Mars Retrograde in Libra (March 1st – May 19th 2014)
What the Heck is Mars Retrograde?
When Mars appears to be moving backwards in the sky (i.e. in retrograde motion), it signals a time that the Martian principles of aggression, initiation, and energy are up for review, and might be a bit more slowed down than usual.
Mars, the 'red planet', and Roman god of war, represents the following in astrology:
So when Mars goes retrograde, there may be less energy available to launch into new long-term projects, or burn through new external terrain in our lives. If our usual response to life is to get out there and make things happen, we may find our actions thwarted or at least deterred during this time.
This can be a bit of a challenge if you grew up and live in an industrial society that calls for more and more action, action, action! If you have key planets in Aries, or a strong Mars (say conjunct your Sun), it may be even more challenging for you to take a step back, breathe deeply, and assess a given situation before taking action. But patience is exactly what may be called for now that Mars is in reverse.
What I have found to be a great use of this time is to focus my energy into pinpointing exactly what I want out of my life in various realms. Making lists of desires and requirements in a house, job, and relationship, or any other realm of life can be a great way to spend your time until Mars goes direct on May 19th.
Mars only goes retrograde every two years or so, so why not make the most out of this opportunity to slow down, reflect, and see what we really, truly want, rather than impulsively move forward with whatever catches our fancy at the time (a very Martian thing to do)?
Fussing and Fighting
Another key issue up for many of us will be conflicts. Mars loves to get it's opinion out there, usually in a very fiery, 'Oh yeah?' kind of way. We may be called upon to find ways to communicate that are non-violent, less emotionally charged, and that take others into account, especially given that Mars is traveling through Libra, the sign of fairness, cooperation, and diplomacy.
This signals a time when the energies of 'me' and 'we' are very much available to us. It is a time when we get to find balance (a very Libraesque theme, given that Libra is represented by the scales) between asserting our boundaries, needs, and feelings, and honoring those same things in others. If we are too much of a people-pleaser (an abundance of Libra or Venus perhaps) we may be thrust into situations where we must finally stand up for ourselves and place our own needs first. If, however, we are more attuned to the energy of Aries or Mars, we may be presented with situations that mirror to us our need to allow others their opinions, or to find ways to channel our anger other than directly at another person. Ideally we would be able to synthesize the energy of cooperation with that of self-orientation, thereby ensuring everyone's needs, including our own, are met in a harmonious way.
This could be a great time to take some Non-violent communication courses, play sports or exercise frequently (great Martian activities and means to channel anger), or have a deep discussion with a loved one focused on sharing each other's needs and wants.
Making it Work for You!
Of course, all of these ideas are probably best utilized through the lens of our own personal experience and personality. If one is having some major transit from Pluto or a Saturn return, Mars retrograde might just be something that colors a much more significant transit and time of change. Does life stop during Mars retrograde? Of course not. If you really feel in your heart that new shining opportunity is right for you, by all means listen to those feelings. Perhaps best to use one's intuition, one's guides (angels, spirit guides, ascended masters, etc.), a trusted friend or counselor, or even just your journal as a sounding board before making any final decisions.
Becoming familiar with our natal chart can also help tremendously to understand how this period might affect us. The better we understand our inherent personal makeup, the better we ought to be able to recognize what are strengths are, and what needs healing.
The Need for Less Speed
One last tidbit I'd like to share regarding Mars retrograde is the possibility for accidents. In the first week of Mars retro, I saw someone speed around two cars and through a stop sign, two near collisions with bikes, and a hit and run. People may be driving a bit more erratically or quickly during this time. Best to be a bit more cautious than usual.
Safe and happy journeys!
Brian Honeycutt
Angelic Astrology Magic
angelicastrologymagic.com
What the Heck is Mars Retrograde?
When Mars appears to be moving backwards in the sky (i.e. in retrograde motion), it signals a time that the Martian principles of aggression, initiation, and energy are up for review, and might be a bit more slowed down than usual.
Mars, the 'red planet', and Roman god of war, represents the following in astrology:
- Self-orientation
- Action
- Initiative
- Masculine energy (not male, mind you, but masculine)
- Arguments and fighting; competition
- Yang impulses
- Drive and determination, the motivational forces that cause us to get out there and get things done!
So when Mars goes retrograde, there may be less energy available to launch into new long-term projects, or burn through new external terrain in our lives. If our usual response to life is to get out there and make things happen, we may find our actions thwarted or at least deterred during this time.
This can be a bit of a challenge if you grew up and live in an industrial society that calls for more and more action, action, action! If you have key planets in Aries, or a strong Mars (say conjunct your Sun), it may be even more challenging for you to take a step back, breathe deeply, and assess a given situation before taking action. But patience is exactly what may be called for now that Mars is in reverse.
What I have found to be a great use of this time is to focus my energy into pinpointing exactly what I want out of my life in various realms. Making lists of desires and requirements in a house, job, and relationship, or any other realm of life can be a great way to spend your time until Mars goes direct on May 19th.
Mars only goes retrograde every two years or so, so why not make the most out of this opportunity to slow down, reflect, and see what we really, truly want, rather than impulsively move forward with whatever catches our fancy at the time (a very Martian thing to do)?
Fussing and Fighting
Another key issue up for many of us will be conflicts. Mars loves to get it's opinion out there, usually in a very fiery, 'Oh yeah?' kind of way. We may be called upon to find ways to communicate that are non-violent, less emotionally charged, and that take others into account, especially given that Mars is traveling through Libra, the sign of fairness, cooperation, and diplomacy.
This signals a time when the energies of 'me' and 'we' are very much available to us. It is a time when we get to find balance (a very Libraesque theme, given that Libra is represented by the scales) between asserting our boundaries, needs, and feelings, and honoring those same things in others. If we are too much of a people-pleaser (an abundance of Libra or Venus perhaps) we may be thrust into situations where we must finally stand up for ourselves and place our own needs first. If, however, we are more attuned to the energy of Aries or Mars, we may be presented with situations that mirror to us our need to allow others their opinions, or to find ways to channel our anger other than directly at another person. Ideally we would be able to synthesize the energy of cooperation with that of self-orientation, thereby ensuring everyone's needs, including our own, are met in a harmonious way.
This could be a great time to take some Non-violent communication courses, play sports or exercise frequently (great Martian activities and means to channel anger), or have a deep discussion with a loved one focused on sharing each other's needs and wants.
Making it Work for You!
Of course, all of these ideas are probably best utilized through the lens of our own personal experience and personality. If one is having some major transit from Pluto or a Saturn return, Mars retrograde might just be something that colors a much more significant transit and time of change. Does life stop during Mars retrograde? Of course not. If you really feel in your heart that new shining opportunity is right for you, by all means listen to those feelings. Perhaps best to use one's intuition, one's guides (angels, spirit guides, ascended masters, etc.), a trusted friend or counselor, or even just your journal as a sounding board before making any final decisions.
Becoming familiar with our natal chart can also help tremendously to understand how this period might affect us. The better we understand our inherent personal makeup, the better we ought to be able to recognize what are strengths are, and what needs healing.
The Need for Less Speed
One last tidbit I'd like to share regarding Mars retrograde is the possibility for accidents. In the first week of Mars retro, I saw someone speed around two cars and through a stop sign, two near collisions with bikes, and a hit and run. People may be driving a bit more erratically or quickly during this time. Best to be a bit more cautious than usual.
Safe and happy journeys!
Brian Honeycutt
Angelic Astrology Magic
angelicastrologymagic.com
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