—however angering—revelation… be patient with yourself, and with these necessary changes—anger will not clarify anything. Use exercise or sex or physical activity otherwise burn up all excess frustrations.
•If Mars is moving through your second house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to consider what you value more critically. How are you (mis)using your resources? How can you more appropriately and more effectively and more impactfully honor your self-worth? Take this time of frustrated stagnation and revise your budget and thereby secure future endeavors.
•If Mars is moving through your third house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to communicate your most squishy and vulnerable needs… out loud. Yikes. Charm will be much more effective than vinegar. It’s likely that the true frustration through this challenge will be that no one is listening to you anyway. Yikes. It could be that the ways in which you’ve communicated in the past are no longer appropriate, and a portion of this challenge may be asking you to learn new ways of communication—likely ones that will stretch you beyond those perspectives you find most comfortable.
•If Mars is moving through your fourth house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to be accommodating beyond any typical urge you may (or may not currently) possess to be doting and available. You may have to fake it, and this could feel somewhat passive-aggressive… depending upon your energy levels—should something arise that bothers you: fix it. This could be actual renovations within your home, or more emotionally charged malfunctioning, such as working out the messy kinks within your most closely-knitted relationships.
•If Mars is moving through your fifth house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to allow your spark and creative urge and muse to come when it will… and surrendering any illusion of control over these expressions. Is it possible that it’s time to explore new ways of expressing yourself? Any stuck-ness you’re feeling, or experiencing, will pass—but with it, so might a need to cling to any one ideal, or any inclination to try to control these expressions of self. Lessons in trust are being offered now. And trust is the spark within all Life, within anything worth expressing.
•If Mars is moving through your sixth house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to update or reassess, and most likely follow through on your work routines and personal rituals. Especially if you’ve been struggling with an ailment of sorts or a physical limitation—doing what needs to be done because you are worth it is now becoming a top priority… or else. Just kidding. But no, really—you’ll likely feel the difference. Sometimes pain is more than a signal.
❝Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.❞
——Viktor E. Frankl
•If Mars is moving through your seventh house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to address necessary conflict with an/Other, most likely a significantly placed other: whoever in your life means the most to you. If no one is addressing the elephant in the room—you might need to do so, as you might be confronting a lesson in which you’ve resisted in the past: asserting yourself firmly, but not aggressively. This is a delicate balance, as you’re well aware… and adding this to everything else occurring around you in all directions—practicing restraint will definitely take some practice.
•If Mars is moving through your eighth house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to demand for more… more money, more security, more resources, more entitlements, more benefits… even more sex. However, demanding anything now will not behoove you—in fact, it’s not even necessarily the point of your frustrations. It is likely that you are more frustrated with yourself and your own vulnerabilities than you are with whoever or whatever it is you’re pinpointing to be the source of it. Asking for what you feel you need will help. Sharing some of your squish with an/Other may even benefit you more.
•If Mars is moving through your ninth house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to explore… especially if you’ve been quarantined—now is the time to breathe fresh air. If you’re unable, for whatever reason, to adventure into the unknown right now—plan to do it as soon as you’re able; pick a place, do enough research to offer a sense of destination, and resource your expenditures. Move, move, move. Otherwise, anything that allows you to feel a sense of expansion, such as taking classes or workshops, starting a blog or open forum, or reading books about things you know nothing about. Do, do, do.
•If Mars is moving through your tenth house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to advance yourself in your chosen field. It is likely you’re encountering some sort of obstacle, delay, or blockage within your strategic plan of gaining higher status, or earning into a higher tax bracket—it’s time to make necessary revisions to this plan. How have your professional ambitions altered this year? Or, despite whatever obstacle is before you—it may simply be enough of a roadblock to encourage your determination to strive for more.
•If Mars is moving through your eleventh house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to make a stand for or against your friends, peers, colleagues, or community, or unitedly support or protest a party, cause, need, law, or right. You are likely fueled by the Promethean spark within and feel urged to share, inspire, and inform all others about your stance… the challenge here could be either balancing your passion with the ignorance of the opposition, or not feeling heard within your own tribe. Or—finding yourself bonding with ‘the other side’.
•If Mars is moving through your twelfth house, you are challenging yourself—or being challenged—to find inner truths. What’s real anymore? You are likely being driven to fall down a rabbit hole of fact-sourcing or peer-reviewing, and allowing yourself to explore this rabbit hole is likely necessary now. Or, you could be navigating the source of mysterious ailments or draining symptoms emerging seemingly out of nowhere… either way, it’s time for you to assert yourself with boundaries of care, to tend to yourself with love and patience, and the clarifications of time well spent.
❝Not all those who wander are lost.❞
——J R R Tolkien
Rudhyar, D. “An Astrological Mandala.” Vintage Books; ©1973.
Image credit— @itspeteski on Instagram